The next day, the house continues to be as silent as it was before. I'm planning to see if I could catch him when he is outside. It's always seems to be hard to walk up and knock on the door and introduce yourself that way. Besides, you don't know if they are busy or not. So, it's best to wait until they are out. Anyway, I've planned myself to work on one of my client's design this morning, so I could get it out of the way or end up with a big workload and a heavy deadline. Ugh, I need a cup of tea.

Walking down to the kitchen, getting out my favourite green tea bag, mug and boiling water, I was ready to make when my sense reaction to loud crashes. What was that? I suddenly hear a loud male voice. That's coming from next door. My instinct to help, I rush out the door and headed over. I rang the doorbell after walking up to the white door with the number 435. The door opens the young man. I was caught off guard by his appearance of short black hair with brown eyes that tint of a golden colour. He was muscular but lean at the same time and looks to be around my age. In other words: he was handsome.

"Yes?" Holy crap, even his voice sounds so smooth. Is he really going to be my new neighbour? Damn, it girl snap out of it. He may already have a girlfriend.

"I...I heard some loud crashes coming from your house and I came to check if you are okay." I said. I noticed I said it a bit fast but clear enough for him to understand. I looked down and saw blood coming from cuts on his tanned skin. "You're bleeding!"

"I'm sorry, one of my tanks fell and is broke, got cut while trying to clean it up but I don't have any brushes and dustpan to clean it up." He replied. "I haven't had time to get them." Poor, guy.

"Would you like borrow mine?" I offered, "I don't mind helping out while you clear your injuries." His smile made me melt. Damn, why do have to develop a crush on him already? I barely know him and in just a few minutes I'm in love.

"That would be nice, thank you. I'll leave the door open." Before we part ways and I quickly headed home to grab a dustpan, a broom and a bag before returning. When I enter his home, there were still lots of boxes stacked in corners while the furniture appeared to be out of place. I looked around to find him. Shit, I forgot to ask for his name. Damn, guess I'll have to be formal or should I just call out to say I'm here?

"Hello?" I yelled out.

"I'm in the kitchen!" his voice replied. I followed where his voice came and saw him washing his wounds at the sink. Beside him was an open first aid kit.

"Are you alright?" I asked as I got closer. His face twitches a bit as the water runs over his cuts.

"Stings but alright." He answered. Dear God, you just had to give him a perfect voice. "I didn't get your name by the way." Crap, even I was being rude by not giving my name. This is taking an unpredictable path to acquaintances.

"My name is Sophia. Sophia Valent." He looks at me warmly and gives that god loving smile.

"Pleasure." He answered, "My name is Adrian Van Cok." A name that suits him very well. I wonder if he is a model or something like that? If so, what is he doing in a quiet suburb? He soon then patches his cut hands and arms with bandages before turning to me.

"Come, I'll show you where the mess is." I followed him into a large room which I believe from the similar house design all the homes in the street follow, that it's the back-living room. Along on the carpet floor, shards of glass reflect from the sunlight. Should have brought the vacuum cleaner as well. What I noticed was the size of the tank or rather the wooden parts of it.

"That's a large tank." I stated, "What happened?"

"I was trying to move it onto the table against the wall but then I lost balance and it fell." He answered but then proceeding to grab the dustpan from me and walk cautiously to the broken sharp glass. I once again glanced around the room. It appeared he was working on this room before the incident. There were open boxes with more tanks and some have already been placed.

"What sort of pets are you holding?" I asked. He halts his cleaning and looks at me, "I just assume with the tanks that you have pets?"

"Yes, I do." He said before continuing his cleaning. "They'll be here in a few days so hopefully I'll have them ready for them."

"What kind?"

"Snakes." One word and it felt like something injected a serum of fear. "I have a large collection of them, a matter of fact. Ranging from normal pet snakes to some large and even dangerous snakes." As he happily continued talking, I stood there in shock. Snakes? Why does he have to have snakes? I hate snakes!! Adrian looked back at me at first with a smile before it dropped.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked as his eyes studied my face.

"I'm...I'm...ophidiophobia." I mumbled nervously. "I have a fear of snakes." I rarely tell anyone about it. Only my closest friends and my parents know about it. Now my hottest neighbour is going to have loads of pet snakes I might as well tell him about it.

Adrian looks at me surprised, "Oh, well...How scared are you of them?" he asked while rubbing behind his neck. I see what he wants to know.

"Well, as long as they are in their...tanks, I'm fine but if let out..." I didn't need to complete my sentence. If I ever see them out I would freeze.

"Well," he stood up with a relief smile, "I can ensure you that my snakes will be kept in their tanks, most of them." Most of them?! "The more harmless ones I will let them out every once in a while.

"But if you are coming around, don't worry, they'll be in their homes." He winks. My body relaxes. He is really such a thoughtful person. I believe we are definitely going to be good neighbours. I begin my help with the clean up as he headed back to the kitchen to get us something to eat and drink. I looked around at the number of tanks there were in the room.

Adrian soon returns with water and some cookies and placed on a table as my eyes direct themselves past that. There were more in some of the boxes as they were labelled along with the location they will be.

"How many snakes do you have, exactly?" I asked.

"Quite a lot." He answered, "This house was the biggest I could find in my budget range that could fit all my snakes. Getting a warehouse is too expensive to maintain and I rather keep them close to keep an eye on them for safety as there are people out there that are willing to steal them for money."

I could see where he was coming from. He must have some special types of snake that would sell for a fortune and of course since this is a new neighbourhood, a house out here is much cheaper than a house of the same size in an older neighbourhood.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you end up with a fear of snakes?" he asked carefully. I hesitated a bit.

"I was attacked twice by snakes." I replied. "When I was young, someone's pet python escaped and came into my bedroom when I was sleeping, I was almost constricted to death. The second time, I was walking about when I was bitten by a rattlesnake. Its venom was so painful and I was shocked by the attack." I stopped there as the memories came back making me feel uncomfortable. Adrian didn't pressure on about it. He just mumbled sorry.

I quickly thought of another question to distract myself from the memories, "So what kind of job do you do? I guess, it has something to do with the snakes you have? "

"Yes, indeed. I'm a biologist, of a sort." He answered, "I collect sampled from the snakes such as blood, venom and...crap." I giggled sheepishly at that last part, "Then I send them off to the lab to be analysed."

That's quite an interesting job. He gets to collect samples while still being among his favourite animals even though they are snakes, I'm happy for him. He's working a job he gets to enjoy. We continued our talk long after we finished cleaning. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that we would get along this well. Most of the neighbours only have a short window of time to speak with other people otherwise it's mostly just simple hellos before going off.

I learned a lot about Adrian. He is 28 years old. Was born in California before moving down to Brazil for work then moving up here. His parents passed away in a car accident and...started collecting snakes when he was 15.

About an hour or so of chatting, my phone received a message from Lizzy about my client's work. Shit! I was supposed to do it this morning and already it's coming up to lunchtime.

"I'm sorry. But I have to return to my work." I began to pick up the equipment I brought here.

"That's alright." He also got up to help me out the door, "Perhaps we'll catch up some time. Here." He hands me a piece of paper with a bunch of numbers of it. "Let me know when you are free." Holy shit, it's his phone number.

"Alright, I will. Nice meeting you, Adrian."

"Nice meeting you, Sophia." He gives me that godly smiles. Jeez, mind, don't start bringing out fantasies. We just met. It's not love at first sight here. No, it's more that I'm lusting over his appearance. But I wonder how this relationship will go?