1

Another day has almost passed even though I didn't know what day it was or what month or year. Okay, maybe I could figure out the year at least. The month, it was probably still June or early July. I didn't know, didn't want to know. I spend most of my days at home, I don't have the desire nor the willpower to get off the couch and leave the house. And it's not any kind of antisocialism - if that word even exists - or boredom or just pure lazyness as my mother likes to call "it".

The "it" is... Apathy. Some kind of soft depression and maybe just resignation to life and all the bullshit I didn't want to deal with anymore. I just didn't want to try, it will eventually pass right? This dullness that has taken over everything will pass sooner or later. At least I hoped so.

As I was about to flop down on the couch, I heard the doorbell ring. I exhaled slowly trying to calm down my irritation, I was alone at home and had to get the door myself.

I opened the door to find myself in front of a... woman. Not just a woman, a stunning woman who looked fresh out of a magazine cover. I was a little stunned to talk for a few seconds and a bit self-conscious standing in front of her when I only had on a pair of loose shorts and a, sadly, stained tank top. Not to add my messy hair that was up in a ponytail and the zero makeup I had on, not that I usually wore much of it really. Before I could come up with something to say, she smiled and my heart stop- no, wait, scratch that. She just smiled. "Uhm, hi. I'm your neighbor. I live next door, I don't think we've met yet?"

I tried to smile back and look as pleasant as I could but I don't think it came out right. I just couldn't master the million watt smile no matter how much I tried and how many times I'd seen it performed before. And it wasn't like I had to fake being pleased in meeting her - hell, she seemed like a God sent creature. Why didn't I know I had a hot neighbor? She must have moved in the past few days and now that I knew I would gladly park myself in front of the front door and wait for her to pass by and smile at me and make my heart melt like it was about to do just - now.

"No, we haven't. I would have definetely remembered you otherwise, believe me."

What the-? I couldn't help it and I was just about to slap myself in the face, hard, as soon as that left my mouth and the smile on her face transformed itself in a weirded out expression. Ugh. "I'm Cam by the way," I said and offered my hand wich she promptly shook. Compared to mine, her hand was so delicate and soft and I found myself lingering in the touch a second too long. She was the one who broke the contact and smiled again. "It's nice to meet you Cam, I'm LeeAnn, but you can call me Ann or Lee, although I prefer the former."

"Oh, okay. Ann it is then. The pleasure is all mine." Hell, of course it was all mine.

"I came to ask for help setting up my new TV but it seems like you're alone and I've just woken you up from a nap. I'm sorry."

God no. You don't have to be sorry. Even though it hurt a little bit, I mean - you thinking I was taking a nap and all, seeing as I wasn't actually. I seriously must look like shit right now. Why now and why in front of her? Earth swallow me now please. Please.

"You don't have to apologize, I wasn't really... uhm, sleeping. And set up your TV? I can help, if you want of course." I couldn't look at her in the eyes and was probably mumbling like I did when I got nervous. I just hoped she didn't notice or didn't mind or whatever.

"I was hoping to catch your parents or something, they live with you right?"

"Yeah, they do. They won't be home until tonight though."

"Oh, uhm. I didn't mean to... If you want to help me yourself, sure. I mean, as long as you understand more about technology than I do, which is not that much of an accomplishment because I'm completely clueless when it comes to-"

I smiled as she kept on babbling, I actually felt kind of comforted that a woman like her could get just as nervous as me. "Ann, it's okay. I'm sure I can help you."

At that moment she looked up at me and as our eyes met it felt like the world stopped for a minute. The look of adoration and thankfulness in her beautiful eyes slowly transformed itself in surprise and before I knew it she broke the contact and looked back down as if embarassed by what just happened. She composed herself and with her refound confidence she spoke again. "Thank you. If you can't right now it's not a problem though."

"I'm free, don't worry. Just let me pick up the keys and lock the door."

"Oh, okay."

I put on a pair of slippers and searched for the keys. In the meantime Ann had already backed up from the door and was trying to look the other way. I contemplated changing at least out of the tank top I'd stained with a little chocolate this morning but I didn't want to seem too self-conscious and caring about my appearance. But would you blame me feeling like an inferior being in front of her?

