"What the fuck Andrea? You can't be serious. We moved in here 2 months ago and now you're telling me that you're moving out."
"Look I'm really sorry Mich, but Shane and I are gonna give this whole moving in together a go."
"And what am I supposed to do? I can't pay the rent by myself. Well I could if I didn't eat and did everything in the dark. You've known Shane for only three months."
"Shane and I figured it out. I'm gonna move into his place and his roommate is gonna move in here."
"His roommate? You want me to live with some strange man I've never met? Are you crazy?"
"He's not some strange man. Rick is a good guy. He's Shane's partner on the force. If anything he should make you feel safer. Didn't you meet him before?"
"No. I didn't meet him before. You are such shitty friend right now. I can't believe you."
"I'll let you have that, but they'll be here in 30 minutes so y'all can get to know each other a little better."
Michonne just glared at Andrea before stomping up the stairs and slamming her bedroom door.
"Rick, I'm sorry man, but Andrea and I already decided that we're moving in together. If you ask me, you're getting a pretty good deal. That townhouse of there's is awesome. A lot better than this place."
"Then why don't y'all move into the townhouse?"
"We figured that since we kind of sprung this on y'all that you two should have the nicer place. Plus we didn't want to leave Michonne with nowhere to live."
"But it's okay to do it to me?"
"You'll be fine. You've met Michonne before. She's hot. You'll thank me later. Get your shoes on cause they're expecting us in 30 minutes."
"Michonne, will you just come out already, they're waiting."
Michonne opened her door and looked at Andrea with squinted eyes and then walked past her without a word. She walked down the stairs slowly with Andrea behind her and them stopped at the bottom of the stairs looking at Shane and Rick who were sitting on the couch. She didn't move when Andrea stopped behind her so Andrea had to squeeze by to get around her.
"Rick you remember Michonne don't you?"
"I can't say that I do. We've never met."
"See Andrea, I told you I didn't know him. Now you two want to move his ass in here like we've been friends for years."
"Now Michonne, I know this sounds crazy but I know y'all will get along just fine. This whole situation will work out for everyone." Shane said as he tried to convince Michonne to go along with his and Andrea's plan.
Michonne watched as Andrea walked over to her purse and Shane started backing up towards the door.
"Shane and I are just gonna go and grab something to eat. Why don't y'all get to know each other, talk find out about your likes and dislikes. You'll be best of friends before we get back."
"Are you taking my keys?"
"Can't have you leaving before we get back."
"Shane, I rode with you here."
"Get to know your new place man. Back in a few."
"A few what?" Rick and Michonne both asked in unison.
Michonne continued to stand at the bottom of the stairs while staring at Rick. He watched her also, trying to gage how pissed she was on a scale of 1 to 10. He figured she was at an even 36 so he spoke up first.
"Michonne? Right? Look we have some asshole friends, but they mean well. Now I don't know about you, but I don't have the time to go look for a new place or a new roommate. What do you say we just try this out for a while and see how it goes?"
Michonne was still fuming, but softened up a bit the longer she looked at Rick.
She couldn't deny he was good looking and his eyes, the most beautiful blue she had ever seen, seemed genuine and sincere.
"Rick? Right? I'm pretty sure I called Andrea shitty, but asshole is fine too. Unfortunately I don't have time to find a new place either and I haven't lived here long enough to know anybody that I could room with, so I guess we have no other choice." She began walking towards the couch closer to him.
"Alright. You mind showing me around, roomie?" Rick stood up and smiled at Michonne.
"Fine. Well this is the living room, kitchens over there. Dining room. There's a guest bathroom under the stairs." She gestured to all the mentioned rooms. "How long have you been on the force?" She walked towards the kitchen and then by the dining room. Rick followed.
"Almost 2 years now. What do you do?"
"I work in an art gallery in the city. Do you keep odd hours or is your schedule pretty set?"
"It changes. Nothing too crazy. I'm light on my feet so I won't wake you if I come in late."
Michonne stared at him for a little bit and then turned for the stairs.
"The bedrooms are up stairs. Come on."
Rick followed Michonne up the stairs committing to memory the sway of her hips and the roundness of her ass.
"Do you keep odd hours?"
"No, unless there's a show or something. That happens once or twice a month. The latest I'd get home is maybe 2am. Other than that I'm usually home by 6:30. This will be your room." They walked into the room that Andrea was occupying at the moment. "There's a bathroom in here and a view of the park. You share a wall with the neighbors behind us. I hope you're bringing your own mattress."
"Yeah. Mine is actually new. Got delivered last weekend."
"Well that's about it in here. My room is down the hall. Do you snore?"
"Not that I know of. Sleepwalk?
"No. Do you cook?"
"I've been known to. You?"
"No. Girlfriend?"
"Single. Boyfriend?"
"No. Kids?"
"None that I know of."
"Yeah me either. Watch a lot of TV?"
"Sports mostly. You?"
"I have a few shows that I like to watch. I don't have a TV in my room so I use the one downstairs. Do you have one you're bringing cause I don't want to have to argue about the TV."
They made their way back down the stairs, Rick following behind Michonne again.
"You smoke?"
"No. You?"
"The occasional joint, but no cigarettes. Shit. Maybe I shouldn't tell you that."
"One joint every now and then won't get you in trouble. Heavy drinker?"
"We keep a stocked liquor cabinet. Wine with dinner is a must. SoCo and coke after a hard day. What kind of beer do you drink?"
