I ignore it, already warm in my bed. Any text message that arrives at this time can be answered tomorrow. Or if it’s not accessible on my computer, it’s not important right now, because I don’t want to reach for my phone right now.

But then, the doorbell rings. It is only a few things. “Where are my pants?” I say aloud to my computer.

It is silent, because I am alone in my room. My blankets are strewn all over the place and for a moment, I want to stay covered underneath my down comforter, the only thing that was allowed to stay.

It is an obligation and I find shorts. I think that I am wearing them backwards and I quickly find my flip flops underneath my junk. I open my door and turn on the lights. The stairway is filled suddenly, hopefully to let the person outside know that I am coming. I am coming, I would say, but I know the person won’t hear it.

I get to the bottom of the staircase and fling up open the door.

Outside the gate, my roommate stands, “Sorry.”

“No problem,” I say as I put one foot onto the welcome mat opening the gate. “No problem, I was here anyway. I am sorry that I ignored your text message.”