Ellen was lying on her bed, just staring blankly at the ceiling. The cool sheets felt nice, but it didn't really help with her racing thoughts. In her hand, she clutched a small starfish keychain, the one Mason had given her. It was such a simple thing—a tiny, metal trinket that reminded her of the ocean. She absentmindedly twirled it between her fingers, feeling the cool metal against her skin as her thoughts drifted back to last night's conversation with Mason.
His words echoed in her mind: "I don't want Aubrey. I don't care if she still wants me." He made it sound like it was the end of the line. A clean, simple answer to a question she hadn't even wanted to ask. But Ellen couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling that hung around.