Penelope and Nolan stood looking at each other silently. Penelope replayed the conversation in her head. That Flo woman couldn’t be serious…could she?

“So...this is ridiculous, right?” Nolan said, echoing what Penelope was thinking.

“One hundred percent,” Penelope agreed. “I mean, we don’t even know each other.”

“Right. She can’t expect us to both live here,” Nolan said, nodding. “What if you’re secretly, like, a klepto?”

“Maybe I am,” Penelope said, with a smile. “Do you have good stuff to steal? Because that t-shirt doesn’t look worth my time.”

Nolan looked down at his shirt. “Ok, maybe I need an upgrade.” And with that, he whipped it off, revealing six pack abs…and more tattoos up his arms.

Penelope couldn’t help but stare. She blinked twice.

“Uh, that’s not what I meant, but ok,” she said, trying to avert her eyes.

Nolan chuckled. “Spontaneity, baby. That’s what makes me an artist.”

“Uh huh,” said Penelope, looking at the keys still in the kitchen. “Well, it was nice to meet you,” she said.

“You too,” said Nolan.

Neither of them moved.

“Okay, well…” Penelope walked into the kitchen, took one set of the keys, and threw them in her bag. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Nolan said, reaching for the other set, and stuffing them in his pocket.

“You’re not?” Penelope asked with an eyebrow raise.

“No, come on,” he answered, running a hand through his sandy hair. “But I’m going to hang on to these, in case she changes her mind.”

“Same,” said Penelope, with a tight smile.

“After you then,” Nolan gestured to the door.

“No, you can go first,” Penelope said. “You were here first, after all.”

The two stood looking at each other again, waiting to see who would leave...and who might stay.

“Fine, let’s just go together then,” Nolan said, taking a step to the door.

“Fine,” Penelope said, taking a step to join him.

They both walked out, squeezing shoulder to shoulder through the door frame, with Penelope casting one more glance over her shoulder. It really was too good to be true. Her perfect place...with a slight catch. As they hit the sidewalk, Nolan started walking away. Still shirtless.

“Bye,” Penelope called out after him. Nolan responded with a wave in the air, without turning around. What a jerk, Penelope thought to herself. I could never live with that guy.

****

At least Jake wouldn’t take off his shirt in front of a stranger, Penelope thought to herself, as she turned the key in the lock of the apartment she currently shared with her boyfriend.

…or would he? She thought again, remembering how he had cheated on her a year ago with his “friend” from work. She had resolved to forgive him. But she couldn’t forget.

“Jake? I’m home,” she called out to darkness. It was only 4pm, but the sun was setting earlier and earlier now that it was November.

“Hey babe, I’m in the living room,” came the response.

Penelope turned on the lights as she moved through the hallway, shaking her head at the piles of clothing and other junk that had accumulated on the floor. She knew that Jake expected her to clean up after him and at some point, she had just…stopped. So now the ground was littered with items that they were both too stubborn to pick up.

Jake was currently watching the football game, oblivious to the darkness around him. His face was lit only by the tv and she could tell he’d started tailgating early by the several beer bottles on the table in front of the couch.

“So the weirdest thing happened today,” Penelope started to say.

“Shhh, one sec, I just want to watch this play,” said Jake, not looking at her.

“But we need to talk,” Penelope protested.

“Babe, you know the rule about game days,” Jake said. “Give me—”

“Give you space,” Penelope said, rolling her eyes.

She was already frustrated. Penelope was familiar with how Jake got on game days, how he tuned her out. Although come to think of it, it wasn’t just a weekend occurrence—it had been happening more and more. He had promised to be more attentive, to listen to her needs, especially after his affair. That promise had lasted approximately three months before he started falling back into old patterns.

And when Jake insisted that Penny leave her bartending side job, she agreed so they could spend more time together and work on things. The down side was that Penny had to stop going to class, too. Without her own income, she didn’t have money for tuition. At the time, she justified the decision, convincing herself that she’d go back when things with Jake turned around.

But the romance had dried up along with her cash flow. She wasn’t in a position to go anywhere or finish her degree. Until now. Penny couldn’t imagine her life for one more second with someone who didn’t value her as much as she deserved.

“I’m moving out,” she said simply over the noise of the game, before heading to the bedroom to pack. She couldn’t be sure that Jake heard her, but at the moment she didn’t actually care.

As she moved back through the hall, she imagined a clean living space—one that was all hers —and Penelope smiled. In fact, a new apartment would be a blank canvas for interior design…

She felt lighter for the first time in a year. Maybe what she needed was a fresh start,away from Jake, away from Queens, away from all of…this. But then again, Penelope also had a tendency to make hasty decisions, as her mother always reminded her.

You’re not the only spontaneous one, Nolan Elliott, Penelope thought.

Penelope pulled out her small duffel bag from under the bed that she sometimes used for weekend trips to visit her family. She told herself she didn’t need to pack everything, just enough for a few nights while she figured out if this was the right choice. Besides, she couldn’t fit her whole life into this one bag even if she tried.

But as she stuffed the bag full of clothes and toiletries, she knew in her heart her mind was made up. She was going to get her perfect place, whatever it took.