Ashley decided to stop by the club and dance her night away.

The ringtone of her phone startled Ashley. She had left her cell phone in the car and hadn’t wanted to take it into the house with her. This was her way of trying to forget anything related with Spencer. She did not want to give into the temptation to call Spencer or pick up if Spencer called. She was hurting and she told herself she didn’t care if Spencer hurt too.

“Hi, honey. This is Dad. Call me when you get this.” Ashley’s voice message played.

She eased the car towards the driveway as the club came into view. Stopping her car in the parking lot, Ashley picked up her phone. A lump formed in her throat when she saw the missed calls from Spencer. There was a single voice message. Ashley’s fingers lingered on the key while her heart constricted tightly. Her fingers turned ice cold and their grip on the sleek surface of the phone was clumsy.

“Get it over with, Ashley.” She told herself. “This way you can move ahead for good.”

With a deep breath, she pressed the key. There was a brief silence. Then a soft, feminine voice floated from the speaker. The familiar sound pierce Ashley’s soul and a whimper escaped her lips.

“Ashley, I know you are angry with me. I don’t even blame you. I was unfair and cruel last time. I didn’t mean any of what I said. I don’t know why I said it. Maybe… because I was afraid. I love my parents, Ashley. I don’t want them to hate me and that scared me. The fact that Mom despises me scared me. But fear made me blind to the fact that we did nothing wrong. We have no need to be ashamed. I have no need to be scared. I cannot stop loving you and I don’t even want to try. Please give us another chance, Ash. I’m ready to take that step; I’m ready to go against the world, for the sake of our love. I’m leaving for Ohio this Saturday and might never come back again. I’ll wait for your call…”