Neighbour?

It was a short-haired blonde, hands twisted in front of her, nervous but looking young and peppery. A college student in all likelihood.

"Uhh, hi! I'm Claire!" she said, high-pitched.

'Yep, definitely a college student.'

Aaron softened. He was an anti-social and rigid man but when it came to college students and the youth he was as gentle as a fly (or at least he tried to be).

"Hi, Claire." He wore a pleasant smile. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, not exactly wrong, but, uh…well…I live under you–I'm your neighbour and I'm about to head to college and I have exams so…could you…keep it down…?"

Blushing and squirming, the blonde barely managed to get the words out. An embarrassing confession for sure but there was something to her that didn't sit well with Aaron.

He smiled still. "My bad. I didn't think the walls were so thin."

"They're not," Claire clarified, a little loud, "I have sensitive ears…is all…"

She was blushing from her neck to her ears, light complexion shading into a light red. She fiddled with the ends of her blue plaid shirt.

The smell of his shampoo must have affected her because he had never seen a woman act so flustered around him.

There was a nagging feeling in the back of his head. A sixth sense of sorts. It was identical to the warm feeling during his encounter with White Rabbit at the Iceberg Lounge.

'Is she lying?'

No, that couldn't be. Her eyes were wide and honest. He couldn't see a smidge of negativity in those blue orbs of hers.

"Err…you're making breakfast?"

Her question broke him from his thoughts.

"Yes, well, I just made it." Aaron peered down at her. Messy golden locks, slacks looking weeks unwashed, and an anxiety-inducing smile. A typical college student. "You want to come in?"

Claire waved her hands out in front of her. "Oh, no. I couldn't possibly…"

"I don't mind."

"But your guests." Her eyes flickered behind him and a strange redness glowed within. It was only there for an instant, perhaps less so, and Aaron thought for a moment that he imagined it. "You have people inside, right? Er…they, uh…women…" she mumbled off into obscurity.

There were two creampied women in his room, yes, but she didn't know that…right?

Aaron looked at her again. The odd sensation returned but he could find nothing within the girl. No malicious intent. No hostile or bitterness, only pure anxiety.

The small spark of red erupted again. He certainly wasn't imagining it. Balancing a straight and honest face while deducing this mystery was difficult.

"It's no problem. Next time, I'll remember to quiet down."

Aaron smiled, slightly cheeky. She burst into flames, somehow more embarrassed than he was.

"Um, ah…I guess…" Claire gathered up the heaps of courage she had left and said, "I saw someone in the dumpsters last night. Um, be careful…sir."

"I will."

He slowly closed the door and waved her goodbye while the blonde lifted a weak hand in a half-baked response and protest.

'Welp. I guess I'll have to keep a gag around.'