"Okay, ready to go." I said as I locked the door and waited for her to lead the way.

She just smiled and made a few quick steps to her apartment's front door. It didn't take much really. Just about two or three seconds and we were already there. It was a small condo. Four floors and three apartments per floor for a total of twelve apartments. Ann's one was just next to ours so I hoped to see more of her in the future.

"Please come in," she invited me inside, holding the opened door for me.

Ann's house was well furnished as if she'd actually took the time to call an interior designer or something. Or maybe she was just naturally talented in picking up furniture, a talent that my mother lacked apparently. Our couch wasn't coordinated with the table and the floor and our kitchen didn't seem like it belonged to a magazine full of pictures of really expensive kitchens.

I wondered what kind of job she had and if she earned enough to be able to afford all this or if she had a boyfriend or husband who contributed. Heck, maybe she was the kind of woman that liked to stay home, go shopping and pop a kid or two to take care of while her hubby earned the money to make them live in luxury. Hopefully not.

I prayed that she wasn't married and I prayed that she didn't have a boyfriend and I prayed that with some kind of miracle I could have a chance with her. And I prayed- that I could stop being so fucking stupid. I knew that I could never have a chance with someone like her. Rich, beautiful, apparently nice and older. I actually wondered how old she was. She didn't seem to be anywhere over 30, probably around 24 or 25 but it's not like I could ask her directly.

"Your house looks nice for having just moved in." I looked around and thought about taking off my slippers, was she the kind of person who requested all her guests to take off their shoes?

She must have sensed my doubt as she indicated for me to go on and follow her. As we entered the living room I could see the brand new Samsung TV still in its box deposited near the couch.

"Do you want something to drink? A snack?" She paused and it seemed like she was checking out my boobs. I blushed. "Chocolate perhaps?" She smirked and then giggled adorably. Ugh.

Of course she'd noticed my tank top and the big ass chocolate stain just on top of my left boob. It wasn't that big really but now it felt like I'd taken a bath in a tub filled with hot chocolate. With my clothes on. And she couldn't help but notice. And giggle.

My face probably turned 50 shades of red in two seconds, which on itself was rare since I almost never blushed. She must have noticed because she then said. "I was kidding, Cam. You should see how many times I drop food on my boobs."

My eyes widened and I unconsciously - yes, completely unconsciously - looked up to stare at her chest. For a moment I thought that I wouldn't mind seeing her eat her food and then seeing her food drop on her perfect pair of boobs. They were neither small nor big, just perfect. The way I liked them.

A cough, most probably a faked cough, made me divert my gaze up to her face which now was slightly colored in pink. She was blushing too and seemed embarassed at what she'd just said. Aw. Cute. "I'd like a glass of water and I would gladly accept your chocolate but I think I had enough for today." I smiled, hoping that was smooth enough to distract us both from the embarassment.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

While she was gone I turned around and inspected the TV box.

Samsung Smart TV. 60' inches. Built in Wi-fi. Slim LED design. Blah blah blah.

It was nothing different from most TVs these days, so at least I was sure I could help her.

"Here's your glass of water." Ann startled me as she came from behind and handed me the glass. I was actually pretty thirsty so I drank it in one go and handed the glass back to her, which she promptly took back.

"Do you know anything about TVs?"

"Well, I'm no expert but I can figure it out. It should be pretty easy, I think."

"Well, thanks." She said and looked kind of offended. Of course. I didn't realize it sounded like that.

"I didn't mean that you," I looked at her to make sure she was listening, "can't or would find it difficult... Well you said you weren't really a tech junkie," she started smiling which confused me a bit, "I'm sure you're good at other things like, I don't know, cooking or... Oh! Interior design for example-"

She burst into a fit of laughter, holding her tummy as if I'd said something hilarious.

"What," another fit of giggles, "what are you even talking about?"

"I was trying to comfort you."

"Yeah, like what? 'You don't know what a built in wi-fi is but I'm sure you're good at other things like, hear hear, interior design', thank you. That really comforted me." And she started laughing again.

