This time, no tears came. Maybe I'd run dry—or maybe something deeper had finally settled in.

I'd accepted it: Ashton and I were over.

Driving back, the rain was pouring so hard it seemed ready to flood the streets. Whether I was spaced out or the roads were just too slick, I didn't brake in time and rear-ended the car ahead of me.

The downpour was so heavy that neither of us bothered getting out. We just called the cops and waited in our ...