Falling in love with my neighbour

Olivia Reed emerged from her wooden cabin, a steaming cup of coffee warming her hands, into a pink and orange sunrise. The neighborhood had yet to awaken, with the only sounds of birds chirp and the low rumble of cars emanating from the distant highway. It was another day in Willow Springs, a normal town where individuals could know their colleagues by name.

Olivia took a sip of the steaming liquid and peered at the neighboring home, the blinds pulled and a strange sense of dread hanging in the air. She had known the end was coming; occasion, the "For Sale" board in the yard that had been there for months, had vanished. The queasiness I've felt dawned.

While I waited for any sign of life to appear behind the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, I leaned over the rails. In no time, a huge, white U-Haul truck appeared on the street, rumbling to a halt, and a driver emerges, unlocking the back door before pulling out a dolly. The first minute of the neighbor's presence piques my interest. I have always been a social kind, always wanting to meet my new neighbors with a warm grin and a glance. Little did I know that the boundary between the floor-to-ceiling glass doors has opened an entirely new page. It was the beginning of my journey to love, my passion and emotionalling in ways I never assumed possible, nor would dreamt of.

Olivia spent the rest of the day sneaking quick glances at the house next door, trying to guess what the new owners might look like. Maybe a family with a couple of kids or newlyweds settling down for a long life together. Everybody could be right, and every cotton-picking second that went by swelled up in Olivia's chest to a burning ball of anticipation.

Not until late in the afternoon was Olivia's curiosity about the strangers next door rewarded. A man stepped out of the other house, and the sweat on his forehead ran down his face while he wiped it away with the back of a hand. Tall and broad-shouldered, with a thatch of dark hair and overall rugged good looks, he caught Olivia utterly off guard.

Then, their gazes locked, and a bolt of lighting shock down Olivia's spine, as though she couldn't look away. There was something oddly charming and enigmatic around the mysterious man in her face. Something that relayed shudders onto her sensitivity, but she couldn't stop him or clarify.

"Hello!" he greeted as he got to her overhang, his voice resonant and genial simultaneously. "I'm Lucas; I relocated in the opposite apartment."

Olivia got to blush, and her heart pumped quicker with each progress he made forward. "Hi, Olivia! .Hi, Lucas. I'm shocked to see you in the neighborhood."

With those simple words, their journey began – one that would be marked by numerous encounters and lawless love that would alter the course of their life.

The morning sun painted the sky in shades of soft pink and golden orange as Olivia Reed stepped onto her porch holding a cup of coffee on which steam could be seen. The chirping of the birds and the sound of a car from a distance filled the neighborhood, which was slowly waking up. Everything was the usual in Willow Springs, where life moved at a relaxed pace, and people knew each other by name.

Olivia inhaled the scent of the coffee and glanced at the house next to the adjoining lot. The house remained as indifferent as ever, the curtains drawn, little bedrooms and silence filling the gap. However, she felt change was blowing over, for the "For Sale" sign that had sprouted in the front porch a few weeks back had vanished, leaving the empty sidewalk a sense of disturbance.

Stirred by interest, Olivia positioned her elbow on the railing to watch with interest. The sun shone brightly overhead. She was about to see what had taken so long. Finally, the owner responded. She saw the moving truck turn around the curve. The engine chugged as the driver got out and began unlatching the boxes.

The excited beast within her wanted nothing more than to climb those trees and scent what they were doing, what they were placing inside that abode, with every step bringing a new wave of excitement painted on their scents.

As the day wore on, Olivia could not help but look at the house next door, wondering who these people that were so close to living beside her. To say she could have hoped for this turn of events would have been wrong. To shun her feline nature so soon after it had manifested itself would have been disingenuous. She only hoped that they were a family with children, perhaps a young couple. The possibilities made her spirit sing.

It was only in the late afternoon that Olivia's curiosity was at last satisfied; a figure emerged from the house next door, wiping her sweat from his face with the back of his hand. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a mop of dark hair and a shabby charm that Olivia found unexpectedly appealing.

Their eyes met across the distance, and she felt like she was struck by lightning; she couldn't look away from him. The man who stood before her was undeniably captivating, and she felt something deep within her awaken at his sight.

"Hi there," his voice was deep and warm as he called out, just a few steps closer to her porch. "I'm Lucas. Just moved in next door."

Her cheeks flushed, and she could not contain her smile as he approached her and her pulse quickened "Olivia," she replied shy, barely above a whisper. "Welcome to the neighborhood, Lucas."

So began their journey together with those simple words, a journey of chance encounters and a love that would impact their lives in the most surprising ways.

His smile widened as he stepped onto the porch, hazel eyes bright and warm. "Thank you, Olivia. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The next moment, Olivia felt as if a tiny flutter occurred in her chest when she gazed into Lucas's eyes. Exactly what it was she couldn't explain. She didn't even understand the guy. But her gaze was glued to him. She was looking at the way the sun's rays reflected in his eyes.

They stood in silence, but it was strange. It was so unusually calm, as if between them hung this incredibly romantic illusion, and nearby from the children of the courtyard, the laughter blew into pieces. That was the moment of hopelessness.

"Oh, sorry, breaking the silence, but settling in okay?" Olivia asked, giving him a familiar friendly smile.

"Oh, hey, Olivia, yeah," Lucas replied, thoughtfully. "I mean it's been a bit of a whirlwind, to be honest. However, you know how that goes when you're moving to a new town?"

