Tessa

The sun was setting when Tessa finally gave up on unpacking.

Her apartment was still mostly boxes and misplaced socks.
Moose had claimed the one real piece of furniture — a battered loveseat — and was currently snoring so loudly she half-expected a noise complaint.

“I should probably get real furniture,” she mumbled, sitting cross-legged on the floor and balancing a leftover muffin from The Nook on her knee. “And maybe curtains. Or plates.”

Moose didn’t even twitch.

Tessa looked around the tiny space.
It wasn’t much yet — but it was hers. The first thing that was completely, entirely hers.

Still buzzing from her earlier visit to The Nook, she decided a quick walk around the block with Moose would help clear her head.
Maybe even help her figure out where the grocery store was before she lived exclusively on muffins and lattes.

Tugging on Moose’s leash, she grinned.
“Adventure time, buddy.”

---

Graham

Graham was coming down the stairs when he heard it — the rapid thump-thump-thump of paws on wood, the too-loud jingle of tags, the frantic clatter of something… large.

He cursed under his breath.

Sure enough, halfway down the second-floor landing, he found himself face-to-snout with a beast the size of a small horse.

Moose.

The dog gave an enthusiastic bark, which echoed way too loudly in the narrow stairwell, and lunged forward — a giant, furry missile of excitement.

Graham staggered back a step.
“Whoa, whoa— hey!”

Behind the dog, Tessa appeared, cheeks flushed, hair flying loose from her bun.
“I’m so sorry!” she gasped, trying to reel Moose in with one hand while keeping her footing with the other.

Graham caught the railing before he could be flattened.

For a second, they stood frozen — Graham glowering, Moose panting happily, Tessa trying very hard not to die of embarrassment.

“Uh…” she offered weakly. “First day bonus points for not knocking over a neighbor?”

Graham blinked. Once.
Twice.

Tessa’s cheeks turned even redder. “I’m really sorry. He’s usually… less…” She gestured helplessly at the enormous, drooling, wildly uncoordinated creature still trying to climb Graham like a tree.

“Controlled?” Graham said dryly.

Tessa laughed, a quick, bright sound she clearly tried to smother behind her hand. “Yeah. That.”

She tugged Moose back, finally managing to plant him into a sit with the authority of someone who had done this dance many, many times.

“I’m Tessa,” she said, breathless but determined. “And this is Moose. Obviously.”

Graham stared at her for a long second, then — almost reluctantly — offered:
“Graham. I live upstairs.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said, as if he hadn’t just been nearly bowled over by her dog.

Moose, tail wagging so hard his whole butt wiggled, chose that moment to plop down directly onto Graham’s foot.

Graham exhaled slowly through his nose.

Tessa looked horrified. “Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry, he likes feet, I swear it’s not a weird thing, it’s just — he’s very… affectionate.”

Graham lifted an eyebrow.

Tessa buried her face in her hands for a second. “I should go.”

He watched as she gathered her dignity, Moose, and the tattered remnants of her cool — and started awkwardly shuffling them both toward the door.

Without thinking, Graham muttered, “Leash a little shorter next time.”

Tessa shot him a sheepish look over her shoulder. “Shorter leash. Got it. Sorry again!”

And then she was gone, pulled out into the night by her ridiculous dog.

Graham stood there for a long moment, staring after her.

He should be irritated.
He was irritated.

But somewhere under the irritation was… something else.

Something dangerously close to a smile.

---

Tessa

The second the door swung shut behind them, Tessa groaned and thumped her head against the frame.

“Smooth, Tess. Really smooth.”

Moose, completely unbothered, wagged his tail and drooled happily onto her shoe.

“At least you made a memorable impression,” she muttered, giving him a resigned pat.

Still — as she started down the block, letting the night air cool her burning cheeks, Tessa found herself smiling a little.

Maybe her new neighbor wasn’t exactly thrilled to meet her.
Maybe he was the grumpiest human being alive.

But… she had survived her first day.
And somehow — despite the chaos, despite herself — she didn’t feel quite so alone anymore.