"Selina," Gray’s eyes widened a little bit. He was caught slightly off guard.
"Hey."
Selina was equally confused as Gray. She blinked in disbelief, but a smile slowly rose to her lips.
"I didn’t expect to run into you like this!" she exclaimed. A small laugh escaped her lips. It was truly unbelievable to see Gray in her place.
"Same," Gray chuckled. He stepped slightly to the side to give her space. The elevator doors slid shut behind them, and the soft sound of its ascent started almost immediately.
Selina turned to face him more fully, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
"Wait... do you live here?" Selina’s brows rose.
"Yeah. I just moved in recently," Gray gave a small nod, leaning back slightly against the wall.
"No way."
"What?" Gray turned to her immediately when he noticed the change in her tone.
"Well, if we’re in the same elevator... that means we’re probably on the same floor."
Gray paused for a second.
Then, as if on cue, they both looked up at the small screen above the doors that displayed the floor number.
18.
"...No way," Selina said again, blinking in disbelief.
"You’ve got to be kidding me," Gray let out a short laugh.
"I’m not," she said, still staring at the number. "This is actually kind of hilarious."
Gray shook his head, a half-smile playing on his lips.
"And here I thought this building was huge."
"Guess fate wanted to keep us within arm’s reach," Selina grinned, her voice light and teasing.
They both laughed at that. The unexpected coincidence was somehow too funny to ignore.
The elevator continued its steady ascent, carrying them both to a floor they hadn’t realized they already shared.
"So when did you move in?" Selina asked, tilting her head toward him as the elevator hummed upward.
Gray glanced at the lighted floor numbers before replying. "Just a few days ago, actually. It was kind of sudden. Got the unit by luck."
Selina raised a brow.
"That fast? You must be rich then!"
"I’m not," Gray chuckled. "Honestly, it’s still a little strange living in a place like this, to be honest."
"I get that," Selina nodded. "It also took me a while to get used to it. But it’s a great building. My grandfather liked it a lot. He said it’s quiet, clean, and has good security."
"And apparently, surprising neighbors," Gray added.
Selina laughed again, the sound echoing lightly in the closed space.
"Yeah, that too."
The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open onto the 18th floor. The hallway was softly lit, the plush carpet muffled their footsteps as they stepped outside side by side.
They walked for a bit in the same direction before slowing down again, realizing their units were now in the opposite direction. After all, the floor only has 2 units.
"I guess we really are neighbors," Selina said, glancing sideways at him.
"Apparently so," Gray smiled to himself. "Anyway... did you have dinner already?"
Selina stopped in front of her door and turned to face him.
"Not yet. Why?"
"I was about to cook something up," he said casually, nodding toward his door. "It’s not much. But if you’re not busy... I mean, you’re welcome to join me and my sister."
"You have a sister?" Selina’s eyes lit up at the mention of Gray’s sister. At the same time, a curious smile spread across her face.
She had always wanted a sibling. However, she grew up without one so the thought of meeting Gray’s sister gladdened her.
"You have a sister?" she repeated again, more excited now. "You never mentioned that before!"
"You didn’t ask," Gray rubbed the back of his neck. "But, yeah. She’s younger. I’m looking after her."
Selina’s smile widened. "That’s so sweet," she said, practically beaming now. "I didn’t expect that at all. But I think it’s really nice you’re taking care of her."
"I don’t know about that," Gray gave a small, sheepish shrug. "She’s a handful sometimes."
"Tsk. That’s fine!" Selina exclaimed out loud. She looked visibly excited. "Can I meet her? I want to meet her!" Selina uttered with a huge smile on her face.
However, when she realized how eager she sounded, she cleared her throat. A wave of embarrassment washed over her.
"I mean if I’m not intruding, of course."
Gray shook his head lightly, amused by the sudden shift of her emotion. One moment, she was excited. And now, she looked as if she was embarrassed.
"Nah, you’re not. But just a warning... she talks a lot when she likes someone."
"Don’t worry! I Can handle it!" Selina replied, almost bouncing to her feet. She looked like a child who was eager to meet new people.
Gray chuckled under his breath. The two of them walked to the right hallway, leading to the door of his condo. Selina closely followed him from behind. She was smiling too widely.
Gray tapped his keycard to the lock. It clicked, and the door opened softly to let them inside.
Before entering, Gray looked over his shoulder. He saw that Selina was still behind him. She looked as if she was waiting for Gray to move so she could also move.
Gray chuckled. He shook his head and returned his gaze forward. He swung the door to the side to open it fully. Then, with a step on his foot, he loudly called for Lily’s attention.
"Lily! I’m home!"
"Brother!" Lily’s voice rang out brightly as quick footsteps sounded in an instant over the polished floors.
She came running into view, wearing an oversized hoodie that nearly swallowed her small frame. The moment Lily saw him, she darted forward with all her energy.
"You’re finally back, brother!" she said out loud as she hugged him.
Gray grunted softly in surprise but he quickly returned the hug. "I told you I’d be home early today."
Lily pulled away a second later, smiling up at him—until her eyes drifted past his shoulder.
Lily slowly blinked. Her smile faltered, not in alarm, but in realization.
"Oh! My brother took home a girl?"
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A/N:
I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been dropping Golden Tickets and Gifts over the past few days.
Ruel_Sabalberino, Donald_Bell_8467, Michael_Oliveira_5130, DaoistENVI, Sapith, Lee_Montville, Agamar, Mark_4727, SullyTree, Mohammed_Alshamsi, Janelle_Gallardo_2090.
Your support means a lot!
Anyway, can I ask everyone for a review? Once the novel hits 10 reviews, I’ll drop an extra Chapter. Thank you!