Max went back to check on his grandfather August, he had so far been a good grandson to him cooking his meals and administering his medication, his grandfather used to be Max's business partner in the building but since August suffered a stroke in the past year his health had really taken a bad turn for the worst. Life hadn't been easy on August but since his stroke he had turned bitter and resentful towards the world and took it out on his Grandson.

"You're late my evening meal should have been done an hour ago" he moaned as soon as Max got through the door. 'At least let me get in the flat before you start having a go at me' Max thought to himself.

"I'm sorry, someone's agreed to rent the flat off of us I was just sorting everything out with her' August pulled a face of disapproval.
"It had to be a woman didn't it; it's always a woman you nasty pervert" Max rolled his eyes as he started to prep his grandfathers tea. 'Here we go again' He thought to himself, although no matter how many times he heard his grandfather's spiteful words they never hurt any less.

"How long do you think this one's going to last huh?" August spat "How long before she discovers what you are and we lose another tenant"

"It won't be like that she's different" Max tried to explain bringing over Augusts meal and resting it in front of him on a dinner tray. August gave a bitter laugh.
"They were all different weren't they? It's because you're a weak man, just like your father" Tears started to cloud his eyes he blinked his eyes furiously to get rid of them and he gritted his teeth to hold back an outburst. "You could act like someone normal and go over there and talk to her but no instead you crawl around in your tunnels like cockroach watching her in the walls, don't think I don't know what you are Max" August spat, what hurt Max the most was the truth that was behind his words.

Max stood up and turned his back on his grandfather; he wouldn't let him see the tear that fell. The tear that fell because Max believed everything that August was saying was true. He did watch her like a cockroach through the walls, they did all leave when they found out and maybe he was a weak man because he was too shy and unconfident to talk to her, every encounter with a woman took several days of raising his confidence before finally taking the plunge.

"You always have been like your father" August started again as Max filled up the needle syringe with Augusts medication, Max tried to focus on the needle and on the liquid filling the syringe trying to block out Augusts vicious hateful words. "Just like your father, weak, you're a weak man Max" August growled as Max carefully injected Augusts' medication and clearing away the dishes. Even through Augusts hateful words Max made sure to treat his grandfather with gentle care not to hurt him.

A huge lump in Max's throat caused him to not breathe properly, he couldn't swallow but he refused to break down in front of his grandfather. He subtly wiped the tears from his eyes as he washed the dishes, he'd heard all of this before, he heard it every day but it didn't hurt any less if anything it hurt more because he knew now it wasn't just said in a heated argument or because his Grandfather was in a bad mood but because August actually meant it.

"I'm going out, I'll be back soon" Max said once he had finished the washing up, trying his best to act nonchalantly about his grandfathers hateful rant.

Once he shut the door behind him of the maintenance tunnels he leaned his head back on the door and screwed his eyes shut, clenching his fists. The tears threatened to spill out of his eyes, he tried his best to restrain himself from spying on her again but it was no good, he had to see her again. Seeing into her world and feeling like he was part of it was the only way he could escape the nightmare of his own life. He had to see her again it was the only way he was going to get Augusts hateful words out of his mind and cheer him up.

As he peered through the spy hole that lead to the living room all his worries and emotions melted away, he saw Tiffany sat on the floor in shorts and vest top sorting out some of her belongings, but she looked stressed it must be so hard work sorting out the whole of her flat by herself she looked like she needed a break, like she needed to relax. Max wished he had the confidence to go and knock on the door and offer to help but he wasn't ready for that, just the thought of it made his heart beat quicker. He saw her pull a snow globe out of one of the boxes, it had something in it but he couldn't make out what it was. Suddenly Tiffany's face changed as she looked at it she had a face of hatred and of pain and anger.

'How the hell did that get in here' Tiffany ranted to herself as she looked at the snow globe that had a photo of her and her ex boyfriend in it. Max's eyes went wide with confusion and interest as she saw Tiffany violently throw the snow globe across the room. A typhoon of glass, fake snow and water washed across the floor. She looked like she wasn't having a very good day at all, suddenly Max had an idea maybe just maybe he knew how to make it a little bit better.

Tiffany's anger was abruptly disrupted by a knock on her front door; she gave a frustrated sigh 'What now?' she fumed in her head. She opened the door to find no one there; she frowned that's all she needed was knock door runners in this building she thought to herself. Her eyes glanced down and she saw a little wicker basket on the floor which included a card, a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates. Tiffany looked left to right trying to find anyone that the basket might have come from but the corridor was completely empty. Puzzled she took the basket inside and put it on the kitchen table and grabbed the card.

