Day on the Beach

High School

Olivia had been alone for as long as she could remember. Her father worked all the time and her mother died in childbirth, so until Logan entered her life she didn't really have anyone to trust or lean on. They would stay out all night driving around their small lonely town, creating chaos and urban legends as their legacy. There was never a dull moment between them.

Logan was always trying to get her out of her shell and one day in their senior year they succeeded. They were laying on the beach, watching the sunset, and Olivia suddenly turned to them and said, "I care about you a lot, you know."

"Of course I know that. You're my best friend," they responded. "I care about you a lot too."

That wasn't really the answer she was looking for. She was flooded with shame and bitterness. "Is that it?"

Logan turned to her in confusion. "What do you mean? I said the same thing you said. Why is that not good enough?"

"Because I was giving you a chance to say something bigger, but obviously you don't feel that so it's fine," she said standing up to leave.

Logan stood up and looked her in the eyes. "I do feel it. I feel it every day. Every time I see you, or call you and hear your voice, or get a text from you, I feel it," they said with fire and pain in their voice.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Olivia asked quietly.

They sighed and scratched their head. "Because I can't do that to you. You don't know everything that's going on in my life. I'm no good for you, or for anyone."

"What do you mean?" she pleaded as Logan gathered their things to leave. "Why haven't you told me this before? What's going on in your life that I don't know about?"

"I'm sorry. Someday you'll understand." Logan walked away quickly and never looked back.