The New Neighbour

Chapter 1 - Moving Day

Authors Note - This is my first story... so please go easy on me.

Avi's POV

"Are you sure you don't want any help unpacking all these boxes?" Esther asked for the third time, glancing around at all the cardboard moving boxes littering the living room floor.

Avi chuckled to himself and shook his head. "It's fine, really. I'll be ok. Thanks again for all the help, Sis," Avi said appreciatively, hugging his older sister tight. The young man could never thank his sister enough for all the times she had helped him and been there for him over the years.

"That's what sisters are for!" Esther replied with a proud smile, pulling on her coat. She stepped back and looked at her baby brother, "Now remember, if you need me just call ok? For any reason, at any time of the day or night... got it?"

Avi grinned, knowing that she was probably just as nervous about him finally moving into his own place as he was. "I'll be fine Es. Please don't worry about me," he replied, trying to radiate a confidence that he didn't entirely feel. After their parents died just over 3 years ago, Esther had become very overprotective of him. Avi really couldn't blame her though, as all they had left was each other and if anything happened to either of them... he didn't even want to think about it.

"That'll be the day!" Esther said shaking her head at her brother. "Alright, I guess I should get going... I love you baby bro," she said, pulling him in for another quick hug, before turning around and heading for the front door.

"Love you too," he replied, listening as his sister opened the door, stepped out into the hall, then pulled the door closed behind her. Avi couldn't help but grin. He had finally done it! He had a place of his own, with no-one looking after him like a child for the first time in his twenty four years of life.

Carefully walking around a pile of cardboard boxes that he still had to unpack, Avi dropped back into HIS couch and grinned happily. The thought that he was finally all alone was incredibly exciting... yet at the same time it scared the hell out of him. His sister had tried to talk him out of moving into his own apartment at first, afraid of all the things that could go wrong... but he had eventually talked her into it. Esther probably never would have agreed if it wasn't for her fiancée, Darien. His sister would only be about a three hour drive away... it wasn't like she was moving interstate or anything. Darien had managed to get Esther a great job as manager at the company he worked for, plus they would have moved in together a long time ago if it wasn't for Avi. Had things been different, Avi would probably have lived on campus at the university he had attended, and been out on his own years ago... but no-one could control fate. He was still a little bitter at times, but he had learned to live with what had happened to him and truly loved his life. He had a great job, a loving supportive sister, a soon to be brother-in-law ... and now a place of his own. Life was good.

Kevin's POV

Kevin finally reached the fourth and top floor of his apartment block, his legs aching from climbing the six flights of stairs after a long and gruelling work out at the gym. Wiping the sweat from his forehead with the towel hanging over his shoulders, the young man passed by a woman with long brown hair and glasses who he didn't recognise. She smiled and nodded in greeting as she passed by, wrapping a scarf around her neck as she did so. Was this woman his new neighbour? He really hoped she was because she was gorgeous!

Kevin knew that someone was moving into the apartment next to his this week, as he had seen moving guys carrying boxes that morning as he was heading to work. He hoped that whoever it was would be a good neighbour and not one of those neighbours from hell, who yelled at each other constantly or played loud music until the early hours of the morning or cooked weird smelling food at breakfast...

Unlocking the door to his apartment, Kevin headed inside, looking forward to taking a nice hot shower and relaxing in front of the television. He may even pay the new neighbour a visit, purely out of curiosity.

Forty five minutes later, Kevin found himself knocking on his new neighbour's door, curiosity having gotten the better of him after all.

Authors Note - Thank you so much for reading. Please leave a comment if you'd like to, they are always appreciated.