#EL CHICO DEL APARTAMENTO 512 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hoodharlow · 1 year

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The Muffin Man

AN: one thing about me is that I'm gonna start another series on top of the ones I have started lmao 🤪🤪🤪 also, in this universe Devin Booker doesn't exist. He's going to be face claim for OC's older brother in this series <3

Requested? No

Warnings: bad flirting, mentions of cheating but it's all a big misunderstanding on Jack's end and brief mentions of solo smut

Word Count: 3.6k words

It was embarrassing at this point. At his grown age he shouldn't be having crushes, for fucks sake, he's Jack fucking Harlow. Yet here he was palms sweaty, nervous out of his mind to order his drink from the cute cafe owner in his apartment building. She moved into the building a few months ago and bought out the previous cafe owner. Personally, and this isn't because he has a thing for her, but Jack likes the drinks more from her than the previous owner. There was a more authentic vibe to them.

Jack watched her take a tray over to a table where several older women were sitting with matching books. They all complimented her and thanked her for bringing their drinks. She smiled and went back to take orders.

There was only one other person ahead of Jack and Urban. Just as the person was paying Urban's phone rang.

"Shit, I gotta take this. It's the gallery, can you get my usual?" Urban asked.

He didn't wait for Jack to respond; he just walked out to the terrace to answer. It made Jack panic more since Urban was the one who ordered for him. He just paid.

"Next." She said, motioning Jack to step up and order.

"Uh, can I get a strawberry-banana smoothie and a tea to go, please." Jack said nervously. He glanced down at her nametag, pinned nicely on her chest, and said that it said Ynez in cursive.

"What kind of tea?" Ynez asked.

"Oh, just the hottest you have." He said, pulling out his card.

"I meant flavor wise like green, chai, ginger-orange, canela, black, earl gray, matcha–"

Someone walked up to the counter to the food display. It was Ernesto Cruz aka Ernie by everyone, forward for the Atlanta Hawks. He dropped a twenty in the tip jar then grabbed the last blueberry muffin from the display and took a bite.

"Ernie, seriously?" Ynez frowned.

"I'm running late." Ernie said, kissing her temple. "Love you."

“I love you too.” She rolled her eyes as he walked out of the counter. She turned back to Jack. "I'm so sorry about him. He has no home training. any food items I can interest you?"

"Do you have more blueberry muffins?" He asked.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry he took the last one." Ynez said apologetically.

"Oh that's fine." Jack waved her off.

"Now I feel really bad– you know what, your smoothie and tea are on the house." She said, tapping the screen.

"What? No, here." He passed her his card.

"On the house, don't worry about it." She shook her head.

"Fine." He gave in

Jack slipped a twenty in the tip jar when she turned around to get food from the kitchen in the back. He sat at a small table in the back and checked his phone. He looked up Ernie Cruz on Instagram. He didn't have many posts, but he found one from a few years ago of him and Ynez at his college graduation. 'My day one' said the caption. Jack saw that Ynez was tagged and clicked on her @, but much to his dismay, she was private. He sighed and exited out of the app. He couldn’t believe she had a boyfriend and that he was an NBA player. Granted Ynez and Ernie moved into the building at the same time, but Jack never put them together. But at least he now knew he didn't have a chance and could act normal with her.

"Hey, uh, you never told me what kind of tea you wanted." Ynez said, approaching him.

"Just a green tea." Jack said, quietly.

"Okay coming right up." She nodded, writing on the cup. "I truly am sorry about the muffin."

"Don't worry about it." He said, giving her his signature grin.

Ynez felt her cheek flush, panties melt, and stomach drop seeing his smile. She pushed back her hair and pointed back. "I'm, uh, going to get your drink, um, made."

"Thank you." He nodded.

He pretended to stretch his back so he could watch her ass in the tight black jeans she wore. She may be taken, but that wasn't going to stop him from appreciating her body. He was just going to admire from far.

"Look at you, telling her more than three words." Urban said, sitting across from him. "When's the wedding?"

"Shut up." Jack grumbled. "She's got a man."

"Who?" His best friend asked curiously.

"Ernie Cruz." He said.

"Your new neighbor?" Urban folded over laughing. He wiped fake tears. "Man, you have the worst luck.”

“What did the gallery say?” Jack asked to change the subject.

“Everything is going smoothly and they said the opening is set for a few weeks from now." Urban explained. He had submitted some of his photographs into a photography competition. The winner would get a $5000 cash price and the gallery would exhibit the winner's art for two months. He nodded his head to Ynez. "You should ask her to come see the exhibit when it's up."

Jack gave his best friend a pointed look. "Did you not hear me when I said she has a boyfriend?"

Ynez was in her apartment's kitchen making some muffins for Jack Harlow. Technically it's her brother's apartment since he paid for everything, but she was on the lease. Her and Ernie were half siblings. Their dad didn't know condoms existed and got their moms pregnant at the same time. They were born days apart and their family called them the twins as a joke. Their dad ended up marrying Ernie's mom, Morgan, but he still co-parented with Ynez's mom, Gabriela, until she passed when Ynez was eight. They took her in and Ernie's mom raised her like her own. Her family never made her feel left out and she felt loved by them. When she was twelve Ernie's mom legally adopted Ynez. Since then they've been a close family. She was the one who got her into baking. She even passed down her infamous blueberry muffin recipe to Ynez.

Speaking of blueberries, Ynez genuinely felt bad that her brother took the last blueberry muffin when Jack Harlow wanted to buy it. She set the bowl down and went to where she set the blueberries to dry, only to find her brother popping a large handful in his mouth.

“Stop eating them, you’re not gonna leave any for the muffins.” she smacked him with the wooden spoon.

“Dude, that shit hurted.” Ernie rubbed his arm. He grabbed another handful to piss her off. “I doubt your little boyfriend won’t care if it’s not full of blueberries.”

“Jack isn’t my boyfriend. Besides, it's the least I could do since you stole from my shop.”

“I left a very generous tip for those overpriced muffins you sell.” her brother argued.

Ynez turned to Kiko, their two year old doberman and pointed to her brother. “Kiko, bite him for me.”

Kiko lifted his head from his bed and sighed dramatically before going back to sleep.

“What are you doing after you drop off your boyfriend’s muffins?” Ernie asked, buttoning his dress shirt.

“What are you doing later? Got a date?” Ynez eyed him.

“I’m just going out, don’t worry about it Nezzie.” he said.

“One, don’t call me Nezzie and two, I know you have a date. Te conozco.” she said as she folded the blueberries into the batter.

“Think what you want, Nezzie.”He pulled out his wallet and handed her one of his cards. “Get some dinner that isn’t dino nuggets and tater tots. I’ll be back before midnight. Te cuidas.”

