Chapter 1: The Rule
2045 Words
Seraphina Vale knew three things about Adrian Laurent.
He was incapable of knocking.
He had an unhealthy relationship with optimism.
And he was the only person in the world who could walk into her apartment at seven in the morning, steal her coffee, and somehow make her feel guilty for being annoyed about it.
The front door opened.
Sera didn't look up from her laptop.
"You're late."
Adrian walked in carrying two paper bags and wearing the kind of smile that made strangers trust him immediately.
"I'm three minutes early."
"You were supposed to be here at six-thirty."
"Exactly. Early."
"That's not how time works."
"It is in my world."
She finally looked at him.
His dark hair was still damp from the shower, the sleeves of his gray shirt pushed to his elbows. He looked irritatingly awake for someone who had probably slept less than five hours.
He placed one of the paper bags beside her laptop.
"Breakfast."
"I didn't ask for breakfast."
"You also didn't ask me to save you from surviving on coffee and spite."
"I wasn't surviving on spite."
Adrian pulled out the chair beside her.
"You had three coffees yesterday."
"Four."
He stared at her.
"That wasn't the correction you should have made."
Sera reached for the bag.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She opened it.
Her favorite breakfast sandwich.
No onions.
Extra cheese.
She paused.
Adrian was already looking at his phone.
He didn't mention that he'd remembered.
He never did.
That was Adrian's problem.
He remembered everything.
The way she liked her coffee. The songs she always skipped. The fact that she hated thunderstorms but pretended she didn't. The exact expression she made when she was worried but didn't want anyone to notice.
Seven years of friendship had turned him into a walking collection of useless Sera facts.
She hated how much she depended on it.
She hated even more that she liked it.
"You're staring," Adrian said.
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm thinking."
"That's dangerous before breakfast."
She kicked his ankle beneath the desk.
He laughed.
There it was.
That stupid laugh.
Warm. Easy. Familiar.
The kind she'd heard through bad phone connections at midnight, across crowded rooms, from the driver's seat when he was trying not to laugh at her terrible jokes.
Sera looked back at her laptop.
The spreadsheet on the screen hadn't changed in twenty minutes.
"You have your interview today," Adrian said.
She groaned.
"Don't remind me."
"You've been preparing for two weeks."
"I've been panicking for two weeks."
"Same thing."
"It isn't."
"You're going to be great."
She gave him a look.
"You say that about everything."
"Because you're usually great."
"And when I'm not?"
He shrugged.
"Then I'll still say you're great."
Sera stared at him.
Adrian smiled.
That was another problem.
He made reassurance sound effortless.
Her phone buzzed.
She glanced at the screen.
Another email from her landlord.
Her smile disappeared.
Adrian noticed immediately.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Sera."
She hated when he used that voice.
Soft.
Not demanding.
Just enough to tell her he wasn't going to let the subject disappear.
She locked her phone.
"It's the apartment."
His expression changed.
"Again?"
She nodded.
"The building owner is selling."
"When?"
"End of the month."
"And your lease?"
"Ends in three weeks."
"That's not enough time."
"I know."
"You'll find somewhere."
"I'm looking."
"Do you need help?"
"No."
"Sera."
"I said I'm looking."
He studied her for a moment.
Then, thankfully, he didn't argue.
"Okay."
That was Adrian.
He knew when to push.
He also knew when not to.
Sera looked back at her laptop.
The silence between them lasted perhaps ten seconds.
Then Adrian said, "You can stay with me."
She turned.
"No."
"You didn't even think about it."
"I didn't need to."
"You have three weeks."
"I'll find somewhere."
"And if you don't?"
"I will."
"Sera."
"Adrian."
He smiled.
She narrowed her eyes.
He smiled wider.
She hated that he knew exactly how to annoy her without actually making her angry.
"You have a spare room," she said.
"Yes."
"I have furniture."
"Store it."
"I have a life."
"So do I."
"I can't just move into your apartment."
