I would like to thank the few reviews I received:
Adreamawayfromsomewhere, Veronica, xxxSarahxxx, Base, and Exekra
It really means a lot to me that you took time to review. Hopefully you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it. Please keep reviewing and let me know what you think, good or bad.
Overdue Apologies
He arrived at the pond with five minutes to spare and she was nowhere to be seen. Her scent hit his nose before he heard the light footfalls on the damp grass. She smelled softly of raspberries, which were probably from a shampoo or lotion. However, it was still uniquely, Marie.
Logan turned around to watch her approach and noticed her eyes focused on the ground. This was a huge change from the time when she could not keep her eyes off him whenever he was around. Solemnly he observed her arrival at the edge of the pond, shifting her gaze from the green grass to the calm blue water. Gracefully she sat down on the small wooden bench located behind her and Logan.
Deciding to break the awkward silence he sat down next to her as he spoke. "Thank you for coming." It was quiet and thoughtful and the only thing he could think of to say that would not automatically shove his rather large foot into his mouth.
Her hands fidgeted nervously in her lap. "I wasn't going to." she sighed. Sliding her eyes to the corners she stole a quick glance at him before continuing. "But I was, erm, persuaded."
There was no denying now that he owed Storm for her coming tonight, he owed her big time! "Remind me to thank Ro tomorrow," he grinned.
Marie sighed, turning her head away from him to look up at the brightly lit school. The rusty brown locks cascading down her back beckoned Logan to submerge his hands in its softness. It took all of his will power to keep his hands to himself.
"It wasn't Storm who convinced me," she whispered, snapping Logan out of his reverie. In a flash of movement her eyes were boring into him, or more accurately, through him. "Why did you ask me here?" She was never one to beat around the bush.
He smirked, "I thought you would like the scenery." He knew without a doubt that was nowhere near the correct answer to her question.
Narrowing her eyes to mere slits her lips followed suit being taunt and thin. This was a look that had it been on anyone else would not have made him flinch. However, seeing her face contorted in such a un-Marie- like fashion caused Logan's blood to run cold and sweat to seep out of his pores. With a sultry voice, at least to Logan, she responded. "You know perfectly well that is not what I meant." Her eyes were piercing and frosty. "Now, if you have nothing to say I have more important things to do with my time." As each word left her mouth her southern accent deepened. Shifting her arms she placed one hand on the bench on either side of her body preparing to get up and leave.
In the hope of curbing her desire to run off, Logan placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Don't," he grunted, his eyes pleading with her to stay. He added, "Not yet," as an afterthought.
Crossing her arms over her chest, sitting up straight and stiff, she waited for him to speak again. "I'm sorry," were the first words to pop into his head and before he could stop his mouth his vocal cords had already done the damage.
The young woman breathed deep and her shoulders sagged under an invisible weight. "What are you sorry about, Logan?" She was going to make this difficult for him; truthfully it was his own fault.
"For what I said earlier," he was still looking directly at her, studying her stunning profile. Hoping with everything he had that she would turn her beautiful deep brown eyes his way, if only for a moment. "It was rude and out of line. I'm sorry I embarrassed you."
"I see," she said, stiffening once more. "Is that all?" she inquired.
"No," he saw her raise her eyebrows in question and decided to continue. "Listen, kid, this isn't easy for me."
She sighed. "You think this is easy for me?" He watched as she moved a hand through her mane, stopping to rub some tension from her neck. "You were my best friend," her eyes rolled in frustration. "Funny, isn't it? I knew you for all of 2 days, you left, came back for a couple more, than left again and I still considered you my best friend. Says a lot about my relationships." Sarcasm, finally something in which he could relate.
"Surprised I left an impact," he countered.
"Like I had a choice with you rolling around up here," she tapped her finger lightly on her temple. "Along with Bobby, John, Eric, David and the ones since you left." She scoffed, "I have my own entourage of men and I don't even have to leave my mind." Her lower lip was sucked into her mouth and he watched in amusement as she chewed upon it nervously. The pond was still the focal point of her gaze. "Why now, Logan? Why after all this time do you finally give me a second thought? I know you were infatuated with Jean so there is no use denying it."
"Man, what's with the third degree?"
"You were the one who wanted to talk, were you not? I am entitled to answers!" She was getting fiery and her words were laced with agitation.
