Logic or Love? (finale)

She sat with her head resting in her hands, gazing out the window.  Her eyes were still a little puffy from the crying, but she felt composed. Their confrontation from the early afternoon was still vivid in her mind, but at the same time very blurry. As each car passed her window she'd hold her breath for that sleek silver car of his, hoping that he was going to burst through her door and confess his love...She knew that it wouldn't ever happen though. He lived close. She could take about a ten minutes walk and be at his front door. She giggled at herself for the thought. Though she hated to admit to it, she watched her window just to see if he would come...1

The boy sat on his bed idly staring out the window. He was contemplating whether or not to just drive to her house. She lived but a minute away...No, he thought. He believed that if she cared she would stop by, but she didn't. What she said was still fresh on his mind. "You do not love me," she had said. It's not the fact that she had said those words, it's the fact that she believed them herself. The way she spoke those words sent his stomach churning. He loved her, more than even he himself knew. 2

As the sun drooped past the horizon and day faded into night, she finally got up from her bed. She took a shower and went out into the kitchen. 3

"Hey, dear. You've been in your room since school. Are you feeling alright?" her mother asked.4

"I'm completely fine, mom. Just needed to rest some," she responded with as much cheer as she could muster, which seemed to be enough for her mother. She did not want her mom to worry for her, though she knew that her mom probably wouldn't anyway.5

"Going out tonight?" her mom asked, but seemingly uninterested, which is how she was all the time, ever since her father had left.6

"Nah, I'll just spend this Friday night relaxing."7

"Okay, want me to cook you something?" 8

"It's alright, I'll just eat some leftovers..." she said, as her mother turned her attention back to the television.9

She sighed and walked into the kitchen. She put some chicken in the microwave and poured herself some soda pop. She sat on-top of the counter still thinking about him and feeling helpless as what to do.10

"Hey son, where you headed tonight?" The boy's father asked.11

"No where tonight, just going to stay in," he responded.12

"A Friday night in? Are you running a fever?" his mother asked as she laughed and tried to kiss his forehead, which was about four inches too high for her.13

"Yeah, just tired lately."14

"Okay then, well, we're going out to eat. Want us to bring something back?" his parents asked.15

"No thanks, you have fun."16

"Bye dear!" his mother waved as they walked out the door.17

He sighed and moped about his house until it was dark. He turned the television on and surfed through the channels until he finally fell asleep around eleven. 18

"Poor thing fell asleep already, must've been so tired." his mother whispered as his parents walked through the door around midnight. His mother got a blanket and draped it over him. 19

"I wish there was something we could do for him..." his mom said.20

"What's there to do? He's grown into a man, has good grades, and a definite scholarship to Stanford next year, what's he needin'?" his father said more gruffly.21

"Shh! Look at him! He's not happy..." 22

"You're just sad he'll be gone this time next year, what is he missing in his life?" 23

"Well, maybe you're right..."24

"Come dear, you're sleepy. Let's head to bed," 25

"Fine..." his mother said as they headed upstairs, if only she knew how right she was though.26

The boy tossed and turned on the couch until finally he sat up. He grunted and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He turned his gaze out the window and watched the field across the street. It was dark tonight, with only the moon peeking out from time to time. He thought about his parents, how they were peacefully sleeping upstairs while he sat on the couch unable to rest. He let his thoughts return to that girl he so loved. He thought if he kept her off his mind he'd feel better, but he gave up and decided to think about her. He continued to stare out the window and think about her...27

The girl rolled from her bed. 28

"Stupid bed..." she said as she got up. She walked from her room, only to go back to make her bed. 29

"I'm so weird...how could anyone love me..." she laughed at herself as she made her bed at three in the morning.30

Her mom was asleep on the couch with the TV on some infomercial, and walking past her was easy. She grabbed a hoodie and slipped some shoes on and walked outside. It was a cold, winter night; but she didn't feel the biting wind. She walked down her driveway, and started walking down her road. She wasn't worried about someone attacking her, this was the country, outside a small town...no one was going to hurt her. She walked and walked, she didn't know where she was going...she kept walking though. 31

She didn't know where she was going until she was there: in front of his house. She freaked out, she had not wanted to go there! She looked around, and realized he was probably asleep anyway. She turned around and headed back towards her own her house. Though it was dark she wasn't scared. Her thoughts back to when she was younger how she wouldn't even go outside after dark. She laughed, then heard a noise. Her bravery soon fled her. She froze, she didn't want to look behind her. She did an about phase and came face to face with him. She breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time her heart's beat double-timed.32

"Hey," she choked out.33

"Hi, uh, what's up?" he asked.34

"Nothing much, just hanging out..." she said regaining her composure.35

"Outside, during winter, at three in the morning?" he asked teasingly.36

"Exactly!" she grinned.37

"So, tell me, what are you seriously doing?" he asked a little more serious, but the playful tone not completely leaving his voice.38

"I couldn't sleep...What are you doing up and out?" she asked in an attempt to change the subject.39

"I couldn't sleep either and was looking out the window when I saw some shady character near my house, I decided to investigate." he laughed, though in reality when he saw her his heart had leaped into his throat. He had restrained himself from crying out with happiness. It took even more strength to not grab her up right then when he was so close to her.40