"I meant it though. I was impressed with your furniture skills as soon as I came in and if you tell me you can cook too, I'll move in with you immediately." I refrained to add that I would move in with her even if her cooking sucked and the only thing she'd picked in this apartment was which interior designer to call.

She looked at me seriously. "I can't cook."

"Shit and to think that I was already packing my bags. I'm sorry Ann, you'll have to live without me."

"Aww, how am I going to survive?"

"You know, I was asking myself the same thing. How can you survive if you can't cook. What a hopeless woman, can't cook, can't use technology in 2014, probably didn't even pick her furniture. What is she going to do?" For a moment I thought I went a little overboard with the teasing but she just smacked me on the arm. I pretended I was hurt. "Ouch. I can already see the bruise forming. I'll have to report you to the police for harassment of minors."

She looked at me for a moment, taken aback. "You're a minor?"

Well, she seemed pretty surprised apparently. "Yeah, I'm 13."

"No seriously, are you?" So she was pretty curious about my age.

"What do you think?" I stepped closer to her so I could kind of intimidate her. I was a little taller, 5'9 against 5'6 I assumed.

She looked up at me and pretended to inspect me. She lifted my right arm, then my left. Her touch sent a shiver down my spine and I wanted her to touch me anywhere she pleased. "Wanna touch anything else?" I said and watched her go bright red as she stepped back and cleared her throat. This was the first time I'd seen her full on blush and it was adorable, she was one of those people that litterally became red in a millisecond.

"After assessing your mental age at approximately 5 years and analyzing your physical characteristics that seem typical of a common teenager, I would guess your age to be around... 17?"

5 year old, uh? Fine then, let her believe I was 17 for as long as she wanted. "Correct!" I said cheerfully and raised my hand for a high five which she smacked weakly. She didn't seem as enthusiastic as I hoped, as if she was bummed out to have guessed right.

"Well, let this 5 year old set up your TV."

I smiled brightly, showing my teeth.

She glared at me.

*

After I'd lifted the TV - alone, because Ann was a typical girl who pretended to be too weak to lift a "Slim LED" designed TV unlike me, a typical teenager who pretended to need help in lifting a "Slim LED" designed TV so I could have my 'crush' in sight for a couple of seconds - and set up all the cables correctly, I had to connect it to the internet via wi-fi.

And that's when the eye rolls started.

"What is a Wi-fi, Cam?" "How does this work, Cam?" "Wait, you mean I can watch youtube videos on the TV?" "How am I supposed to know my Wi-fi password, Cam?"

That was enough. How could this woman be so stupid? My 3 year old cousin knew how to connect the ipad to the internet and play her Peppa Pig's videos. Was she like 75? Even my grandma could use Skype on her phone and even had a blog on the freakin internet. Who was this person? Was she some sort of alien? From Mars? From a parallel universe sent here to torment me?

I tried to calm myself, inhaling and exhaling slowly. That's something that meditation made me learn. See? I knew I wasn't wasting my time. "LeeAnn. How in the name of God, don't you know your wi-fi password? What if my modem broke down and I had no internet access? You're my neighbour! Do you know what that means? It means that when for whatever reason I don't have a working connection, I'm knocking down your door until you tell me your freakin wi-fi password."

I sighed. "How do you even use the internet?"

"Dunno. The guy that came to set up that thing," she pointed at the modem, "told me not to touch anything and that I should be able to automatically use the internet."

Of course he told her not to touch anything. "Well, then you should call him and ask for your wi-fi password. Until then, no Youtube videos on your TV."

She looked bummed out, like a kid who'd just been told that she couldn't eat sweets. "Okay, I'll call in the next few days. Sorry to have wasted your time."

"Oh, no. You didn't waste my time and you won't be sorry for long when I come barging through your door claiming my right to use your 60' inch TV." I smiled and she smiled back.

"Whenever you want, well at least not in the middle of the night or early in the morning. I do love my sleep."

"Believe me, I'm sure I love my sleep a lot more than you do." And I would definitely use your invitation whenever I wanted. "I should go now."

"Oh, okay. And I meant it. Come whenever you crave watching something on a stranger's TV."

"I'm sure I will. Bye Ann."

"Bye, see you soon."

She smiled and waved as I left.