It Takes More

“Elena, wait!” Alex yelled after me as I speed-walked to the elevator, no idea where I was or how I would get home—I just had to get away from him. “Elena!” Luckily the elevator door opened just before I got to it, a couple pushing a stroller stepping off.

I jumped into the vacant elevator, pressing the button for the first floor and the close door button repeatedly, hoping and praying that the door would close in time. Finally, just as he was two strides away, the doors shut—closing the gap between us before the elevator began it’s decent to ground level.

Stepping out of the elevator, I walked as fast as possible through the lobby, into the warm southern California day. Looking from left to right, trying to get my bearings, I found that I was on the opposite end of town. Stepping up to the curb, I threw my arm out in the air to hail a cab.

Just as one of the yellow cars slowed to a stop in front of me, I felt a hand on my elbow. I turned my head finding a heavy breathing Alex looking down at me. “Wait, please?”

I turned back around, opening the car door and sliding in. Before I could pull the door closed behind me, Alex had slid into the seat next to me, shutting the door behind me.

“Where to?” the driver asked, glancing at us both in the rearview mirror.

“Um, 1320 Crescent Hill, Sunny Haven,” I answered, facing straight ahead, determined to ignore the body next to mine.

After a short silence, Alex began, “Elena, please talk to me.”

I stared into his eyes, disbelief dripping from every feature. “And say what, exactly?”

“Anything.”

“I don’t have anything to say to you.” It wasn’t exactly the truth, I could think of plenty to say to him, but I held my tongue.

“Then let me explain?”

“Explain what? Why you left? I know why you left. You were touring with the band. I get that. Why didn’t you call? Why didn’t you come to visit? Why did you disappear? Why did you forget?” That was only the start to the questions that had been swirling around in my head for the better part of three years. Questions that I never believed I would find answers to.

He sat, his mouth opening and closing multiple times, not a sound passing his lips. I scoffed at his inability to answer the simplest of questions. “You know what? Don’t answer any of that. I don’t what to know.”

The cab pulled to a stop in front of my building, where a pacing Asher was in front of the locked front door. I got out of the cab, walking around the rear of the car and toward the building. I could hear Alex following me once again, but ignored him like before.

When Asher saw me coming towards him, he stopped and looked questioningly at me, his eyes trailing to Alex. “Hey, babe. You okay?” His voice was soft and caring—typical Asher. He engulfed me in a hug as I nodded my head.

“Lets just get inside.” I looked behind me to see Alex standing in the middle of the walkway, his hands in his pockets as he stared at me.

“Who was that?” Asher asked as we entered the building, waiting for the elevator to chime.

“Uh. Jack’s friend.” I didn’t know how else to answer that question. I wasn’t ready to tell Asher about Alex—much less the important part he had always played in my life, even now.

“Making sure you got home okay?” he assumed.

“Something like that.”