"Well, I'm kind of cold now, so I think that I'll head back towards my house." she said almost shyly, and turned back in the direction of her house. 41

"Here," he said as he took off his coat and handed it to her.42

"Oh no, I couldn't. Now you'll be cold." she said in protest as she began to walk.43

"I've a hoodie on, so don't worry," he replied and put the coat around her shoulders. She sucked in her breath at the wonderful scent of his coat. The smell of him filled her head, and she couldn't think of what to say.44

"I...I'm o...okay. Don't worry" she tried to protest.45

"It's cool," he said as he began to walk toward her house.46

"Wait, where are you going?" she asked out of confusion.47

"Well, I'm going to need my jacket back, so I thought that I'd walk with you and take it back when you were home." he smiled as he kept walking.48

"but..." she started, but decided to just walk with him. 49

They were silent for a while when she finally said something, "So, yeah, I wasn't stalking you" she laughed. Then she screamed at herself inside her mind. She couldn't believe she said that.50

"Don't worry, it happens all the time." he joked, as she was still silently embarrassed with herself. They continued to walk quietly. Nothing was said, nothing was needed to be said. From time to time the moon would lighten up the road and revealed their florid cheeks and nervous faces. They walked side by side even up her driveway.51

"Meet my house, House meet my dear friend." she laughed.52

"Nice to meet you, House." he said enthusiastically.53

"You could loiter outside my house for a while, and we can call it all even." she said.54

"That wouldn't make it even, I was thinking something else." he said with a more serious tone.55

"Would you like your jacket?" she asked sweetly.56

"I want something else..." he said softly.57

"Well there's something I want too." she spoke quietly, more to herself than him. She walked close to him and rest her head on his broad chest, while he wrapped his arms around her.58

"I love you..." he murmured into her hair.59

"What'd you say?" she asked.60

He pulled her back away from him, and looked into her dark eyes and repeated, "I love you."61

She sucked in breath and was not sure what to do now. She could feel her mind and body being lured in by him. She was lost now, she wasn't sure whether or not to believe him. He helped her decide though. He slowly, almost as if unsure of what to do, brought his face closer to hers. Then he closed his eyes and brought his lips down to meet her slightly parted mouth. 62

Immediately she stepped towards him and brought her arms around his neck and felt his arms wrap around her waist. They kissed so deeply that it felt as if their souls were interlocking. He lifted his head and as the clouds parted he laughed at seeing her scarlet face.63

She bent her head down and said, "I'm sorry..."64

"Why? I liked it." he chuckled.65

Her faced continued to darken into a maroon color and she whispered, "I, uh, I l...love you." It was so quiet that it was almost inaudible.66

"That's good to know." he smiled and kissed her again. 67

"Would you like your jacket now?" she said timidly.68

"I must make sure that you are safely escorted inside before taking my jacket back." he said as his confidence returned.69

He held open the door for her and they walked inside. They stealthily darted past her mother and retreated to her room. She quietly shut the door as he took a seat on her bed.70

"You made your bed?" he cracked up.71

"Yeah..." she said almost shamefully.72

He laughed and she say next to him. They lay down next to each other on her bed. Just laying with one another. They said nothing, and basked in the fact that they were finally together. They lay there until the sun began to crawl over the horizon.73

"You ought to go," she said sadly.74

"I know..." he said equally depressed.75

"I'll give a you a lift." she said and retrieved her car keys.
They got into her car and she drove him to his house during the wee ours of dawn. 76

"I love you..." she whispered to him, still feeling odd saying those three words that meant so much to her. 77

"And, I love you." he said as he leaned down for a kiss. 78

She returned home and still did not sleep. She plopped onto her bed and held his jacket close to her, still feeling the warmth of him.79

He walked to his room, almost in a daze. He was still scared that this was a dream and he was going to wake up at any time. He sat on his bed and thought about her. He wondered when he would be able to go over to her house. He didn't care what they did, he just didn't want to be separated from her. He was a little ashamed at how pathetically he felt that he needed her, but it was how he truly felt. He lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about her. This love he felt, it was stronger than he ever thought possible. 80

She got up and run a brush through her hair, and put on jeans and walked into the living room.81

"Hey darling, you sleep well?" her mother asked as she tried to straighten up the living room.82

"Best ever," she smiled.83

"Glad to see you rested." her mother said bored with the subject already.84

"I'm going out, see you later." she said.85

"Going out at nine in the morning?" her mom wondered, but didn't pry.86

"Yep, see you later." she waved.87

She got into the car just as she saw a gleaming, silver car pull into her own driveway. She got out of her car and laughed. 88

"I missed you," he said as he got out of his car.89

"Don't lie." she told him as she ran up for a hug. The feel of her finally in his arms again sent his heart racing.90

"No lie, I swear." 91

"Fine." she giggled.92

"So where were you headed off to?" he asked.93

"To see you." she said quietly.94

"You don't know how happy that makes me." he smiled.95

"Me too!" she chirped.96

"I love you, I am just so incredibly in love with you." he said as he held her close.97

"And I am very in love with you."