“Bye Ernie.” she said.

She knew her brother was lying; he was going on a date. A few weeks since they moved to Atlanta, they ran into his ex at the store when she was finishing up her twelve hour shift at the hospital. She was surprised to see the twins in Atlanta.

Him and Aisha, his ex and Ynez’s best friend at the time, broke up because Ernie was going to Duke to play for their men’s basketball team. Ynez and Aisha stayed in Arizona and went to ASU. Ynez studied communications while Aisha studied nursing. They drifted apart during college since they studied different things and Aisha got more involved in school. Ynez just went to her classes and baked in her free time. After she graduated, she became her brother’s assistant when he got drafted to play for the Suns. He played in Phoenix for a few years then Ernie was traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

After Ynez and Ernie saw Aisha, Ynez reached out and in one of her days off they met up for coffee. The whole time Aisha asked about Ernie but not in the fake way other girls do when it was painfully obvious they only talked to Ynez so they could get on her good side because if she didn’t like them Ernie wouldn’t give them a second glance. Ynez could see that Aisha still had feelings for her brother and vice versa of course.

Ernie was a mess and couldn’t believe that she was in Atlanta as if they still didn’t follow each other and he commented on her post where he congratulated her because she got her dream job. Ynez told him to just hit her up so they could catch up, but his stubborn ass didn’t want to.

She left it alone, not wanting to end up in the middle of it if it got weird. But the last few weeks she picked up on the signs that he was talking to someone. He was pretty open with his phone and would let Ynez use it when she wanted to order food when he was in the shower or just chilling in the living room. Now he kept it at his side at all times and he even changed the passcode. She casually mentioned it to Aisha during one of their coffee hang outs,and she seemed pretty unfazed. That was when Ynez deduced that they were talking again. In addition to the exes having the same dopey grin whenever they would get the text alerts. Now all Ynez needed was confirmation that they were seeing each other.

She scooped batter for her muffins into a muffin tray and let them back in their designated time. Ynez decided to get some dinner. She scrolled through various food delivery apps until she chose QDOBA. Was it her favorite? Not really, but she wasn’t in the mood for anything else nor was she in the mood for Ernie to lecture her on her dino nugget eating habits. Plus it was a good ten minute walk from the apartment building, so she didn’t have to uber or drive.

By the time she finished getting ready, the muffins were ready so she prepped the tupperware container where she was going to put Jack’s muffins in while they cooled down. Ynez carefully placed them in the tupperware and wrote a note for Jack then she placed it on a small lilac envelope, taping it on top of the container lid. She wrestled Kiko into his harness and the two of them made their way to the lobby through the private elevator.

“Good evening Miss Cruz.” Miles, the night doorman, greeted her. He was an older man in late 60s. He reminded her of her grandfather with how friendly he was. When she opened the bakery he was on his way out so she always gave him free coffee and doughnuts after his shift.

“Hi, Miles.” she said, walking over to him. “I had a small favor to ask you.”

“Anything, miss.” he said.

“Could you please deliver these to Jack Harlow?” she asked in a hushed voice. “Earlier he wanted some muffins and you know how Ernie is and he–”

“There’s no need to explain Miss Cruz. I’ll do it.” he nodded.

“Thank you.” Ynez smiled as she walked out with Kiko.

She was too busy confirming her QDOBA order that she didn’t see in front of her and ran into a very tall body. Then Kiko ran around them, trapping them with his leash. Ynez was chest to chest with none other than the muffin man, Jack.

“Hey,” Jack said, giving her a pantymelting smile.

“Hi,” she squeaked, not looking at him.

Fortunately Kiko didn’t tie them tightly so Ynez was able to turn around. Jack bit back a groan when she bent forward to hold onto her dog’s harness and untangle them.

“Sorry about that.” She apologized.

She didn’t give him a chance to answer and she sped walked away. Jack pushed back his curls confused and walked over to Miles.

“Sup, Miles.” he greeted him.

“Good evening Mr. Harlow.” Miles nodded.

“Miles, I’ve been living here for almost two years, please call me Jack.” he said.

“It’s a habit Mr–Jack.” the doorman chuckled. He bent down on his desk and handed Jack a tupperware container. “Miss Cruz wanted me to give you these.”

“Thank you.” Jack nodded.

He had no idea who Miss Cruz was. Once inside his private elevator. He opened the container and saw six large muffins. They were the same ones from Ynez’s bakery. Then it all hit him, Ynez was Miss Cruz. Which meant she was Ernie’s wife.

Jack cursed. Of course with his luck, he had to go and catch feelings for a married woman. His elevator opened and he walked down the hall to his apartment. The top three floors of the building were the penthouses. Each floor had two penthouses. His apartment was 512 and the one on the other end was 510.

Once inside he set the tupperware on the table where he kept his keyes and went to get ready to go out. He had a work dinner with Drama and some other producers. He didn’t feel like going since he spent the whole day in the studio reworking what one of the new engineers did. He walked out and grabbed his keys. That was when he noticed the lilac envelope on top of the tupperware container. He opened it and read the note:

‘I’m really sorry Ernie stole the last muffin. His father didn’t teach him any manners. Hope you like these. Sincerely your neighbor from apt. 510, Ynez’

Of course she had to be his next door neighbor.

Jack had a perfect view of them from where he sat. He stopped paying attention to whatever story Drama was telling. He probably heard it a hundred times beforehand. All his attention was on Ernie and the beautiful woman sitting next to him that was not his wife. He couldn’t believe he would outright cheat on Ynez like that and in public. He should have some decency and get a private room or something.

“Jack, are you paying attention?” one of the producers asked him.

“No, sorry, today was a long day.” Jack apologized. “What were you saying?”

“I was just asking you if you wanted to go with us to this lounge a buddy of mine owns and have some drinks.” he said.

“I think I’m gonna call it a night, but thank you for the invite.” he said.

After dinner Jack drove home. He tried sleeping but he couldn’t. Guilt was eating him alive. He still couldn’t process how or why Ernie would cheat on Ynez. The woman with Ernie was beautiful, there’s no denying it, but that shouldn’t be enough to cheat on someone.

Sleep finally caught up to him and he fell asleep at three in the morning. He woke up around noon and was on autopilot the rest of the day. He came back from the studio that evening tired. All he wanted to do was sleep. When he got in his apartment the first thing he saw was the tupperware container. He took it as a sign to tell Ynez. He placed the muffins in a cake stand where he put all his pastries. He washed the container and made his way across the hall.

He knocked on her door and waited.

Seconds later, she opened the door.

“Hi?” she smiled. Her bathrobe opened, revealing her chest to him.

