Flashback

Asia had been on that swing all day. The tree shielded her head from the sun's biting rays as the gentle fall breeze rocked her back and forth. Her dad came out to talk to her. Her mom tried to persuade her back into the house with brownies and apple cider. Denver invited her to a party to as he said, light a fire to her mood. Oliver offered her a mug of chamomile and Eric read her several passages in his book of affirmations.

It was past five o'clock. The sun was on its way down and Ethan had just gotten off of his job at the car wash. Still, smelling of soap and wax drove right over to Asia's house. He didn't say a word as he started to push her swing. Asia looped her arms around the rope as she glided in the air.

"I got my acceptance letter from Rayford U." He pushed her back a little harder. "Full scholarship. One less thing for my parents to worry about." He waited for her to glide back to him. He took hold of the rope, stilling the swing. "Time waits for no one."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Asia trained her eyes on the pine fence that bordered her house.

"It means..." Ethan began pushing the swing again. "You can't put your life on pause...waiting for Cole to come back."

"Waiting for Cole to come back." Asia stuck her bare feet in the jade grass. "He didn't go off to get milk in the middle of the night." She stood out the swing and turned to him. "He went hiking the Appalachian Trail with his friends and the Park Ranger found his truck rammed into a tree!"

"I know." Ethan held his hands out. "But it's been three weeks."

"And?"

"And.... you have school. Class. Tests. Track." He cut between the swings to stand in front of her. "He's your brother. I know...you love him but he would not want you to stop your life."

Asia sneered at him, "What do you suppose I do, go to school and act like nothing happen...move on when I don't know if my brother is maimed or dead."

"I didn't say move on." Ethan clarified. "I said live. Wake up!" The fury in Ethan's voice made Asia jump. "I will not let you wallow. I will not let you stop moving.... because something bad happened." He cut the space between them. "I gave you three weeks to cry. Now, that time is up. Nothing fixes itself. You have to fix it. How...are you going to fix this, Asia?"

Present

With her head on Ethan's chest and his arms wrapped tightly around her, Asia cried. He gently rocked her as Eric and Oliver looked on, not knowing what to say. Ethan kept one arm around Asia's small back and pulled her hair from her face with the other.

"Asia." Ethan's deep voice was steady and calm. "How are we going to fix this?" He wrapped his hand around her taut bicep. "What are we going to do to fix this?"

Asia's mouth opened but more tears streamed from her eyes. She pulled out of his grasp. Eric and Oliver's sullen faces weren't helping her think. So, she buried her face in her shaking hands. She tried to think...think of the right thing to do. She tried to think of all the choices but there was only one road they could travel.

Asia pulled her hands from her face, wiping the tears as they moved. She sniffed her nose clean. "We are going...to go to The Factory and we're going to get Denver back."

"That's suicide!" Keller croaked as he pushed himself off the ground.

Why do you think Keller thinks it's 'suicide'?

Should Asia listen to him after his previous confession?