The rest of the days went smoothly by, with no work, two kdramas, cafe hopping (during which I found a new cafe to work in, the next time I get a gig, which might soon be the case because I received an email this morning from an old client asking me to write some more copies for them), and no sight of my handsome 'neighbour obsessed with his suits' - Dr. ENZO -
It was Friday, and Lily had called this morning saying, "Indian food. Biriyani and chicken curry. Make it spicy."
And then she hung up on me.
I swear to God, if she wasn't my best friend....
I've been in the kitchen for the past 2 hours cooking what she ordered. Because she clearly sees me as a 5 starred hotel's chef cum waiter or something. The doorbell rings and I roll my eyes, with a smile that I can't stop from forming on my lips. I wash my hands in the sink.
"Coming!" I shout at the closed door.
I open the door and instead of a hug, all I receive and see is a wide eyed Lily, smirking and mouthing "Oh My Fucking God."
Confused, I look out and see in the hallway to find no one.
"I SWEAR I JUST SAW THE MOST HANDSOME MAN I'VE LAID MY EYES ON," she smirks and lets out a dramatic sigh,
"next to Steven ofcourse" she quickly mentions, with a low pitched voice and a wink.
Ignoring whatever she says, I pull her suitcase in, and then pull her into a tight hug. She hugs me back, her voice in my ears saying,
"I told you to change that shampoo and get the one I've been using since March. And you still haven't? You still using the one that smells like peaches." her tone gentle and so familiar to me. I feel like I'm back in highschool.
It's been 2 years since I saw her in person.
See pulls away and I say "Okay, now what was that wide eyed 'OMFG' about? What are you talking about?"
"There was this man. Okay correction, A PRETTY MAN! He just got into the elevator as you were opening the door."
"Was he in a suit?" I ask her to clarify if she saw who I'm thinking she saw. Because, he was the only one (atleast amongst all the men I know and have seen) who I agree can be called 'A pretty man'. He is beautiful to look at, even I have to admit it.
"Oh Yeaaaahhh! He was. And I must say that suit suited him pretty well."
"That's the exact thing I thought when I saw him the first time." I think, but avoid myself from saying it out loud to her. Because then, there'll be no end, of me hearing that for the rest of my life whenever I'd talk about suits.
"Yeah. I guess." I say instead. "He's my neighbour."
"That man, is your neighbour?And I hadn't heard of him yet??"
"What are you talking about? I told you earlier this week about my 'embarrasing incident' with Dr. Enzo."
"THAT IS DR. ENZO???"
"Unfortunately, yes!" I force out an awkward smile.
"Bitch, are you kidding me?" She continues, "that was the man you were talking about? That was the neighbour you chose to embarrass yourself infront of?"
"Well, you're saying it like I looked up at the sky and wished at the shooting star for it to happen!"
"Anyways, what I wanna know right now, more than anything, is did you cook what I asked you to cook?
"'Asked me to cook'? Huh, more like ordered!"
"Yeah, yeah, it's the same thing" she says unimpressed by my sarcasm.
I watch her eat and it fills my heart with warmth and comfort. I love looking at people I appreciate in my life (not that there are many). Seeing them smile and living their life, just doing random shit makes me happy.
Like, yes that's my person.
"Where we goin' later for my accessories shoppin'?" she struggles to speak with two spoonfuls of Biryani in her mouth.
"I've a place in mind. You eat. We get a nap, first and then we'll leave. I think we should window shop today. And then we'll decide what to buy from where. What you say?"
"Awesome! Your cooking skills are no joke." She says symboling me a strong approval 'okay' with her hand.
I chuckle. I'm sure she didn't even listen to what I said.
We both finish eating, and talk for hours before she dozes off during my story where I was explaining for the tenth time, how I landed that client.
...
The sharp ring of a phone call wakes me up from the short nap. It was Steven. Apparently he had been calling Lily, but her phone was out of battery. I look at the watch to see what time it is, and realise that our short nap was not so short at all. We had slept for 2 whole hours. And now it was almost 5 in the evening.
