I Thought She Was My Roommate

“Watch this. She’s about to make the worst decision of her life,” Dahalia said, pointing at the television screen as she pulled the knitted blanket higher around their shoulders. The fireplace crackled softly beside them, filling the living room with gentle warmth. The faint scent of buttered popcorn lingered in the air, and the movie’s dialogue played quietly in the background.

“Like I did years ago,” Adeline muttered playfully.

Dahalia turned to her, narrowing her eyes. “Adeline Hayes… what did you just say?”

“Nothing,” Adeline replied, wearing the innocent expression of a child who definitely hadn’t just stolen candy.

“As if I didn’t hear you,” Dahalia fired back.

“You’re getting old, so maybe you’re just hearing things,” Adeline said, smiling sweetly.

“Like you’ll never grow old.” Dahalia rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the screen.

Adeline laughed and wrapped her arms around Dahalia’s waist from behind, pulling her closer beneath the blanket. “You were the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“I know,” Dahalia smirked.

Suddenly, Adeline pinned Dahalia to the rug and began tickling her. “You know? What else do you know, huh?”

Dahalia giggled, squirming beneath her as she tried to escape. “Stop—Adeline!”

But Adeline wasn’t letting her go.

“Okay, okay, stop, or I’m going to die too,” Dahalia gasped between breathless giggles.

Adeline froze, her smile instantly vanishing. “Don’t say things like that. You know I don’t like it when you say things like that.”

Dahalia reached up, gently tracing her hand along Adeline’s cheek before leaning in to press a soft kiss to her lips. “Sorry. I won’t do it again.”

This time, Adeline leaned down, and Dahalia reached for her, pulling her closer as she deepened the kiss. For a moment, the world faded. They poured all their love, their fear, and everything they couldn’t vocalize into that single embrace.

When they finally pulled apart, Dahalia rested her forehead against Adeline’s.

“Now,” Adeline whispered, “can we please finish the movie?”

Dahalia laughed softly. “You’re the one who started all this.”

“I regret nothing.”

***

The next morning, soft rays of sunlight warmed Dahalia’s bare face. She groaned and stretched lazily, still wrapped in the lingering comfort of the blanket. A smile spread across her lips when she opened her eyes to find Adeline staring down at her.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Adeline teased.

“Why are you staring at me like a creepy ghost this early in the morning?” Dahalia asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“What? I can’t even admire my pretty girlfriend?” Adeline said casually.

“Stop, you cheesy thing.” Blushing, Dahalia hid her face in the blanket.

“Okay, okay, wake up. You have to make breakfast, too,” Adeline said, patting Dahalia’s back gently.

“Ugh, I wish you could do it instead,” Dahalia groaned.

A little later, Dahalia stood by the stove preparing breakfast while Adeline sat at the table, silently admiring her.

“Do you remember the first month we started dating?” Dahalia asked, glancing over her shoulder with a small laugh. “You couldn’t even look me in the eye. You kept stuttering, and now look at you.”

Adeline smiled, resting her chin in her palm. “I was nervous.”

“You?” Dahalia laughed. “Nervous?”

“I didn’t know what to do with you.”

“You mean you didn’t know how to handle my charm.”

Adeline rolled her eyes. “You were annoying.”

“And yet, you said yes.” Dahalia smiled, the memory warming her.

She still remembered the exact day she had finally gathered the courage to ask Adeline out. It had been at a crowded company party. Adeline had been standing slightly away from the crowd, quietly observing the room from a safe distance.

Dahalia had stepped up beside her, holding two drinks. “Why are you standing all alone?”

Adeline glanced at her, her stoic expression softening just a fraction. “I’m not alone. You’re here.”

Dahalia blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. “That was smooth.”

Adeline immediately looked away, instantly regretting her bold response.

Dahalia smiled, taking a slow sip of her drink. “So, Adeline Hayes…”

Adeline looked back at her. “Hmm?”

“Would you like to go out with me sometime?”

Adeline froze. “Like… a date?”

