Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned)(6)

I love sleep so much!

I pull the covers up to my chin then breathe in deep. Upon the exhale, I hear a woman’s muffled yell, “OH, GOD! YES! YES! YESSSSSssssssss!” Then silence.

Well, that was fun.

At least someone’s getting some.

Touché, brain.

I curl up deeper into my bed and fall asleep.

***

“Oh, God. Yes! Yes, baby! Yes!”

What the feck?

My eyelids flutter open and immediately I know something is wrong.

It’s still dark out. So, why am I awake?

I glance over at the digital alarm clock which reads 12:37am.

“Harder, baby! Yes! Ohhhhhhhh, God! Yes!” The freakin’ female wailer is back.

Stupid neighbors.

I put the pillow over my head and groan.

“Oh, yes! Fuck me! Deeper!”

Oh, just put a freakin’ bullet in my brain, would ya?

“Yes! Yes! YESSSSSSsssssss!” Then silence.

I listen for a moment but hear nothing, so I snuggle my pillow and fall back asleep.

***

“Oh, God! Baby, just like that! Yes! Oh my God! Yes!”

You have got to be freakin’ kidding me.

I peek at the digital clock which reads 1:45am.

My blood boils.

Screwing with my sleep once a night is bad enough, but twice?! I run a hand over my face.

Oh, dear God, give me strength!

It takes every last bit of willpower for me to not go over there and smack some sense into them.

“Please, baby! Give it to me! Yes! Yes! Oh god yes!”

This is a selfish woman. She’s had at least three orgasms tonight.

Leave some for the rest of us, lady.

“Baby, please! Yes! Yes! YESSSSSssssss!” Then silence.

Thank god!

I snuggle deeper into my bed and sigh. Just as I’m about to fall asleep, it starts.

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP.

My eyes flash with rage.

They cannot be serious!

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP.

What is this man? A freakin’ cyborg?!

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP.

I start silently sobbing into my pillow. I love my sleep so much I’ll cry over losing it.

Then I stare up at the ceiling and silently fume.

***

My eye twitches with rage.

I peek over at the digital clock. 2:57am.

They’ve been at it for hours. I’ve alternated crying, cursing and praying. Nothing helps. I grit my teeth.

My neighbors suck ass!

I’ve decided I already hate them. I won’t ever send them a Christmas card. Ever.

“Oh, God! Baby, yes! Harder, baby! Oh! Oh! Oh!”

My eye twitches again. I’ve been staring at the ceiling for ages. My eyes are sore and scratchy.

I can’t sleep in these conditions!

Call the cops.

No, it’ll take too long. I need sleep now!

“Yes! Babbbbbyyyy! YEEESSSSSSSssssss!”

THAT. IS. IT!

I’ve had it!

I throw the covers off me, stomp to the bathroom and tie my hair into a messy bun at the very top of my head. I storm down the hall and out of my apartment. I pound on my neighbors’ door and wait.

The latch unlocks, the door opens and I see a short but very pretty woman stand before me in only a man’s shirt. She is blonde, blue eyed and slender. She wears a welcoming smile.

I scowl and say, “I’m sorry to bother your love-fest, but it’s three in the freakin’ morning and I have work in the morning.”

She looks apologetic and just as she opens her mouth to speak I hear a husky man’s voice come from the hallway, “I’m sorry, ma’am.” The lights are off so I can’t see him properly because his head is down, focusing on the buttons of the shirt he’s doing up as he walks to the door. He goes on, “It won’t happen again.” Then he lifts his head.

My stomach dips.

I shrink and freeze.

My heart squeezes as I whisper, “Ghost?”

Ghost looks stunned. He chokes out, “Nat, what are you doing here?”

I look down and answer quietly, “I- Ah- I live next door.” I clear my throat and put on my famous scowl, “Keep the noise down, please. I’ve got to work tomorrow.” I turn to walk away.

Ghost stops me with a hand on my arm and a pleading, “Nat, hold up.”

I pull my arm roughly from his grip and hiss, “I’m tired and I don’t want to talk, goddamn it.” I whisper hoarsely, “I just want some freakin’ sleep. So, for the love of God, please f*ck her quietly.”

I turn on my heel and rush back to my apartment.

Well, that was fun.

Once I close the door, I put a hand to my chest, breathe in deeply then exhale slowly.

Well, seeing Ghost with another woman was something else. It hurt more than I’m willing to admit to myself. There is a piercing ache in my chest. I gently rub at it.

I’m just about to move from the door when I hear a muffled Ghost say, “Tasha, I think you should go.”

My eyes widen and I tiptoe closer to the wall. I press my ear against it and hear the woman reply, “Sure thing, lover. Sorry about that. I get a little loud. Who was that anyway?”

Ghost replies, “No one.”

Ouch.

That freakin’ hurts.