"we've been neighbours for nearly ten years and I'm just finding out your name."
"tell me about it. all these years I've been calling you the boy from-"
"-two doors down...," I finish for him,my eyes wide.
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ataraxia (n.) - a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; tranquility.
everything happens for a reason. that's what I tell myself whenever I'm inconvenienced. it helps me stay positive and keep a clear head so I don't freak out. jimin says I'm the calmest person he knows. I realised I never thought about my faith in destiny much until today.
a week has passed since the dare. maybe it's just me,but it feels like the boy from two doors down looks at me with extra warmth in his eyes. each time I head out into the yard,he's there. walking around or gardening or laying in the grass. he's beautiful.
on the other hand,ms. smith's house looks expressively forlorn. sure,the kids were loud and irritating but the complete absence of noise makes the atmosphere sort of awkward. peaceful, but awkward.
the day is perfectly normal. everything is as it should be until nightfall. I'm upstairs in my room when the power goes out. I switch my torch on and head downstairs. turns out,the entire neighbourhood is flooded in darkness.
we sit in the hall as mom calls the electricity company. five minutes and I'm already sweating profusely. summer nights are really hot in general but tonight feels like we've descended a level closer to hell. I get up and tell mom I'm heading out for some air.
I head out and breathe in. the air is relatively cooler out here. I plug my earphones in and start walking. I pass ms. smith's house and stop for a second,wondering if I should go into the empty building. no one would see me anyway. I sigh after a while and continue on my way.
I pass the boy from two doors down's house and grin up at one of the windows, wondering what he's doing in there in the heat. my mind wanders to images of him peeling a sweaty t-shirt off,running his fingers through his hair probably slick with sweat-
I shake my head. I can't get a boner now.
I circle the block once,staring up into ms. smith's sad-looking windows. and perhaps it's fate. perhaps it's destiny. perhaps it was on my bucket list.
but I groan and tell myself I would just peek as I clamber over her gate in the darkness. I switch on the flashlight on my phone and put it between my teeth as I make my way soundlessly across the grass. I cross my fingers and pull at the doorknob. it's open!
I head inside,flashlight illuminating the pathway. ms. smith's house is very cosy and basic. it gives me a very homey vibe. I go in deeper,the silence so quiet I can hear ringing. I'm about to take another step forward when I hear a definite creak in the floorboards upstairs.
I gasp. a ghost?
biting my tongue,I head up the stairs slowly. I walk slowly and steadily,vigilant in case something charges at me and I crack my head open on the floor. I reach the top of the staircase and look around. there are four bedrooms up here,one for each of the brats.
