Next Door || HAMZAH THE FANTSATIC

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟓

Y/N

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌‌‌၊|• 0:05

Mandy stands before my paintings, her gaze fixed as I linger a few steps behind her. I can't tell if she's mesmerised or silently critiquing every detail. A flicker of doubt creeps in—maybe I'm the issue here.

She finally turns back at me with a wide grin, and I feel a weight lift off my shoulders once she does. She grabs me by my arm and links my arms with her. Her eyes dart at the artwork and then back at me.

"N/N, these are literally— crazy. How do you paint like that?" Mandy asks, her eyes sparkling as she looks up at me with a heartwarming smile.

I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. Instead, I let out a soft laugh, shrugging as if to say, I don't even know myself.

Buzz.

Her phone vibrates, drawing her attention. She quickly checks the screen and reads the message aloud. "Martin says he's close by. Wanna meet him?" she asks, her lips curling into a playful grin.

I tilt my head, giving her a teasing smirk. "Sure", I say, crossing my arms as I watch her scan the room, her eyes flicking toward the entrance.

I take this time to look more at my artwork. It suddenly felt real.

My eyes become fixated on the paint swirls I had made myself, and I find myself analysing each dot and texture on the canvas, even including my name signed at the bottom.

Mandy's voice floats around me—soft murmurs and indistinct chatter—but I stay locked in my moment of hyperfocus, oblivious to her words. Suddenly, a gentle shake on my arm jolts me back to reality.

"Guys, this is N/N!" Mandy announces brightly, tugging my arm to pull me closer to the group.

I blink, sighing as I finally turn around, steeling myself to meet their gazes.

I freeze in place.

Hamzah?

My eyes flick to the side, and that's when I notice him—Martin, standing just a few steps away.

"Y/N?"

I continue to stand still in place without letting myself cooperate with a reply,

"Hamzah...?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Mandy's brows pulling together in confusion, her expression a mixture of curiosity and surprise. On the other hand, Martin looks stunned—but there's a hint of amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth like he's oddly pleased by the situation.

Mandy is the first to react by quickly pulling me closer to her. "How do you know N/N— Y/N..." Mandy mocks her head at Hamzah.

His eyes flick to Mandy for just a moment before locking back onto me, this time with a focus so intense it sends a wave of nervousness through me. The weight of his attention feels almost tangible, making it impossible to ignore the sudden flutter in my chest.

"Y/N is next door— she's my neighbour!" He says, almost irritated at Mandy. This whole time, Martin has yet to say anything, he gives slight facial expressions, which nearly come off as responses.

Mandy glances at me, then back at Hamzah, her expression a mix of surprise and amusement. She pauses for a beat before letting out a soft laugh.

"Hamzah drove you here?" she asks, her tone teasing, the corners of her lips twitching into a sly grin. Without waiting for an answer, she moves to stand beside Martin, nudging him as they exchange knowing chuckles.