I punch Lily on her arm and she cries "No..... I'm not walking down the aisle with a fruit tiara on my head, Steven!"
Confused, I look at her intently before kicking her again from the couch and she sits up straight on the floor at once.
"Whaaat was that for?" she cries with a raised eyebrow and a bemused shrug.
"Nothing. The usual. You blabbering absolute bullshit."
"Meanie." she narrows her eyes at me.
"Thanks teacher. Trained by the best, yknow." I dramatically flip my hair and get up to show her the time.
"Shit, it's late." she realises.
"You think?" I roll my eyes and pull her up to stand.
We get ready and by the time we get out of home, it's almost 6:30 in the evening.
I was not at fault though. It took me just 17 minutes to shower, dress up and do my hair and make up.
She was the one who took almost one hour, in the shower alone.
"Give me the keys."
"Be careful. Don't put the wrong key in it again." she teases and I hear the elevator ding.
"Shit! Ugh, this can't be happening right now." I mumble as I turn around to see him getting out of the elevator. This was inevitable. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I had to face him. Not like, I could just shift my apartment elsewhere magically, or disapparate everytime I get into a mortifying situation with Enzo.
I wondered if he was getting off of work, because his hair was not set neatly. It had tousled up a bit. The navy blue tie hung a bit loose around his neck. The upper two buttons of his shirt were undone.
Why the heck was I noticing him anyway?
He already must be thinking that I'm weird, because of that night.
His gaze falls on me as soon as he gets out, like there was no one else around. I look at Lily and his eyes follow mine to look at her for a fraction of second, then it travels back to me.
"Hey!" he says, with a sigh. His voice gentle as if relieved, after a long wait.
"Hey," I mumble.
"HEY!" Lily's too enthusiastic voice makes us both to look at her.
"Um, yeah. She's my friend, Lily."
"Best friend!" she corrects, elbowing my arm.
"Yes. Best friend!" I let out a nervous laugh.
"Nice to meet you, Lily. I'm Miss Julia's neighbour. Dr. Enzo Torres." he nods at her, ignoring her handshake request completely as if he had not seen it at all!
"Oh yeah. I know." Lily replies and instantly regrets when I stomp at her foot.
"I thought you said you know, as in 'you know me?'" Enzo inquires. Clearly, weirded out by her response, I'm guessing.
"I meant I know- um... that- it was nice for us to meet. Because- uhm- people always say, that... It's a pleasure to meet me." she struggles to convince him, while I internally face palm myself, in my head.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I meant." she states proudly. I'm sure I saw his lip twitch a little, keeping himself away from a smile, or maybe a laugh, or maybe even one of his snorts.
"We were just leaving." I point at the elevator.
"Yeah, I'm getting married next month. And she's helping me with wedding shopping." she babbles, being her usual self.
"Oh... that's- that's amazing. Congratulations, Lily. I wish you all the best." Enzo smiles at her and this time he shakes her hand.
"Yeah, she doesn't actually need the good luck. It's her fiance who needs it." I say with a serious expression. They both laugh at it. I don't.
Because, I am serious. Handling this drama queen was enough reason to wish Steven all the good luck in this world. He has been doing a great job at it for years. But now, he is committing for life. And that's a, how do I put it... brave decision, yes! I love them both, and sometimes they just make me think, pairs are indeed made in heaven.
"It would be amazing, if you'd come to my wedding." she speaks to Enzo, out of nowhere and I look at her, not so sure about what to reply to that.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you! I'm inviting you now. Infact, I just got the cards made. Wait-" she brings out an invitation out of her bag and points it at Enzo with 'that' smile on her face.
The smile which meant 'I have an ABSOLUTELY MAD idea, cooking in my head, and I'm acting on it.'
"I wonder, you don't have a plus one to accompany you to the wedding, do you, doctor? If you do, then you can scan the code and click on plus one on the website. So, that I can add it to my list."
