Page 85 of Bar Down

“I appreciate you letting me crash here,” I say, dropping my backpack on the floor and sinking into the couch, leaning my head back and pressing the heel of my hand into my eyes. What the hell am I going to do? I need to know how badly Eli is freaking out.

I pull out my phone and text him.

can we talk?

Eli

I stare at my phone,not really comprehending what is going on.Can we talk?Of course we can fucking talk. Where the hell is he? I figured he would walk over here when he was done in the locker room, especially if he needed to hang back and talk to the coach about the next few days.

I press the call button and wait for him to answer but he doesn’t. I will never understand how someone who is on their phone 24/7 doesn’t answer a damn call.

Pacing the length of my apartment doesn’t seem productive so I end up grabbing a coat and walking around the building a few times, trying to clear my head. An hour later I return to my apartment, feeling lighter and hoping to talk to Ash about everything. But he’s not here.

I call him again and this time, he answers. “Hey.”

That’s it?

Hey?

I can’t help but be annoyed when I say, “Hey? Ash, where the hell are you?”

“What?”

I roll my eyes and pace some more. “Where are you?”

He’s silent for a moment but then he says, “I’m staying at Juuse’s tonight.”

Now I’m even more confused than before? Why in the hell would he do that? And why Juuse of all people, when earlier today he was ready to punch him in the dick?

“Ash, what are you talking about? Why didn’t you come to my apartment?”

“I—what do you mean? I thought you said you wanted space,” he says, quietly.

I close my eyes and sigh. “You’re an idiot,” I say and hang up on him.

Grabbing my coat off the rack, I put it on for the second time tonight and head out of my apartment. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I ignore it, choosing to stew in my confusion a little longer while I walk over to Juuse’s condo.

The light drizzle from earlier is turning into full on rain now and I pick up the pace. By the time I get to the condo, my coat and hair is drenched and I’m fucking cold.

I ring the doorbell and when I don’t see any movement, I start pounding my fist on the door. Over and over again.

The door finally opens and Juuse looks at me bewildered.

“Where is he?” My hands tighten into fists at my side and I almost chew him out for even suggesting to Ash that I needed any space tonight.

“He left not long ago, said he’d walk to your place.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I lean my head back and scream to the sky.

My feet take control and I start running through the rain, leaving Juuse behind.

I slow down when I turn the corner of my building and see Ash standing in the middle of the sidewalk, drenched in the rain and looking down at his phone. Mine buzzes in my pocket again and I pull it out and answer.

“Eli? Jesus, can you let me in the building, it’s freezing out here.”

I try to catch my breath but I sound ragged anyway. “Why didn’t you come home?” I see Ash letting his head drop and shaking his head.

“I—I don’t know. I’m sorry, Eli. I thought—“ his voice catches and then he anxiously runs a hand through his wet hair. “I thought you wanted me gone. That you needed space, just like last time.”

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