"Why not?"
"Because we're friends."
Adrian's expression softened.
"We've been friends for seven years."
"Exactly."
"That sounds like an argument for it."
"It sounds like an argument against it."
He laughed quietly.
"You think living with me is going to ruin our friendship?"
"I think living with anyone can ruin a friendship."
"That's dramatic."
"It's realistic."
He leaned forward.
"Then we'll make rules."
Sera blinked.
"Rules?"
"Yes."
"Like what?"
"No stealing food."
"I don't steal food."
"You stole my fries last night."
"You offered them."
"I offered one."
"You weren't counting."
"I was absolutely counting."
She almost smiled.
Adrian continued.
"No bringing strangers home."
Sera raised an eyebrow.
"I wasn't planning to."
"Neither was I."
"Good."
"No fighting over the television."
"You always pick terrible movies."
"You watched three seasons of that detective show with me."
"Because you begged."
"I was persuasive."
"You were annoying."
"Same thing."
She shook her head.
"This is ridiculous."
"Probably."
He paused.
Then his voice became quieter.
"Just stay with me, Sera."
Something in her chest tightened.
She looked at him.
For once, Adrian wasn't smiling.
There was no joke waiting behind his words.
Just concern.
Real concern.
She looked away first.
"Three months."
His eyebrows lifted.
"Three?"
"Until I find another place."
"Okay."
"And we split expenses."
"Fine."
"And you don't touch my things."
"Obviously."
"And…"
"Sera."
"What?"
"You're moving in."
She frowned.
"I haven't agreed."
"You just gave me three months."
"Temporary."
"Of course."
He smiled.
She knew that smile.
It meant he'd already won.
Or at least, he thought he had.
Sera didn't move in that day.
She spent the afternoon proving to herself that she wouldn't have to.
She opened every apartment app she knew.
Then another.
Then another.
She called the first agent before three.
"Yes, I'm interested in the one-bedroom on Mercer Street."
A pause.
"How much is the deposit?"
Her face fell.
"Three months?"
She listened.
"Right. Thank you."
She hung up.
The second agent sounded more promising.
"The apartment is still available?"
"Yes."
"Can I view it tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow afternoon works."
Sera wrote down the address.
For the first time all day, she felt hopeful.
That feeling lasted until the agent called back forty minutes later.
"Miss Vale, I'm sorry. The owner has decided to accept another application."
Sera closed her eyes.
"Already?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
She ended the call.
Five minutes later, she called a third agent.
This one had a furnished studio within her budget.
"How soon can I see it?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"I'll be there."
The studio was tiny.
Not charmingly tiny.
Just tiny.
Sera stood in the middle of it and wondered where exactly she was supposed to put her life.
The bed was practically touching the kitchen counter.
The bathroom door wouldn't close properly.
And the only window looked directly at a brick wall.
The agent smiled.
"It's a very popular area."
"How popular?"
"We've had six inquiries today."
Sera nodded slowly.
Of course they had.
"And the rent?"
The agent gave her the figure.
Sera almost laughed.
"That's outside my budget."
"Unfortunately, places are going quickly."
"Clearly."
She left.
By the time she reached the sidewalk, her phone was ringing.
It was the second agent.
The Mercer Street apartment was gone too.
Sera stopped walking.
She looked up at the sky.
"Seriously?"
A man passing her glanced over.
She didn't care.
Her phone buzzed again.
Adrian: How's the apartment search?
She stared at his name.
Sera: Bad.
His reply came almost immediately.
Adrian: Come stay with me.
She sighed.
Sera: Still no.
Adrian: Worth asking.
She smiled despite herself.
Sera: Go away.
Adrian: Never.
She put her phone away.
She wasn't moving in with Adrian.
She would figure something out.
She always did.
Three days later, she had spoken to four more agents.
Nothing.
One apartment required an absurd deposit.
Another was available only for six months.
One was perfect until the landlord announced he had decided not to rent it anymore.