"Oh.. No. I don't." he looks at me quickly before looking back at her.
"Perfect! Actually, I think you can help Jul out, with something then-" she looks at me, with a smirk on the edge of her lips.
As if something amazing had been mentioned, it immediately caught his attention, and he was now looking at me as well.
"Me? What do you mean Lily? There's nothing I need help with-" I let out quickly, followed by a nervous chuckle.
"Actually, she was really disheartened and couldn't stop feeling upset about how she doesn't have a date yet! Yknow for the wedding!" she ignores my question completely and speaks to Enzo.
"I can't see my bestfriend, my sister alone and sad at my own wedding. And because you're already coming too, I'm hoping you won't mind it too much, now, would you? Being her date to the wedding?" she speaks, as we both look at her, wide eyed, too stunned to say anything.
"Jul, is too shy to ask anyone."she pats my shoulder with a sad expression.
Wow. This woman deserves an Oscar. I'm telling you she is so perfect and effortless with her persuasive acting skills, she once almost convinced me to join her to get a tattoo on my lower back.
I stomp at her foot again.
And she cries out.
"She's kidding, Dr. Torres. I am not disheartened. And you certainly do not have to listen to her nonsense." I reply him, while she tugs at my tshirt from behind, asking me to shut up.
"Actually. I don't mind." he speaks, his eyes on mine.
"See. I told you. He won't mind." Lily claps, and smacks my arm.
Still in my befuddled state, I look at her and then at him again.
His eyes never left mine. And there was a hint of something indecipherable in those dark brown eyes, staring right through me. For the first time since I looked at him and his eyes that day he moved in, I felt a familiarity. A bell dinged and Lily pulled at my arm again.
"Let's go, shall we?" she says. I try to move but I freeze for a couple of seconds, before Enzo starts again, "So I'd see you at your wedding. As Miss Morias' plus one."
He looks at me again, and this time he smiles such a big smile that it reaches his eyes and the corners crinkle. And as if it wasn't already enough of how ethereally handsome he was, I noticed that, a dimple had formed on his right cheek.
Something in my lower abdomen tightened, and I just had the urge to touch the dimple. To place my index finger on it, and-
I quickly pushed away the thoughts.
"Wait, I think I forgot my phone inside." Lily unlocks the door and goes in.
"Yes. You didn't have to. But, thanks Dr. Torres. And I'm sorry for putting you in this mess. Lily can be really persuasive sometimes." I clear my throat before speaking to Enzo.
"Please, I wouldn't have agreed if didn't wanted to," he nods his head to convince me, "And it's Enzo for you." he replies, his voice smooth,
"I already have asked you twice to drop the formalities. We are neighbours after all. And now, that I'm assigned as your 'date'.... to the wedding. I'm assuming you'd like to count me as a friend, as well?" he asks, and I nod.
"You're one to say! You keep calling me 'Miss Morias'. What about that?"
"My bad, Julia. Happy?" my name coming out of his mouth felt so natural as if, he's been saying that, since forever.
"I guess so. Yeah!" I nod in approval and Lily returns.
"Let's go." she says showing me her phone. And I giggle at her excitement.
"See you around Dr." She peace signs Enzo and he laughs.
"Yeah, see you around." he replies casually, stops and then looks at me again.
"See you around, Julia!"
he says after what I thought I was imagining, that he stepped a bit closer, like he meant it specifically. Like he wanted to see me around. A lot.
"I guess I will, Enzo." I say my eyes never leaving his.
Lily gets into the elevator and calls out my name. I get in.
I see him standing there looking at me still. As if there was a lot he wanted to ask. A lot he wanted to say. Maybe about that night. Maybe not.
But his eyes, his gaze certainly gave me a sense that he wasn't just a neighbour. Not anymore, I guess.
As my eyes struggle to move from him and as Lily waves him goodbye, the elevator door closes, and I still struggle to wrap my head around what just happened!
...