“Your, uh,” Jack gestured to her bare chest.

“Oh my fuck–I’m so sorry.'' She turned around and tied it. “One second.”

Ynez closed the door. A few minutes later she opened the door, now fully dressed in an ASU hoodie and leggings.

“I am so sorry, I was coming out of the shower when you knocked and–”

“It’s okay, they looked good–shit, I meant, you don’t have anything to be ashamed–”

“How about we start all over, and forget I flashed you.” Ynez suggested.

“That would be great.” Jack grinned.

“Hi, would you like to come in?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah.” he nodded. He followed behind her, eyeing her ass in the tight leggings. He quickly averted his gaze elsewhere and took in the penthouse. It had the same layout as his, but there was a more homey vibe to hers. Her dog came by and sniffed him then retreated back to the living room.

“So what made you journey across the hall?” Ynez asked, pouring them some glasses of agua fresca.

“I brought your container back.” Jack said, sliding the tupperware to her.

“Oh thanks.” she said, taking it. She went to the other side of the kitchen and put it back in its designated stop in the cabinets.

“Is Ernie here?” he casually asked.

“No, he flew to Charlotte, I think, for a game. I’m not too sure. I don’t really keep up with his game schedules.” Ynez said, taking a seat across from him.

“Oh,” he nodded.

“Yeah,” she nodded back.

There was an awkward silence. The only sound was Kiko’s loud snores coming from the living room.

“I didn’t come just to drop off your container.” Jack finally said after a few minutes. “I don’t know how to say this. It’s really not my place and stuff, but I couldn't not tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Ynez furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

“I saw Ernie yesterday with a woman–”

“Did she look like this?” She passed him her phone, showing him a picture of Aisha.

“I wasn’t wearing my glasses so I couldn't make out her face, but I think it was her.”

“I fucking knew it!” she laughed. “He thought he was slick but I knew.”

Jack was now the confused one. “You knew your husband was cheating on you?”

Ynez tilted her head. “I don’t have a husband.”

“So Ernie is…”

“My half brother.” she giggled. “Wait did you think Ernie was my–ewww. God no, he's my brother.”

“And I’m the biggest idiot.” he felt his cheeks flush.

“It’s an honest mistake. We don’t look alike.” she shrugged.

“Well I’m glad, I didn’t ruin any marriages.”

Ynez laughed at his comment. They changed the subject and talked for a good hour, getting to know each other, before Jack had to leave because he had an early flight to New York. Ynez wished him a safe trip and walked him out. She closed the door and let out the loudest laugh.

She couldn’t believe Jack Harlow thought she was married to her brother. Of all conclusions he could have made. But she did find it noble of him telling her that he saw Ernie with Aisha. She’s scrolled through articles and tweets in the past saying that Jack was a kind and generous guy. She finally got to witness that. In an awkward circumstance, but that proved to her what kind of guy he was and she knew she could trust him. It made the small crush she had on him develop into a full on crush. She cleaned up the kitchen and got ready for bed. She had to be up at five in the morning to prepare everything for the cafe. She checked the time and her brother should be back at his hotel room, so she Facetimed time.

“Que paso cabezona?” He greeted her.

“I had an interesting talk with Jack Harlow.”

“He told you he saw me out with Aisha, didn’t he?” Ernie deadpanned.

“Yes, but we’ll circle back to that in a second.” Ynez said. “He thought we were together.”

“What?” her brother grimaced.

“I know.” She agreed with his reaction.

“How the fuck did he come up with that conclusion?” he asked.

“I guess we give off ‘siblings or fucking’ vibes. He came to drop off the tupperware and he began apologizing, saying how it wasn’t his place to say, but he couldn’t not tell me, you know. Then he went on telling me how he saw you with Aisha and was confused on why I was happy for you.”

“That explains why he was mad dogging me at Giani’s.” her brother said, scratching his beard.

“Ooh, you took Aisha to Gianis?” she said, impressed with him.

“All I’m gonna say is be careful. He’s a rapper after all.” Ernie said, changing the subject.

“Why would I be careful?” she asked, taken aback.

“Because you fucking like him. And before you go on and say you don’t, remember that I’m your older brother and I know you. Have fun but don’t expect much from him. Some of my teammates know him and know of his rep. I just don’t want you to get hurt, Nezzie.”

Ynez rolled her eyes. “You were doing so good until you called me Nezzie.” She sighed. “You have nothing to worry about. It’s just a little crush that I have. In a few days it’ll go away. It’s not like he likes me too.”

Taglist: @cherryxcreme @heavyhitterheaux @carma-fanficaddict @youngharleezy @youngharleezyxo @babyharleezy @that-90s-girllll @alinaharlow @whywontyoulovemecami @meyocoko @harlowcomehome @nattinatalia @webinurcloset @gassyandsassy1 @jackharloww @awhore4moree @noescapricho-essentimiento @a-moment-captured @neon-lights-and-glitter @purecinnamonextract

#el chico del apartamento 512 #jack harlow #jack harlow fan fiction #jack harlow oneshot #jack harlow fanfic #jack harlow fluff #jack harlow smut

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blogformusicandthatsit · 10 months

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#Selena #Selena Quintanilla #El Chico Del Apartamento 512 #Amor Prohibido

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lareinaselenaqp · 9 months

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#selena quintanilla perez #selena #la reina #queen of tejano #El Chico del Apartamento 512 #lyrics

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erwinsmile · 8 months

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kenshi's fine

#kenshi takahashi #mk kenshi #kenshi #mortal kombat #mk1 #mortal kombat kenshi #kenshi takahashi edit #mk edits #mortal kombat edits #el chico del apartamento 512 #selena #fyp

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pennyserenade · 7 months

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wish fox mulder was real so i could introduce him to selena music

#misc.#el chico del apartamento 512 #more like el chico del apartamento 42

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callmeanxietygirl · 9 months

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#selena #selena quintanilla #song #el chico del apartamento 512 #humor

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nancyqueerler · 2 years

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So I seen your post about Robin singing in Spanish but that had me thinking what kind of songs/genres do you think she was sing??? I could see her singing some Selena but that might be because she’s what I’m listening too

MOVE!! I'VE GOT THOUGHTS ON THIS.

Okay so, think Ojos Noche or Grecia by Elsa y Elmar, Violeta by Armenia, Tokyo by Young Tender. Stuff like slow salsa or indie. The kind she wouldn't have to look directly into a crowd to carry out. She'd keep her eyes low most of the time, too nervous to look up.

But I definitely think Selena could fit her when she's in a more confident, giddy mood. Like El Chico Del Apartamento 512. She'd grab Nancy by the waist and dance around with her during that one. I like Como La Flor and Amor Prohibido (this one she'd dedicate to Nancy) for her, too.

