Unexpectedly Yours

2

Maya spent the first five minutes of the morning pretending Lucas didn't exist.

It was surprisingly difficult.

He was standing only a few desks away.

She could see him from the corner of her eye, speaking with the office manager while being shown around.

Maya stared very seriously at her computer.

She wasn't looking.

She wasn't curious.

She definitely wasn't thinking about the fact that the man she'd been watching through her apartment window was now standing in her workplace.

No.

She was working.

Very important work.

She clicked on a document.

Then clicked away from it.

Then opened it again.

"Are you okay?"

Maya nearly jumped.

Sarah was standing beside her desk.

"I'm fine."

"You've been staring at that same document for five minutes."

"It's an important document."

Sarah looked at the screen.

"It's blank."

Maya quickly minimized it.

"It wasn't blank."

Sarah gave her a suspicious look.

Maya turned back to her computer.

Sarah crossed her arms.

"You're acting strange."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm really not."

Sarah opened her mouth to continue, but Maya suddenly stood.

"I need to print something."

She grabbed a random folder from her desk and walked away.

Sarah watched her go.

"What is wrong with her?"

Maya heard her but kept walking.

She wasn't going to tell Sarah.

Absolutely not.

Because if Sarah found out that Lucas was the new neighbor, she would never hear the end of it.

Maya reached the printer and stood there for a moment, pretending to organize the papers in her folder.

She glanced behind her.

Lucas was still talking to the manager.

Good.

She waited until he turned away before walking back to her desk.

Unfortunately, Lucas turned at exactly the same moment.

Their eyes met.

Maya immediately looked down.

She walked faster.

Lucas watched her return to her desk.

He said nothing.

But he noticed.

---

By lunchtime, Maya had successfully avoided Lucas seven times.

At least, she counted seven.

She took the stairs instead of the elevator when she saw him approaching.

She changed seats in the break room.

She even asked Sarah to send a file to Lucas instead of taking it herself.

Sarah hadn't questioned it.

Yet

Lucas, however, had noticed everything.

He wasn't sure why Maya was avoiding him.

she seemed perfectly normal in the morning.

Awkward, perhaps.

But normal.

Today, she couldn't even look at him.

He glanced toward her desk.

Maya was typing.

Or pretending to.

Her fingers moved across the keyboard, but she hadn't changed the page on her screen in several minutes.

Lucas almost smiled.

Almost.

Instead, he looked back at his work.

If Maya wanted to avoid him, he wasn't going to force a conversation.

He could wait.

---

At 5:14 p.m., Maya shut down her computer.

Finally.

Freedom.

She grabbed her bag and left the office before anyone could stop her.

The drive home felt peaceful.

No Lucas.

No awkward glances.

No pretending not to notice him.

Just her and her quiet apartment.

When she turned onto her street, however, that feeling disappeared.

Lucas's moving truck was gone.

Maya sighed in relief.

At least he was probably inside.

She parked near her apartment and stepped out.

She had barely taken three steps when she heard something fall.

She turned.

One of her grocery bags had split.

"Oh, come on."

An orange rolled across the pavement.

Then another.

Then a bottle of water.

Maya crouched quickly, trying to gather everything before anything else escaped.

A shadow appeared beside her.

She froze.

She didn't need to look up.

She already knew.

Lucas bent down and picked up the orange that had rolled toward his shoes.

He held it out.

Maya stared at it.

"Thanks."

She reached for it.

Their hands almost touched.

Maya quickly pulled hers back.

Lucas noticed.

He handed it to her without saying anything.

Maya gathered another item.

Lucas picked up the water bottle.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

The silence felt painfully obvious.

Maya wished he would leave.

At the same time, she knew walking away while he was helping her would be rude.

So she stayed.

Lucas handed her another item.

"Here."

"Thanks."

Another silence.

Maya looked down at the groceries.

Lucas looked at the torn bag.

"You should probably get another one."

Maya looked at him.

"I know."

"I mean, before you carry those."

"I know."

Lucas nodded.

"Okay."

Silence again.

Maya wanted to disappear.

She finally stood, holding the groceries against her chest.

Lucas stood too.

For one brief second, they looked at each other.

Maya immediately looked away.

"Good night."

"It's not night yet."

She blinked.

"What?"

Lucas glanced at the sky.

"It's barely six."

Maya stared at him.

"Right."

He nodded.

Maya's face warmed.

Why did she say good night?

Why did he have to correct her?

Why was everything so awkward?

"Have a good evening," she said quickly.

"You too."

Lucas walked toward his house.

Maya stood there watching him for a moment.

Then she looked down at the groceries in her arms.

"Embarrassing."

She hurried inside.

Across the street, Lucas glanced back once.

Maya had already disappeared behind her door.

He looked away.

He still didn't understand why she was avoiding him.

---

The next morning, Maya arrived at work determined to behave normally.

No avoiding Lucas.

No unnecessary panic.

No strange conversations.

Just work.

She sat down and opened her computer.

Sarah walked over.

"You're early."

"I wanted to get some work done."

Sarah nodded.

"Good. Because the manager was looking for you."

Maya looked up.

"For me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Sarah walked away.

Maya sighed.

