It Takes More

“Is he coming in today?” I asked Angie when I showed up for work the following Friday. Asher had called in sick every day since our conversation in the rain almost a week ago. I understood that he needed his space away from me, but I didn’t think he needed so much space that he couldn’t even work with me.

“He hasn’t called in, yet. Let’s hope he’s coming in,” Angie sighed, wiping a stray piece of hair away from her face with the back of her hand. “We’re supposed to be packed tonight.” I nodded my head before picking up a tray of clean glasses to bring out to the bar.

Half an hour later, just before doors opened, Asher strolled in. He went straight to Angie’s office, where he stayed for a good ten minutes or so before joining me behind the bar.

“Hey, Ash,” I greeted quietly.

“Hey.” He seemed nonchalant and calm, but I could tell he was on edge. He didn’t say more than two words to me that didn’t revolve around work, and for that I was oddly sad, yet grateful. Sure, I wanted things between us to be civil if not completely normal, but I also wasn’t ready to answer any questions. Because, truthfully, I didn’t have any answers.



“Hey, Ash. Wait.” I rested my hand on his arm to stop him from exiting the bar at the end of our shift. He turned to face me, silently waiting. “I, uh, I just wanted to make sure we were okay. I don’t want things to be awkward between us.”

“Ellie, please,” he whispered, avoiding eye contact.

“I know, I’m sorry. I just—”

“Are you upset that I’m not talking to you right now because you miss me as a friend or as your boyfriend?” Asher asked, cutting off my truthfully not well thought out words.

I stared at Asher, who met my eyes carefully. I didn’t answer because, truthfully, the answer was obvious—to me at least. Asher nodded, “that’s what I thought,” he muttered, his eyes falling to the ground momentarily before once again meeting mine. “I meant what I said, Ellie. I want you to be happy. So, go. Go to him.” His voice was rough and thick with sorrow.

“Asher,” I started hesitantly.

“No, I’m fine. Just go.”

I started to walk into the early morning California air before turning abruptly. “Can we still be friends, Ash?”

“Ellie—”

“I mean it. We were friends before anything else, right? Can we get back to that?”

He paused, seeming to think it over, before saying slowly, “Eventually. I just need some time.” I nodded solemnly, a smile slowly working across my face. “Now, go. Please.”



“Marla, I swear I’m fine.”

“Okay, but where are you?”

“Don’t worry about it,” I pleaded over the phone.

“How can I not? You never came home from work last night. Parker said that Asher actually went in, so I know you saw him. Did you guys fight?”

“No, Mar. We didn’t. We didn’t even talk. Listen, I have to go. I promise I’m fine and I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Elena—” she started, but I hung up the phone.

Tucking the black device into my back pocket, I approached the podium as the lady behind it motioned me forward. “How can I help you?” she asked.

“When’s your next flight to New York?”

She typed something into her computer, her eyes scanning the screen for a moment before she looked back at me. “Our next flight leaves in an hour and a half, at twelve-thirty. Are you traveling alone?”

“Yes.”

“Checking any bags?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Okay. That’ll be two hundred and sixty-five dollars.” I gulped, handing her my silver credit card. She handed me a folder containing my plane ticket along with my credit card and ID.

I checked the gate on the ticket before walking towards security. Slipping off my shoes and slipping my phone out of my pocket, I walked through the metal detector. As I picked up my few belongings, I sighed as I looked behind me at the only exit.

No turning back now.