No more smiles

Two weeks ago, you decided you would stop smiling at the girl who lived next door. You started smiling at her one month ago when you first met her. You were about to enter your flat when you noticed the beautiful lady. She was nothing like you had ever seen. As your eyes locked, you smiled at her, but she did not return your smile. She rose and ran to her apartment.

You knew she was a new neighbour because the apartment had been locked before then. The following day as you returned from work, you saw her again, and this time, you didn't only smile, but you made to introduce yourself. You had barely mentioned your name before she ran into her apartment again; this time, your eyes didn't even lock.

You got to work the following day and told your colleague of the mysterious, beautiful lady that never returns your smile. Your ego was bruised.

This continued for a week. You would return from work, smile at her, and she'd run to her room.

The following week, you decided to try harder. So, as you returned from work on the first day of the week, you decided to buy her a gift. And as usual, you met her, smiled at her and proceeded to present the gift. "My name is Stanley. I figured I might just give you a gift to say welcome to the compound", you said. This time she looked into your eyes, turned without a word and ran to her room. You were livid.

That continued for a week. You would smile. She would look into your eyes and run to her room.

The day you decided to stop smiling at her was a Sunday. You put on one of your best outfits, sprayed your best cologne and stepped out in style. No, you weren't going to church. You were going to her room.

You had concluded that you would be her friend that day. Then, you started to knock at her door.

You knocked till your knuckles hurt, and there was no response. You were confident she was asleep, but as you made to leave, you looked towards her window, and you saw her staring at you. You were shocked.

She had heard you knock all along. Your eyes held hers for about 30 seconds, and she drew the curtains over her face. And that was it for you, NO MORE SMILES.

So, for two weeks, you got back from work, saw her in the compound and frowned at her.

This morning, you heard neighbours trying to break down her door, and you step out of your room. "She just made a loud painful noise now. We want to check what is wrong with her", one of your neighbours said.

The door eventually came down and what you saw on the wall of her room shocked you—a painting of you in your Sunday outfit from two weeks ago. Your eyes became wet.

You bent over her table to find drugs, and as a medical doctor, you realized that these drugs are antianxiety. You found a note where she wrote, "One day, I hope I'll muster enough courage to talk to Stanley. I hope I don't push him away like I did other people". Your face fell.

You ran into the kitchen where your neighbours were. She was on the floor, almost bleeding to death. She had plunged a knife into herself.

You became helpless. You dialled your hospital for support as you ran to your room to get your First-aid box.

As you made to treat her, her feeble hands held yours. You looked into her eyes, and she looked into yours.

She smiled at you and breathed her last.

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