Page 21 of The Off-limits Grump Next Door
His eyes narrowed slightly, his curiosity piqued. But I didn't elaborate, didn't offer any more information. The silence between us was palpable, but I didn't know how to fill it.
All I knew was that I needed to put some distance between us, to rebuild the walls that had come crashing down when he saw me cry.
“I— I have to go,” I whispered, turning on my heel before he could stop me. I hurried away from the park, my footsteps heavy with the weight of the grief I carried.
I could feel Antonio watching me, but I didn’t dare look back. If I did, I might just fall apart again, and I couldn’t handle that. Not tonight.
As I walked back to the house, my mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Antonio had always been a mystery to me—distant, aloof, and yet there was something about him that had always drawn me in.
But tonight, I saw a different side of him. A side that was caring, protective. A side that made me feel things I hadn’t felt in so long.
But I couldn’t think about that now. I couldn’t think about Antonio or the way his arms had made me feel safe. I had to keep moving, keep going, even if the road ahead seemed impossibly long and unbearably lonely.
When I reached my house, I stood outside for a moment, staring up at the darkened windows. The construction workers were gone, the hammering and drilling finally silenced, but it didn’t bring me any comfort. I still felt hollow, like I was just going through the motions of living, but not really alive.
I stepped inside, locking the door behind me. The quiet of the house pressed in on me, suffocating in its stillness. I dropped the blanket onto the couch and made my way to the bedroom, my feet dragging as if weighed down by invisible chains.
Once inside, I collapsed onto the bed, pulling the covers over me as I curled up into a ball. The tears came again, unbidden and unstoppable, soaking into the pillow as I cried for everything I had lost.
And as I lay there, feeling the crushing weight of grief, I couldn’t help but think about Antonio. About the way he had held me, the way he had looked at me with such care. And for a fleeting moment, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, I didn’t have to go through this alone.
But then, just as quickly as the thought came, I pushed it away.
I couldn’t afford to let anyone in. Not now. Not when I was still broken, still trying to figure out how to piece myself back together.
So, I cried myself to sleep, alone in the darkness, hoping that one day, the pain might become bearable. That one day, I might feel whole again.
Chapter Ten
Antonio
After our encounter in the park, I found myself returning to my studio apartment, eager to see Kendra again. I wanted to recapture the spark that had ignited between us, to explore the connection that had left us both breathless.
She had left in a hurry after the call she’d received. I tried to offer her a ride home, but before I could say anything, she was already jogging out of the garden. I understood why she wanted to put some distance between us… and I knew the wise thing would’ve been to do the same. I wanted to talk about what had happened earlier but I realized it might be better if we both slept on it.
The next day, I stood outside her door, my hand hovering over the knocker for a moment too long. Finally, I knocked twice. I waited, but there was no response.
Then I rang the doorbell. The door creaked open seconds later, revealing Kendra. Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. We just stood there, staring.
I couldn’t help it. Every time she blinked, it was like a quiet pause before the light returned, making my breath catch in my throat. The air between us felt charged, as though the spark from the park had followed us back home.
"Antonio," she said softly, her voice wrapping around my name in a way that felt intimate.
"Kendra," I replied, clearing my throat. "I wanted to talk about yesterday. In the park."
She hesitated, then stepped aside, allowing me to enter. As I passed by her, I caught the scent of vanilla, mixed with something floral—maybe jasmine or lavender. It reminded me of how she smelled at the park… when I held her.
Her apartment was cozy, filled with warm, personal touches—nothing like mine. I noticed the soft pillows, the pictures on the wall, and the vase of wildflowers on the coffee table.
"I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon," Kendra said, folding her arms across her chest. Her expression was guarded, but I saw a flicker of something beneath it.
"I couldn’t help myself," I admitted, leaning forward slightly. "I wanted to talk about what happened in the park."
Kendra raised an eyebrow. "What happened in the park?" She asked, pretending to be aloof. But I could tell it was just a ruse. There was no way she didn’t feel what I did.
I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "There was… a moment of connection, Kendra. And I can’t stop thinking about it."
Kendra turned away, staring out the window. "I don’t know what you’re talking about, Antonio."
