Thin Walls
251 Words
Over the next few days, Dave became impossible to ignore.
Sometimes Kim smells coffee outside her door because he left for work before sunrise.
Sometimes she hears jazz music through the walls late at night.
Most evenings they bump into each other in the elevator and end up talking longer than strangers should.
She learned he worked as an architect.
One rainy evening, the power went out again.
"Perfect," Kim muttered from the hallway.
Dave opened his apartment door holding two candles.
"Hey Kim you can sit here until the lights come back."
Normally she would've refused.
But she's gradually finding him interesting.
His apartment surprised her.
Books everywhere.
Vinyl records.
Half-finished sketches scattered across the dining table.
"It's messy," he admitted.
"It's real," she answered before thinking.
For the first time in months, Kim felt comfortable around someone.
They talked and laughed for hours.
About bad jobs.
Failed relationships.
Childhood dreams.
Silly scenarios.
At some point Dave asked quietly,
"Are you dating someone?"
"No" she replied.
"Why did your last relationship end?"
Kim looked down at her tea.
"He fell in love with someone else."
Dave's expression changed instantly.
Like he understood the pain too well.
"And you?" she calmly asked.
He hesitated.
"My wife died three years ago."
The room became completely silent.
Kim's chest tightened.
Suddenly his loneliness made sense.
The tired eyes.
The distance.
The sadness hidden behind his smile.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Dave nodded.
Neither of them noticed when the lights finally came back on.
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