I might just have to write something for this.

#many thoughts are in my head rn.#i'm going to have to make a spanish songs playlist for robin #oh and she'd switch 'el chico' in el chico del apartamento 512 for 'la chica'#ronance #asks #robin buckley

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transmascmikey · 1 year

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#I'm a raging dyke 99.99 % of the time but when this is on im a straight girl enamorado con el chico del apartamento 512 #el que me hace a mi pobre corazón saltar <3 #selena #meager contributions #Spotify

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lovewheeler · 2 years

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amor prohibido makes me think of mike. i need to kill him.

#he needs to leave my head I have to kill him that’s the only option #♡ rambles.#reminds me of that edit of him to el chico del apartamento 512 #UGH

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mangolemonjuice · 2 months

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I feel like Zuko would be a Selena fan.

Like fr blasting Selena and I just thought he would like her music

#he is belting out como la flor somewhere #el Chico del apartamento 512 is his jam fr #Iroh is confused #atla #Zuko

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hoodharlow · 1 year

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El Chico del Apartamento 512

***No one has my permission to repost even with credit and including translations***

Part 1: The Muffin Man

#jack harlow #jack harlow smut #jack harlow imagine #jack harlow fluff #jack harlow series #jack harlow oneshot #jack harlow fanfic #jack harlow angst #el chico del apartamento 512

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uninfernodelamente · 1 year

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🎶 - lachlan

SEND 🎶 FOR A SONG THAT REMINDS MY MUSE OF YOURS

#answered #ft.lachlan #p.paloma #alt - selena el chico del apartamento 512

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mango-shpango · 1 year

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me vibing to selena: 💃🕺💃🕺💃

#el chico del apartamento 512 🕺💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺

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freelancearsonist · 18 days

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el chico del apartamento 512

➔ Frankie Morales x gn!Reader - 1.6k

➔ There's a rumor going around your building about the resident of apartment 512, and you're eager to investigate.

➔ Rated PG-13 for allusions to sex but otherwise just some plain old fluff and fun. post movie canon wife and kid erasure sorry, takes place in colombia, both reader and frankie speak spanish and everything is translated.

➔ this is my entry for the Selena Drabble Challenge hosted by mi esposa @fhatbhabie <3 sorry i've been sitting on this forever hehe but i hope you enjoy

Frankie barely manages to pull himself out of the slump he’s in for the first year or so after the absolute disaster in the Andes.

He misses his family, misses his friends, misses his crew–his brothers. He tries to convince himself that it’s for the best, that it’s only a matter of time before those assholes who were in cahoots with Lorea come after him–that the people he loves will be safer and happier if he’s not around them when it happens. And most of the time he can block all that sadness and pain out by throwing his whole mind and body into the earnest construction job he picks up in this new town within this new country. But it catches up to him late at night in dreams and quiet whispers of intrusive thoughts; that he’s a coward for abandoning the ones that needed him most, that he could’ve done more to make that damned mission less of a disaster. That he could’ve come out of it rich and happy if he wasn’t such a fuck-up.

He wakes up screaming in the middle of the night, an ache so deep in his chest that it feels like he’s been shot. He clutches at his sternum and tries to catch his breath but he can’t. His body wracks with sobs and he knows he’ll never be okay again.

But somehow, he ends up okay anyway. Somehow, he falls back to sleep just to repeat the cycle the next day.

There’s a rumor going around amongst your neighbors that apartment 512 is haunted.

People hear things–weird things. Screaming, crying, banging–and always at the dead of night. And everyone swears up and down that they’ve never seen the guy who supposedly lives there. The people who say they have seen him get more dramatic with their descriptions every time–toweringly tall, shoulders that could stand up to a wrecking ball, hauntingly sad eyes and gaunt face. It’s like he’s a thing of legend–a story they tell their kids to make sure they behave. “Don’t run in the halls or the guy from apartment 512 will get you.”

You figure he’s probably just some guy who works long hours and likes to watch horror movies to unwind or something–not a monster or a ghost, just misunderstood. You haven’t seen the guy yourself, but you kinda like him anyway. The building’s certainly been a lot quieter since he moved in… well, everywhere except his own apartment, at least.

You find yourself keeping a more vigilant eye out, alert to any face in the building that doesn’t look familiar. It seems kinda silly to want to see someone you don’t know, but you’re a little nosy and a little more than curious. If there’s some truth to the rumors that have been going around by the people who claim to have seen him, you want to find out for yourself.

It’s a completely ordinary night when you notice an unfamiliar face in the mailroom, and you have to do a double take. This stranger is handsome–tall and dark with shaggy brown hair and an even shaggier patch of stubble across his jaw.

He’s just standing there, staring blankly at a row of mailboxes, looking so… foreboding. You approach slowly, cautiously; part of you thinks you should just walk away and let this man do whatever he’s doing. But there’s a large, louder part of you that approaches with curiosity. There’s just something about him that draws you in, that makes you put on your best smile and ask, “Señor? Necesitas ayuda?” (Do you need help, sir?)

He blinks slowly, heavily, and then dark brown eyes flicker towards you.

“Oh!” He clears his throat and it’s like he’s coming back from an out of body experience–the color returns to his face, his eyes lose that glassy sheen, and his posture loosens a bit. He looks friendly now, sheepish even. He wrings his big hands and shifts on his feet, as if he’s been caught at a vulnerable moment. “Lo siento, estaba en la nube.” (Sorry, I was spacing out.)

“Está bien,” you tell him with your most disarming smile. “Andas buscando algo?” (It’s okay. / Are you looking for something?)

“No, solo estoy recopilando mi correo,” he rumbles before flashing you the most charming smile you’ve ever seen in your life. (No, I’m just getting my mail.)

He fishes through his pockets and finds a small silver key–and then he inserts it into the box labeled “512”.

“Tú vives en el apartamento 512?” There’s a strange air of reverence in your voice despite trying to hide it. This is the guy everyone’s been talking about, and he doesn’t seem nearly as monstrous as everyone tried to make him sound. (You live in apartment 512?)

“Uhhh… sí?” He chuckles and looks over to you, and you can see the way his brow furrows at the look of shocked surprise on your face.

You realize you’re actually gaping open-mouthed at the poor guy, and you snap your mouth closed as soon as you see the little crease between his brows deepen. Not soon enough for it to go unnoticed, though–the corner of his mouth flickers up in a pseudo-smirk, and god he’s handsome.

“No hemos tenido la oportunidad de conocernos aún.” You look up at him and give your best, winning smile as you give him your name. There’s a strange, fluttery feeling in your stomach as his dark eyes meet yours–have you mentioned how handsome he is? (We haven’t had the chance to meet yet.)

