I lay there as a single tear slipped from the corner of my eye and soaked into my pillow. Asher wasn’t worth crying over. Nope. Not today. Not him. Not a fucking boy. Not a fucking man. Not any man. Never again.
I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my thoughts. I refused to give him the satisfaction of it all. I exhaled slowly through my lips and squeezed my eyes tighter.Why had he touched me like that? Why had he allowed my hopes to rise? Why had his lips felt so perfect against mine?
As those thoughts circled my brain, I allowed my body to shake with the weight of the sadness. Eventually, sleep pulled me under, and I fell into the slumber surrounding me, wondering how it could all have been a lie I hadn’t seen coming.
Asher
Asher:Good morning, little siren.
Lennon:What do you want
Confusion sat at the forefront of my mind. What the hell had happened between last night up until now? Did she have a lobotomy? Shaking my head, I took a breath. This was her testing me, and I needed to be patient with her. After inhaling a deep breath, I brought my phone up to my face as I lay on my back in bed and started over.
Asher:I woke up thinking about you. And I was thinking I really enjoyed checking off a bucket list item with you.
Lennon:Yeah, I bet you fucking did.
Exasperation crept in as I sat up in bed. This clearly wasn’t going to be solved over text. She was clearly stuck in her head, and I needed to clear the air before this spiralled out of control. I put the phone to my ear and waited as it rang.
She answered, and before I gave her the chance to say whatever sharp remark was undoubtedly loaded and ready, I started, “Now, I don’t know where your mind has escaped to between drop off and this morning, but you’re giving me whiplash and it’s not even 7:00 a.m., Lennon.”
She audibly scoffed. “Whiplash? That’s rich, coming from you!”
The tone in her voice made me pause. She was upset. It was different from her being angry at me. She’d been stuck inside her head for too long, and now it was hurting her. I fucking hated it.
“I’m coming over,” I decided.
Before she could stop me, I disconnected the call and swung my legs out of bed. I pulled on joggers and a grey t-shirt before I made my trek downstairs, relieved to find the house empty. I didn’t have it in me for any more dramatics. I texted Duke to see if he could drive me this morning, and his quick reply came almost immediately—three minutes. That gave me just enough time to head back upstairs and brush my teeth and hair, hoping I looked at least somewhat presentable.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, which I ignored, knowing it was Lennon telling me to stay put.Not a chance in hell, babe.
When I reached the front door, Duke was already waiting in the car, like he’d been parked there all morning just for me.
“Hey, Duke,” I greeted as I slid into the rear seat. “Can you take me to Lennon’s?” I asked while buckling up. He nodded and pulled away from the curb. When I caught his eye in the rearview mirror, a smirk pushed up his cheekbones.
“You’ve got eyes for her, yeah?” he asked, his tone coy.
I chuckled. “You could say that.”
Duke nodded thoughtfully. “She’s got eyes for you, too, Asher. I could see that last night.”
I snapped my gaze up to meet his, not quite believing what I’d just heard. He held my stare for a moment before peering back out at the road, as if he hadn’t exactly said what he knew I needed to hear. A bundle of nerves lit up my insides, excitement buzzing at the thought of seeing her again.
Twenty minutes later, we rolled up to her apartment. The building sat in a great neighbourhood—a two-story fourplex with a clean, well-designed layout. Grey brick lined the exterior, modern and sleek, giving it a fresh, new-age feel. It was wellmaintained—and I hated that my mind went there, but the thought crossed it, anyway—but how the hell could she afford to live here?
As far as I knew, Lennon didn’t have a job, or much desire to do anything at all. Maybe she robbed a bank. I chuckled at the idea, but in all honesty, it wouldn’t have surprised me.
I climbed out of the car and waved to Duke to let him know I was good. He smiled back before driving off slowly. Turning toward the entrance, I swung it open and eyed the stairs ahead—the ones I’d have to climb to get to her.
Reaching her apartment door, I hesitated before alerting her I was here. I blew out a nervous breath and knocked three times.
Before I could even finish my last knock, Lennon’s voice called out from the other side. “Go away.” My brow furrowed in confusion.Was she crying?
I pressed my cheek up against the door, speaking softly. “Hey…just let me in. I don’t know what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours, but I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Leave, Asher. Leave like everyone does. Leave like you know you’re going to.” Her sobs tore through the door, frantic and raw. Suddenly, she didn’t sound okay—she sounded lost, unwell, drowning in the depths of despair. I couldn’t take it anymore.
I tried the door handle. Locked. My eyes scanned for a hidden key, under the mat, above the doorway…nothing. I was at a loss for ideas.
