“Yeah. You’ve hid yourself from everything, El. Like, I’m pregnant and Jodi and Derrick are having a boy, and Trice and Walter are adopting a baby boy from Guatemala, and you don’t know any of that because you won’t return anyone’s calls. And when you’re around me, you shut down, only talking about business.”

Shit. All that stuff happened in two months!?

“This has got to stop, Elli. You’ve lost so much weight, you aren’t sleeping, and you’re a mess.”

“I’m fine.”

“If you say you’re fine one more time, Eleanor Ray Fisher, I will knock you stupid. I know you’re not fine.”

“Harper, you’re being dramatic. I’ve closed off some, so what? I’m okay.”

“If you were really okay, Elli, then why are there two boxes full of home decorating magazines in the lobby that you have yet to take home?”

For the first time, Elli actually wanted to physically hurt her best friend. How dare her bring up those boxes! She knew Elli couldn’t even look at them without feeling like her heart was breaking all over again. Elli hated those boxes, they were for a house she would never have. The day they came in, Elli cried for hours beside them. That was also the day she decided to start working over at the headquarters full time.

“I have no use for them.”

“Well you are taking them home today. Jakob already loaded them in the back of your truck.”

It took everything out of Elli to say, “That’s fine.”

“I bet it is. You listen to me, Eleanor Fisher, you are done. You have two choices: straighten up and get back to your life, or stop being friends with me. I can’t take it. I can’t take the worry, the hurt every time I see you. I want my best friend back.”

Elli looked at her like she was crazy.

“You’re gonna give up on our friendship because I’m trying to get over my ex?”

“Elli, if you were actually trying to get over Shea, I wouldn’t threaten you. But look, I can’t even say his name without you looking like I slapped you!”

Elli didn’t even realize she had made a face, so she looked down at the ground as Harper went on.

“You are not trying to get over him, you are torturing yourself, when all you have to do is call him, talk to him and I’m pretty damn sure he will want to see you. He misses you, he needs you.”

“I don’t miss him,” Elli lied, and Harper knew it. Harper shook her head, as tears came to her eyes. When they fell over her cheeks, Elli couldn’t help but start crying too.

“I’m done,” Harper cried, “You heard me. Get your shit together or I can’t be your friend.”

“And how do you suggest I do that, Harper? Please tell me.”

Harper threw her arms in the air with a shout, “You can’t get over him because you’re not meant to! You are meant to be with him for the rest of your life. I’ve talked to him, and I believe that he didn’t kiss Victoria, and you of all people should believe him. Victoria is vicious, you know that!”

“You didn’t see them together.”

“And yet, you still won’t confront Victoria about it. Why is that?”

“Because I hate her.”

“No, it’s because when you do, you’ll know she’s a f**king liar and then you will look like an idiot for making yourself and Shea suffer. You are making him pay for Justin’s mistakes. You want to be lonely. You’re pathetic.”

Elli narrowed her eyes, not believing what was coming out of Harper’s mouth.

“I mean, shit, Harp, don’t hold back!”

“Oh, I won’t. This is two months of anger that you’re getting. I’ve had it!”

“So you’ve made perfectly clear,” Elli answered.

“There is a ball tomorrow, and Shea is going. I want you to go. Maybe seeing him will help because God knows when y’all are in the same room, people have to wear sunglasses because the sparks are so bright.”

“I’m not going,” Elli argued.

“Okay. You better hope the next time I see you, you look better. Or we’re done.”

“You don’t mean that,” Elli said with a shake of her head.

“Try me, Elli, just f**king try me.”

With that, Harper left the room as a jagged sob left her body. Elli fell into the chair that was beside her and decided that her day wasn’t going to get any better.

“Jesus, baby girl. Every time I see you, I wonder if it’s even you.” Bryan said as Elli entered his box, “You’re getting skinner by the day, I swear to it.”

“Is that a compliment?” Elli asked, wrapping her arms around her papa, kissing him on his cheek.

“No, baby girl, it’s not. You’re scaring me.”

“I’m fine.” Elli said for the umpteenth time that day. She walked past him, going to the bar for a beer. Once she had one, she looked down at the ice, watching the guys warming up. Elli knew she could probably pick Shea out of a crowd of a million, and hated the way her eyes drifted right to him as he lined up his shot before shooting the puck into the net.

“Honey, aren’t you cold? I should go get you a new jersey.” Bryan said as he came to stand beside her. Elli shook her head. It would be a cold day in hell before she would ever wear another Assassins’ jersey with someone else’s name and number on the back.