“Mucho gusto,” he says with a smile. “Soy Frankie. Supongo que vives en el edificio también?” (Nice to meet you. / I’m Frankie. I’m guessing you live in the building too?)

“Oh, sí,” you say with a slight laugh. “No soy ningún tipo de acosador, vivo en el apartamento 526.” (Oh, yes. / I promise I’m not some kind of creep, I live in apartment 526.)

And then you catch his eyes dragging along your form, not even the least bit subtle, and you try your best to be nonchalant about the way you have to lean against the wall to avoid melting into a puddle on the mailroom floor; especially when you see those full lips of his curve into a smile, and you know he’s liking what he’s seeing.

“Nah, no creo que seas un acosador,” he hums–and there’s that damned smirk again. If you don’t get out of here you’re going to start drooling. (I don’t think you’re a creep.)

He grabs two letters from his mailbox, examines the envelopes, and then unceremoniously dumps them both into the trashcan in the corner with a mumbled, “Malditas estafas por correo.” (Damn junk mail.)

“Eso es lo único que recibo ahora también,” you tell him sympathetically. (That’s all I get anymore too.)

He brushes past you slightly as he moves to the door, and you get a whiff of distinctly woody cologne that makes your heart pick up a beat. You try to act normal and go to open your own mailbox, but he stops in the narrow doorway and leans against the jam to look at you.

“Te volveremos a ver aquí?” (Will I see you around again?)

You think the rumors about him were right, at least a little bit. He’s towering and imposing–he fills the entire doorway with ease. He’s firm and broad and sturdy and big. Maybe he would be intimidating to someone else, but all you can think about is climbing him like a tree.

“Sí. Puedes verme cuando tú quieras.” (You can see me whenever you want to.)

His eyes flicker indecisively for a moment, and then he draws his bottom lip between his teeth. “Qué tal viernes por la noche?” (What about Friday night?)

You try not to focus on how you want him to bite into you like that as you tell him, “Sí, eso sería perfecto.” (Yes, that would be perfect.)

“Perfecto. Te veré luego.” And then he flashes you that damned adorable boyish smile again before he retreats from the mailroom. You think he’s going to be trouble for you. (Perfect. I’ll see you then.)

The monthly building meeting is Saturday morning, and you’re glad to see Frankie’s decided to join in finally. Everyone throws curious looks his way as he walks through the room towards where you’re seated, but no one is curious or brave enough to ask who he is.

“Buenos días, querida,” he murmurs, discreetly ghosting a kiss against your cheek as he drops into the seat beside yours. There’s a hint of amusement in his eyes as they trail over your outfit: the same one you wore to dinner last night, the same one you picked up off his bedroom floor this morning and shoved on hastily to get to this meeting in time. (Good morning, dear.)

Before you get a chance to respond, your neighbor from across the hall plunks down in the seat on your other side.

“Escuchaste ese ruido anoche?” She asks, sounding more amused than annoyed. (Did you hear that noise last night?)

“Qué ruido?” You ask with a raised brow. (What noise?)

She smirks with satisfaction, like she knows something you don’t. And then she looks pointedly between you and Frankie. “Suena como si nuestro fantasma en el apartamento 512 hubiera conseguido un socio para él.” (It sounds like our ghost in apartment 512 got himself a partner.)

You nearly choke on your own tongue, but Frankie just chuckles raspily and wraps an arm around your shoulders. He learned all about the rumors from you last night over dinner, and he thinks they’re hilarious. Besides, they’ll die out soon enough anyway–he’s never slept quite as peacefully as he did last night in your arms–if he doesn’t feed them a little bit. And if feeding the rumors means keeping you moaning and groaning the way he did last night, he can’t say he minds it one bit.

➔ beta: @shakespeareanwannabe; dividers: @saradika-graphics

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blossomverse · 8 months

Text

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚El Chico del Apartamento 512˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

pairing: neighbor!miguel o'hara x fem!reader

word count: 4.9k

summary: you've had a crush on miguel for the longest time. he happens to be your very kind, extremely attractive, next-door neighbor. what happens when you end up bonding over smoothies and a broken elevator?

cw & tw: mostly fluff, mildly suggestive dream, catcalling (by strangers), random man grabs reader's wrist without permission, stuck inside an elevator trope, some cursing, minors dni

a/n: i'm currently undergoing a miguel brainrot, that's how i found myself writing this in the middle of the night. the sentences on bold and italic are supposed to be reader’s inner thoughts. the story is heavily inspired by the song "el chico del apartamento 512" by selena. i srsly recommend listening to it as you read

Every day, coming home from work, same routine. Life in Nueva York was like this. The unwanted stares and comments from strange men were a frequent thing you’ve had to deal with. Your response would always be to ignore, continue walking as fast as you possibly could, and show that you were not afraid, nor bothered.

Today was no different, unfortunately. After a stressful shift at work, you had arrived inside your apartment complex and clicked on the elevator’s summoning button. That old thing would always take forever to arrive when called. As you waited patiently, one of the neighbors that always had some unwelcome attention to give, began approaching to make conversation.

Please, not today. I’m tired of rejecting this dude.

“Oh, how lucky I am! I’ve been waiting to see you again, Y/n.” He stood next to you.

“Mhm, I bet.” You answered, uninterested in whatever he had to say.

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask–“

“No offense, but you should really go shower…” You blurted the words out, cutting him off before he could ask anything.

The man stood speechless for a hot second, unsure on what to say next. You simply stared blankly at the wall, not even sparing him one pitiful glance. He was about to speak again, when a familiar ding was heard. Finally, that prehistoric device had reached the first floor and opened its doors.

A few people made their way out and as you looked up to see the last one leaving, your heartbeat completely accelerated at the sight. There was he: the image of your dreams, the one your heart belonged to. The guy from apartment 512.

“M- Miguel, hi!” You said, a little bit too loud and enthusiastically for your own good.

You’d bask on the embarrassment later when you had reached the comfort of your home. For now, all you cared about was him.

“Y/n, it’s nice to see you.” He walked fast and made his way to open his mailbox.

“It is– it is always nice to see you, too.” You heard your words become nothing but stammers. Something that happened regularly when you would speak to him.

“Home from work already?” He asked while taking out his correspondence and shuffling through it.

“Oh, yeah… finished early. I’m guessing you’ll probably head to work now, I see you’re umm– you’re wearing your gym clothes.” You subtly admired his muscles, which looked enhanced by his tight fitted shirt.

“I’ll stop to get a smoothie from across the street first. They’re really nice and nutritious, you know. Maybe you’d like to check them out sometime.”

