Chapter 7

Louise had done a lot of thinking over the last few days. It was now Thursday, just one day before her birthday and she decided to text Logan to find out what was planned. She didn't know what she wanted to do, she just wanted to enjoy the day off of work. She hadn't done anything for her birthday since she was a child. In no way did she want this to feel like a date though. Linda was already embarrassing her a great deal to the point she almost called everything off.

Louise- Hey, so what's the plan for tomorrow, Barry?

Logan- I have some things in thought, but is there anything you want to do first?

Louise- I haven't thought of anything, I'm just excited to have the day off.

Logan- What do you think of some laser tag, like old times?

Louise- That actually sounds like a lot of fun.

Logan- Awesome, laser tag it is. I'll stop by your place tomorrow sometime around 3 or 4 to meet up with you. I figured we can walk since it isn't far.

Louise- 4 sounds great.

Logan- See you tomorrow.

Louise got back to work since it was not long until closing time. She still had a lot of cleaning to do. Tina was almost to the restaurant; she left work and came straight over to spend as much time with the family as she could. As Louise was mopping the bathroom and Gene was doing dishes, Tina walked through the door.

"Hey guys, miss me?"

"Awe, look at my little baby all grown up." Linda exclaimed.

"T! I'm so happy you came down tonight."

"I had some time off of work and decided to head down for an extra night."

The family closed up the restaurant and went upstairs for dinner and catching up with Tina.

"So are you actually doing anything tomorrow for your birthday?"

"Yeah, Logan and I are going to hangout. He's taking me to the laser tag place not too far from here."

"Oh, that sounds fun, is it a date or something?"

"No, mom seems to think so though."

"I figured as much, she tends to overthink things."

"Plus I don't like him like that."

"I never thought you guys would actually be friends."

"Me either T."

"Well I already told you that I would cover for you if needed."

"Thank you"

The girls said their good nights and headed off for bed. Louise slept like a rock knowing she didn't have to work tomorrow. She woke up refreshed to the smell of breakfast cooking. She shuffled out to the sight of her dad cooking pancakes and bacon.

"Good morning Louise and happy birthday." Bob said as he slid a pancake onto her plate.

"Thanks dad." Louise poured syrup on her pancake and shoved a bite in her mouth.

Everyone made their way out wishing her a happy birthday.

"Since it's your birthday and you have plans, Tina is going to cover for you today. You have the house to yourself so do whatever you want." Linda said to Louise.

"Sweet, thanks mom."

The rest of the family went downstairs to open the restaurant and Louise decided to go back in her room for a nap before she met up with Logan this evening. She woke up just before 2 and hopped in the shower. She threw on her normal everyday attire tied off with her combat boots. She tied her hair up in a bandana headband instead of wearing her ears today. She wanted her hair to be free. She got a text from Logan.

Logan- Are you ready?

Louise- yeah.

Logan- Okay be there in 10.

She heard him knock on the door and she headed downstairs to meet up with him.

"Wow, no hat today?"

"No, I figured you've already seen me without it so why not change it up."

"Well it looks great no matter what. Happy birthday by the way."

"Thank you, I am ready to kick your ass in laser tag though."

"I doubt you'll win, I am pretty good at this game."

"We shall see, Barry."

They arrived to the laser tag facility.

"Ready to eat my dust Logan?"

"You're so confident that you'll win, it's funny."

Logan paid for 3 rounds and they were the only ones there. Louise picked a green vest and Logan picked blue. They each had 3 shots loaded into the vest before they would lose the round. The buzzer went off and Louise took off around the corner like a ninja. Logan went the other way to create some distance at first. Louise was peeking around corners trying to figure out where he went to. She was unguarded for a split second while moving to a different fixture and she heard a *pew pew*, she couldn't hide in time. She was hit.

"Son of a bitch! Where did that come from?!"

No answer. She was more careful this time and got a shot in on him when he rounded the corner she happened to be in. He shot her back making her only have 1 bar left on this round. She crawled through some blocks to get away and shield herself. There were several cubby holes to get some good sniper camping shots. She found one to rest in and got another shot in on him. It was now 1 on 1. Louise was running to her next cubby and got shot from a long range distance.

