check, please. a short story.

Charlie looked over at him sleeping on the couch. Sleeping again, she thought. It had gotten to the point that every little thing he did was under the microscope. He was sleeping now to avoid it all. He sleeps all of the time, she thought. But how had it gotten so bad?

It was mere months ago when the torrid affair had begun. She'd met him haphazardly, on a subway to Midtown. No one really chats on subways unless you know each other. They'd exchanged a couple of glances on the ride from Brooklyn. Both had opened their mouths at the same time in an effort to release the pressure from their ears as the subway chugged through the tunnel under the river. Charlie pretended not to notice him although she noticed most everything. From the remnants of beach sand left on a subway seat to the fact that his collar on his shirt was wrinkled in the back. She was getting off the train a stop before him, as the train jolted to a stop, he tapped her on the shoulder, "Um, you dropped this." Hanging her a folded sheet of paper. She looked up at him knowing she hadn't dropped anything. He'd already moved away to let an elderly woman pass. She clutched the paper in her hand and got off the train. 

After debating over calling him at all, she dialed. They chatted for a bit and decided to meet for coffee that same night. One date turned into 10 and they were officially an item. It seemed to come so easily with him. They'd laugh and chat on the phone until all hours of the night. They'd watch football or some horrible flick and be perfectly happy. 

In a city where lives are always shifting and apartment leases are always ending, it was just 3 months before they moved in together. They moved to Charlie's one bedroom apartment. Luckily, it was in Brooklyn and a decent sized place. There was actually an extra room they used as the study/ storage.

Charlie couldn't pinpoint when the spiraling downward began to happen. It just did. Curt had decided to point out every flaw in Charlie. She just couldn't do anything right. They promised each other that they would try to communicate better but nothing seemed to change for either party. Both of them had already put up their guards for the next thing that might spark conflict. If he was short with her when she'd ask him a question, she'd point it out to him. Of course, according to him, she didn't point it out to him in the right way and so he just fired back "you did the same thing yesterday." No apology, no remorse. Just tit for tat. Days before, Charlie thought that things might be getting better. Maybe he was seeing--as she'd tried to explain to him through his anger and denial--that maybe it wasn't the best plan for them to move in together. Maybe they both had some growing to do apart from each other that they couldn't seem to achieve together. All those carefree moments of laughing had become moments of holding one's breath and waiting for the next verbal punch. 

She honestly thought that a huge part of the problem was his expectations. He thought that when they moved in together he'd stop having the urges to order in every night. And he'd start waking up in the morning wanting to hit the gym and get back in shape. None of that had happened. They'd both been busy with work and just wanted to relax in the evenings. She thought that he'd become disappointed in himself. But he didn't see it as that. Maybe was projecting some of his frustration with himself onto her and causing strife where there was none. Charlie also knew that the situation was driving her a little crazy. She'd never had to share a space with someone before--much less a boyfriend. He didn't pick up the rug when he finished showering and it was soaking wet every time she walked in the bathroom. The worst part was that one argument that they had where he spent a good portion of it listing off the things that she did wrong or didn't do at all. Charlie was struggling to move on. After all, one can only deal with so many insults. Curt didn't even try to do it in a nice way. From his telling of the story, you'd think that Charlie was the only one at fault for any issues in their relationship. 

Charlie was at a loss. He was snoring by now. Loudly as he always did. It was the middle of the afternoon and that was his coping mechanism. She didn't want him to give up. Still, it seemed that there was nothing left. He'd rather tell her that she does the same things or that she doesn't change than even think about addressing any of his issues. She knew that she had some things to figure out. She also knew that she couldn't think straight with such hostility. He was so easily angered that it was frightening. Maybe it was time for a break. He must have a friend he can live with for bit.  They'd jumped in over their heads without knowing it and at this point there was no getting back.