For the rest of the week, I don't hear a word from Brendan.

I can't help but think that I went too far by creating the painting. He never text, he never called, he never showed up to the coffee shop. All of these had been incorporated into our routine, and I hate that I pushed him away by giving him something so big.

It was just his birthday, the first one we were supposed to celebrate together. But I've heard nothing from him since he left the shop that day with the painting..

Because of that, on Saturday after my shift at the shop, I go home and change and then drive over to his apartment. Hopefully he doesn't mind a surprise visit. I'm just concerned.

I knock on the door when I get there, but there's no answer for a while. After about ten minutes of occasionally knocking, I reach down and twist his door knob.

The apartment door opens and I just stand there.

Should I go in?

Despite my best judgement, I slowly enter the apartment and close the door behind me. I call out his name but there's no response. I look around the apartment and don't see him anywhere. But I do see where he hung up the large painting I gifted him in his bedroom on the wall directly across from his bed.

I smile at that fact and am about to turn and leave the apartment when he suddenly speaks up from behind me.

"Alice, what are you doing here?"

I jump in surprise and turn to face him. He looks extremely confused and he's holding some grocery bags.

"I was, um, worried about you. I thought I would come over and your door was unlocked, so I-."

"So you came in?" he finished for me. I just nod and look down at the floor in front of his feet so I don't have to see any anger or disappointment on his face.

"I'm sorry," I quietly muttered, ashamed of myself for just walking in. I knew I should've just slipped a note under hir door and left.

"I'm just gonna go," I said after a period of silence between us, and I started to leave, but he stopped me.

"You can stay, Alice."

And I did.