Thy Neighbor

Chapter Two

6:30 p.m.

The gym is packed except for two treadmills. Ciara picks up her pace to catch one before it's too late... and to make sure that Trevante would be right next to her. As she slowly increases her speed on the treadmill, a shadow of a man walks behind her. His pace is slow, looking down at his phone as he steps onto the treadmill beside her. Her breath becomes labored not by the pace of her run but by the thoughts of what to say.

Should I say hi? Should I just let him run? Maybe he'll realize that we go to the same gym. Wow, I feel like such a stalker.

She turns down the volume to her music. Bracing herself to run and talk, she slowly turns her head to find that the man next to her wasn't Trevante. She catches her breath from the words she would have said and quickly looks forward. She tries to wipe off the disappointment with her towel, guzzling water to wash down the embarrassment.

She couldn't help to think about how Trevante is doing. It has been over a week since she last saw him, that moment in her living room staying with her. She fails to hear his apartment door open and close and she didn't see him in the gym like she times for him to be there. He feels like a missing piece to her puzzle even though she just learned his name.

As she stepped off of the treadmill, she notices her phone buzz uncontrollably. Her best friend, Mahalia, was texting her.

           You see your man today?

           Girl. Leaving the gym. Let me call you 20.

           Shut up. LOL.

           No.

Ciara already told Mahalia about her counseling session with Trevante. Mahalia and Ciara couldn't be any more different. While Mahalia is bold and the life of the party, Ciara is timid and loved the corner of the room. Mahalia could snag a date in seconds, Ciara didn't want to date at all. At least that's what she tells herself. Dating is harder than she wants it to be. The men at her church are looking for a wife. The men at her school are looking for someone to play house. There is no happy medium. Matter of fact, she isn't going to be the happy medium. Sometimes that leaves her unhappy.

As she parks her car, H.E.R. on full blast, she notices an object leaning against her apartment door. Walking up her steps, she makes out a bouquet of flowers tapping the bottom of her door.

Thank you neighbor
- Tre'

As she tries to wipe the mix of a smile and bewilderment off of her face, she realizes that Trevante's car is in the parking lot. She works up the nerve to knock on his door.

"Hey...oh."

His shirtless frame fills up the opening to his space. She wasn't ready.

"Oh, hey. I'm sorry. Let me go put a shirt on."

"No, it's okay. I just wanted to say thanks for the flowers. That was sweet. How are you doing though?"

"Ehh. Okay. I just got back from Texas. From the funeral. Still kinda surreal. I just wanted to say thanks for last week."

"Yeah, no problem." She hesitates with what words to say next. As they stare at each other in silence, she decides to go for it.

"I'm about to cook dinner. Feel free to stop by."

"That sounds awesome but I have a friend coming over soon, so....but, uh, save me a plate?"

Ciara grows embarrassed. "Yep. I got you. Uh, thanks again."

Girl, what was that?!

Walking into her apartment, Ciara throws her gym bag on the couch, grabs her favorite bottle of Riesling and pours double. Ciara tried a new trick but it looks like Trevante is back to his old tricks. But once she hears a knock on her door, she thinks her fate has changed. She cleans herself up, quickly removing her track jacket. Adjusting her braids, she swings open her door.

"Wait? Does Trevante live here?" A milk chocolate girl with a track runner's body stands in front of Ciara, slowly peeking into her apartment, hoping to see him turn the corner. As her agitation subsides, Ciara quickly responds, "Next door." Closing her door, she realizes her glass is empty and pours another round. It's going to be one of those nights.