Chapter 8 A Lot More Of Eachother

"Ms. Brown?"

Riele froze up, then turned robotically to face a confused Enzo.

His black hair fell loosely above his broad shoulders, and he had on a V-neck knitted sweater and baggy sweatpants.

He looked strangely different than he did at work.

His eyes narrowed when the silence hung over them, and Riele moved one leg back; provoking a glare from him.

"What are you doing here, Ms. Brown?"

What the hell is this?! What is he doing here?!

"Are you mute now?" He questioned, then moved closer to her. "What are you doing here? And why did you come out of this room?"

Riele pondered over what words to use, but as she stared up at his eyes that seemed to hold a violet blaze, her thoughts only grew more jumbled and she felt herself shrinking under his stare.

*Well, this won't be pretty*

☆

Riele sat at the balcony with her hands clasped together, and the sound of Enzo's deep voice echoing through the hallway.

*"He did WHAT?!!"*

She winced as she recalled their earlier conversation and she let out a sigh and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I talked big about not wanting anything from him and this happens" she buried her face in her hands with another sigh.

"Let me just die already!"

Enzo walked Into the balcony with wrinkles between his eyebrows and his phone gripped tightly in his hands.

The second she told him that Nicholas signed the building under her name, Enzo ran mad and immediately called his father.

She had no idea what they exchanged over the phone, but seeing as Enzo never once rose his voice against Nicholas, she assumed everything went smoothly.

However, the glare Enzo shot her way begged to differ.

"Apparently, this building is signed under both our names" He Informed through gritted teeth and Riele's eyes widened a fraction.

*Wait, what is this feeling?*

*Feels like I got...scammed??!*

"I'm sorry" She breathed and immediately got to her feet. "I had no idea. I'll move out immediate-"

"Don't bother" He interrupted, a habit of his that was beginning to get on her nerves. "That old man threatened to have my head if I kicked you out"

*T-the CEO did?*

"I'm sorry" Riele breathed again. "I really didn't know this would happen. I'll just move out and explain everything to Mr. Kane"

Enzo furrowed his brows at her, then shoved his hands into his pockets.

"What is this?" He scoffed, "You're giving off a completely different vibe from before. What? Are you feeling embarrassed about taking something from me after talking big?"

Riele felt a vein pop on her temple and she clenched her fists tightly to hold herself from lashing out once again. His attitude aside, she did trespass in his home; even if she didn't mean to.

But also,

*"At age eight, Enzo was diagnosed with Dissociative Personality Disorder"*

She knew he had no choice but to act that way towards her.

Being married to a stranger because of alternate personality...

He must've been just as confused as she was.

"Forget it" He muttered and averted his gaze from her. "Just stay here. It won't matter anyway. Being neighbours is no different from being strangers. We don't have to greet eachother. Just stay on your own, and I'll do the same"

And with that, he left her at the balcony, and to her thoughts.

☆☆☆

The moving truck finally arrived with the rest of Riele's stuff.

"Where do we put these, Miss?"

"Ah-" the buzz from her phone cut her off and she glanced at the caller ID.

"The last floor, please" she said with a smile, then answered the call.

"Are you still sending some of your stuff my way? I haven't seen the moving truck yet"

"They just arrived at my place. They'll head for your apartment soon"

"What and What do I need to make space for?"

"A fridge, a mattress, my electrical standing fan. You can keep them in your storage room till I figure out what to do with them"

"I'm taking the mattress though. I always loved how springy your bed was"

Riele chuckled.

The men exited the building just then and closed the boot of the van.

"I gotta go. They'll be at your place in about twenty minuites"

She informed and hung up on the call.

"Thank you" She greeted with a warm smile.

"No problem. Good day, Miss"

She turned on her heels the second they drove away, and as she entered the elevator, she let out a sigh.

*I've spent a week here, and so far it's been a bit awkward.*

Enzo meant it when he said he didn't want to be associated with her. Being neighbours meant that they met at the elevator every morning on their way to work, and the occasional awkward meetings whenever she stepped out of her room.

She let out another sigh when she exited the elevator, and froze up when she spotted nothing on her door step.

"What is this? Where did they put my things-" she let out a yelp in realisation and whipped her head towards Enzo's room.