Of course.

She hadn't even been at her desk for ten minutes.

She stood and walked toward the manager's office.

She knocked.

"Come in."

Maya opened the door.

The manager looked up from his computer.

"Morning, Maya."

"Good morning sir."

"Have a seat."

Maya sat.

"I wanted to speak to you about an assignment we're starting soon."

"Okay."

"We've got quite a bit to handle, so I want you working with someone familiar with the department."

Maya nodded.

"Who?"

The manager glanced toward the door.

"Actually, he's already here."

Maya's stomach dropped.

The door opened.

Lucas walked in.

He stopped when he saw her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The manager smiled, completely unaware of the awkward silence between them.

"Perfect. You're both here."

Maya slowly turned toward him.

"Both?"

"Yes."

He picked up a folder.

"Lucas will be working with you on the assignment."

Maya stared at him.

Lucas remained calm.

The manager continued explaining the project, but Maya barely heard a word.

She could only think one thing.

She had spent a day trying to avoid him.

And now...

she had to work with him.

Maya stared at the manager.

"Lucas?"

"Yes."

She looked at Lucas.

He was already looking at her.

There was something about his expression that made her uncomfortable.

Not amusement.

Not annoyance.

Just quiet curiosity.

Maya turned back to the manager.

"Are you sure?"

The manager frowned slightly.

"Of course I'm sure."

"I mean..." Maya searched for the right words. "Is there someone else who could work with him?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow.

The manager looked confused.

"Why?"

"No reason sir."

"Good."

He handed Maya a folder.

"This project needs someone who knows the department and someone who can bring a fresh perspective. You two should balance each other well."

Maya looked down at the folder.

Balance each other?

She wasn't sure that was possible.

"Your first meeting is this afternoon," the manager continued. "I want a basic plan by Friday."

"Friday?"

"Yes."

Maya nodded reluctantly.

"Okay."

Lucas nodded.

"Understood."

"Good. You can both get started."

Maya stood immediately.

Lucas followed.

They walked out of the office together.

Neither spoke.

The silence followed them all the way back to their desks.

Maya sat down.

Lucas sat at his desk.

She opened the folder.

He opened his laptop.

Five minutes passed.

Ten.

Maya tried to concentrate.

She really did.

But she could feel him sitting across from her.

Finally, Lucas spoke.

"So..."

Maya looked up.

"So?"

"Are you always this quiet at work?"

She blinked.

"Excuse me?"

Lucas glanced at her.

"You were very talkative yesterday."

Maya stared at him.

"I was not."

"You were."

"I barely spoke to you."

"You didn't need to."

She narrowed her eyes.

"What does that mean?"

Lucas's expression remained calm.

Maya looked back at her computer.

---

By noon, they had barely made progress.

Maya tapped her pen against the desk.

"This isn't working."

Lucas looked at her.

"What isn't?"

"Us."

His eyebrows lifted.

"Us?"

"I mean the project."

"Right."

Maya sighed.

"You know what I mean."

Lucas leaned back in his chair.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"We should divide the work."

"Fine."

"You take the research, I'll handle the presentation."

Lucas nodded.

"Okay."

Maya looked surprised.

"That's it?"

"What did you expect?"

"An argument."

"Why?"

"Because you seem like the type who argues."

Lucas stared at her.

"Do I?"

"Yes."

"Interesting."

Maya frowned.

"What?"

"You've already decided what type of person I am."

She opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

She hadn't expected that.

"I barely know you."

"Exactly."

For some reason, that answer stayed with her.

Lucas returned to his laptop.

Maya looked at him for another second before returning to her work.

Maybe she had judged him too quickly.

Maybe.

---

After lunch, the office became quieter.

Most people were busy with their work.

Maya was reading through the project documents when Lucas placed a file on her desk.

"I finished the research."

She looked up.

"Already?"

"Yes."

She opened it.

Everything was organized.

Neat.

Detailed.

Maya looked at him.

"You actually work fast."

Lucas gave her a look.

"Was that a compliment?"

"Don't get used to it."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Too late."

Maya stared at him again.

She quickly looked back at the file.

"Anyway, thanks."

"You're welcome."

He returned to his desk.

Maya tried to focus.

she wasn't thinking about how to avoid him.

She was wondering what else she had gotten wrong about him.

---

At 5:30 p.m., Maya packed her bag.

She stood up and glanced across the office.

Lucas was still working.

"You aren't leaving?"

"In a minute."

She nodded.

"Okay."

She walked toward the exit.

Then she stopped.

Why had she said okay?

She shook her head and continued walking.

Outside, the evening air was cool.

Maya walked toward her car.

Across the parking lot, Lucas stepped out of the building.

Their eyes met.

Again.

Maya looked away.

Lucas walked past her.

"See you tomorrow."

She looked at him

He continued walking.

Maya watched him for a moment.

Then she got into her car.

She had spent the entire previous day trying to avoid Lucas.

Now she was starting to realize something.

Avoiding him wasn't going to be easy.

Not anymore.

Because Lucas wasn't just the man who lived across the street.

He was her coworker.

Her project partner.

And, whether Maya liked it or not...

he was slowly becoming impossible to ignore.