With you?

Your heart ran a mile, just thinking about that possibility. But no, his voice was too nonchalant to be asking you out. He was simply recommending the place. Nothing more, right?

“Sure, I’ll go when I have the time.”

There was an awkward silence growing as you looked down at your feet. You didn’t want to make this situation uncomfortable or to keep bothering him. Everyone that was waiting for the elevator along with you had already disappeared, including the annoying neighbor. You had completely disassociated with the fact that you were evidently trying to go home, ignoring everything just to give him your attention.

Would that make me look like a fool in front of him?

“Well, I– I should probably leave now. Guess we’ll talk another time.”

“Have a nice evening, Y/n.” He stuffed everything he had picked up at the mailbox into his duffle bag.

“Yeah, good luck at work.” You offered a tiny smile and pressed the button again, summoning the elevator.

“Thanks.” He chuckled and simply left.

In a few minutes you were stepping inside your apartment. Which just happened to be right next to his. That’s how you had met when you had just moved in. Both of you quickly became acquainted with each other over the months, although it’d be too extreme to call yourselves friends. You were just… neighbors on friendly terms.

“Ugh, I totally made myself look ridiculous again, didn’t I?” You spoke aloud to yourself as you took off your shoes.

This crush was something you had been harboring for quite a few months. At first, you just noticed he was an attractive man. No one could deny that. But as you continued getting to know little bits and pieces of him, and noticed how respectful and kind he was to you, compared to others, your heart couldn’t help but fall for him.

You went inside your room and opened the window. Looking down at the streets, you noticed how he was walking away from the kiosk with his smoothie in hand and couldn’t help but continue admiring him from afar. He took a small sip from it and continued his steps. Your eyes never left him, convinced that he would not notice you staring his way.

Miguel looked up and glanced at the building where you both lived. His eyes immediately noticed the opened window on the 5th floor, with a certain person leaning her elbows on it. He smiled at you and waved. Your cheeks and ears immediately heated up. He had noticed you.

You waved back reluctantly, then slowly stepped away from the window, closing it a few seconds later. As you sat down on your bed, you fanned your face and ears. Things just couldn’t get more humiliating than this.

You decided to take a cold shower, hoping it would relax your mood. Once the cool water hit your skin, you were able to take a deep breath and release all the tension. At some point you’d need to confess your feelings, right? The worst thing that could happen would be getting rejected. Or maybe he’d be nice enough to accept going on a date, just to try things out, and then end up confessing you’re not exactly compatible.

I could just keep this to myself forever, though.

The evening went on as it usually would. Dinner was made while playing that romantic playlist you had created when thinking of him. Then you watched some tv, not paying too much attention to it, as you wrote the —probably— thousandth love letter you had made for him. That was the only way you knew how to pour out your feedings. At least without stuttering like a fool. But you could never give these to him.

Acting like a schoolgirl in love was definitely not the best way to go about this, you knew it. And yet, you couldn’t stop yourself from wasting the ink of your pen on a piece of paper that’d remain stored away, along with others like it. A red sharpie adorned the corners of the letter with pretty hearts. Each one was a symbol of your infatuation.

The sky was dark outside, letting you know it was probably time to go to bed. After all, tomorrow you had to wake up early, just to repeat the same, boring routine. You went to the kitchen to grab some water, like you usually would before sleeping. The faint sound of a blender could be heard through the wall. He was already home.

You smiled, knowing that only a wall separated both of you. A wall that felt infinite. With a final sigh, you heard the blender stop, and made your way to your room. The satin bedsheets welcomed you, bringing comfort after a long day of work. The thought of your earlier interactions with him clouded your mind as you waited for sleep to take over.

The next morning, as you were making your way out of your apartment complex, some random old man you had never seen before began trying to talk to you. There weren’t a lot of people around, unlike most mornings. For a moment, you considered going back inside, but you simply couldn’t afford being late for work. The old man spoke in Spanish so you could just act like you didn’t understand that he was talking to you.

“Chica, ven a verme.” [Girl, come to see me.]

You walked away without breaking pace. The old man kept calling behind you, his voice getting closer, until suddenly, his hand was clutching your wrist to turn you around. Your gasp was audible. No one had gone as far as grabbing you without permission before.

You were ready to defend yourself and slap the man away, when you felt the presence of another person, yanking the stranger away from you. When you turned your head around, you saw Miguel. His tall figure was blocking you from the old man’s view.

“No le caen los viejos rabos verdes.” [She doesn’t like dirty old men.]

“Perdón, no sabía que tenía novio.” [Sorry, didn’t know she had a boyfriend.]

You were breathing heavily, trying to process everything that had just happened. The old man walked away. Miguel didn’t move for a few minutes, staring at him menacingly. Once your knight in shining armor had made sure the coast was clear, he turned to you with a soft expression on his face.

“Are you alright? That fucker didn’t hurt you, did he?” He was concerned and his arms wanted to hug you, but he didn’t want to step outside the line, like that other man had done.

“N-no, no, I’m okay… I think.” Your body was shivering just a bit, partially because of the chilly morning air.

“I’m glad to hear that. If anyone ever bothers you again, tell me.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. Thank you, for helping me… but, how come you’re outside this early?” You were confused. He had told you about how he only worked from afternoon until nighttime at a gym, and barely ever woke up early.

“I was on my way to the airport.”

“Oh– you’re going to travel… well, I wouldn’t want you to lose your flight because of me. Anyways, I have to get to work–“ You began walking away.

“Wait wait, I’ll go with you. And I’m not traveling.” His words made you slow down your steps.

“I don’t want to be a burden…” You said, reluctantly.

“You’re not, I promise. But it’s completely fine if you don’t want me to accompany you, so don’t feel like you have to agree.” He assured you with a warm smile.

“No, I would really like that– I mean… sure, you can.”

He gave you one of the chuckles you loved so much and you resumed your walk to work. He followed after you silently. It was quiet as you both made your way through the streets, save for the sound of some cars and the other people that walked by. It was a comforting silence. It made you feel safe.

Once you had reached your destination, you turned around to thank him again. You both said your goodbyes as you watched him leave. There was barely any time to process anything. Much less as you both walked together. He always made you so nervous.

Work was slow and tiring. Your mind drifted to the thought of Miguel, as it often did. But today, he seemed to be persistent on staying running through your head for longer. It definitely made you get distracted way too many times during working hours.

Finally, after each agonizing second, it was time to clock out for the day. Once you were a block away from home, you remembered to buy groceries. By the time you had finished, the night had covered the sky with its starry mantle.