Olivia nodded sympathetically. "I think I can imagine. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask! I'm just next door,".

Lucas face softened a bit, and he grinned: "Thanks, Olivia, appreciate that," and awkwardly bent over, Olivia stepped away.

Lucas gave her a final nod and disappeared back inside, promising to catch up later. Olivia watched him go and felt something bubbling up inside her. Little did she know that it was going to be the start of the most amazing roller coaster in her life.

When the sun finally set, enveloping Willow Springs in a warm, golden glow, Olivia couldn't shake the feeling that her life was about to take a turn she never anticipated. After she opened her front door and entered her house, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee still fresh in the air, Olivia couldn't shake her newfound enchantment with the stranger next door.

As Olivia sat down at the kitchen table later that evening, Lucas' shape and form came to her thoughts. There was something different about that man, something strange, and she felt a tingle up her spine.

Olivia stirred her tea with absent eyes, the clinking soothing and toneless against the quiet of the room. The excitement in her stomach was rising, yet she could not help but be swayed by the calm tranquility of this familiar routine. She was entranced by the complete stillness that she could never find back at her apartment.

When she took a sip, she let her mind wander until it once again settled on the memory of her conversation with her neighbor . She remembered the simple kindness that she read in his eyes and the smile she almost felt radiating warmth.

Olivia sighed and cast aside her thoughts with an effort. There was a pile of emails to answer, some phone calls to take, and plans to finalize for the charity event she was running in a month. As eager as she was to think about the man next door – and when did he become her neighbor? – she couldn't.

Olivia couldn't forget the way Lucas had touched her, his gaze burning through her. Impossible as it was, Lucas seemed to have left her – and their encounter – in her apartment for her to feel forever; he was like a whispered promise in the air, and Olivia couldn't shake that thought.

As the night continued and Willow Springs continued its dance about her home, Olivia got caught up in a hurricane of feelings and thoughts. What would come the day after? Would Lucas reappear? And if he did, what would occur next?

Olivia sighed, shoving away every last thought from her head, and let the sandman take her with his call utilizing a grin as her final image just before close her eyes. What Olivia didn't realize, she genuinely had seen Lucas's grin, and what she did not realize was she hadn't yet undergone the quiet and tranquil embrace of adventure to follow.

Olivia woke up the following morning with excitement snaking through her veins. The thought of seeing Lucas again, their new neighbor who made her feel something she couldn't put her finger on, was something she couldn't shake.

As she went on with her morning rituals, the thought of Lucas never really left her mind. It was always there, visible enough to make her feel both anxious and giddy. What is their second encounter going to be like? Would they enjoy another brief and meaningless conversation in her porch, or is that already behind them?

Her mind far away, Olivia almost floated to her front porch and gently plopped down into her favorite chair as the golden rays of the morning sun danced over Willow Springs. The neighborhood seemed to come to life with the passing of the sun, children yelling and playing in the park, birds merrily chirping as a cacophony of merriment filled the air.

After what felt like hours of daydreaming, a certain gentleman caught Olivia's eye. There was Lucas, stepping outside his abode with a wide grin and bounce in his step. They locked eyes, and Olivia could feel her heart leap through her throat as she mustered back her own grin.

"Good morning, Olivia!" The gust carried his words to her porch.

"Good morning, Lucas," Olivia answered, her voice brimming with warmth and anticipation.

As Lucas started to approach her porch, Olivia felt a sense of anticipation growing inside her. Something about him was magical, drawing her to him like steel to a magnet. She felt on top of the world and strange at the same time.

With every step he took, her heart beat quicker and quicker, and the mixture of doubt and fascination over their next meeting excited her. What she did not know was that their fateful meeting would alter both of their lives forever in ways neither of them could have thought.

The December breeze tousled his dark hair, adding to his rugged charm. As Lucas reached her porch Olivia, turned to face him, and he flashed her a warm smile. A wave of butterflies fluttered in her stomach as he asked,

"Mind if I join you?" gesturing to the vacant chair next to her.

Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she answered a mere whisper, "Of course, have a seat.

Lucas pivoted; for the first time, Olivia was close enough to see his face. She couldn't resist casting glances at the man who was now inches away from her, a mysterious stranger. There was something about him that drew her in, giving her an eerie feeling of both being excited but also unsettled.

"So, what do you have planned for today?" Lucas asked, breaking the silence that had somehow managed to settle over the two of them.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Work, running some errands, hopefully a little me-time if I'm lucky," Olivia replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Lucas let out a low chuckle that sent a shiver down Olivia's spine and the words that followed didn't make things any easier. "Image a day! Any chances you might have some time planned in your rigorous schedule to hang out with your neighbor, huh?"

"That would be nice," Olivia replied, and she couldn't deny she was getting exited, "Trying something other than my daily routine sounds like a pleasant change."

Olivia was overcome with a feeling of comfort as they spoke and chortled. She felt as if she had spent lifetimes rather than minutes with Lucas. Olivia was unsure how to explain it; it was as if they had a connection that extended beyond time and space.

When they sat on her porch watching time fly by, she knew in her stomach that this insane sensation had only just started; they were about to embark on a trip that would forever alter their lives, subtly or radically.

What she did not realize was the purest manifestation of charity that was about to knock on the door. A soulmate that would capture her world unwilling to let go, kindle passion that would rival the sun itself.