Letting Go

Brownies

I insert the key to the door of my apartment. I twist it to the right.

Click

I open the door and step inside. What I see next completely catches me off guard.

Chris was sitting on my couch, watching television, and eating brownies. He was still here.

Some part of me was confused, a little annoyed, but another part of me was relieved, almost happy that he stayed.

When he noticed me at the door, he turned around and greeted me with a brownie in his hand.

"Oh hey Lily! How was work today? Want a brownie?" He held up a tray half full with deliciously fudgy brownies in my direction.

Damn. How did he know brownies were my favorite.

I sit next to him on the couch, and notice a duffle bag placed beside his feet.

"What is that?" I point my finger to it.

"Oh this? Just some clothes and toiletries that I will be using for the next couple of days. Oh, by the way, I'm moving in," he innocently smiled at me.

"Wait, what?" My body tenses up.

"Yeah, isn't it amazing?" He chuckles.

"Wait. WHAT?" I sit up straight looking at him dead in the eye.

"Yeah, I recently went job hunting a week ago, and fortunately your apartment is fairly close to where I will be working starting from tomorrow, plus you live alone so I thought I could be a nice addition to your homely abode; I am willing to pay half the rent so that means you can save up more money AND, it's always nice to come home to someone- makes you less tired and gloomy. Brownie?" He lifts his tray is toward me again.

"No!" I look at him dumbfounded.

"No to the brownie? That's alright, kinda hurts in the chest a little that you won't eat my brownies but I can forgive you, not a big deal. These brownies are so freakin bomb I might as well just eat it all to myself," he takes back the brownie tray.

"No, not the brownie dumbass," I reach over and snatch a piece brownie from him.

"I meant no to you moving in," I talk with my mouth already chewing on that goodness. The brownie is perfection, I tell you. The fudgy, chocolatyness just melts on my tongue, and I instantly treat myself more with it.

"First off you're a guy. I don't feel very comfortable living with a guy, especially one that I just met like a month ago. Second, I like my peace here at this apartment- I don't need a person to come home to. I'm fine as I am right now honestly. Third, even if you were to move in, this place is so crowded as it is, I mean it's a one bedroom apartment for goodness sake, we're going to be sharing everything-even the bathroom- and I'm not sure if I want to go through all that trauma," I frown.

He sighs and turns toward me.

"I'll do the dishes."

"No."

"I'll do the laundry."

"No!"

"I'll clean the house squeaky clean once a week."

"No, Chris."

"I'll..." he seems to be running out if ideas.

"Come on Chris, just give it up alrea-"

"Cook you food every single day."

Wait, did I hear that correctly?

"Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, every meal that you eat at home, I'll cook."