Long Distance

Eight-Austin

THE OCEAN WAVES crash in the distance, and roll onto the beach, covering my toes. I'm barefoot, walking home from the market, where I went to buy groceries for Mom. Once I get home, I'll get ready, and then leave for my date.

I still can't believe I'm going. I feel like such a cheater, such a bad person. There's no way Lexi can find out about this.

Walking into my house, I set the bags on the counter, then head to my room to get ready.

Hurrying so I won't be late, I throw on some nice clothes and gel my hair; I'm halfway through the door when I feel my phone buzzing in my back pocket.

Lexi. Oh man.

Of course, I'm excited to see her, to talk to her-I'll always be-and I miss her like crazy. But I can't let her know that I'm about to go on a date with another girl.

"Hey baby," I say into the phone.

All I get in response is sobs, and I stop in my tracks. She's crying. Lexi doesn't cry often. And where she is, it's probably really late-what is she doing awake?

"Lexi? What's wrong?"

"I n-need you. I w-want you here with m-me."

"Shh, Lex, it's okay. What's wrong? Did something happen at school?"

"N-no...school was g-great. But tonight I went to a p-party and-"

"You went to a party on your first day of school?"

"Yeah, I was f-feeling adventurous." Lexi gives a small laugh.

I sit down on my bed, needing to know why my girl is upset. "What happened, love?"

"I was walking h-home alone from the party, and a c-car pulled up to me and it was a b-boy a couple years older than us, and he s-said he'd been w-watching me and he w-wanted to give me a ride h-home. I was s-scared and tried to run but he chased me and c-caught me and t-told me he liked me and wants to

t-take m-me out. He s-scared me, Austin..."

I don't know what to say. A feeling of anger so strong washes over me that I have to shut my eyes to not become overwhelmed with emotions.

She's mine. Mine. Stay away from her. Don't hurt her. Don't touch her. Don't even talk to her or I swear I'll track you down if I have to...

"Austin?"

I breath deeply to try and calm myself down. "Listen, Lexi. I want you to protect yourself. Please stay safe, I'm not there to protect you anymore. I can't keep you safe, I'm on the other side of the world. Do whatever it takes to stay away from this guy."

I hear a shaky breath, and I know she's terrified. I just want her here with me. I want to hold her in my arms and kiss her and protect her and make sure everyone knows that she's mine and that they can't touch her.

"Okay. I'll try," Lexi whispers.

"You promise?"

"Of course."

"Thank you for telling me. I miss you. I have to go, I'm going out with friends."

I hate lying to her.

"Alright babe. I love you."

"I love you more."

Hanging up, I bury my face in my hands.

What. Am. I. Doing? I love her. I love Lexi. She's mine, and I belong with her. Maybe it's been a while since I talked to her, and saw her, and I forgot how much I cared for her, so I started to like Taylor. But now I'm realizing, Taylor's not mine. Sure, she's great and everything, but I'm supposed to be with Lexi. I want to be with Lexi. I still love her and miss her more than anything else on the planet. Compared to Lexi, Taylor is...nothing to me.