The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the rose was…


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    “Axel,” I whispered as I slowly bent and picked up the box and the rose. I raised it to my nose, inhaling and his voice filled my head.


    “A rose for my Rose.”


    A lump formed in my throat. God, I missed him. I missed his silliness and his ridiculous words that left me heated. I missed how he looked at me. How he… How he touches me.


    I missed him. But I saw none of that Axel when I looked into his eyesst night.


    I took the box inside, eager to see what was inside. I opened it, and quickly read the note, but my face fell when I read the content.


    “A little gift from your new next–door neighbor,” it reads. “I hope you enjoy it. I find the smell of the seaforting, and I decided to share thatfort.”


    I dropped the note and looked into the box. It was a candle. Arge, scented candle. I lit it, sitting carefully on the couch and wincing, but that pain immediately cleared when the smell of the ocean filled the house.


    I inhaled deeply, sighing as I rested my head on the couch, closing my eyes.


    The smell of the ocean was indeedforting. And like the fool that I was, I thought of Axel and his love for the ocean.


    I ended up falling asleep to the thought of him in the ocean, and a small smile on my face.


    ***


    I slowly awoke to the feeling of someone stroking my hair. I blinked up to see Sofia staring down at me.


    “You were out,” she whispered. “You didn’t even hear mee in.”


    I exhaled, shifting and rubbing my face on her thigh.


    “You good, girl?” she asked softly. “And don’t give me that bullshit answer of ‘I’m fine.“”


    I said nothing, just closed my eyes. Then finally, “I miss him. He wasn’t always like that. He smiled a lot. Joked and teased a lot. I think… I think I made him that day.


    Sofia didn’t stop stroking my hair. “Why will you think that, hon?”


    “Because I left him,” I answered, my voice breaking. “I didn’t think I meant that much to him, but turns out I did. I never thought my leaving would do that to him.”


    Sofia sighed. “You know I suck at giving advice on things like this.”


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    I scoffed, opening my eyes and looking up at her. “I’m not asking for advice. I just needed to get that out.”


    “Good. I was about to panic.”


    We bothughed, my head still on herp, and she was still stroking my hair. Sofia was myfort person. Since that first day, we just clicked. She didn’t do love or rtionships. She ims that’s limiting herself.


    Her phone chimed. “Oh, I gotta go. Today’s busy for me.” I sat up so she could get up. “Ma sent soup. Yours is in the fridge.”


    I smiled at her. “Thanks, Sof.”


    She leaned down and kissed my forehead, picked up her bag, and left.


    After living my entire life without knowing what it felt like to be loved, it was reallyforting to finally find someone who shows me that love.


    And my mom I didn’t talk, or send texts. I haven’t seen her since that day at the hospital, and that was okay. Maybe some space between us will do some good.


    <b>*** </b>


    I spent all day doing nothing and just existing, the scented candle lit all through, and offering morefort than a scented candle should.


    Around eight, the doorbell rang, and Sofia immediately came to mind. But Sofia didn’t knock.


    I pushed to the door, peering through the peephole. My heart kicked against my chest when I saw who it was.


    I gasped softly, looking away as if he could see me, resting my back on the door, my breathing suddenly


    harsh.


    “Sweetheart, I know you’re there,” he called, his voice sounding amused. “I could hear your heartbeat racing.”


    I huffed out a breath, turning back to the door. I straightened, took a deep breath, and patted my hair down. 1 looked down at myself and sighed. I <i>looked </i>a mess.


    I took an even deeper breath before I finally opened the door, my heart racing even more when his face fully came into view.


    “Hello, lover,” he whispered, leaning against the pir, a single rose in his hand, his eyes fixed on me.


    I felt self–conscious, standing in big clothes with my hair a mess while he looked good. He had cleaned up, shaved, had a haircut, and his clothes looked straightened, dressed in a white, button–down shirt that was open at the chest and the sleeves rolled up, the shirt neatly tucked into well–ironed ck pants.


    He looked sharp. Responsible. He looked so damn good.


    I swallowed. “I’m not y–your lover.”


    He smiled, that smile that I’ve dreamt and dreamt about. He pushed off the pir, taking a step toward me,


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    but he didn’t get close to me. “Your heart sings me a different tune, my gorgeous darling. Do you mind if Ie in?”


    “Yes,” was what I wanted to say so bad. But instead what I said was, “What are you doing here?”


    “Did you not receive my gifts?” he asked, an eyebrow raised, an amused look in his eyes.


    I raised an eyebrow back at him. “What gifts?”


    “A rose,” he purred as he leaned closer, cing the rose behind my hair, brushing a strand of hair off my face, his knuckle brushing against my cheekbone, and the look in his eyes wavered a bit.


    He leaned back, shoving his hands into his pockets, but not before I saw him flexing the hand that touched me. That made my chest so damn tight.


    “A note,” he continued, his voice suddenly hoarse. “And a box with a scent candle in it. A candle that smelled of the ocean, to be precise.”


    My eyes grew wide. “No.”


    His smile widened. “Oh, yes, sweetheart.”


    “You’re my new next–door neighbor?” I asked, almost shouted.


    “Yes<b>, </b>sweetheart. “Tis I.”


    C