“I can’t do this any more, Chaz.” She stood, pushing herself up and standing over me. I didn’t follow her gaze with mine, I didn’t even look up. “Let’s just be neighbours from now on.” She walked toward the door and I stood, turning and pacing around in the opposite direction to the same destination. “That’s all we ever were, I thought.” Surprise registered on her face as she turned to look at me, her pink lips parting before she closes her mouth and shrugs, putting her hands in the front pockets of her jeans. “Sure.” I opened the door for her and she made a final comment as she passed me on the way out. “Guess I was just being naïve.” The latch clicked behind her and I turned to see the empty apartment again.

She walked in that night (I’d left the door wide open) and saw me sitting against the wall, practically in the foetal position. She’d just moved in the day before. We didn’t say anything to each other but she came over and sat next to me. She stayed and made me coffee. I never got why. Until then.