I’m driving back to my parents house after the thing at the beach when my phone starts to ring. It doesn’t show up on caller ID, but it looks familiar so I answer.

"Hello?"

"You could’ve said hey." I pull the car over.

"Ashley?"

"I mean, I know it’s been a long time and everything, but I never thought you hated me that much."

I sigh a little, leaning on the steering wheel. "Ashley, can we just not do this? Please."

"Did you have a baby?" I roll my eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"Look, If you have a baby I just want to know. I mean, he looked just like you so you either adopted well or actually had it."

"Ash-" I can’t even finish saying her name before she interrupts me.

"Was it with Sarah? The girl you started dating after me? I know you really liked her but I didn’t think it was that serious. We had only just broken up like a month before she asked you. I always had her pegged as the rebound. But the woman from the starbucks didn’t look like Sarah." She was about to continue, but I had to stop it.

"Ashley!" I hear her stop talking and I can tell I’ve gotten her attention. "That was my nephew. I was there having coffee with Glen’s wife Mary."

She’s quiet for a minute. "Oh…. but then what was today at the beach?"

I bite my lip, and decide just to be honest. "I just didn’t really feel like seeing you, okay? You broke my heart back then Ashley. More than once. You can’t really blame me for that."

I hear her sigh. "Spencer, that was a long time ago. We’re both different people now."

Thinking about everything that happened is starting to make me angry. "Yeah, it was a long time ago. That doesn’t mean it hurts any less." I take a breath. "I really hope you can be happy Ashley. I’ve never  wanted anything but that." I hang up, trying my best not to cry as I make my way home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m looking around the restaurant, searching for Aiden. I was starting to regret agreeing to this. I know he’s going to want to talk about Ashley. I spot him at a table in the corner, but I pause for a minute. Kyla also happens to be at the table. I walk up, taking my seat.

"I would really appreciate knowing when I’m being set up. It makes it sting a little less."

Aiden sighs a little. "Well, I really did want to see you. Kyla begged to come."

I glare at him. "Yeah, well I can’t really be mad at you. Kyla can be a little ball of fury."

Kyla grins at me, and gives Aiden a look. He rolls his eyes, getting up and muttering something about making a phone call.

Kyla turns towards me. "Why would you hang up on her like that? Do you know how much that hurt her?"

I just roll my eyes a little. "Kyla, I get that she’s your sister, but just stay out of this. None of this matters anyways. In two weeks I’ll be back in Atlanta and this will all be over."

She continues to look at me intensely. "If you really don’t care, why do you tense up everytime anyone mentions her."

"I don’t." I know she’s right though. I try to hold down the blush, but there’s no fighting it.

"Just talk to her. Just once, face to face." I start to shake my head, but she keeps talking. "Look, when was the last time you REALLY talked to her? I mean, just sat down and tried to get to know her? I’m sure you’ve both changed alot. Maybe the two of you can at least be friends." She continues to talk, but I’m not listening anymore.

Everything she was saying is taking me back.