Neighbours

She cannot remember the day she moved into this building. A warm, cozy, quaint apartment, tucked away in the silent part of the otherwise buzzling town. She was on the 1st floor of the 3-storeyed building. She was eager to meet her neighbours, all families. 

An old couple, enjoying their retirement years, on the ground floor. They own the building. All smiles and sweet-nothings everytime she comes across them. On random days, home-cooked food and delicacies reach her, packed it tight containers. Scrumptious. A little curious and nosy but they are family. Home away from home. 

First floor. Her neighbours. An inter-religious young couple and their little one. A sweet 5yo. But aloof parents. She has always wondered why. Could be because they don't want friends? But they do. They always have visitors. But, why avoid her, she pondered. Maybe they didn't want interference from her neighbours. Valid. Let them be. But an occasional hi's and bye's with the child leaves a smile on her face. 

Upstairs. 2nd floor. 2 families. A mother and two children; a large family on the opposite side. The mother, a diplomatic woman, her husband lives abroad, and she single-handedly manages the house. Not a single mother, yet almost one. The children. One girl and boy. An overly ambitious girl, jack of all trades, master of none. The boy. Cute. Naughty. Calls her his best friend. He makes her life tolerable. 

The other family. An old couple. Two young children. Their mother. Problematic family. Single mother. Separated with toxic husband. She, the most toxic woman our girl has ever come across. The kids. Tests her patience. The old man, replacment for CCTV. Everyone's always under his surveillance. The old woman. Loud mouth. She manages to ignore them as much as possible. 

And then, there's her. Trying to live life, one day at a time.