—Logan—

I slouched back in my chair, glazed-over eyes directed at the clock above the blackboard. Fifteen minutes until freedom. Tick tick tick.

Most days, I didn’t mind Mr. Schmidt droning on and on about a supposedly exciting math theory—sorry, man, it’s never going to be cool; stop trying to make math happen—but this wasn’t most days. It was my six-month anniversary with Zoe, and I knew she was counting on something special. She’d been bringing it up constantly for weeks. So, yeah, even though it was totally lame to celebrate it, I’d actually gone to a bit of effort to make today special. And, okay, I was actually kind of looking forward to it.

I tapped my foot impatiently, focusing on the hands of the clock. Eight minutes until freedom.

With painful slowness, the minutes ticked by until at long, long last the bell rang, waking the rest of the class from its boredom-induced stupor and signaling my imminent release.

“Alright,” Mr. Schmidt said. “Remember to read the first three sections of chapter four; there may be a quiz on Monday.” People were fidgeting and packing up but nobody had gotten up; I was ready to fly out of my seat.

“You’re dismissed. Have a good weekend!” I was out of the room before he’d even finished saying “dismissed.”

I headed down the hall to my locker where I found Zoe waiting for me. I broke into a smile as soon as I saw her. Whenever she was around, I couldn’t help it.

“Hey.” I leaned in to kiss her. “How was class?”

“Oh, you know,” she said flippantly. “A lot of dead guys.” She had history last period.

I shoved my books into my locker—lol studying—and then took her hand. “So, tonight, maybe avoid the super spiky heels.”

Zoe laughed and looked up at me curiously. “Silence all week and this is the first clue I get?”

I grinned. “I’m also picking you up at six.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re a jerk.” I could tell by her smile, though, that she really liked the suspense. “Give me a clue.”

I shook my head, holding the door open as we left the building. “Can’t do that. You’ve gotten all you’re going to get.”

“I hope not.” She shook her head, a light brown lock of hair falling into her face. She quickly tucked it behind her ear. “Fine, keep your secrets, but you better not disappoint. Dinner at your mom’s restaurant really doesn’t count anymore.”

“Pfft, you should be so lucky.”

Zoe’s mom’s car pulled up at the front of the pick-up line. I waved to her and then kissed Zoe’s again. “I’ll see you later, baby.”

“Bye, babe.” She turned and walked away. I shamelessly watched, letting my eyes linger on her ass.

A minute later, Mom’s sleek blue car pulled up. Not for the first time, I had a moment of wishing we were back in the states. I’d be driving myself around by now. I shrugged it off and went over to the car. I had better things to worry about than how I was getting home.

A couple of minutes after six that evening, I stepped out of the Uber outside of Zoe’s house. The small wrapped box in my pocket felt ten times heavier than it really was; I’d never given a girl jewelry before. Well, not real jewelry. Cheap stuff, sure, but I’d had to give up a big chunk of my meager savings and promise away a month’s allowance to get my parents to let me buy it with their card. And that wasn’t even mentioning the way they’d looked at me when I’d told them what I wanted to do; their eyes had screamed isn’t our baby so cute and aww he’s growing up. And I think they’d glistened.

I walked up to the door and rang the bell. I really hoped Zoe wasn’t disappointed with what I had planned. I’d find out soon enough.

After a minute, the door opened to Zoe’s smiling face. Just seeing her made the growing knot of nerves in my stomach fade away. “I’m ready to go.”

“Actually, wait. I wanted to give you something before we go.”

Her eyes widened in surprise when I reached into my pocket and pulled out the rectangular box. “I got this for you.”

Grinning excitedly, my girlfriend tore into the wrapping paper to reveal the velvety necklace box beneath. When she pulled it open, the thing actually did the whole twinkle-in-the-light thing as if I’d planned it that way.

“Oh, Logan, it’s beautiful.” She looked up at me wide-eyed. “It’s—it’s gorgeous. Thank you.”

I smiled, more than a little relieved. “Do you want to wear it?”

“Hell yeah.” She took the delicate chain of gold out of the box and handed it to me. I clasped it around her neck, and she turned around to face me. “How does it look?”

“Beautiful,” I said honestly.

She leaned up and kissed me slowly. “Thank you, Logan.”

No matter how many times I heard it, I couldn’t help but smile at the way she said my name; she tried to say it the American way, but the G was still too soft. “You’re welcome. So, let’s go?”

