“Marie,” I sat up from the couch and looked at the girl in her young thirties. She was one of those people that were very attractive in their own way, and you’d start seeing it the more you talked to her. With long brown hair flowing down her face, and a flawless smile, she was a catch for any lucky man.

“Ashley,” Marie looked at me setting down the broom.

“Why does this hurt so much,” I sighed ready to pour out my soul.

“I think you know why.” She said giving me one of those looks. She was right. I did know why, but I didn’t want to believe it.

“How do I fix this?” I asked helplessly.

“Have you tried just talking to the girl Ashley?” Marie questioned with a look that told me she already knew the answer to the question.

“No,” I sighed. “I can’t.”

“Well you got to try Ashley, or else someone else will get to her first,” she was the second person to tell me this. Every time I heard it, I knew it was true. But I still didn’t want to accept it. That would mean I’d have to do something I’ve been trying to avoid. I’d have to lay my heart on the line, and either have it made whole or have it smashed to pieces.

“Then you get your heart broken Ash,” Marie’s tone softened. “But it’s better than doing nothing at all, and always wonder what could have been.”

“Yeah…” was all I could really get out with my head swarming with thoughts. I didn’t understand anything that was alive in my mind right now. I’d only known this girl for a summer, and I already was falling hard for her, and if someone didn’t do something, I was going to hit the ground.

I don’t remember how I had managed to get the girl into the car with me, but we were on our way now back to the Carlin residence. Not a word was spoken between us. Spencer just returned to her window, starring out at the street lights that we passed by. I didn’t know how she was going to take these next few days. No doubt, they were going to be hard on her. But I’d be here for her every step of the way, even when thought she didn’t need me.