Stupid – 6

Ashley was a basically cheerful, friendly person, and was well liked. The fact that Jack liked her was not unusual. That maybe she felt deeper than simple like for Jack was kept quiet.

After all, Jack loved Halle.

Ashely was dating Brian, not sure where  the relationship would go, but his attitude began to perplex her. The way his eyes bored into her, not with desire or love, but as if she held a secret.

This scrutiny, questioning, whatever it was began to make her very uncomfortable.

One evening, as they sat in a bar, Ashely, pretending she had a bit more to drink than she did, she asked; “What’s with you Bri? You have this shell around you and act like you are  always judging me.”

Brian took a swallow of this drink and blurted;

“Well, I can’t figure out if you are with me because you want to be with me, or are with me because you can’t be with Jack.”

“Jack?” she exclaimed.

“Yeah, Jack. I see  the way you look at him…”

There were a lot of words in Ashley’s  mouth. But she spat out what burnt the most;

“Well, if you think that, then, hey! Why am I here?” and she got up and walked out.