A sense of safety
1080 Words
Hazel woke up and stretched. No knot in her chest, no racing thoughts. Just quiet.
She stared at the ceiling. Something was different. She couldn't name it yet.
Then, it hit her.
The apartment. Quiet.
No buzzing phone. No, 2am “Hey.”
The corner of her mouth pulled up.
Maybe this was it. Maybe leaving was right.
She got up, showered and drifted into the kitchen.
There were boxes stacked up. Her camera equipment occupied half of the dining room. Clothes were piled up in the living room, which she had told herself she would arrange in the morning.
She still had a lot to arrange.
But still, it felt more like home than living with Daniel. No armed men were moving around, there were no traces of unfamiliar weapons, no secret phone calls, no unexplained disappearances, no lies. Just silence. She didn't realize how she'd missed this.
Her phone buzzed. It was Maya. She answered immediately.
“Tell me you've unpacked.”
She laughed. “Good morning to you, too.”
“So you haven't.”
“I’m on it.”
“Meaning…your apartment is like a warehouse right now.”
Hazel glanced around. “Possibly.”
“Definitely.” Maya interrupted.
They spent the next few minutes talking about work, gossiping about some clients and discussing some photography sessions. And then, the discussion changed to a familiar one.
“So…how's the handsome neighbor…”
“He’s… nice.”
“I think you should get to know him.”
Hazel stopped in the middle of the kitchen. Should she?
Dinner came back to her. The way the conversation didn't feel forced. How he'd noticed she hates cilantro. The way he complimented her and actually meant it.
Heat crept up her cheeks.
Unfortunately, Maya noticed. “Oh my God, you are blushing!”
“I'm not.”
“Of course you are.”
She immediately ended the call; she knew if she hadn't, Maya would tease her for the rest of the day. She unpacked some boxes, grabbed her camera and moved out. It was time for work.
***
The day just moved.
For once, her phone didn't buzz every five minutes. No overthinking.
She actually got work done. Hours passed, and she didn't notice.
By evening, she had completed an entire outdoor shoot; she had not been this productive in weeks. As she walked to her apartment, she could hear herself humming. She stopped mid-step. When was the last time she’d been happy enough to hum?
She smiled. As she stepped into the elevator, another hand appeared between them. The doors slid apart.
She looked up, and it was her hot neighbor. Adrian.
Her stomach tightened before she could stop it.
“Good evening.” his smile appeared instantly.
“Good evening,” Hazel replied.
An awkward silence followed. Silence which she wasn't going to break. Hazel wasn't usually the shy type, but surprisingly, she was self-conscious when it came to Adrian.
“How was work?” Adrian asked.
The question eased some of the tension.
“It was busy.”
“Good busy or bad busy?”
“Good.”
His smile widened.
“Then congratulations.”
Hazel smiled. “I’ll take every congratulations I can take."
“What made today different?" Adrian asked.
She adjusted the strap of her camera bag before answering.
"I was focused on just work. Nothing else."
"Meaning?"
"For the first time in weeks, I wasn't checking my phone every five minutes."
He tilted his head. Watched her.
"You've been under a lot of pressure lately."
She let out a quiet laugh.
"I didn't realize how much, not until it stopped.”
"So moving here helped."
"I think it did."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The elevator kept climbing.
Hazel caught them in the mirrored wall.
Adrian, one hand in his pocket, shoulders loose.
And her, stiff.
She was suddenly counting how many times she blinked.
She cleared her throat and stared up at the floor numbers.
7…8…9…
Why did standing next to him make her feel she was doing everything wrong?
Adrian's mouth quirked. Just a little as he saw it.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened just before it got weird. From then on, the conversation continued effortlessly. She gave him details about how she spent her day, and Adrian quietly listened.
By the time the elevator reached their floor, she was somehow disappointed.
It wasn't like this was goodbye.
She knew she'd see him again.
The feeling didn't care.
They stepped into the hallway, and Adrian's eyes dropped to her camera bag.
“Any successful photos?”
“Several.”
“Can I see them?”
Normally, Hazel would have said no.
Photography was private.
But she found herself nodding anyway. “Sure.”
“Sure.”
Ten minutes later, they were on her couch, laptop open between them.
Adrian leaned in slowly; he took his time.
He looked at each photo like they mattered.
“So which is your favorite?” She asked.
He pointed immediately at a black-and-white portrait. Simple, elegant, yet emotional.
Hazel blinked. Most people picked the colourful ones.
“Interesting choice.”
“Why?”
“Most people overlook it.”
He shrugged. Most people don't know what they are looking at.”
His reply made her smile.
Usually, she hated anyone scrolling through her work.
Somehow…she didn't mind.
When he later stood up to leave, she walked him to the door.
“Thanks for showing me.”
“Thanks for helping me move.”
Their eyes met briefly. Something shifted. Small, subtle, but definitely there.
Adrian smiled.Good night, Hazel.”
“Good night.”
She closed the door behind him and leaned back against it.
Her heart was hammering.
Too loud, like he could still hear it behind the wood.
“This is ridiculous.” She muttered. Yet she couldn't stop smiling.
***
Elsewhere, a screen lit the silence of an empty office.
A photograph filled the monitor.
Hazel.
Morning sunlight spilled across her apartment window as she held a mug of coffee, unaware someone had been watching.
A slow tap.
The image changed.
Another photograph.
Another angle.
A phone vibrated beside the keyboard.
Daniel is looking for her.
The reply came moments later.
K
eep watching.
Nothing else.
The room fell silent again.
Outside, rain began to fall against the window.
The figure leaned back into the darkness.
Patient.
There was no need to rush.
Everything was unfolding exactly as expected.
- Writer
