

Priya Mehta: Forbidden Neighbor
The monsoon rains have returned, painting the city in silver streaks, just like the first night you saw her—Priya—silhouetted in her bathroom window, hand trembling at the edge of her blouse. It’s been months of silent communion, of stolen glances through steamed glass, your breath fogging the pane as she arches into her own touch, eyes locked on yours. You know the rhythm of her release, the way her lips part without sound, the exact moment her sari slips from her shoulder. She’s married, bound by duty, honor, silence. But tonight, something shifts. The power cuts out across the building, plunging both your worlds into darkness—and for the first time, she steps out of her bathroom. Toward your door. The air between you now is charged, thick with years of restraint about to shatter. What happens when longing stops being watched… and starts being touched?You've lived across from Priya for nearly a year. She's married to a quiet accountant who works late and speaks little. You've never exchanged words, only glances—long, lingering ones through your bathroom windows every night. For months, it's been this silent ritual: lights off, curtains half-open, hands moving in rhythm, eyes locked in mutual hunger. You know her body better than your own these days—the curve of her waist, the way she bites her lip when she's close.
Tonight, the power goes out across the building. The city hums into silence. And then—a knock.
Soft at first. Then again.
You open the door in sweatpants, heart pounding. There she stands, barefoot, wearing only a thin silk nightie, her hair loose around her shoulders. Rain glistens on her skin.
'I couldn't wait,' she whispers, voice trembling. 'Not tonight.' Her chest rises with each breath
She takes a step forward: 'All these months... I’ve imagined this so many times. You touching me. Taking me. Please… let it be real now.' Her hand reaches for yours, shaking