"Fine," he grunted. Now he was getting hot under the collar. He had come here to get answers from her not to be questioned mercilessly. He maneuvered his neck until it cracked releasing some of the tension he felt. "I had a thing for the good doctor, but I was in denial. You were way too young for me, still are but then you were untouchable." His eyes widened with the slip he made. "That isn't exactly what I meant. I just meant that you, being underage, you were off limits," he quickly rushed though.
"I know," was her somber attempt to make him forget the slip.
Shifting uncomfortably on the bench, her response did not make him feel any better.
"I'm sorry I was gone for five years, that I didn't say goodbye when I left, hell," this was too much for him. "I'm sorry I left at all," he added. Mushiness, uggh! But if it helped him get back on speaking terms with the kid he would do it, as painful and embarrassing as it may be to his 'bad boy' reputation.
"Why, Logan," he could hear the playfulness in her voice, something he could not help but take as a good sign. "I see you've gone and grown some manners." Her lips were curved in the unmistakable form of a smile. She was not smiling specifically at him; in fact she had turned her gaze back to the surface of the water a while ago. As it may be, it was a start.
"Yeah, well, don't tell anyone!" he muttered putting his tough guy exterior on yet again. He removed his eyes from her profile and gazed out across the pond. He suddenly smelled her emotions go from an awkward relief to a constricted sadness. When he reverted his gaze back to her she was looking at him through water-filled eyes, her cheeks soaked from her tears. "What's wrong?" He hated seeing her upset.
"I'm sorry, too," she sobbed, brushing some of the tears away.
He was confused. "Darlin', what're you talkin' about?" he questioned moving a piece of hair off her face, careful not to touch her skin.
Regaining her composer she answered, "I'm sorry for what I said last night. The things I said when you told me you loved me." Surprisingly enough she didn't remove her eyes from his as if to prove her need for forgiveness. "The truth is Logan, I do love you; just not the way you want. I did at one time but it has changed into a friendly type of love." She paused, "I would still like you to call me Marie, that is, if you still want to."
"I'll take what I can get, kid. If you love me as a friend than that'll have to do, at least for now." He raised an eyebrow at her and winked. "You'll always be Marie to me."
She grinned and her eyes sparkled. He loved making her happy; it is what he lived for, or what he would die for, her happiness. They rose and began walking back to the mansion together in a comfortable, friendly silence.
Adreamawayfromsomewhere, Veronica, xxxSarahxxx, Base, and Exekra
It really means a lot to me that you took time to review. Hopefully you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it. Please keep reviewing and let me know what you think, good or bad.
Overdue Apologies
He arrived at the pond with five minutes to spare and she was nowhere to be seen. Her scent hit his nose before he heard the light footfalls on the damp grass. She smelled softly of raspberries, which were probably from a shampoo or lotion. However, it was still uniquely, Marie.
Logan turned around to watch her approach and noticed her eyes focused on the ground. This was a huge change from the time when she could not keep her eyes off him whenever he was around. Solemnly he observed her arrival at the edge of the pond, shifting her gaze from the green grass to the calm blue water. Gracefully she sat down on the small wooden bench located behind her and Logan.
Deciding to break the awkward silence he sat down next to her as he spoke. "Thank you for coming." It was quiet and thoughtful and the only thing he could think of to say that would not automatically shove his rather large foot into his mouth.
Her hands fidgeted nervously in her lap. "I wasn't going to." she sighed. Sliding her eyes to the corners she stole a quick glance at him before continuing. "But I was, erm, persuaded."
There was no denying now that he owed Storm for her coming tonight, he owed her big time! "Remind me to thank Ro tomorrow," he grinned.
Marie sighed, turning her head away from him to look up at the brightly lit school. The rusty brown locks cascading down her back beckoned Logan to submerge his hands in its softness. It took all of his will power to keep his hands to himself.
"It wasn't Storm who convinced me," she whispered, snapping Logan out of his reverie. In a flash of movement her eyes were boring into him, or more accurately, through him. "Why did you ask me here?" She was never one to beat around the bush.
He smirked, "I thought you would like the scenery." He knew without a doubt that was nowhere near the correct answer to her question.
Narrowing her eyes to mere slits her lips followed suit being taunt and thin. This was a look that had it been on anyone else would not have made him flinch. However, seeing her face contorted in such a un-Marie- like fashion caused Logan's blood to run cold and sweat to seep out of his pores. With a sultry voice, at least to Logan, she responded. "You know perfectly well that is not what I meant." Her eyes were piercing and frosty. "Now, if you have nothing to say I have more important things to do with my time." As each word left her mouth her southern accent deepened. Shifting her arms she placed one hand on the bench on either side of her body preparing to get up and leave.
