A hickey. Finnegan McRyan gave me a hickey. I'm going to kill him. Thank God, San Francisco is permanently celebrating fall, so I'll get away with using a scarf as a fashion statement to hide the small purple mark at the base of my neck. The blue scarf doesn't match my spring jacket, but I have no more time to waste.Cars move at a snail's pace on the street as I push through my building's front door and stop outside. I wore jeans and sneakers to make the walk to our brunch meetup easier, but now the task is overwhelming no matter my footwear. Yesterday on a map, the walk from Pacific Heights to the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood didn't seem so bad. Today I'm already an hour late and the idea of walking all the way past Golden Gate Park for some Tahiti French Toast sounds impossible. It's all uphill.I eye the road in front of the building and can't spot a single Taxi. Why is it so hard to get a cab in this town? Marissa had to drive in, but with parking there is no way I can ask her

Today's beige heels look incredible with my black pencil skirt and light blue long sleeve silk blouse. A matching black blazer finishes the outfit and am ready to start my Wednesday. I don't even put on walking shoes to feign the possibility I'll walk to work. Finn and Jake have been my ride the last two days, and as I enter the lobby this morning, I'm greeted by Finn propped in his favorite spot on the wall."Good morning, Finn." I say as I'm halfway across the lobby.His mouth perks up and he takes two steps toward me dressed in his signature jeans and a blue long sleeve shirt. "Good morning, Aspen. Ready for work?""Yup. You know, you could wait for me upstairs in the hallway."Jake opens the door as we emerge from the building. "I could, but then it wouldn't feel the same. I would simply be meeting you for a ride. This feels more official, don't you think?""Um, sure." His thought process is so convoluted it makes me chuckle.His hand moves across the backseat and rests

Jake, in another black suit, waits for me outside at the end of my workday on Thursday. He opens the back door and I expect to see Finn waiting for me, but he isn't. In his place sits a small rectangular green box with a large white bow wrapped around it. I assume the box is for me, but I don't reach to take it. Finn's absence hits me harder than I would have expected. I've gotten used to his smiling face before and after work each day. His excitement is infectious. Finn always leaves me in a good mood."Are we picking Finn up now?" I question as soon as Jake is in the vehicle.He meets my eyes in the rear view mirror and hesitates in his answer. "He had to stay late for a meeting, but he said he hoped the surprise made up for him not being here.""Oh." Jake's comments don't sound good. "Do you have to go back and wait for him?" I quickly work out a plan to talk Jake into making me a tagalong. I still haven't been to the building Finn works in. He's only told me they recently bou

The keyhole laughs at me from its stationary position on the door lock. The opening is there, but I cannot get my key to fit inside. I panic. Did Finn change the locks on me? Did I break one of the apartment rules and not realize it? Did I walk past my possessions thrown out on the curb or have they already been picked over by the neighborhood vultures? How much would be left on a Saturday morning?"Your key is upside down, Aspen." It sounds like Finn's voice, but I'm afraid to move my head to guarantee it's him.My entire existence depends on keeping my body as still as possible. Any sudden movement and I might lose everything in my stomach right here on the floor. I worry puking in the hallway would violate Rule 6: No hallway adornments. Either way I can't imagine it would be looked upon favorably."Huh?" I question and hope the simple one-word response can convey what I need it to.Finn shuffles closer, as if he's approaching a wounded animal and I might attack at any moment

HIS DOOR MATCHES MINE, but it feels harder as my knuckles make contact with the wood. Finn answers with a weary look. It heightens my pissed off mood."Aspen?" I'm not sure why he thinks I'm here, but I don't give him long to ponder it."You know what? Fuck you, Finn! You think I shouldn't help my best friend when she gets her heart broken? You think it makes me such a bad person you can't date me. What does that make you? You want to act as if I'm not worthy of you? Well your loss, buddy," I yell at him and then turn to leave.I've said my piece. I skipped over the part about being independent and it didn't sound as good as it did when I practiced it with Marissa and Amanda. Plus I'm shaking, but I said it without crying so it's a win in my book."You're not a bad person, Pen." He sounds upset. The balls on this man. He's not allowed to sound upset. He lost that right when he dumped me."Don't call me Pen. You aren't my friend," I fling back at him and then stumble over my o