“Your still here.” He states bluntly as he leans against the gate, looking a little flustered.

“Is she really that bad?” I inquire softly, watching his shoulders relax a bit at my change of tone.

“Yes. She really is. I don’t know what you did to her, but she acts like if she sees you she’ll snap.” He informs me in a non-sympathetic tone. It is going to be harder to get him to warm up to me than I thought.

“It’s… It’s complicated…” My brown eyes are on the ground, staring at it as if a hole might magically appear that I could step into and get away from this place.

“I’d sure as hell hope so.” He comments bitterly, obviously taking the protective brother route. There’s a shocker.

“You think she’ll ever talk to me again?” I ask hopefully, looking up to meet his eyes once more. It is weird looking at him and seeing so much of his sister, especially in the eyes.

Glen looks uncomfortable, his arms crossing and uncrossing as he looks back over at Spencer, “She’s really hurt Ashley…” He responds, effectively dashing my hopes to the ground. “But, I mean, anything is possible. Spencer has never been one to hold a grudge…” He completes the statement, and my face lights up. I can’t help it, to hear someone else confirm the idea that she may someday forgive me, someone that knows her, is such a relief.

“Could you try and… You know… Talk to her about me?” I request softly, not expecting him to agree but figuring it couldn’t hurt to ask. “I mean, if she forgives me, than you won’t have to worry about this scenario ever again.” I’ve got to give him some kind of motivation to go out on a limb for a stranger. A stranger who broke his sister’s heart no less.

“I can’t make any guarantees.” He speaks after a moments contemplation. But it isn’t a no, so I am overjoyed. Ideas that had only been in a distant fantasy in my mind all those months ago were having a chance of becoming a reality. I mean, she wouldn’t still be so upset over the incident if she didn’t still care about me somewhat.

“Thanks Glen…” I speak, my tone honestly grateful as his expression softens further. “I think I’m going to head inside…” It is my gift to him as I turn, smiling a bit as I hear him breathe a little relieved sigh. Tossing a look over my shoulder I cast one more long gaze in Spencer’s direction, feeling a grip tighten like a vice over my heart. This isn’t fun, and I don’t like feeling like this. Slipping unnoticed by her into my home I plop down on the couch, losing myself in my thoughts.

You know, love really is a troublesome thing. It allows someone to climb into your chest and gives them the option of tearing you apart. You work for your entire life building dams with your mind around your heart, so no one can ever get in and do that to you, but then one person comes waltzing in and breaks them down with a flick of the wrist. Then, they steal a chunk of you, without asking, and before you know it all you care about is them.

I’ve heard somewhere that love takes hostages, and that couldn’t be more true. It leaves you vulnerable, like a nude turtle stripped of it’s shell. It hurts too, a deep kind of hurt. A hurt that stretches beyond just the brain but into the soul, the heart, the depths where you never wanted anyone to have access but they just barged on in. Love really is a rude visitor. But, hopefully love, this little disease of the heart, might work in my favor for once. One can only hope.