Sarah arrived quickly, furious at her brother’s drunken antics. Ashley, still
incoherent, grabbed her arm. “Sarah! Please! Talk to Ashley! She’s
breaking up with me!”
“Ashley Miller, what are you talking about?!” Sarah demanded.
“I messed up, Sarah! Ashley and I… we’ve been dating for a year. I cheated on her with Emily. I’m sorry, Ashley, but I still love you! I want…”
Sarah slapped him before he could finish. “You cheated on my best friend, you scumbag?!” Her slap was harder than mine.
“Ashley, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know about you and my brother… I’ll make him apologize when he’s sober! I swear!”
“It’s okay, Sarah. I’ve moved on. I just want him to leave me alone.”
I turned to Ashley. “Let’s just end this. I’m not forgiving you. Don’t contact me again. You don’t love me, and you don’t love Emily. You’re just selfish and want both of us to fawn over you. You’ve always been like this, so self–absorbed. I should have remembered. Don’t make a fool of yourself anymore.”
Sarah recorded Ashley’s drunken confession, then seemingly sent it to Emily. I didn’t care. What happened to them was no longer my concern.
I looked at Jason, who’d been watching me with concern. I mimicked his carlier gesture, ruffling his hair. “It’s fine. Small potatoes. This girl doesn’t get played.”
“I’m sorry you had to see that. I guess I owe you another dinner to apologize. It’s late. You should go.”
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drunk and causing a scene outside my apartment. Come get him.]
Sarah arrived quickly, furious at her brother’s drunken antics. Ashley, still incoherent, grabbed her arm. “Sarah! Please! Talk to Ashley! She’s
breaking up with me!”
“Ashley Miller, what are you talking about?!” Sarah demanded.
“I messed up, Sarah! Ashley and I… we’ve been dating for a year. I cheated on her with Emily. I’m sorry, Ashley, but I still love you! I
want…”
Sarah slapped him before he could finish. “You cheated on my best friend, you scumbag?!” Her slap was harder than mine.
“Ashley, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know about you and my brother… I’ll make him apologize when he’s sober! I swear!”
“It’s okay, Sarah. I’ve moved on. I just want him to leave me alone.”
I turned to Ashley. “Let’s just end this. I’m not forgiving you. Don’t contact me again. You don’t love me, and you don’t love Emily. You’re just selfish and want both of us to fawn over you. You’ve always been like this, so self–absorbed. I should have remembered. Don’t make a fool of yourself anymore.”
Sarah recorded Ashley’s drunken confession, then seemingly sent it to Emily. I didn’t care. What happened to them was no longer my concern.
I looked at Jason, who’d been watching me with concern. I mimicked his earlier gesture, ruffling his hair. “It’s fine. Small potatoes. This girl doesn’t get played.”
“I’m sorry you had to see that. I guess I owe you another dinner to apologize. It’s late. You should go.”
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He studied me for a moment, then smiled wryly. “Not yet.” He walked to the nearest convenience store and returned with an ice pack. “Your hand’s red. What if it swells? Why did you hit him so hard? He wasn’t worth it.”
I looked at his gentle expression. “Your knuckles were white. I didn’t want you to hit him. I’d hate for you to get stuck with his medical bills.”
“Ashley,” he said softly, his gaze fixed on my hand. “What do I have to do to make you feel like you can rely on me?”
His words hit home. After Ashley, I’d built walls around my heart. I suspected Jason’s feelings, but I wasn’t ready to let anyone in.
Sensing my hesitation, he smiled again. “Forget I asked. That’s my problem to solve, not yours. Good night, Ashley.” He maintained a respectful distance.
I nodded, saying good night.
As I walked away, he called out, “This isn’t the last time I’ll see you, right?”
I smiled. “Of course not. I still owe you several dinners. And you paid tonight, so that doesn’t count.”
He visibly relaxed. “Good. We have time, Ashley.”
Later, Ashley sent an apology through Sarah’s account: [I’m truly sorry, Ashley. Emily and I broke up. I deserve to be punished. I hope you’re happier now.]
I deleted the message without replying. It didn’t matter anymore.
Then a new message popped up. It was Jason. [Ashley, about our date
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fvers
yesterday… there’s a new restaurant I want to try. I’m downstairs. No rush. I’ll wait.]
I smiled. If he was waiting… if he was the right one… maybe I could finally move on and be happy.
