Next Door || HAMZAH THE FANTSATIC

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟔

HAMZAH

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌‌‌၊|• 0:06

It has been a week since I drove Y/N's to her gallery show.

It has been a week since I found out Y/N and Mandy were family friends.

It has been a week since dinner with Y/N.

It has been a week since I drove Y/N home from dinner. 

It has been a week since... everything. 

Since then, our interactions have been reduced to quick smiles and fleeting glances as we pass each other. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I can't help feeling a little disappointed that she hasn't needed a ride again.

I try not to dwell on it, convincing myself it's better this way—simpler. But every time I see her, there's this weird tug in my chest,  like I'm waiting for something to happen. Maybe for her to ask for something or for me to have a reason to start a conversation?

It's not like I couldn't just say something. But every time I think about it, I stop myself—what would I even say that wouldn't sound... stupid?"

It feels almost embarrassing to admit, but there's a part of me that liked those car rides. A part of me that liked the way she'd fidget with the seatbelt or how she'd talk about her art like it wasn't the most amazing thing I'd ever seen.

And maybe that same part of me is now wondering if she's Googled me yet.

The thought sends a jolt of panic through my chest. Because if she does? If she somehow stumbles upon my channel and sees... everything?

I glance over to my phone and see Martin calling me, and I get a bit caught off guard when I remember I changed his profile to a photo of Martin with his speedo on.

"Wanna come over" Martin asks, completely out of the blue. There's no explanation, no context—just those two words.

I go silent for a second to think, but I end up replying no more then a minute after. 

"Sure. Now?" 

I hear a faint giggle in the back from Mandy as if she's talking to someone, or her cats. 

"Yeah, just come soon." 

Before I can get a word in, the call abruptly ends. I stare at my phone for a second, then shrug it off and head to get ready.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

When I reach the door, I pause to wrestle with my shoes, which are stubbornly clinging to my feet. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I give the door a quick knock before bending down to try again, muttering under my breath as I tug at the laces.

"You okay?" 

I glance up mid-struggle.

 Y/N.

 Standing in Martin and Mandy's doorway, looking at me like she's trying to figure out what kind of chaos she's just walked into.

"Yeah," I say quickly, straightening up—shoe still firmly stuck. I try to act casual, but her raised eyebrows say she's not buying it.

I huff a laugh, tugging at it again, this time with less subtlety. "It's just the shoe. It's... personal at this point."

The corner of her lips form into a soft teasing smile before nodding, "I'll leave the door open for you." She says before walking off. 

I watch her disappear into the house, the sound of her footsteps fading as she heads toward the living room. The door hangs open, just like she said, and for a second, I just stand there holding my shoe.

I round the corner to the living room, my eyes instantly catching on Y/N. She's perched on the edge of the couch, her hands wrapped around a mug that I'm sure Mandy forced on her the second she walked in. Her hair's a little messy from the wind, and there's this small, amused smile lingering on her face as she listens to whatever Martin's rambling about.

Y/N looks over at me then, her smile growing just a fraction wider, like she's still replaying the shoe incident in her head.

"Oh you're here" Martin stops what he was previously saying and brings me over to the couch. 

I blink, my gaze landing on Y/N sitting on the couch, cradling a mug of hot chocolate. She doesn't look up, her eyes fixed on the swirling marshmallows. I hesitate for a beat before finally sliding onto the cushion beside her.

She clears her throat softly, her fingers tightening around the mug, but still, she doesn't say anything. Before I can muster a word, Mandy swoops in, shoving a steaming mug of hot chocolate into my hands.

It's festive. Green and red sprinkles coat the whipped cream, and marshmallows bob at the surface.

"I want to watch Christmas movies," Mandy announces with a straight face.

Martin bounds over her shoulder, his grin wide and unreasonably enthusiastic.

"Christmas movies... in November?" I mutter, glancing at my over-decorated drink before raising an eyebrow at Mandy.

Her eyes narrow like I've just insulted her entire existence. "That's when Christmas starts," she declares, her tone leaving no room for argument.

She doesn't wait for my response, grabbing Martin by the arm and dragging him to the couch.

I look back at my mug, then at Y/N. She meets my gaze for half a second, and the corner of her mouth twitches—like she's holding back a laugh.

Reluctantly, I take a sip of my hot chocolate. I sit there quietly for a second as Martin and Mandy look through Christmas movies, deciding between the Christmas chronicles and Home alone. 

I glance over at Y/N again, only to find her already looking at me.

"What movie do you want?" I ask.

"I've rewatched all of these too many times," she replies, her tone light but tinged with a hint of exasperation.

"If you had to choose," I press, watching as her lips purse in thought.

She taps her fingers against her mug, her face lighting up a second later. "Home Alone 2," she says, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Not the first one?" I arch an eyebrow, leaning back slightly.

"I like when he's lost in New York," she says simply, her smile widening.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Mandy subtly nudging her head in our direction. "Home Alone 2?" she chimes in, clearly eavesdropping. Before either of us can confirm, she's already grabbed the remote and turned toward the TV. 

"Done," she declares, the opening credits flashing on the screen as she plops down next to Martin.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

- Sorry for the wait just for this chapter to be this short, I want the next chapter to be a longer version starting off with the movie. Thank you for the support so far, and that this is #1 in hamzahthefantastic.