As you neared the building of your apartment complex, your eyes drifted to the kiosk across the street. There they found Miguel, and a smile crept up on your face. He was speaking with the other customers, a lively conversation likely taking place by the looks of it. His gym clothes were on, meaning he was back from work.

You considered going there with the pretext of trying the smoothies he had recommended, but desisted upon the idea for the moment. First, you needed to get rid of the grocery bags. Perhaps, by the time you had left them at home, he’d still be there chatting and you’d have time to come down and casually join the fun.

If only the elevator was faster, of course. It seemed to move even slower when you needed it to do its job the most. Miguel and the smoothies would have to happen another time. Or not… for you felt a familiar presence entering the building and joining the long wait for the elevator.

“Hey again.” Miguel’s voice rang across the hall.

“Oh– hi, Miguel.” You totally pretended you hadn’t recognized him by the smell of the Axe body spray he’d use after gym.

“Need help with that?” He pointed at the bags.

“It’s no big deal, honestly. But thanks, you’re always a gentleman.” Soon enough, you realized you’d given him a compliment and cringed internally for some reason.

“Heh, glad to know that.” His voice all smug.

The elevator arrived and you both made your way inside. It creaked loudly as it made its way up to the 5th floor. Miguel shook his head and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Remind me to tell the landlord to get this old thing fixed.”

“It’s no use, anyways. You know he’ll just ignore the request.” You sighed and leaned your back against the elevator wall.

“I should still try, at least before it brea–“ The lightbulbs blinked and the elevator stopped.

The two of you stood in silence for a few seconds, realizing what was happening. You were now stuck inside an elevator, and with the man of your dreams no less. But even the fact of being here with him didn’t stop you from slowly panicking.

“Shit… Miguel, what are we going to do?” You asked, exasperatedly.

“Press the button for emergencies, it should alert the nearest fire department. Just don’t panic.”

“How can I not panic? We could run out of air and die here…” You pressed the emergency button repeatedly and checked your phone to find signal, but to no avail.

“Don’t do that, the button could break. And we’re not gonna run out of air. This has air currents here, I think.” He spoke while typing on his phone.

“You seem oddly relaxed…”

“I’m also worried, but I’m trying to text the group chat of the people I train. One of the dudes is an engineer and there’s also a doctor, so they’ll probably know what to do.”

“Shouldn’t you call 911 or something, instead? I have absolutely no signal–“

“Hold on, I’m getting some answers… Miles said ‘don’t run out of air’…” He squinted his eyes as he began reading the replies.

“Ha, I told you we could run out of air!” You began panicking more now, thinking his doctor friend had answered.

“Hobie said ‘lay flat on the floor if it starts falling’…” Miguel continued reading the texts out loud in a confused tone.

“WHAT? Don’t tell me your engineer friend said that.” You were now seated down on the floor.

“No, he’s a musician. Only the younger people are answering right now, but these sound ridiculous.” He almost laughed as he kept reading. Leave it to the teens to joke about a situation like this one.

You leaned your head back in frustration. Miguel ended up sitting down as well and carried on typing. He looked awfully chill in this situation. Your only hope now was that the fire department had been notified through the emergency button. As time passed, you convinced yourself that if you were going to die, at least it’d be with the man you liked.

“Well… thankfully we’ve got some food and water, in case we have to spend the night here.” You pointed to the grocery bags, which were now also laying on the floor as well.

“And good company.” He smiled without looking up from his phone.

You felt your face heat up again, and your heart jumped up and down. His words always managed to fluster you in the worst moments. Now that you were stuck together for so long, it was becoming harder to hide your crush. You thought that this was probably a signal the universe was sending you, to convince you to finally confess before you died and it was too late.

“Umm, Miguel…”

“Yeah?” He looked up, glancing at you now.

“So there’s this thing I’ve been meaning to say– or ask, I guess.” You breathed in before continuing.

“I hear you.”

It was now or never.

“Okay, so–“

The elevator shook slightly and began moving up again. The lights flickered repeatedly, then the doors opened after it had reached your floor. You were not dying there together, after all.

“Oh, I guess grandpa decided to take a nap in the middle of his shift.” Miguel joked as he stood up.

He reached out his hand and helped you stand up. He then took some of the bags and carried them for you until you’d reached your door.

“I’m so glad it started working again.” You commented as you fumbled with the keys.

“Yeah, but anyways, what was it that you wanted to ask me? You never got to finish your sentence.”

You stood there frozen for a second, trying to come up with something to say. Your life was no longer at risk, so you didn’t feel the need of confessing before death any longer.

“Oh, it was nothing important.” You stalled, still thinking about what to say.

“Are you sure? You can tell me anything.”

“I just– I wanted to know if I could start training at the gym you go to.” You said as you opened the door of your apparent.

“That’s it?” He sounded like he didn’t really believe that’s what you meant to say.

“Yep. I’ve just never been to a place like that in my life so I gotta ask the expert, of course.” You smiled innocently, as if to convince not only him, but yourself, that what you had said was the truth.

“Sure, you’re welcome to do so. It’s not exactly a secret society, so you could have joined any gym without asking me.” He spoke sarcastically but your mind focused too much on the last portion of his sentence.

He probably doesn’t want me to join the same gym as him.

“Right… well, it was a long day and you must be tired. See you around, Miguel.”

You took your bags inside and closed the door quickly, leaving him slightly dumbfounded. Leaning against it after locking, you took a deep breath. Your mind felt like a jigsaw puzzle, and overthinking wasn’t helping at all. A shower was all you needed to get rid of all the stress caused by today’s incidents.

Once you had finished freshening up, you grabbed a quick snack before heading to bed. Rest was due. You didn’t feel like thinking about him and confusing your head even more. Now in the comfort of your bed, you allowed sleep to take over.

Thankfully, there was no need to worry about waking up early the next day. The sweet weekend had arrived, meaning you could rest and stay inside all day. The perfect way to avoid Miguel.

However, your dreams had different plans. As if to spite you, your subconscious mind displayed images of how it would be like if you and Miguel were a couple. The dream began by showing how you knocked on his door and confessed to him, he looked happy as he confessed his feelings as well. Then everything shifted, you were both having dinner at a nearby restaurant and he leaned over to kiss you. One last shift of images happened before you woke up. This time, the images presented you both kissing inside the elevator, slowly taking each other’s clothes off. His mouth had moved to your neck, leaving marks as he made his way down your body. It all felt soft and intense… and so real.

The loud honk of a car resonated through the walls, making your eyes open. The memories of your dream flashing rapidly inside your head, making you cover up your face in shame. But you wouldn’t deny how much you were enjoying it, so you screamed into your pillow in frustration.

“Fucking car had to wake me up exactly when it was getting good!” You whined and threw the pillow.

