“I wanted to spend some time alone with you,” Nick replied. He opened the door and led her to the living room, where a girl was sitting on the couch, watching television.
The girl stood up, and Lila found herself staring into practically a mirror image of herself. “I’m Ashley. You must be Lila,” the girl said, extending her hand.
“Yeah, I am,” Lila replied. She forced a smile and shook Ashley’s hand. Nick wasn’t kidding when he said the two were similar. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Ashley, do you mind if Lila spends the evening with us? No one is home at her house, and we don’t get to hang out much,” Nick said.
“No, I wouldn’t mind at all. I’d like to get to know your best friend,” Ashley answered.
Lila spent the evening in agony with the lovebirds. Had the circumstances been more favorable, the two could have become great friends. Even in these circumstances, the two were becoming good friends. It was just painful to know that Ashley was with the man she loved. She was kissing him, holding him, quite possibly sleeping with him…and Lila was only his friend. That was all she would ever be to him.
After enduring the torture for three hours, she asked Nick to take her home. “I’m really tired, and I really want to sleep in my own room.”
“Okay. Is it okay if Ashley comes with?” he asked.
“Sure.” She was only a couple blocks from home.
The three went out to Nick’s car, and Lila waited at the back door. “You can have the front,” Ashley offered.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
A few minutes later, Lila was being dropped off. As soon as she got inside the door, she collapsed to the floor in tears.