It’s raining. I’ve been walking around the block for about an hour, clearing my head. I make my way back around to my house then cross the street to Ashley’s. Hopefully she’s home, because I couldn’t take it if she wasn’t.

I hop on her front step and stare blankly at the door, contemplating whether to knock or ring the doorbell. It’s ten o’ clock at night.

I decide on knocking, and within seconds she opens her door in baby blue boy shorts, and her purple venom t-shirt riding high above her navel.

                “Spence?” She takes a look at my appearance.

                “Aiden and I are over.” I rush out, not wanting to waste any time.

                “What?”

                “Aiden and I, finished…done…kaput—“

                “I…I got it.” She looks surprised. Did she really not see this coming?

                “Yeah…”

                “Wow…um why?” She opens the door wider, gesturing for me to come inside. I like it out here better, in the rain. I’m not moving.

                “Because…” I stay plastered to the step, looking directly into her beautiful brown eyes.

                “Just because?” She pries, taking a step out of her house to join me. She hasnt quite been touched by the rain.

                “Yeah…” I can’t stop these one word answers. All of a sudden I don’t know what to say anymore, it’s like I need her to ask me the questions.

                “Okay…” And now I realize she’s run out of questions, and I now have no choice but to elaborate.

                “Okay no…not just because.” I confess. She crosses her arms over her chest, ready to listen intently.

                “You want to talk about it? Can I help?” She asks. And now it’s time. It’s time for me to come clean with everything I’ve been feeling.

                “Actually…it’s kind of because of you.” I didn’t really mean for it to come out that way. She looks confused, or hurt. I’m not sure which one.

                “I’m sorry what?” She asks, with eyebrows raised.

                “No, no…not in a bad way.” I recover, hopefully calming her nerves a bit.

                “Okay…then in what way?” She still looks skeptical, leaning her shoulder against the door frame.