"What makes you think I don't drink wine with my dinner?"
"That beard says Miller, no Sam Adams."
"Very observant Michonne."
"So anymore questions?"
"Seems like we covered quite a bit for a first meeting. You think this will work?"
"I think it will. Just don't tell them that."
Rick and Michonne continued to talk and find out about each other and the townhouse. Particulars like parking, rent amount and when it's due. They discovered that they actually got along really well and were easy to talk to. There were no awkward silences between them and the conversation flowed until Shane and Andrea showed back up.
"See I told you that ya'll would get along. So what do ya'll think?" Andrea said as she placed Michonne's keys back on the hook.
Michonne looked at Rick and feigned annoyance with him.
"We'll go along with ya'll's little game of roommate swap, but if it doesn't work out, I'm kicking both of ya'll's asses.
"Great. It's a plan then. We were thinking that we could start moving things tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? Shane, you just told me about this earlier today."
"There's nothing much to move, just ya'll's clothes and things. No furniture needs to be hauled anywhere."
"I have to move my bed and mattress. Are you helping with that?"
"Rick, you can use my mattress and bed, I wasn't planning on taking it with me."
"I wasn't planning on using it. As a matter of fact, I think I'll need to bring the dresser and nightstand too. They all match." He glanced at Michonne out of the corner of his eye and smirked at her. They weren't going to make this easy for Shane or Andrea.
"That's fine, man. I'll help you move your stuff."
"Shane, what am I supposed to do with my furniture?"
"Sounds like you've got an empty room at Shane's place that's gonna need furniture." Michonne added
"Okay, look. We've got two trucks and two cars among the four of us. We can get everything moved tomorrow. We'll start early and be done before the sun goes down."
"Sounds good Shane. I'm busy tomorrow though." She lied. She wasn't busy, but she didn't feel like moving either.
"What the hell do you have to do tomorrow Michonne?" Andrea asked
"Mind my own business. I'm going to bed. I guess I'll see you tomorrow Rick?"
"Goodnight roomie."
They got started early the next morning. Shane and Rick drove over to the townhouse to load Andrea's furniture on his truck first. Andrea was filling her car with her clothes, shoes and toiletries. Michonne stayed in the bed for as long as she could before the noise became too much and her body needed caffeine.
She was in the kitchen scooping the coffee grounds into the coffee maker when Rick walked in.
"Hey, ya'll almost done?"
Rick noticed her long legs and thighs as he rounded the corner to enter the kitchen. The shorts she wore seemed to be painted on her.
"Just a few more thangs. I thought you were busy today."
"Not really, just didn't feel like moving a bunch of shit. You want some coffee?"
"Sure. Shane is talking to Andrea out there, so I have time for a cup."
"Seems like ya'll are making good time, maybe you will be done by the time the sun goes down. Oh, make sure you get the key from Andrea. And the parking pass."
"Got it."
"Cream and sugar?"
"Just sugar. Is that what you sleep in?"
"Shorts and a tank top? Yes. I'm gonna have to remember that I'm living with a guy now. No walking around topless and having pillow fights."
Rick almost choked on his coffee at Michonne's words. He had to set his mug down and look at the floor to regain his composure.
"You okay there, Rick? You're blushing."
"Yeah, I'm good. You just caught me by surprise there. No pillow fights. I'll have to remember that."
"You do that."
"Hey, Rick let's get a move on. We got that night stand and that big ass mirror to move and then we're done." Shane announced as he entered.
"Thanks for the coffee."
"No problem. You can make the next pot."
"I'll see you tonight then."
"Yeah, tonight."
When the night fell, Rick was finishing up arranging his new room and putting all his clothes away. He was tired and sore and hungry and just wanted to sit and relax. Michonne walked to his door and knocked before coming through even though the door was opened.
"It looks good in here. Your furniture is a lot nicer that Andrea's. Is the closet big enough for you?"
"Yeah, it's big enough. I've got room to spare actually"
"I was going to order a pizza, you hungry?
"Starving and I need a shower."
"Alright. You go do that and I'll order us a pizza. You good with everything on it?"
"Yeah, works for me."
Michonne walked back down stairs and ordered a large pizza for the both of them. She heard the shower start once she hung up the phone. Twenty minutes later and Rick was walking down the stairs in pajama pants and a t-shirt.
"Is that what you sleep in?"
"Nope."
Michonne shook her head at his answer trying to imagine exactly what he slept in. There was a knock at the door soon after and Michonne went to get it knowing it was the pizza. She grabbed the money to pay on her way to the door and noticed that Rick wasn't far behind her making sure it really was the pizza deliver guy.
"Hey Glenn, how are you?"
"Great, nice to see you again Michonne. That'll be $17.68. Oh hey, boyfriend?"
Glen asked as he peered over Michonne's shoulder to spot Rick.
"Oh no. This is Rick, my new roommate. Andrea moved out to live with her boyfriend. Here ya go. Keep the change."
"Thanks. Ya'll have a good night. Nice to meet you Rick.
She handed the pizza to Rick and then closed the door. He walked it over to the coffee table and then sat down on the floor in front of it.
"I'll grab some paper towels"
Michonne walked back into the living room with paper towels and a glass of wine She also had a bottle of Sam Adams for Rick. She handed it to him and he smiled in surprise and appreciation.
"Thank you."
Figured we needed to toast your first night in your new place."
"To new friendships and taking chances." He lifted his bottle to Michonne who touched her wine glass to it.
"To taking chances."