"Dammit! You're good."

"I told you!"

They made their way back to the start of the course. The next round started and Louise didn't mess around, she shot Logan immediately. Logan didn't get any shots in on her at all that round. She stayed low and well hidden.

The next round started and she changed her tactics since they changed the rules since when they were kids. They could climb on the blocks now as long as they signed a waiver that if they fell and got hurt they couldn't sue. She changed to climbing up on the blocks. He did the same to get some open ground on her. She shot him and hopped away back down to the ground. He could see her vest illuminating her hiding spot. He snuck his was over there and shot her. She bolted out and started chasing him this time and shot him again making him only have 1 point left. Logan grabbed his chest making fake choking noises.

"You're just going to let me die, how evil!"

"You should know, I am out to win no matter what."

She took her last shot to him and the lights came on.

"Damn! You won, you played a good game."

"Thanks!" She blew the tip of her laser gun like blowing smoke from a real one.

They made their way to return the equipment and out of the building.

"So is there anything else you want to do? It's only 5:30."

"Well I don't want to go home yet; I am kind of hungry though.

"What sounds good birthday girl?"

"Pizza."

"Pizza it is."

The two went to the closest pizza parlor and ordered 2 personal pans.

"So how are your parents doing?" Louise asked.

"They sign the final papers on Monday. They finally agreed on how to split everything."

"That's good I guess, at least they agree."

"I suppose, it wasn't all easy at first."

"I'm sorry this is happening Logan."

"It's fine, I'll be fine."

"Good."

"Louise?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you so much for being there for me. No one has even bothered to understand. I don't think you understand how much this all means to me."

"It's cool Barry; I am capable of having a heart some times. No one should feel alone like that."

"I'm glad you forgave me, I was such a bully back in the day."

"Well look at how shitty your life was, you didn't have anyone to discipline you."

"You're right, I still shouldn't have been such an asshole."

Their food arrived and they were pretty silent when eating. They paid and left the restaurant.

"Do you care if we go to the beach, like sit under the pier? I want to watch the ocean and see the sunset. I don't get to visit out here often from working every day."

"Absolutely, this day is all about you."

They found their way under the Wharf's pier where her dad was tied up all those years ago by Felix. The tide hadn't come in yet and everything was still pretty dry. They took a seat in the sand and Louise was digging up shells in the sand while watching the sunset.

"This sunset is so beautiful." Louise said while digging up a shell the size of her palm.

"So is the person admiring it."

Louise chucked the palm sized shell towards Logan. It hit his forehead causing instant bleeding.

"Shit, sorry for saying that, I got caught up in the moment."

"Shut up. I don't take compliments well."

"I can see that now, how bad is it?" Logan said while moving his hand from his head. Louise scooted closer and got on her knees to examine the damage she just caused to his face.

"There's a lot of sand in it and it looks pretty deep. I'm sorry, gut reaction." Logan was bleeding quite a bit too where it was starting to run down his face.

"Do you think it'll need stiches?" Louise pulled out her phone ad took a picture of it to show him.

"Probably, it's pretty gnarly looking, I'm so fucking sorry."

"It's okay, I deserved it. I shouldn't have said that."

Louise remembered about tying a bandana around her head as a headband and pulled it off. She was wiping up his face and dabbing the wound trying to clean it up. Logan looked up at Louise cleaning his face up from all of the blood. She caught him staring up at her with his blue eyes. Their eyes locked with their faces so close together. Logan could feel the want in Louise but didn't do anything.

"We should probably get you to the hospital; you're going to get light headed soon."

Logan took the bandana and held it to his forehead. They walked to the hospital and got him checked him and a new rag to hold to his face. Louise texted Tina who was still back at the restaurant working.

Louise- Hey T, Logan had to go to the ER, I am here with him and I will be home when they release him.

Tina- What?! Are you guys okay?

Louise- Yeah, I just chucked a sea shell at him and it hit him in the head. I made a pretty deep wound.

Tina- Why did you do that?

Louise- He called me beautiful and I chucked it.

