Acapella

'Fall' - Justin Bieber.

Dedicated to @with_a_friend for requesting this song :)

5 days after.
8:38pm.
My phone starts ringing next to me on my bedside table. I pick it up and answer it without looking at the caller ID. I already know who it is.
"Ashlee," I sigh. "What's going on?"
Ashlee and I have been best friends for a few years now, and ever since we met we have had each other's backs. Ashlee has been calling me every night ever since her boyfriend broke up with her, telling me how much her heart hurts and asking for help to move on. Don't get me wrong, I love to comfort her, but hearing about this stupid boy who couldn't see the amazing side of her breaks my heart.
"Cooper," she answers with a wavering voice. "I don't know what to do"
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"I just," she pauses. "I just miss him. I really thought we had something."
"I know, I know" I coo.
"I feel like it's something I did. Am I not good enough for him? Like, am I not pretty enough or something?"
"That's ridiculous," I half-shout so as not to wake my sister up. "You are the most beautiful, generous, kind-hearted person I know. He's just an idiot who couldn't see the truly amazing and beautiful person you are."
"You say that every night" she sniffles.
"Yeah but you-" I begin, but stop myself. "It's only because it's the truth, Ash."
"Thanks, Cooper" she replies, and I can't help but smile.
"I'm really sorry for all these late night calls. It's just that you're the only one who I feel I can actually trust and who actually cares about me now"
"C'mon, Ash. So many people care about you, and I know that for a fact. I do, for one, and apart from me look at all the friends you have. You have so many friends, so many more than me because I'm awkward"
"Cooper, stop saying that! You're not awkward! You're just shy sometimes, that's all. Not like that's a bad thing either!" Ashlee states. "Stop thinking bad things about yourself"
"Only if you stop blaming yourself for Mason breaking up with you."
I hear a sigh, and then a small squeak followed with silence.
"Ashlee?"
"You're right," Ashlee says, her words filled with sadness.
"Why are you crying again?"
"I'm mad, I guess" she responds. "I hate Mason for dumping me in the worst way possible. Like, we literally had a date that exact night that he broke up with me. We went ice skating, and because I hadn't done it before he helped me and he wouldn't let me fall. We held hands and... I felt a real connection. But the idiot had to mess up probably one of the best dates I'd ever had by breaking up with me through text. He didn't even say why he was breaking up with me, and he didn't even say a goodbye." There is silence again and I can tell she is crying.
"Oh Ashlee," I say. "You deserve so much better than him. So much. He isn't worth your time or tears because he clearly is a real idiot."
"I'm sorry, Cooper, but I think I should just go now," she weeps. "I just need some time alone"
"Okay, that's okay" I say, my heart slightly sinking.
"Thanks for understanding. Bye Cooper, and thanks"
"No problem" I answer, and the line goes out as she hangs up.

12 days after.
9:47pm.
"Cooper," Ashlee says and I can hear a trace of weakness in her voice through the phone line. "I can't do this"
"Do what? Call me every night? 'Cos you've been doing that for a while now" I joke.
"Stop making jokes," she says. "I can't deal with it anymore. I still love him"
My heart crashes at her last sentence.
"Ashlee, don't do this," I say. "Don't give up. I know it's hurting right now but it will get better, I promise you. Just please, don't give up. I lo- I mean, I care about you."
"What was that?" she asks.
"What was what?" I say, maybe coming off a bit too panicky.
"What you were about to say?"
"Nothing," I worry, thinking of an excuse. "It was just a slip of the tongue, that's all"
"Oh ok" she says, and I silently sigh with relief.
"Just surround yourself with things and people that make you happy, and you will forget about it in no time. I promise you" I tell her.
"Okay," she says. "I got to go now, sorry Cooper. See you"
"Bye" I say and hang up.

21 days after.
5:24pm.
"Why can't I get over him, Cooper? Why? It's been almost a month and I still have feelings for him. He's an idiot, why do I still like him?"
"Ash, I found this article thingy with ways you can get over someone. Do you want me to read it?"
There is a small pause of silence.
"Ash?"
"Yeah, I guess so" she mutters.
"Okay, well the first point says to stay away from your ex - have you seen or talked to him lately?"
"Well" she begins, but hesitates.
"Ashlee?"
"No, no I haven't."
"Are you sure?" I say, not entirely convinced.
"Well, I did try calling him the night he broke up with me, and a few nights after that. He did pick up the third night but we only talked for a few minutes."
"What did he say?" I ask.
"He didn't say anything really. It was practically all me just saying that I missed him, and asking if we could stay friends. All he really said was that he didn't want me in his life anymore, which really made me feel good" she says sarcastically.
"Okay, but apart from that?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Okay. Second step is to organise your personal space. Like cleaning and organising your room or something so that you feel refreshed and so that it is a new beginning. Have you done that?"
"That one I have not done," she says. "I do tidy my room of course but I haven't rearranged anything. Actually...I still have pictures of him in my room."
"Dude, why? Get rid of them!"
"I want them though, they remind me of how happy I was with him."
"Okay," I sigh. "I guess we can skip that one for now. The next is to remove painful memory triggers, like a song, smell, sound or place that reminds you of him."
"I guess the pictures are counted in that category, then"
"Yeah, probably" I say.
"Okay. Then I guess this isn't going to work very well." Ashlee sighs.
"How about we keep going," I say with hope. "The next one is to get out and do things - hey, that's what I said to do!"
"Now that I have been doing," she says. "Well, trying to do."
"Okay, check that one off. The next one says to be aware that rebound relationships are common."
"No," she declines quickly. "I'm not doing that one. I'm not ready for that yet."
"Are you sure?" I say with a glint of hope.
"Yes, for sure," she says, and my heart sinks. "Okay, next one?"
"The last one says to continue taking care of yourself because it is common for someone after a breakup to lack in self-care"
"Okay. Well, you have been helping me with that emotionally, and physically I think I'm okay."
"Okay, well you're doing well. I think you just need to get over it a bit more emotionally and then you will have them all checked off."
"Cool," she replies happily. "Thank you for this, Cooper. I have to go now, so goodbye."
"Goodbye"