Max changed peep holes and opened the one that lead into the kitchen, he watched her open the card and saw a bright smile appear on her face. To him it seemed to light up the room, his heart fluttered and threatened to stop at the sight at her smiling and it made him so happy to think that he had been the one to cause the smile. He just hoped that it made up for the stressful day that he thought she had had.

Tiffany

Welcome to the building, hope you enjoy your new home.

Hope this basket makes moving in less stressful.

Max

Tiffany smiled widely at the card 'how thoughtful' she thought to herself 'What a kind lovely man' she sure could do with a glass of wine after the day she had had. Tiffany cracked open the bottle and poured herself a glass before going back into the living room to face the massacred snow globe.

Max was confused by the snow globe, what had made her react so violently to it? He didn't like to see her that way he loved to see her happy and smiling. He loved it more when he was the one that had made her smile, after seeing that he was ready for another verbal beating from August. After that he could survive anything because he had made her smile. After a few minutes of frustratingly trying to gain the confidence to ring her and ask if she liked her basket he finally decided to ring her.

After a few more boxes were emptied the phone rang, Sighing she got up to answer it, at this rate she was never going to get these boxes sorted she thought to herself. Accepting the call she held up the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" she said, nothing answered back just silence.
"Hello?" she asked again this time there was just breathing down the phone.

"Who is this?" Still no voice just breathing, Tiffany was really starting to feel scared, was her ex boyfriend playing tricks on her and trying to freak her out. Tiffany hung up her heart beating through her chest. 'Relax' she thought to herself 'He doesn't know where you are' Tiffany knew she wasn't going to get a decent night sleep now, the sun was going down and now the flat seemed creepy and empty on her own, if that was her ex boyfriend trying to creep her out it had worked.

In Max's bedroom Max stood banging his head against the wall, his hands clenched into a tight fist, nails biting into the soft flesh of his palm.

'You weak man, you stupid fucking weak man' he thought to himself 'Not even got the courage to talk to her on the phone' After the tragic attempt at phoning her Max had given August his sedative so he couldn't hear Max rant and bang his head in failure. 'Of course she's never going to like you' He ranted 'You could have rang her, you could have spoke to her but you froze like a coward'

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, Max's eyes snapped open 'who could that be?' he thought to himself. He walked to the front door and looked through the looking hole. It was Tiffany.

'Shit' he thought to himself 'I'm not ready, I can't see her' he panicked. Tiffany knocked again 'come on' he urged himself 'For once don't be such a fucking coward' He took a deep breath and swallowed hard as he opened the front door.
"Hi Max" she greeted smiling at him. Max smiled back trying not to look terrified. "I hope I've not called at a bad time" she said worried. Max shook his head.

"No, no not at all I've just this minute put my grandfather to bed"

"Grandfather?" Max nodded.

"August, he used to be business partners with me but since he had a stroke I now care for him"

"That's very kind of you, look I'm sorry for just turning up like this but I just wanted to say thank you for the gift basket, it was very sweet of you" she said, what else was she going to say? I've come to see you because being alone in that flat is creeping me out after having a stalker type phone call off my ex boyfriend.

There it was the smile, his heart leapt to his throat, come on Max act normal don't ruin it.

"I'm glad you liked it" he managed to say trying to ignore his pounding heart. "How are you liking the flat?"

"It's lovely it's almost home just a few more boxes"

"Great, you know if you ever need a helping hand I'm only next door" he offered smiling, just that statement alone made her feel safer, his smile made her feel at ease and knowing he was just next door calmed her down knowing she could always turn to him if she was ever in trouble.

"Thank you" she smiled "That's very kind of you, well I better go it's getting late still have loads to do tomorrow" Max nodded understandingly.

"Well it was nice to see you" he said, Tiffany blushed, Max's breath caught in his throat. Just seeing her blush was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen, those cheeks turning rosy red, he could imagine her lying naked on his bed in front of him; cheeks flushed wish passion and a slight embarrassment. He reluctantly watched her walk away back to her flat.

He had to have her, he just had to, he couldn't get enough of her and never would. He went back to his bedroom that night thinking of her flushed rosy cheeks.