his face. “Man, you’ve a kid who worships the ground you walk on and a good solid career. Do you honestly think Connie wants you living your life in the past? Think about it, Ash. You know I’m right.”
“I can’t just move on. I’m not like you, Danny. I’m not a man who can do whatever the hell he pleases and sleep content at night,” I said. “And I mean no disrespect, you know that, but I’m not ready for women or their mind games.”
“Then, you’re never gonna be ready. You’re gonna use Connie as an excuse to never move on, and that’s a shame because you deserve to be happy, too.”
We sat in silence for a while. The two of us were stubborn. Neither of us wanted to admit the other was right.
Danny wasn’t afraid to say exactly what he was thinking. In a way, I was glad. I needed someone who had a knack for making me see things with a little clarity.
“Do you ever think about how my life would have gone down a completely different road if I had never met Connie?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“All the fucking time.”
“I think Andrés had such a hold over me back then,” I admitted.
“He had a hold over anyone who was weak enough to let him in, and I don’t mean anything by that.” He held his hands up.
“Sometimes, I blame my dad for not being around more. He left Mom to do it all, and I was a little prick who took advantage of her good nature,” I said. “Even that day, in that stupid program they put me on, Andrés turned up at the library and made a scene.”
“Yeah, that’s when Connie stuck her nose in your business.”
Remembering that day put a smile on my face. I laughed and shook my head.
“Andrés didn’t know where to look when she stepped into his face.”
“Yeah, Connie had a thing about that.” Danny laughed.
Connie had a larger than life personality that stopped me dead in my tracks. She turned my life around, and I couldn’t have been more proud to have her as my own.
I sighed and slumped my shoulders back against the seat, revisiting that first day.
I had been failing school so bad. The social worker insisted that I take extra classes, which meant Saturday mornings were no longer for sleeping in.
Begrudgingly, I turned up at the school library. I saw nothing but geeks, with their round double-rimmed glasses, glaring at me as I walked in.
My mother stood behind me, holding a form in her hand. “Please behave, Ashley,” she muttered.
I didn’t look at her. This was all her fault. Her, the stuck-up judge, and the social worker. A bunch of assholes who wanted to make my life hell.
“Ashley Benton.” The teacher called my name and looked over the rim of his glasses at me.
“My name’s Ash.”
“Ah, but here it clearly states Ashley.” He pointed at the form. “So therefore, you will be regarded as Ashley.”
I wanted to punch him in the face hard. Since my last hearing, I was meant to be on my best behavior, which meant not assaulting the aged.
“What time should I pick him up?” my mother asked.
“Oh, we should be done here by three-fifteen.”
My mother turned toward me. Her eyes were full of hurt.
I shrugged and ignored her as she walked out of the room.
“So, Ashley, you are paired up with Connie Fletcher.” He directed me to a table at the front of the library where a bespectacled brunette sat, frowning at me.
This was all I needed, some know-it-all girl who would bore me to tears.
I rolled my eyes and walked over to the table. “Where do I sit?”
“Take your pick. There are five other chairs available,” she said, pursing her lips.
My cheeks burned.
Several students glanced in my direction.
I sat down across the table from her. Unsure of what to do or say, I stared at the label on my bag.
“So, I’m Connie,” she said.
I shrugged and said nothing.
“Okay, Mr. All-Tatted-Up-With-No-Tongue-In-Your -Head, here’s the deal. You’re behind in pretty much everything. I can see from your grades that you
“I can’t just move on. I’m not like you, Danny. I’m not a man who can do whatever the hell he pleases and sleep content at night,” I said. “And I mean no disrespect, you know that, but I’m not ready for women or their mind games.”
“Then, you’re never gonna be ready. You’re gonna use Connie as an excuse to never move on, and that’s a shame because you deserve to be happy, too.”
We sat in silence for a while. The two of us were stubborn. Neither of us wanted to admit the other was right.
Danny wasn’t afraid to say exactly what he was thinking. In a way, I was glad. I needed someone who had a knack for making me see things with a little clarity.
“Do you ever think about how my life would have gone down a completely different road if I had never met Connie?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“All the fucking time.”
“I think Andrés had such a hold over me back then,” I admitted.
“He had a hold over anyone who was weak enough to let him in, and I don’t mean anything by that.” He held his hands up.
“Sometimes, I blame my dad for not being around more. He left Mom to do it all, and I was a little prick who took advantage of her good nature,” I said. “Even that day, in that stupid program they put me on, Andrés turned up at the library and made a scene.”
“Yeah, that’s when Connie stuck her nose in your business.”
Remembering that day put a smile on my face. I laughed and shook my head.
“Andrés didn’t know where to look when she stepped into his face.”
“Yeah, Connie had a thing about that.” Danny laughed.
Connie had a larger than life personality that stopped me dead in my tracks. She turned my life around, and I couldn’t have been more proud to have her as my own.
I sighed and slumped my shoulders back against the seat, revisiting that first day.
I had been failing school so bad. The social worker insisted that I take extra classes, which meant Saturday mornings were no longer for sleeping in.
Begrudgingly, I turned up at the school library. I saw nothing but geeks, with their round double-rimmed glasses, glaring at me as I walked in.
My mother stood behind me, holding a form in her hand. “Please behave, Ashley,” she muttered.
I didn’t look at her. This was all her fault. Her, the stuck-up judge, and the social worker. A bunch of assholes who wanted to make my life hell.
“Ashley Benton.” The teacher called my name and looked over the rim of his glasses at me.
“My name’s Ash.”
“Ah, but here it clearly states Ashley.” He pointed at the form. “So therefore, you will be regarded as Ashley.”
I wanted to punch him in the face hard. Since my last hearing, I was meant to be on my best behavior, which meant not assaulting the aged.
“What time should I pick him up?” my mother asked.
“Oh, we should be done here by three-fifteen.”
My mother turned toward me. Her eyes were full of hurt.
I shrugged and ignored her as she walked out of the room.
“So, Ashley, you are paired up with Connie Fletcher.” He directed me to a table at the front of the library where a bespectacled brunette sat, frowning at me.
This was all I needed, some know-it-all girl who would bore me to tears.
I rolled my eyes and walked over to the table. “Where do I sit?”
“Take your pick. There are five other chairs available,” she said, pursing her lips.
My cheeks burned.
Several students glanced in my direction.
I sat down across the table from her. Unsure of what to do or say, I stared at the label on my bag.
“So, I’m Connie,” she said.
I shrugged and said nothing.
“Okay, Mr. All-Tatted-Up-With-No-Tongue-In-Your -Head, here’s the deal. You’re behind in pretty much everything. I can see from your grades that you
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