drowning

20

After grabbing some lunch and heading back to my apartment, I noticed her immediately looking into apartments here.

"They don't even have apartments opening here until five months from now, I'm going to have to look somewhere else." She mumbled, referring to how I was pushing her to rent here.

I knew it was safe, I wouldn't worry about her and I also knew that even if something did happen, I would only be a few doors away.

"Or you could just stay here until one opens" I proposed, hoping she'd at least consider.

"I'm not using you-" "I never said it would be using me." I quickly shot to her.

"I'd be like a flea, always in your house, even if you don't want me here." She laughed lightly, making me laugh, sitting beside her on the couch.

"I would feel much better with you right next door for the next five months rather than God knows where-" "I'll stay with you under one condition." She spoke firmly.

"What's that?" I asked.

"You let me pay you rent and utilities and you do whatever you want, whenever you want, with no regards to me- like don't even ask, just act as if I never started staying with you-" "deal," I cut her off, knowing she wasn't going to agree unless I made a deal with her.

She stuck her hand out, making me shake it as she laughed lightly.

"So what's our first roommates activity?" She spoke with a firm smile on her mouth as I let out a stretch, glancing around the room for something to do.

"Movies and nap time?" I spoke, almost childlike, seeing her slowly nod.

"Movies and nap time." She agreed

Not even ten minutes into the movie, she was asleep and I wasn't far behind her.

I woke up to the door opening, immediately alarming me until I saw Michael's body appear, making me relax again.

"Sorry to wake you" he whispered, noticing that Ava was still sleep.

I covered her completely with the blanket that her and I were sharing before leaving her, moving into the kitchen with Michael where we discussed work.

"Damn who put her on this?" Michael asked as he glanced to Ava's antidepressant, which was a pretty strong dose but the plan was to keep it a little stronger and then slowly decrease so everything isn't hitting her at one time.

"Luke officially put her on it, but it was a two doctor decision-" "no wonder the poor girl can't cry or sleep, she's on high ass antidepressants." Michael spoke as he stared to me, clearly questioning our choice without just blatantly saying it.

"You didn't see her in the shape that we did" I mumbled to him, knowing that we made the right call, because even with the medicines, she has moments where she can express emotion without struggling or without overly expressing, so it was the right dose for her, for now.

"I guess you're right, but shit" he exhaled slowly.

"We're knocking them down ten grams next week" I told him slowly, making him catch onto the plan, slowly, but surely.

Ava was soon up from her nap and joining us in talking in the kitchen.
We caught Michael up on the plans for her to "rent" from me and us being roommates, which he seemed pretty excited about.

"Ava, we can throw you the best damn party you've ever been to-" "I don't drink" she spoke, making him slump, his excitement fading for just a moment before he picked it right back up.

"We don't have to drink to have a good time."