A Missing Ring

A "Cold" Summer

June 11, it was only the middle of the night when Andrea was being shaken awake. Andrea didn't know who could be trying to arise her at such an unusual time. Opening her eyes she turned herself around to see who it might be. It was Asher, with red, weeping eyes who seemed to look exhausted. It stirred Andrea right up, her knowing she had to try and comfort Asher. "Hey, hey hey it's alright, come here" Andrea said, sitting up on the couch. Looking almost hesitant he sat down on the sofa, Andrea wrapping her arms around him.

Andrea let Asher cry into her shirt, crying until he couldn't anymore. Asher slightly choking on his own tears. Andrea didn't dare to ask what happened, she would preferably like for him to open up on his own. "I-I'm sorry" Asher choked out between his tears. "Don't be sorry, I'll always be here if you need me" Andrea said. Andrea enticed him closer to her, rubbing his back, attempting to make him stop crying.

"I hate to be this person but, what happened?" Andrea asked, wanting to know why he came to her crying all of a sudden.

Asher didn't mind telling her whatsoever. Believe it or not, Asher wanted to talk about what happened, just to confess what happened that night. "I keep on getting these night terrors, since my parents passed. It's like how I think the affair happened, since well, I didn't see it" Asher said. Andrea felt guilty for him, however it didn't make sense. Andrea never heard Asher have the night terrors when it first happened, they never transpired when she was around.

"So why is it happening now? Whenever we would sleep over it would never happen. Right?" Andrea asked. "They never happened when we would sleep over, I don't know why though" Asher said. Andrea just kept on hugging him, holding Asher within Andrea's tight grip. Asher just smiled, contented that he could go to his friend; best friend for help.

"Maybe you just need a friend, or someone you trust near, we can hope it doesn't happen again" Andrea said. Without receiving a response Andrea looked down to Asher, seeing he had fallen asleep. Smiling, Andrea stayed sitting up, holding Asher close to her.

"Get some rest, we don't know what may happen" Andrea mumbled to herself, hoping it won't happen again anytime soon. Seeing how it transpired again, Andrea wasn't sure what else had been happening to him. Andrea stayed awake just a little longer, to make sure that he wouldn't be waking up again. After an hour or so, Andrea fell back asleep, them both sitting up, leaning against the couch. Where the next day awaits them.

June 12, they went through the rest of the day without any inconveniences, until it came to lunchtime. Andrea had made them both grilled cheese, with any types of chips that he may have wanted. Then sitting down at the island counter Andrea slowly started to eat, however Asher just stared at it.

"Hey, are you alright?" Andrea asked, elbowing him at the upper arm. "I'm fine" Asher said absently, with no emotion in his input. Andrea knew something was wrong, yet didn't know what it could've been. "Could he still be perturbed about his parents?" Andrea thought to herself, thinking about the night on June 10. Andrea set her hand under his, Asher's hand just relaxing on his thigh. With Andrea interlocking fingers with his, "You can tell me anything, you haven't eaten since the ninth" Andrea told him.

"I know, and I will," Asher said, adjourning before continuing, "This death is hitting me harder than I thought, I just don't have an appetite or feel like eating. As if I don't deserve it" Asher finished. Andrea felt the exact same way when her family perished, however there was nothing they could do about it now. "I've had the same feeling, so I thought about what my parents would cogitate if they saw me not eating," Andrea said.

Asher became stilly, not knowing what to say, or do. "I-I didn't think of that" Asher said, lowering his head, looking down at his, and Andrea's hand. "No one thinks of it, just please eat, for me. For them" Andrea voiced. Gulping, Asher nodded, a smile flew onto Andrea's face. With a bit of encouragement from Andrea, slowly yet surely he consumed the meal.