“Yeah, but Spence, I backed away. I didn’t fight fire with fire because I was in the wrong. But I gave her space, and eventually she got over it.” He was silent for a moment while he reminisced. “My point is: give Ashley some time and space and everything should turn out fine.”

I was silent for a bit, trying to figure out how he knew. It was strange, because I didn’t even tell him that Ashley and I were having problems. He kissed the top of my head and pulled the blankets over my body. He took my, now empty, bowl that resembled my heart and headed towards the door. Just as he was about to shut off the lights, I stopped him. “Dad wait!”

“Yeah Spence,”

“How did you know this was an Ashley problem?” He was silent for too long. My building anticipation for the answer was killing me. But along with the anticipation came fear. Maybe he knew something I didn’t. Or better yet, maybe he knew something I did, but didn’t want to admit. Then I began to think. Did I want to kiss Carmen? I mean, I said no, but deep down inside, did I want to? I could have stopped her if I really wanted to.

“You know,” I snapped out of it. “Last time you got this down; you talked to Ashley about it. When the person who usually makes you feel better isn’t the one you’re talking to; usually the issue lies in that relationship.” He smiled and said goodnight before turning off the light and closing the door.

I settled into bed knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep. I was back in the place I was before we moved. I was so depressed I couldn’t sleep. The psychiatrist I went to said it was something called insomnia. She prescribed medicine for it, along with the depression medication, but by now both prescriptions must have run out.

Was my dad right? Of course he was. Ashley is the one who I would always turn to. Last time I was this upset, it was because of my mom. And during that time, I talked to Ashley for hours on end until I was passed it completely. She was the only one who could make me feel better; she is the only one who knew how. And now she is gone.