Begin Again (A Starting Over Romance)

1. Olivia -18

The last box is unpacked, finally. Logan and I just finished moving in to our first apartment.

I sit in the middle of the living room and let out a happy sigh. It's been six months since I left my mom's house. Since then, I graduated high school, turned eighteen, and got my first job. Logan's parents helped me buy my first car a few months ago to get to work and back. They've been wonderful about everything.

Logan is an intern at his uncle's law firm and he has been working long hours lately so I call my best friend Ava to come over and see the apartment.

When Ava arrives, I give her a tour of our spacious two bedroom apartment and we sit on the couch and catch up. Before long we are laughing like hyenas and  have tears running down our faces.

The front door opens and Logan comes in,  he puts his bag and keys by the door. He stops when he sees Ava and me on the couch. "Hey, didn't realize we had company." He says and there is something in his voice, almost sounds like he is annoyed.

"Uh yeah, I was bored all alone so I called Ava to keep me company. How was work?" I ask him and he walks toward the kitchen and sighs "You could have cooked dinner if you were bored, I haven't ate all day, we are working on a big case and couldn't get away." He snaps and I'm not use to this attitude from him so it takes me by surprise.

"I'm gonna get going, Liv. I'll call you tomorrow and we can plan for lunch or something soon." Ava says as she stands up. I stand up too and give her a hug before she walks out of the door.

"Are you mad at me or something? I didn't know what time you were going to be home. You haven't been getting home until late so I didn't make anything. I'm sorry. I can make something real quick if you want." I tell him and he scoffs "No, Olivia I don't want you to make me anything. But next time you want to have someone over, ask me. I don't want you hanging around Ava too much, she's a bad influence." He says and I wrinkle my brows.

"So I have to ask you if I want to have someone over at my own apartment? And I didn't know you had a problem with Ava, she's my best friend, I'm going to hang out with her." I tell him and I start walking to the fridge when he grabs my arm tightly and pushes me hard into the fridge. My eyes go wide and his are filled with anger. What the hell?

"It's hardly your apartment Olivia. You don't pay anything to live here. You couldn't even if you wanted to. Everything in this apartment is mine, including you. What I say goes. Ava is a slut and you aren't going to be hanging around her anymore. I won't have you two going out and doing whatever the hell you want while I'm working my ass off to provide for you. End of discussion." He spits out and I try to get out of his grip. "Let go, you are hurting me." I tell him. He scoffs "I barely touched you, don't be dramatic." He says and let's go of me.

That's the first time I was ever scared of him. I should have walked away then, but where would I have went? And I loved him. Maybe he was just stressed. It won't happen again.

I wish that is what happened, but it wasn't.

About one month later , Logan is golfing with his dad so I meet up with Ava for lunch. I almost feel guilty because I told Logan that I picked up and extra shift at the diner so that I had a reason to be away from the apartment. He hasn't wanted me to go anywhere without him since that night a month ago. I don't know what's gotten into him since we've moved in, he is a completely different person. He's on edge all the time, he says mean little comments to me about my appearance or about how much money he has compared to me.

Me and Ava are finishing lunch and I get in my car and my phone rings. It's Logan. I answer it " Hey, how is golf?" I ask him and he says "You worked today right?" I close my eyes because I hate lying. " Yeah, Im actually leaving now, on my way home. Why?"

"Hmm, that's weird because I just came from there and they said they haven't seen you today." He says and I can tell he is pissed off.

"Logan, I can explain." I tell him

"Get the fuck home Olivia." He says before he hangs up.

Shit. My leg is bouncing from nerves the entire drive home. This is bad.

When I get home, I walk into the door and it's quiet. Eerily quiet. I find him sitting at the kitchen table with a a glass of whiskey in his hand. When he sees me, he downs the rest of his drink, slams the glass down, and glares at me. "I'm only going to ask this one time. Were you out fucking someone else while I was taking you fucking flowers to work?"

"What? No! Of course not babe. I had lunch with Ava. I'm sorry I lied, I know you don't like it when I hang out with her but I miss her. She's my best friend." My voice wobbles from the nerves.

He stands up and walks towards me. The look in his eye terrifies me. I back up until I hit the wall. He gets in my face and his hands box me in. "You just do whatever the fuck you want to dont you? You don't care about me at all so you?" He asks so mad that he is vibrating.

"I love you, Logan." I all I say before I fill a sting on my cheek. He slapped me. Hard. I look at him in disbelief and I hold my cheek.

"Don't fucking say that me Olivia. If you loved me, you wouldn't lie to me. I give you the fucking world and you treat me this way." He says and I can feel the tears running down my cheeks.

He sighs and turns and walks away.

Later than night, I go to bed and I just lay there thinking about what happened earlier. How could he hit me? I start to cry again and when I hear Logan come in the room, I try to stop crying but I can't. He is quiet as he gets in to bed. I turn the other way so that I'm not facing him anymore. I hear him sigh. I feel him move behind me and now he cuddles me. He puts his head in my neck and whispers "I'm sorry that I hit you. If you wouldn't lie to me, I wouldn't have to do stuff like that. It won't happen again."

I just nod my head so he knows I heard him. Then he goes to sleep like all is fine now.