In the hope of curbing her desire to run off, Logan placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Don't," he grunted, his eyes pleading with her to stay. He added, "Not yet," as an afterthought.
Crossing her arms over her chest, sitting up straight and stiff, she waited for him to speak again. "I'm sorry," were the first words to pop into his head and before he could stop his mouth his vocal cords had already done the damage.
The young woman breathed deep and her shoulders sagged under an invisible weight. "What are you sorry about, Logan?" She was going to make this difficult for him; truthfully it was his own fault.
"For what I said earlier," he was still looking directly at her, studying her stunning profile. Hoping with everything he had that she would turn her beautiful deep brown eyes his way, if only for a moment. "It was rude and out of line. I'm sorry I embarrassed you."
"I see," she said, stiffening once more. "Is that all?" she inquired.
"No," he saw her raise her eyebrows in question and decided to continue. "Listen, kid, this isn't easy for me."
She sighed. "You think this is easy for me?" He watched as she moved a hand through her mane, stopping to rub some tension from her neck. "You were my best friend," her eyes rolled in frustration. "Funny, isn't it? I knew you for all of 2 days, you left, came back for a couple more, than left again and I still considered you my best friend. Says a lot about my relationships." Sarcasm, finally something in which he could relate.
"Surprised I left an impact," he countered.
"Like I had a choice with you rolling around up here," she tapped her finger lightly on her temple. "Along with Bobby, John, Eric, David and the ones since you left." She scoffed, "I have my own entourage of men and I don't even have to leave my mind." Her lower lip was sucked into her mouth and he watched in amusement as she chewed upon it nervously. The pond was still the focal point of her gaze. "Why now, Logan? Why after all this time do you finally give me a second thought? I know you were infatuated with Jean so there is no use denying it."
"Man, what's with the third degree?"
"You were the one who wanted to talk, were you not? I am entitled to answers!" She was getting fiery and her words were laced with agitation.
"Fine," he grunted. Now he was getting hot under the collar. He had come here to get answers from her not to be questioned mercilessly. He maneuvered his neck until it cracked releasing some of the tension he felt. "I had a thing for the good doctor, but I was in denial. You were way too young for me, still are but then you were untouchable." His eyes widened with the slip he made. "That isn't exactly what I meant. I just meant that you, being underage, you were off limits," he quickly rushed though.
"I know," was her somber attempt to make him forget the slip.
Shifting uncomfortably on the bench, her response did not make him feel any better.
"I'm sorry I was gone for five years, that I didn't say goodbye when I left, hell," this was too much for him. "I'm sorry I left at all," he added. Mushiness, uggh! But if it helped him get back on speaking terms with the kid he would do it, as painful and embarrassing as it may be to his 'bad boy' reputation.
"Why, Logan," he could hear the playfulness in her voice, something he could not help but take as a good sign. "I see you've gone and grown some manners." Her lips were curved in the unmistakable form of a smile. She was not smiling specifically at him; in fact she had turned her gaze back to the surface of the water a while ago. As it may be, it was a start.
"Yeah, well, don't tell anyone!" he muttered putting his tough guy exterior on yet again. He removed his eyes from her profile and gazed out across the pond. He suddenly smelled her emotions go from an awkward relief to a constricted sadness. When he reverted his gaze back to her she was looking at him through water-filled eyes, her cheeks soaked from her tears. "What's wrong?" He hated seeing her upset.
"I'm sorry, too," she sobbed, brushing some of the tears away.
He was confused. "Darlin', what're you talkin' about?" he questioned moving a piece of hair off her face, careful not to touch her skin.
Regaining her composer she answered, "I'm sorry for what I said last night. The things I said when you told me you loved me." Surprisingly enough she didn't remove her eyes from his as if to prove her need for forgiveness. "The truth is Logan, I do love you; just not the way you want. I did at one time but it has changed into a friendly type of love." She paused, "I would still like you to call me Marie, that is, if you still want to."
"I'll take what I can get, kid. If you love me as a friend than that'll have to do, at least for now." He raised an eyebrow at her and winked. "You'll always be Marie to me."
She grinned and her eyes sparkled. He loved making her happy; it is what he lived for, or what he would die for, her happiness. They rose and began walking back to the mansion together in a comfortable, friendly silence.