Ash:I’m fine. Just taking a few days of vacation. No big deal.
Me:Call me. Let’s talk.
Ash:Can’t we just text?
She didn’t want to call me. Why? Because I would hear the hurt in her voice? Because she knew I could always tell when she was lying?
Me:Yes, if you tell me why.
Ash:Because this way I can think about what I want to say before I say it.
I didn’t like that, but I didn’t have much choice. And groveling via text was probably better off for me, too. Less humiliation that way. Less likely I’d say something impulsive.
Me:Okay. Let’s start with the basics. Where are you?
Ash:I don’t want to tell you. I didn’t take the trip my dad expected me to, and I’m sure he’s mad because of it. If I don’t tell you where I am and he asks you, you have plausible deniability.
Me:Why leave so suddenly? Were you really that upset I fucked up? You had to know it was a stupid screw-up.
I winced. That was a bit of a stretch. I’d given her a lot of reasons in the past to suspect I might do something that shitty. But this past year things had been different. I hadn’t been a total asshole to her the whole year. Fuck, I’d even agreed to go to a damn dance with her.
Ash:I wasn’t sure. I knew you didn’t want to go. But no, that’s not why I left. Finals are done. The last week of school is a joke and most seniors bail. You know that. Dad thought I could use a break, so I took it. See? No big deal.
Me:You’re lying.
I knew it. Her explanation seemed too easy, too pat. She never would have gotten away with that answer on a live call. That’s why she wanted to text.
Ash:You can’t tell a person is lying in text.
Me:I can when it comes to you. Maybe you’re not lying, but you’re not telling me the truth.
Ash:A girl is allowed to have secrets.
I snorted at that.
Me:Since when have we had secrets?
Ash:Since when have you ever referred to us aswe?
Sometimes it really sucked she was so damn smart. I needed to take another approach.
Me:Officially, are you mad at me?
Ash:Officially, did you do something stupid to miss my prom?
I grimaced, but there was no point in lying about it. She was going to find out at some point.
Me:Officially yes. But that was after doing something I thought was a better idea to not risk being late. That idea backfired. Pretty bad.
Ash:Were you hurt?
Me:No. Next question. When are you coming back?
Ash:Not sure. It was a one-way ticket.
What? I thought. That was crazy.
Me:Graduation is next week!