Her heart dropped down to her stomach and her breath seized when she met eyes with a dishevelled Enzo.

His hair was tousled, and his usual glare was replaced with a blank stare from drousy eyes. He looked like he had just woken up from sleep.

He was leaned against his door frame, glancing between the cardboard boxes piled at his doorstep, and a mortified Riele.

"I wondered what the commotion was about" He said groggily and Riele felt every inch of her body shudder at his hoarse voice.

"I'm so sorry!" She rushed out and ran over to him. "I'm so sorry!"

She grabbed the first box in a bid to quickly get it to her door when it slipped and landed with a painfully loud 'thud' on her feet.

She let out a loud yelp and hopped on one foot as she struggled to hold unto her throbbing toe.

"Fuck" she muttered under her breath and bit down on her lips to hold back another curse.

I picked up the toaster...

She cried internally and faced Enzo's deadpan stare with a nervous laugh.

"I'll get these out of your hair" she forced a smile, then carefully picked up another cardboard box.

Enzo let out a sigh, then ran his fingers through his hair.

"Give it" He muttered and grabbed the box from a befuddled Riele.

She watched him move everything from his doorstep to hers without breaking a single sweat.

"I trust you can drag them in on your own" He said, and without a second glance, entered his room and slammed the door shut.

*Did he...just help me? *

☆☆

Riele walked through the meat section and sighed when she found just one pack of ham left under the chilling freezer.

"I knew this would happen" she muttered under her breath.

*Should I just buy one? Or should I buy two of a different brand?*

"Are you going to take that?"

Riele flinched and turned to face none other than Enzo holding unto a shopping cart filled with foodstuffs and snacks.

His hair was in a low pony, and he had changed into a plain black t-shirt and grey checkered pajama pants.

"What?"

"You keep staring at the ham. If you don't want to buy it, step aside"

"Ah. Oh, no. I'll buy it"

Without another word, Enzo brushed past her and headed to the cashout counter.

*Huh?*

*Wait, he wanted to buy this too right?*

"You didn't get the Frais Ham this time?"

Riele heard the young brunette question as she calculated Enzo's things.

"I didn't. You guys keep running of out it. If this keeps up, I'll stop being a regular here"

"Oh c'mon " the pretty lady grinned. "It's not our fault. People just love it, and you would have a chance to get it if you arrived a little earlier"

"Simply restock more next time" Enzo deadpanned and grabbed the bags from her.

"Leaving so soon already? You still won't take my number?"

"No" He said and walked out of the supermarket.

"Card, or cash?" The woman before Riele asked; breaking her attention away from Enzo.

"Ah." She breathed, "Card, please"

☆☆

Enzo paused when he heard a knock on his front door, and he cocked his head.

*What is with this woman?*

He turned his attention back to his book, choosing to ignore her and hoping she would give up and walk away. As he turned to the next page of his book, he was interrupted by yet another knock, and he let out an exasperated sigh.

*Strangers, I said. Did she not understand a word I said?*

He swung the door open and came face to face with Riele. Her wavy hair was tied up In a bun and she held on to a lunch box.

"Strangers" He started. "I specifically said I wanted us to be no more than strangers"

"I remember" Riele replied. "However, neighbours can do this much for each other "

"I think you've misunderstood something here, Ms. Brown. I don't *want* anything to do with you. All this? It's because of my old man. I can't go against his word even if I wanted to."

"I'm not asking you for a frigging pony" Riele snapped, taking him off guard. "You helped move those heavy boxes to my doorstep, and you let me keep the ham even though you wanted it. This is just me being thankful. So here-"

She shoved the lunch box at him and he immediately grabbed on to it.

"-I made fried rice and omelette with the ham. It's my special recipe."

"I don't want-"

"Just say thank you, and stop being an ass" She cut in, and Enzo's brows shot up in disbelief. "Like it or not, we're neighbours now. And that means that we'll be seeing a lot more of each other."

She walked away, and just before she got to her door, She turned to face him again.

"Don't worry. I didn't poison it"

Enzo's eyes widened at her statement and he looked down at the food, then back up Riele as she entered her room.

*What the fuck?*