“Unless you have some other interpretation,” Dahalia replied, raising an eyebrow.

Adeline stared at her, her mind racing. “N-No.”

Dahalia’s expression fell slightly. “No? You don’t want to go on a date with me?”

“No! I mean…” Adeline quickly shook her head, heat rushing to her cheeks. “I don’t have any other interpretation.”

Dahalia studied her for a second before a bright smile slowly spread across her face. “So… that’s a yes?”

Adeline whispered her response, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. “Yes.”

***

“Why are you smiling?” Dahalia asked, snapping back to the present as she brought two coffee mugs over to the table.

“Nothing. I just remembered how stupid I looked when you asked me out for the first time,” Adeline said, resting her chin in her hand.

Dahalia laughed softly, taking her seat. “You were so nervous. I thought you were going to run away.”

“I almost did.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t let you.”

Adeline smiled, watching her quietly.

“I still can’t believe you actually said yes,” Dahalia murmured, wrapping her hands around her warm mug.

“I can’t believe you actually asked.”

“Why?”

“Because I thought you were just being friendly.”

Dahalia raised an eyebrow. “I don’t ask just anyone out, you know.”

“I know that now.”

Dahalia smiled and took a sip of her coffee. “Good.”

Three years. It still felt impossible to Dahalia that the woman sitting across from her had somehow become her entire world.

***

Later that afternoon, Dahalia was settled on the couch, lost in a book. Realizing how quiet the house had become, she noticed Adeline’s absence. She placed her book upside down on a cushion and went looking for her.

She checked the kitchen first, but it was empty. Then she moved to the study. Still nothing.

As she walked back down the hallway, a soft white light catching her eye beneath the storage-room door stopped her. Curious, Dahalia quietly walked over and pushed the door open.

There, sitting on the floor in the dim space, was Adeline, sorting through their old photographs. She was holding a picture they had taken when they first started dating.

“Why are you sitting in a dark room?” Dahalia asked, confused.

Adeline gasped, startled by the unexpected voice. She whipped around, instinctively clutching the photograph to her chest. “Fuck, babe, you scared me.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Dahalia smiled cheekily.

“You just enjoy scaring me,” Adeline muttered, narrowing her eyes.

Dahalia’s smile softened as her eyes fell to the picture in Adeline’s hand.

“Look,” Adeline said, her tone turning gentle as she held it up. “Our first photograph together.”

Dahalia stepped closer to look at it. A sudden, heavy ache settled into her chest. “We looked so happy in this,” she murmured, her voice straining.

“We’ll always be happy. I’ll never leave you, Dahalia,” Adeline promised softly.

***

The jarring ring of Dahalia's phone broke the silence of the house. She picked it up, staring at the screen for a moment before pressing it to her ear.

“Hi, my darling,” her mother’s voice came gently through the speaker.

“How are you and Dad?” Dahalia asked, forcing her voice to remain light.

“Everyone’s good. We’ve just missed you so much, sweetheart. Especially your dad,” her mom replied, a heavy tinge of sadness in her tone.

“You know you can come and visit me whenever you want,” Dahalia replied.

There was a long, suffocating pause on the other end of the line.

“Oh. Yeah. Right,” her mom gave a strained, awkward laugh. “Anyway, how are you? Are you feeling any better now?”

“Mom, don’t worry about me. I’ll be all right as long as Adeline is with me,” Dahalia replied, her throat tight with emotion.

“Dahalia…” Her mother’s voice began to tremble, cracking under the weight of her words. “Please, sweetheart. It’s time to let her go. You’ve been holding on for so long. I know you love her, but you can’t keep living like this. Please… let her go.”

“Mom, I’m not having this conversation again. Even if you don’t like her, I’m not letting her go. And that’s final,” Dahalia snapped, anger instantly masking the sudden, terrifying hollow in her chest.

“Dahalia, please… please listen to me—” Her mother’s voice broke completely, dissolving into tears.

“Goodbye, Mom.”

Dahalia hung up the call.