Page 60 of Rise & Fall

How’s the asshole doing?

I look over to said asshole, realizing that I don’t have time for this shit. This is not okay.

Will report back when trash has been taken out officially.

I respond to Barbie knowing that she’d get a kick out of it.

I drop the cup in the sink and decide I’m not going to let this man ruin my life anymore. I walk over to Asher and kick him hard in his shin. “Get the fuck up!”

He hisses at the kick but doesn’t hesitate to listen, jumping up from the couch and facing me.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I stab my pointer finger into his chest.

“Dakota, I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.” He feeds me sad puppy eyes and a whiny baby voice and everything inside of me cringes.

“How did you even get here? How’d you know where to find me?”

“Your friend,” he states.

“Sterling?” I question. She wouldn’t do that to me, and she certainly would have warned me if she’d had.

“No. Haylie,” he responds.

“Haylie?”

“Yeah, I remembered her from your birthday party last year. She was showing everyone cute pictures of her dogs.”

I don't even remember telling her I was leaving. Nonetheless, he’s here and in my space, and I’m very fucking bothered by it.

“What the hell do you want, Asher? I’m growing very impatient with you right now.” I step back a few steps when he tries to step forward. My apartment isn’t big by any means but having him here in my personal space makes it feel even stuffier. And very uncomfortable.

“I want you back, boo.” His tone is sad, and low, and somewhat sincere.

I can tell he’s being honest with me. He misses me. I’ve never seen him do anything so dumb, well…besides actually fucking someone during our engagement but that’s beside the point.

Does that mean that he’s allowed to miss me? One thousand times no. Being honest now doesn’t fix my broken heart and his disloyalty. And honestly, I do not miss him a single ounce.

“I’ve missed you. I made a mistake. I didn’t mean to cheat on you with those women.” He stuffs his hands into pocket as shame swallows his face whole, the look of depression and loss very clear.

“Women.” I say, almost so quiet it was meant for just me. I knew he fucked around more than when I caught him. I had a feeling. But to hear him say it out loud makes my blood boil.

“There is no winning me back; get that fantasy out of your head. So really, you came down here to make a fool out of yourself and to waste my time, Asher. Great fucking job. Now you’re a cheater and an idiot.” Harsh, I know. But he deserves it.

Then my phone beeps again. This time, it’s Nolan.

Nolan.

What do I tell him?Hey, sorry. My ex and I are busy fighting in my apartment right now.

God, what a mess.

“Do you have anywhere else to go?” I ask him, ignoring Nolan’s text for a moment.

Asher is staring down at his shoes. He’s such a coward in my eyes. He probably got dumped by whatever hoe he was doing and decided that he’d waste an airplane ticket to come ruin my life even more. Or maybe heisbeing sincere. Like I said, I can see the pain on his face. But I don’t feel it. I resent it. He did this to himself.

“I don’t. I guess I was just banking on you taking me back,” he says in a low, pitiful tone.

“You and I, we are never getting back together, Asher. Ever. You fucked up and I moved on. You need to let that thought go.” I look at the time, then at my phone, then at my couch.