What if this was another sign?

Sitting up on the bed, you reached out for your phone and called your best friend. Sometimes when a girl doesn’t know what to do, she needs professional assistance from someone who knows her better than she knows herself.

“Oh em gee, look who’s calling!” You heard your friend on the other side of the call.

“Hey, bestie… so, I really need help with something– more like, someone.” You admitted nervously.

“And here I thought you wanted to, you know, say hi to me and know how I’m doing, maybe ask me out for brunch but nooo… I’m kidding, of course. How may I be of service?” She joked, making you laugh.

“Well, it’s about my neighbor.” You whispered the word ‘neighbor’, as if it was possible for Miguel to hear you talk about him through the wall.

“Wait, is this the neighbor you spoke to me about like two months ago?”

“Yeah, it’s about him. I’m in dire need of some advice.” You hated how she knew you so well.

“Girl, seriously… I thought by now you had already fucked him.” Her words made you gasp and burst out laughing.

“You did not just say that.” You continued giggling, unable to control yourself.

“Well, did you do it? Or did he break your heart and you need your best friend to cheer you up?” Maybe she didn’t know you that well.

“No, I just have this huge crush on him–“ You began explaining.

“Still?” Your friend cut you off with her comment.

“Yes, still. And I don’t know, but lately a lot of strange things have been occurring. I keep thinking they’re signs saying that I should tell him how I feel, but he keeps giving me mixed signals sometimes. I never know what’s going on inside his head.”

You continued rambling about everything that had happened in the past two days. Your friend listened carefully, her own mind trying to come up with the best answer to your problem. Surely, you couldn’t continue living life like this. Once you had finished the rant, she stayed silent for a few more seconds before finally speaking.

“In my opinion, you should knock on his damn door and confess. What’s he going to do? Bite you? You’d probably like it, anyways.” At least she spoke the truth.

“You make it sound so easy.” You shook your head and sighed.

“Because it is. You knock on his door, confess, I’m sure he likes you so he’ll say yes, then he’ll invite you in and you can fuck. Simple.” She sounded proud of her answer.

“It’s not certain that he likes me, maybe he’s just really nice.” You protested, still denying that possibility.

“Gosh, just get it over with! If he rejects you, just come over to my house for the weekend and I’ll help you deal with the pain. But now I need you to get your ass up and stop being a coward. Or else, I’ll show myself up when you least expect it to tell him everything.”

“You wouldn’t do that…”

“Try me.” You heard her chuckle.

“Ugh, fine! Fine, I’ll do it myself.” You sighed in defeat.

“Today.” She almost threatened.

“Mhm, today, whatever.” You spoke through gritted teeth.

“I’ll be expecting an update of how it went. But if by midnight I don’t receive anything, I’ll know for sure it wasn’t a rejection. Good luck, love ya!” She blew a kiss through the phone and hung up.

This girl…

You armed yourself with the courage your best friend had provided you with. She was right, you needed to get this over with. The next two hours you spent getting ready, making sure you looked and smelled nice. Even going as far as shaving, because you never know.

Once you thought you’d done enough, you checked yourself in the mirror one last time and inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. As you made your way out, your heart was racing like never before. With wobbly legs and fiddled thumbs, you found yourself at his door. Another breath was taken before finally knocking on it.

Each second felt endless, even the door seemed to be opening in slow motion. Goosebumps suddenly appeared on your skin as you timidly looked up. But right there, standing in front of you, wasn’t the guy from apartment 512. Instead, a beautiful blonde woman had answered.

You felt your heart chatter. A million things going through your head as you stared at this woman you had never seen before. She looked a bit confused, waiting for you to speak first. At the moment, you simply couldn’t find any words.

Of course, he has a girlfriend. How could I be so stupid?

You were about to turn around and walk away while apologizing for the interruption. She obviously didn’t recognize you, so you’d just pretend you didn’t live next door and act like you were looking for someone else’s apartment. Then you’d pick up the pieces of your heart and spend the weekend with your best friend. As you took your first step back, the blonde spoke up.

“Were you looking for my brother?”

You froze and blinked twice. The breath you didn’t realize you were holding was released. Now you felt even more confused than her.

“Your brother? Miguel never mentioned he had a sister.” You scratched the back of your head.

“Are you the neighbor he was stuck with inside the elevator last night?” Miguel’s sister chuckled.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“My brother went to the kiosk to get us breakfast, even though we should already be having lunch. You can come in and wait for him if you’d like.” She opened the door wider to invite you in.

“Don’t worry, I’ll come by another time.”

“Alright, then I’ll let him know you were looking for him when he comes back.” She gave you a warm smile as she began closing the door.

“Sure, no problem.” You smiled back.

Once the door was finally shut, you remained standing in the hallway. There were now two options: either run back inside the house like a coward, or meet him at the kiosk. You chose the latter.

The elevator was as sluggish as ever, yet this time you didn’t care. You made your way out of the building, feeling like you were in a movie scene as the air hit your face while you walked to the kiosk. You noticed him immediately, leaning against the counter as he waited to receive his order. And in this moment, this was all that mattered. Him, only him.

The guy from apartment 512.

He looked up and your eyes met. There was no turning back now as you approached. He smiled brightly and you returned the smile with a hint of shyness.

“So, you came to try the smoothies I told you about.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Actually, I came to talk to you about something– and I promise it’s not about the gym.” You heard him chuckle.

“Okay, how about we enjoy some smoothies first and then we talk?” You were about to agree to his suggestions and then you remembered…

“But what about your sister?”

“Oh, don’t worry– wait, how do you know about my sister?” He was confused.

“Umm, I knocked at your door earlier.” You nervously admitted.

“Hmm, I see. As I was saying, don’t worry. She won’t die without her overly complicated, banana, pineapple, kiwi, and almond milk smoothie. Or her empanadas, which I seriously recommend, too.” Miguel rolled his eyes playfully as he listed out all the ingredients from his sister’s smoothie.

“If you say so… then I’ll have an uncomplicated guava smoothie with empanadas.” You spoke cheerfully.

“Good choice.” He stepped slightly closer.

“I think today I’m finally making the correct choices, for once.”

Life in Nueva York was like this, same people, same routine. Skyscrapers reaching for the sky, a bustling city scene. Yellow taxis honking loud, streets alive with motion. From dawn till dusk, a vibrant place, a perpetual emotion.

And now you had someone to share it all with. The smoothies from the kiosk across the street. The ancient elevator that would sometimes fall asleep. The unwanted stares and comments. This life and its precious moments.

❀if you made it this far, thank you for reading~ it's been ages since i wrote anything, so i hope i'm not too rusty. let me know if you'd like a part 2❀

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