The last agent stopped answering her calls.
Sera sat on the edge of her bed that evening and stared at the calendar.
Eleven days.
That's all she had left.
She called her friend, Camille.
"Please tell me you know someone renting a place."
Camille laughed.
"I wish."
"Anything."
"Actually..."
Sera sat up.
"Actually what?"
"I might be able to help."
Hope returned.
"How?"
"You can stay here."
Sera exhaled.
"Camille, seriously?"
"Of course. You can take the couch for a few days."
"A few days is enough."
"Great."
Sera smiled for the first time that day.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet."
"Why?"
Camille hesitated.
"My boyfriend is coming over this weekend."
Sera's smile faded slightly.
"Oh."
"And he might stay a few days."
"That's fine."
"It's not that I don't want you here."
"I know."
"I just..."
"You need privacy."
Camille sighed with relief.
"Yes."
Sera smiled.
"It's okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course."
They said goodbye.
Sera placed the phone beside her.
The room suddenly felt very quiet.
She looked at the calendar again.
Eleven days.
She had nowhere to go.
She had tried agents.
Listings.
Friends.
Everything.
And there was still one person she hadn't asked.
Well.
Technically, she had asked him.
She had just refused his answer.
The next morning, Sera packed another box.
Then stopped.
She stared at the box for several seconds.
Finally, she reached for her phone.
Adrian answered on the second ring.
"Hey."
His voice was warm.
Too warm for eight in the morning.
"Are you busy?"
"No."
A pause.
"Are you okay?"
She almost laughed.
"Why do you always ask that?"
"Because you only call this early when something's wrong."
She looked around her apartment.
"I'm running out of options."
He didn't say anything.
She knew he was waiting.
"My friend can't take me in."
Another pause.
Then quietly:
"Come here."
Sera closed her eyes.
"I'll only need the room for three months."
"Okay."
"I'll pay half."
"Fine."
"And we need rules."
"I remember."
She smiled.
"You're enjoying this."
"A little."
"Don't."
"Okay."
She could hear the smile in his voice.
"Can I come tomorrow?"
"Anytime."
She swallowed.
"Thank you."
"Sera?"
"Yeah?"
"You don't have to thank me."
The line went quiet.
She didn't know why those words affected her.
So she changed the subject.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow."
The next afternoon, Sera stood outside Adrian's apartment with two suitcases and three boxes.
She stared at the door.
She could still turn around.
She could call another agent.
She could find a hotel.
She could sleep in her car.
Anything.
Except this.
But the thought of starting over somewhere unfamiliar felt exhausting.
And Adrian had always been familiar.
Safe.
Home, in a way she had never really admitted.
She lifted her hand.
The door opened before she knocked.
Adrian stood there in a black T-shirt and gray sweatpants, his hair slightly messy.
He looked at her luggage.
Then at her.
His expression softened.
"You came."
Sera gave him a tired smile.
"You offered."
"I know."
He reached for her largest suitcase.
She held onto the handle.
"I can carry it."
"I know."
He gently took it from her anyway.
Sera let go.
She stepped inside.
The apartment smelled like coffee.
Her favorite coffee.
She stopped.
Adrian glanced back at her.
"What?"
She looked toward the kitchen.
"Nothing."
But something was different.
On the kitchen counter sat a new mug.
White ceramic.
Simple.
Except there was a tiny silver star painted near the handle.
Sera had the exact same mug at home.
She looked at Adrian.
"Where did you get that?"
He glanced at it.
"Oh."
His expression changed for half a second.
Then he shrugged.
"Thought you might need one."
Sera stared at the mug.
She hadn't told him she was bringing hers.
She hadn't told him what she liked.
He already knew.
Of course he did.
Adrian picked up her suitcase.
"Come on. I'll show you the room."
Sera followed him down the hallway.
She didn't see the way he smiled when her footsteps fell into step behind his.
And she didn't notice the second coffee cup waiting beside the first.
- Writer