Tina- Oh makes sense.

"Logan Bush." The nurse called.

Both of them got up and headed back for his room.

"So tell me how this happened here." The doctor looked to the two of them.

"She threw a shell and it accidentally hit me in the head."

"Oh my, a feisty woman."

"I'd say so."

"Is he going to need stiches doc?"

The doctor looked at Logan's head and cleaned up the wound.

"I'm afraid he will need 3 stiches. It will also leave a pretty bad scar."

"Shit, I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

The doctor got Logan all fixed up and checked out. He walked her home and they sat in front of the restaurant for a while before she went upstairs. They were already closed for the night and everyone was already in bed most likely.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yeah, I think you forgot I have been a skateboarder since I was in school. I have had worse injuries than this and way too many stiches to keep track of."

"You'll have that scar forever though on your face."

"Just call me Harry Potter."

"Not funny."

"I thought it was pretty funny, plus I will remember this night every time I look at myself in the mirror when I go back to school."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you were going back."

"Yeah in just a few weeks I will be heading back."

"I hate to say it, but I'm going to miss your scarred face."

"Awe, little Louise likes me."

"Maybe." Her face was turning red.

"No need to blush or lie Louise, I like you too."

"Really?"

"Yeah but I didn't say anything because I felt weird about it with you being 17. I figured you would hate me even more than before."

"I understand, I was just confused, I honestly haven't really liked anyone like this."

"I'm leaving for college again in just a few weeks for 3 years. I probably won't be back for those 3 years unless something happens. It wouldn't be fair to you."

"Valid point, now just isn't the right time. I wouldn't see you the entire time you were gone."

"Plus you still have a lot of living to do, you're still in high school and you may find someone you haven't ever hated before."

"I haven't yet, no one likes me there, and you understand me."

"I do, but you know we can't do anything about this Louise."

"I know, are you going to come back after you graduate though?

"Nothing is set in stone yet, let's live our lives with no hold backs, it wouldn't be fair to you. If we are both still in this state of mind in 3 years I will come back in a heartbeat for you Louise."

"I'm sure you'll find a girl in college and make a life with her."

"You'd be surprised at how little those college girls pique my interest."

"But you're hot, I'm sure they throw themselves at you."

"Yeah but I don't want someone who just wants sex."

"That's good."

"You should probably get up there and get some sleep, it's late." Logan said while pointing up to the building.

"You're right, I am tired from today."

Logan initiated a hug and held Louise as close as he could. He grabbed the back of her head and squeezed her closer to his chest. She snuggled her face deep into his chest. They stayed like that for a while.

"You've got to go sometime Louise."

"I don't want to let you go."

"I don't either, but we have to sometime."

They let go of each other and said their goodbyes. Louise headed upstairs to find out everyone had gone to bed. She knocked on Tina's door to see if she was still awake, luckily she was. They both sat down on Tina's old bed.

"T, I think I am in love with the fucker."

"No… I knew it."

"It's bad Tina."

"The age difference isn't bad."

"He's going back to Ohio for 3 years."

"Ouch, what did he say? Does he know?"

"We both know we like each other."

"That's a step."

"I don't know what to do; I am going to miss his dumbass so much."

"If it's real, he will be back for you. Talk to each other on skype or something like we do. Stay connected."

"Maybe, I don't know T. I just don't know."

Notes

I hope you enjoyed the longer chapter! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a few days, my laptops word program took a shit and I haven't had time to fix it with work. I've also been sicker than a dog this last week or more and I'm trying to take care of that. I really hope it was worth the wait. Also, please, if you have any negative comments about my writing, be a little nicer about it. Tell me what I am doing wrong vs. being a little cunt-nugget about it. What are your thoughts on this newest update? Did you expect this turn of events? Are you excited they are admitting their affection for each other? Let me know in some reviews! ***(To add in, as I re-read the chapter, Logan at the end kind of gave off a small -dickish- vibe, some may pick up on that, that's not intended, he isn't wanting Louise to go out and find someone else, but just live her life, he doesn't want to hold her back in any way.)*** Thank you all for reading! -Tardoliel