Sorry, but I’m not ready to move in together just yet…
Jack thought that Emily was just as in love with him as he was with her, so he was quite taken aback by her response when he suggested they live together.
“Sorry, but I’m not ready to move in together just yet!” she said.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know, we’ve only been dating for six months. It feels a bit too early…”
“Too early? Darling, I think it’s the perfect time. We’ll live together, get to know each other better, and maybe take things to the next level.”
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“Jack, life isn’t a video game. In my life right now, there just isn’t room for this kind of commitment, but that doesn’t mean I don’t value our relationship. I’m just really happy with how things are.”
“But I want more! I want to wake up with you in the mornings. I want to fall asleep together! Don’t you want that?”
“We already do that. Twice a week, remember? Isn’t that enough?”
“It’s not enough for me!”
“Well, if you love me, you’ll have to wait for a bit.”
“I can wait if you give me a reason! Why don’t you want to? Explain it to me! Is it really that hard?”
Emily thought for a moment, then smiled at him and decided they should discuss things more thoroughly.
“Jack, let’s be honest. What does living together mean to you?”
“I already told you, going to sleep and waking up together!”
“And in between?”
“In what sense?” he didn’t quite get it.
“There are twenty-four hours in a day, remember? You only talk about night and early morning, what about the rest of the time?”
“The rest of the time we’re mostly at work anyway, right?”
“Well, not entirely. For instance, won’t we be having dinner or breakfast?”
“I hope so!”
“And who’s going to cook?”
“You don’t know how to cook!” Jack guessed, or rather assumed foolishly, even though he’d eaten her food several times.
“I do know how to cook!”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Who’s going to cook? You or me?”
“Well, you, maybe sometimes me. Why are you so bothered about this?”
“Jack, because I don’t want to turn my life into Groundhog Day like many of my friends! I don’t want to wake up early just to make someone breakfast. I don’t want to rush from work, drop by the store, haul bags home, and then spend two hours at the stove preparing dinner!”
“But you cook sometimes when you’re at my place, right? I thought you enjoyed it…”
Jack looked a bit frustrated. Was his girlfriend a bit lazy?
“I love cooking, but I’m not ready to do it every single day yet. I like coming home, throwing together a quick salad, and that’s it. I like that we see each other two times a week, sometimes more. It’s enough for me! Maybe someday I’ll want more, but not now!”
“You just don’t love me!” Jack declared.
“And here we go…”
“What? Isn’t that right? When a woman loves, she’s willing to do anything for her beloved!”
“And the beloved? Is he willing to do anything for his beloved?”
“Of course!”
“Fine, let’s live together then, BUT – all chores are split equally. Each cleans up after themselves, we take turns cooking, do our own laundry. How does that sound?”
“But I’m not very good at cooking. You said so yourself!”
“It’ll be an opportunity to learn. You can’t live on pizza or burgers forever. I can help with the lessons!”
“I just don’t understand, is it really that difficult? Why is it easy for others? Are you special or something?” Jack couldn’t let it go.
“Well, if you want to think that. Sure, I’m special. I don’t want to put my personal life on the altar of love. Not now, at least. I’m only twenty-three. I want to enjoy my freedom!”
“Oh, I get it! You have another man!” Jack drew an unexpected conclusion again.
“And why would I need him?” Emily was puzzled.
“Since you don’t want to live with me, he must be more important to you!”
“You think your imaginary man is more important to me?!” she laughed.
“Your imaginary man! Why would I make up a guy for you!”
“Oh, you don’t want guys, so you decided to create one for me, is that it?”
“I’m all confused now!” Jack almost shouted.
“That’s because you’re talking nonsense! I don’t have anyone else! Sometimes even you are too much, which is why I don’t want to live together! I love my solitude and I’m not ready to give it up. Not just yet!”
“How can you love solitude when you’re in a relationship?” Jack was astonished.
“Very easily. Are there things you like doing when no one else is home?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know, read a book, binge-watch a series, take a bath, scroll through social media, try on clothes from the wardrobe, dance in the dark!”
“Guys don’t do that!” he objected.
“But girls do! And I enjoy it! I’m not ready to give up the little joys of my single life just yet!”
“But even in shared life, there are plenty of joys!” Jack still tried to persuade her.
“Like what?”
“Falling asleep and waking up together!” he started his tune again.
“Jack, do you know you snore like a tractor?”
“What? You never told me! And others never complained!”
“Well, I can’t say about others, but after that time Mike punched you in the nose at the barbecue a couple of months ago, your snoring has become terrible. And by the way, I’ve told you! I can put up with it a couple of times a week, but every day, I don’t want to! I want to get some sleep sometimes too.”
“You don’t get enough sleep next to me?”
“Only in those rare moments when I manage to fall asleep before you!”
“But you usually go to bed later…”
“Well, there you go!”
“Ah, so I snore, I don’t cook, I’m not suitable for cohabitation?”
“And also, it turns out, you’re a terrible bore!” she couldn’t hold back.
“Why am I a bore!?”
“You’ve been trying for half an hour to persuade me to do something I fundamentally don’t want to do. If that’s not boring, what is it?”
“Em, I was actually planning to propose to you! That’s why I suggested living together!” Jack said with a hurt tone.
“And did I ever say I wanted to get married?” she smiled sadly.
“Don’t you want to? Every girl wants to get married!”
“Apparently, not all…”
“Or is it that you don’t want to marry me?” he guessed.
“I just don’t want to, but if we think about it your way, what can you offer your future wife? Just falling asleep and waking up together?”
“Are you saying I’m worthless? That I’m good for nothing?”
“You’re almost thirty. You earn thirty thousand pounds a year, you live in your uncle’s run-down flat to avoid rent, you shop at discount stores. You don’t even want to buy a car because it requires upkeep!”
“Listening to you, it’s like I’m a rubbish gift! So why have you been seeing me at all?”
Emily shrugged.
“You’re handsome, well-built, funny, and a wonderful lover.”
“For my health?”
“And for my soul!”
“But we’re not going to have a family!”
“Not until you grow up, definitely not!”
“Great! Then my offer is off the table! And you know what, I’ll tell you something more! We’re breaking up!”
“Seriously?” Emily asked sarcastically. “I thought you’d never suggest it! So, goodbye?” she waved, reminding him that he was arguing with her in her flat.
“Goodbye!” he declared proudly, pulling on his trousers. “Actually, farewell!”
“Farewell, then!” she said with a smile and tossed him his shirt.
Jack left, and Emily turned on the music, dimmed the lights, and started dancing. It always helped her calm her nerves and regain a positive vibe. She knew that sooner or later he’d be back, but whether she would let him in, that’s another question!
