Her Neighbor.

Bianca's eyelids began to droop, her ears picked up the faint sound of footsteps echoing from behind her. The creaking of the old wooden beams beneath her feet seemed to grow louder, as if amplified by her sudden awareness. She turned slowly, her gaze drifting across the empty space behind her, until it came to rest on a figure emerging from the doorway of the adjacent apartment. The faint scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the sweet aroma of blooming flowers, as the figure stepped into the warm sunlight.

The figure stepped into the warm sunlight, its features became more defined, and Bianca's gaze was drawn to the sharp angles of his face, the messy brown hair that fell across his forehead, and the bright blue eyes that sparkled with a hint of curiosity. He was tall, at least six feet, with broad shoulders that stretched the fabric of his faded black t-shirt, and a relaxed stance that conveyed an air of quiet confidence. A small smile played on his lips as he caught sight of Bianca standing motionless, her eyes fixed intently on him.

As their gazes met, the stranger's smile deepened, and he took a step forward, his movements fluid and unhurried. "You must be my new neighbor!" he exclaimed, his voice low and smooth, like honey dripping over warm bread. Bianca felt a shiver run down her spine as he approached her, his bright blue eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. She stood frozen, unsure of how to respond, as he closed the distance between them with long, easy strides.

The stranger stopped in front of her, his chest inches from hers, and held out a hand, palm upwards.

Bianca's fingers wrapped around the stranger's, her skin tingled. His handshake was firm but gentle, and his palm felt warm against hers. "Zack," he said, his voice still low and smooth, but with a hint of friendliness that put Bianca at ease. She shook his hand once, twice, and then released it, feeling a pang of disappointment as their hands parted.

"I'm Bianca," she replied.

Bianca's name left her lips, Zack's eyes sparkled with interest, and he nodded thoughtfully, his messy brown hair bobbing slightly with the movement. "You must be attending university, right?" he asked, his voice infused with a casual curiosity, as if he were merely confirming a suspicion rather than prying into her personal life. Bianca hesitated for a fraction of a second, taken aback by the directness of the question, before nodding slowly, her dark hair swaying gently around her heart-shaped face.

As Bianca's confirmation hung in the air, a soft smile spread across her face, illuminating her delicate features. "Yeah, I am," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. The words had hardly escaped her lips when her gaze drifted downwards, coming to rest on the stranger's hand, which still lingered near hers after their handshake. It was then that she noticed it – a simple gold band encircling his finger, glinting subtly in the morning light.

Bianca's gaze settled on the gold band, a flicker of surprise danced across her face, and her thoughts stumbled upon the implication of its presence. But before she could react, Zack laughed, the sound effortless and melodious, like the tinkling of wind chimes on a breezy afternoon. "I figured! You moved in at the same time as everyone else," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement, as if the connection was obvious.

His laughter drew Bianca's attention away from the ring, and she found herself smiling along with him, the tension dissipating from her body.

As Bianca spoke, her gaze inadvertently drifted back to the gold band on Zack's finger, her mind whirling with questions about his relationship status. However, she swiftly pushed aside her curiosity, focusing instead on responding to his friendly demeanor. Her dark hair rustled softly as she nodded her head, "Yeah, I wanted to move in sooner but my boyfriend insisted we come to university at the same time so he could help me get settled."

Bianca's mention of a boyfriend elicited a subtle shift in Zack's expression - a fleeting narrowing of his eyes, followed by a neutralizing relaxation of his facial muscles.

Bianca finished speaking, Zack's gaze remained steady on hers, his eyes betraying a flicker of interest in her response. His eyebrows arched ever so slightly, as if inviting her to reveal more about her boyfriend. Then, in a low, measured tone, he posed the question that had been hovering unspoken between them: "Oh, does your boyfriend live with you?"

The inquiry sent a ripple of unease through Bianca, though she couldn't quite pinpoint why. Perhaps it was the way Zack's eyes seemed to bore into hers, searching for something beyond the surface level. Or maybe it was simply the natural wariness one feels when discussing personal matters with someone they've just met.

As Bianca's words trailed off, she shook her head, the gentle sway of her dark hair punctuating the gesture. "No," she said, her voice laced with a hint of wistfulness. "He wanted to live on campus to meet people, I tried to tell him it wasn't far but he said he wanted the real college experience." Her gaze drifted downward, as if lost in thought, and her slender fingers absently toyed with the hem of her worn jeans.

Zack's eyes never left hers, his piercing blue stare drinking in every nuance of her expression. His eyebrows arched slightly higher, etching furrows into his forehead, as he listened attentively to her explanation.

Zack's laughter dissipated, leaving behind a warm, gentle echo that harmonized with the hum of the city outside, Bianca's gaze lifted, reconnecting with his. The corners of his mouth twitched upward, forming a lingering smirk that hinted at shared understanding. "Right? You can almost see the campus here, plus I'd of loved to have my own place when I was in college," he chuckled, shaking his head in mild disbelief.

As the last wisps of Zack's chuckle dissolved into the air, he glanced down at his watch, the leather strap creaking softly against his wrist. "Anyway, I was just headed to go meet my wife for lunch," he announced, the casual statement imbued with an undercurrent of warmth, hinting at a deep affection for the person awaiting him.

The mention of a wife conjured an image in Bianca's mind – a woman whose features were indistinct, yet radiated an aura of elegance, much like the understated sophistication emanating from Zack. As Bianca's imagination began to weave a tapestry around this unknown woman, Zack's movements interrupted her reverie.

With a fluid motion, Zack reached into the pocket of his dark-washed jeans and retrieved his phone, its sleek silver casing glinting briefly in the soft light filtering through the window. He handed the device to Bianca, their fingertips brushing lightly as she accepted it, sending a faint spark of electricity dancing across her skin.

"Send yourself a text and then you can text me anytime you need anything," Zack instructed, his deep voice infused with genuine warmth, as if their brief acquaintance had already blossomed into a meaningful connection.

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, adding, "I work from home, so if I'm not here, I'm usually at the gym."

As Bianca's thumbs danced across the screen of Zack's phone, her nails clicking softly against the glass, she felt a subtle sense of trepidation mixed with curiosity. It wasn't often that she found herself exchanging numbers with someone she had just met, especially not with someone as enigmatic as Zack. Yet, despite the initial reservations that fluttered in her chest, she couldn't deny the ease with which their conversation flowed, nor the inexplicable sense of comfort she felt in his presence.

Once she had entered her number, Bianca handed the phone back to Zack, their fingers grazing once more as he took the device from her.

Zack tucked his phone into the depths of his pocket, the soft rustle of fabric against metal whispered through the silence. A slow smile spread across his face, creasing his cheeks and illuminating the sharp angles of his jawline. "Great to meet you, Bianca," he said, his deep voice tinged with sincerity. "I'll see you, I'm sure!"

With those parting words, Zack turned to leave, retracing the steps that had brought him to Bianca's doorstep mere moments ago. His broad shoulders receded into the distance, framed by the narrow corridor as he walked away with a purposeful stride, echoing the path Tyrese had taken earlier.

As the fragile thread of connection between them snapped, Zack's gaze released its hold on Bianca's, allowing his attention to revert to the path ahead. With a quiet nod to himself, he resumed his departure, disappearing from view as the corridor swallowed his frame whole. Bianca stood transfixed in the doorway, watching the space where Zack had vanished as if mesmerized by the echoes of their encounter.

A heartbeat later, the spell broke, releasing Bianca from its thrall. Shaking off the remnants of the strange sensation, she retreated into the sanctuary of her apartment, letting the door swing shut behind her with a muted thud.