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(3) | .Riley. | Now

It was midnight. Sydney had texted me to tell me her shift had been extended an extra hour. I didn't mind. I had no reason to get up early tomorrow morning.

Arabella was asleep on the couch. The seafoam green one.

I had wrapped her little body up in a red duvet cover like a pig in a blanket. She was fast asleep. That girl falls asleep quicker than I rush to go and make myself a coffee in the mornings.

I'd taken her shoes off so Adam wouldn't complain tomorrow if he was to find any marks on the couch after I had already agreed to clean away the stains from the soles of my sliders.

I had left the apartment for a few minutes to head over to visit our new neighbor. Adam was expecting me to introduce myself and say hello but I couldn't be more petrified.

I figured if I was to show up at midnight, James would already be asleep. He wouldn't answer. That way I could tell Adam I went over but there was no response. I wouldn't be caught out for lying then.

James.

I've been playing his name inside my head the entire day.

I'm praying it's not him. I'm not ready to see him again. I never planned to see him again.

I moved back to Ontario for a reason and having him follow me here wasn't part of the plan in any way.

My mind knows there are plenty of people named James out there. It must be a random James I had never come across in my life. There was only one James I had ever met, after all.

But tell me why I'm so nervous.

Social interactions weren't my thing. They stopped being my thing a long time ago.

Besides, Adam never usually wants me to introduce myself to people so what's changed?

I fiddle with my fingers and play around with the hangnail on the edge of my thumb. Biting my nails had always been a coping mechanism of mine but all it did was give me hangnails and those hangnails stressed me out more.

I'm a mess.

What do I even say if it is him and he answers?

Stop it, Riley. You're overthinking.

It's midnight. He would never be awake. All I have to do is press a light knock against the door. It's not that hard.

I release my hands and form a round fist. My hand comes in contact with the door before I register it. I jump at the sound and my heart does a somersault.

So stupid.

I close my eyes shut tight.

I wait.

I count to three in my head and after those seconds of pure silence, I open one eye.

The door remained sealed shut in front of me and I let out a sigh of relief.

Turning around in the corridors which were lit by only one light-bulb near the left end of the hallway, I begin to make my way back to our apartment where Bella was fast asleep under a red blanket on the green couch.

I shouldn't really sleep until Sydney gets here to collect her.

I plan to make myself a hot chocolate and sit myself down on the other grey sofa opposite the seafoam couch and finish reading my book. At least I can wear sliders if I sit on that couch and not get told off because it was Nana's before it was passed down to me.

Mom and Dad didn't need it. They saw no use in a non-foldable couch. It was barely even a couch, to be fair. It was more of an arm-chair. Grandpa's old arm-chair which he used to spend every night on in that bungalow they lived in when he was sick.