೫𝙴𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚊೫

"Dizzy!" I call, hurrying around my apartment with her food bowl in my hands. I shake it and look under every surface she could possibly fit under. "C'mon, sweet pea! I gotta get to work!" I groan. I double check my bedroom closet before letting out a heavy sigh and going back to the kitchen to set her food down.

Unfortunately, I don't have time to keep looking for my cat. Last time I told my manager I was late because my cat was hiding in the darkest depths of the corner of my closet, he told me to get to work before he fires me.

I think he's a dog person.

"I'll be back later tonight, Dizzy!" I call out, already halfway out the door. Quickly, I slip out and shut it behind me. I press my palm to the black part above my lock, automatically locking it.

These electric locks always make me a little nervous, but they're pretty damn convenient. All I have to do is press my palm against the little black part of it to get my pin options to pop up then I type my four number pin in then boom. Door is officially unlocked. Same thing with locking it, just press my palm on it then slip away.

I steal a glance at the door across the hall from mine before I leave, curious about its new tenant. This unit has always been vacant, or at least in the two years I've lived here it has.






They moved in about a week ago, but I have yet to run into them. I hear them every now and then—mostly at night. They aren't loud or anything, but sometimes I can just hear the little chime the electric locks on our doors make when they push their palm against the screen. I never actually hear them leave though, so I assume they leave super early. Or they leave after I do.

I've made friends with everyone living in the units around me except them though. Honestly, a little part of me is mildly annoyed that I can never catch them. I want to be friends with them, we just keep missing each other.

But I'm determined.

Don't worry, new tenant. I'll catch ya eventually. We're going to be the best of friends. Just you wait.

__________

The smile I give the teenage boys in front of me is a little forced. They seem like nice boys, but they're also really loud and this is a library. Also, I think I heard them snickering about one of my favorite books in the fantasy aisle. I'm a little bitter.

"Bye," I call, waving goodbye at the group. Neither of them waves back, so I internally stick my tongue out at them and carry on with my day. I'm surprised they even left with a book.

With a little sigh, I collect a few books and slide them onto my little cart to start putting them away in their correct orders. First, I start down the fantasy genre aisle to fix whatever those boys did to it.

I pause right in the middle of the aisle, blinking at the girl at the very end. She's busy looking up at the spines of the books in front of her. She smiles at one she finds and reaches up to grab it, going up on her tip toes. When she lowers her heels down, she looks down at her book. Suddenly, she looks up and right at me.

I can feel my face flush red with embarrassment at being caught staring and quickly look down at the books on my cart. The girl quietly laughs to herself while I grab one of the books from the cart to put it away in its correct spot.

"Excuse me?" A soft voice calls.

My heart starts going a little faster as I look over at the girl. She smiles at me. I give a wonky smile back. "Hi," I greet, giving her a little wave.

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