She laughed but started walking with me. “You mean there’s more tonight?”

I grinned. “What? You mean all I have to do is give you a necklace and it’s naked time?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, lover boy.” She gave her hips a saucy shake as she climbed into the Uber. “It’s just going to be a tough act to follow.”

“Okay, I started to get confused when we ate dinner at a burger joint, but now we’re getting on a ferry, and I’m really confused.”

I squeezed Zoe’s hand and smiled over at her. “Would you just trust me?”

We boarded the ferry. I led her over to the side, and we watched the lights glimmer over the water. After a few minutes, I covered her eyes.

“Logan!” She squawked. “I know we’re going out to an island.”

“But not which one,” I said with a grin.

She complained for a minute longer, a laugh in her voice, before throwing in the towel. “You’re enjoying this too much.”

“Kind of, yeah.”

When the ferry finally stopped, I led her off and walked up the shore with her and into the trees. “We’ll be there soon.”

“Where?” She laughed. “Murder Point?”

“Ha ha.” The last time we’d been there, we’d gone the direct way. This time, I’d found a second way in so that it would actually be a surprise. I just hoped I didn’t get us lost.

Just when I was starting to worry we’d taken a wrong turn, we stepped out of the brush and there it was.

“The Bluffs,” Zoe said, a soft smile on her face. She turned to me. “This is where we came on our first date.”

I smiled broadly, more than a little proud of myself. “I invited you to a party the football team was throwing.”

“And before we came, I made you stop at the burger place because I was worried they wouldn’t have food here.” She wrapped her arms around me. “Has anybody ever told you how sweet you are, Logan Thoreau?”

“I can think of a girl who might’ve mentioned it once or twice.” I brought her hand up and kissed it, feeling the chill that had started to set in. “Why don’t I see if I can’t get that bonfire over there going?”

I went over to the wood I’d stacked the day before and started the fire. A few minutes later, orange flames were licking up at the sky.

Zoe joined me and slid her arm around my waist. She tilted her head to lean against my shoulder. “You’re pretty much the best boyfriend ever.”

I just smiled and squeezed her against my side.

“I wish you could stay the night,” Zoe said with a sigh, sitting up on the side of the bed. “My parents won’t be home until tomorrow afternoon.”

I pulled my pants up. “My parents would find me and murder me long before that.”

“They probably would just ground you.”

“I’d rather not test that theory.” I bent down and picked up my shirt from the floor. “As it is, I’m going to get chewed out.” Zoe’s bedside clock was taunting me with the time: 12:40 AM. It’d be after one when I finally got home.

“Was it worth it?”

I took her hand and tugged her to her feet, pulling her into a deep kiss. “Fuck yeah, it was.”

Reluctantly, I pulled away from her and finished pulling my clothes on. I promised to call her the next day and left the house.

When I got to the house—which was a far cry from the one I’d grown up in in Oasis Springs–, as I’d feared, lights were still on. I could even see Dad’s figure through the window. I took deep breath and let myself into the house.

Dad stood up angrily. “And where the fuck have you been?”

I sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. Zoe and I lost track of time.”

“Doing what I wonder.”

“God, Dad, we’ve had this conversation. I’m not going to end up like Tobi.” The last thing I wanted was a kid.

“If you want us to trust you, you might try getting home when you’re supposed to. Two more times, Logan, and then the curfew goes back to ten every day of the week.”

“Whatever.” Thanks, Captain Buzzkill. “I’m going to bed.” I turned away from him and went upstairs.

I stripped down and climbed into bed. Aside from a slight fight with my father, tonight had gone way better than expected. I’d never forget how happy Zoe had looked when she saw the necklace. Even though I’d just seen her, I looked forward to talking to her tomorrow. Seeing her on Monday at school.

I let the lingering scent of her sweet perfume lull me to sleep.

Hi guys! Any of you still remember me? I wouldn’t say that real life is calm now–I still don’t have a job or my own home (a big thanks to raerei for letting me play home invader)–but I’ve felt a lot more interested in writing. Thanks in no small part to an inspiring trip to Maine where I got to visit with the very best minds in simlit (obviously I mean CitizenErased14, Raerei, Trip, and Julyvee), I’ve been brainstorming and outlining and, yes, writing. Let’s all cross our fingers and hope that I can keep going.

Starting today, chapters will post every Tuesday.