It Takes More

“So what’re you going to do?” Marla asked carefully after I explained my conversation with Asher.

“I honestly I have now idea.” I sighed, running a hand through my long locks. “I knew Ash would be upset. That’s why I never told him. But I didn’t expect him to break up with me. Hey, where’s Jack?” I asked, just now noticing he was absent from the apartment and had been since I made it home in the late hours of the night before.

Marla bit her lip nervously, avoiding my eyes as she mumbled quickly. “Hewentafter’Lex. Mayormaynotofbeatentheshitouttahim. Again.” I nodded slowly, understanding the gist of her jumbled words. “Do you want to hear what I think you should do?” she asked.

I raised an eyebrow in question. “Now, don’t flip or anything. It’s just my opinion.” My eyebrow remained cocked as I tilted my head, waiting for her to continue. “You and Alex used to love each other so much. You were perfect together, for each other. And I think you still are. I know you still love him. Your display yesterday may have fooled him and clueless Jack, but you know you can’t slip one past me. You’re in love with him.

“And we all know he never stopped loving you.”

“No, we don’t know that,” I interrupted.

Marla just shook her head, a small laugh slipping from her lips. “You can be just as clueless as your brother sometimes, you know that?”

“Mar—I know you mean well and all, but I can’t just forgive him so easily. Never mind forgetting the past. It’s just not that easy.”

“Oh, but it is. Look, you don’t have to forgive and forget. But you do need to make things okay between the two of you. Do you know how hard the past three years have been for the guys and me? We’ve had to pretend you didn’t exist around Alex and pretend he didn’t exist around you. Remember what it was like in high school?” she asked rhetorically, a hint of a smile falling across her lips. “The four of us used to be so close. We did everything together. We were best friends. I miss that.”

“Well, I’m sorry. I can’t just make up with him because everyone wants me to.”

“I know, ‘Lena. And I don’t expect you to. I expect you to make up for you. Asher was on the right track.”

“What do you mean?”

“Who do you love more? The sweet, kind, and perfect boyfriend. Or the ass formerly known as your best friend, who laid everything on the line. In front of Jack, no less.”

I groaned internally at Marla’s spot-on, blunt descriptions. “Why does everything have to be so difficult?”



“Elena! Get your ass down ‘ere!” Jack’s voice echoed through the hallway and under my door. Groaning, I pulled my pillow over my head, one hand locking the feather-filled fabric in place on either side of my head.

Not half a minute later I heard the hinges of my door whine as it opened. “C’mon Elena. I’m leaving today. I thought you were coming to the airport with us?”

“Five more minutes,” I mumbled, wishing I could get a little more shut-eye.

“No can do. We have to leave in half an hour. Are you really not going to come see me off?” he asked, a small whine in his voice hinting at the pout most likely on his lips.

I peeked out from under my pillow. “Oh, don’t give me that pout, Mister. Of course I want to see you off. Unfortunately, you’re not the only one getting on that plane.”

“Yes, Alex is going to be there. But, I swear, Elena. He won’t even say a word to you.”

“Fine, fine. Let me get dressed.”



I stood off to the side as Marla said her goodbye to Jack. I had already given Zack and Rian hugs, and promised not to be too much of a stranger. Thankfully and true to Jack’s word, Alex hadn’t said a word to me. He hadn’t even more than glanced in my direction.

“You better call me when you land,” Marla was telling Jack as she stepped away from him.

“Yeah, yeah,” he sighed, rolling his eyes. “Come here,” he said to me, his arms spread out before me.

I fell into his embrace, burying my face into the crook of his shoulder. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“Me, too. But promise me one thing.”

I pulled my head back, looking at him questioningly. “What’s that?”

He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Don’t ignore him forever.”

“I thought you were supposed to be on my side,” I whispered back forcefully, accusingly.

“I am,” he said sincerely. “But I’m also on his. Just promise me you’ll make a decision.” My eyes flew past Jack, landing on Alex behind him. His eyes were trained on my own, never once breaking contact. “Elena?” Jack prompted, when I didn’t answer, pulling my attention back to him.

I nodded discreetly, mumbling in return, “I promise.”