Alec entered the apartment slowly, not really knowing exactly what to say.
It was a subject he'd never had to discuss before...and it was especially
hard knowing he had to talk about it with a guy he wasn't that fond of.
Usually women just threw themselves at him, but this...her...she was different.
No matter how hard he tried it seemed like he just couldn't have her...and
she was the only one he wanted. He didn't even look at other women
anymore, because none of them could ever compare to her. He sighed in
frustration as he approached the living room. Just as expected, Logan was
hard at work at his computer. Alec tapped on the doorframe lightly,
getting his attention. "Hey, Max isn't here. She's out with Original
Cindy somewhere," Logan said as he turned to see who the intruder was.
"Actually, I'm not looking for Max. I was hoping I could talk to you...do
you have a few minutes?" Alec replied. "Sure, have a seat. So what's
going on?" Logan replied, curious about what Alec could possibly need to
talk to him about. It's not as if they were friends...they could hardly
stand each other most of the time.
"It's about Asha. You've known her for a long time right?" Alec asked. "Yeah, I've known her since she was a baby," Logan replied. "Well, I guess it's obvious by now that I like her. I more than like her...the way I feel about her is something I've never felt before. I want her like I've never wanted anything before. Not to brag or anything, but I've never had a problem getting women. But Asha...I don't know what's going on. The minute it seems like we might be getting somewhere, she bolts. I was hoping you could help me out here. Is it me? Is it her? What can I do to make her see that we could really have something special? What's going on with her?" Alec said. "Look Alec, I'm not going to help you get in her pants. If..." Logan started. "This isn't about sex. She means more to me than that. Look, I've never believed in all that talk about "the one" and "soul mates" until now. Asha is amazing woman...she's beautiful, intelligent, sweet, and she loves food. She's perfect. I-I could love her Logan, but not if she won't let me," he said softly.
Logan contemplated Alec's words for a moment. He'd never seen Alec be so honest. His feelings for Asha were very real. Alec truly wanted to make her happy, and Asha could certainly use a little of that. Logan sighed. He knew she wasn't ready, and it saddened him to think about the very real possibility that she never would be. "Alec, I know this frustrating for you, and I can see that you really care about her. I wish there was some magic word I could tell you that would make everything turn around, but there isn't. I do know why she's doing this, but Asha's like a little sister to me...and if I told you I'd be betraying her trust. I can't do that to her, she'd never forgive me. All I can say is try to be patient with her. Don't push, she's been through enough and it will only drive her away. If she cares about you as much as I think she does, she'll tell you in her own time," Logan said. Alec just sat there with sadness in his eyes. He was hoping there would be some magic solution, but there wasn't. "Thanks man. I've got to get going," Alec said as he got up and made his way toward the door. "Don't give up on her yet!" Logan yelled just before he heard the door close.
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He watched her as she stood there staring out the window. She stared out into the blackness of the night...down at the lights of the city. She had her guard down, and it was a side of her that only he got to see. She had been this way ever since that night, and it hurt him to see it. He hadn't been there to protect her—to protect either of them. It nearly broke his heart to see her wipe the tears from her eyes. He approached her with a mug of hot tea in hand. She jumped slightly as she felt the unexpected hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you looked like you might need this," he said, handing her the mug. "Thanks Logan," she said quietly. "He came here today—to talk to me about you," Logan said. Asha took a small sip of the hot liquid and sighed. "I'm not surprised," she replied. "Don't be upset with him, he meant well," Logan said, placing a hand on the small of her back and leading her over to the sofa. "I know. I'm not upset. It's just—hard, you know?" Asha said. "I've never seen him so honest before. Asha, he said he could lo..." Logan started. "Please don't. Don't say it...I just can't handle it, not yet," she said with a shaky voice, cutting him off. He sighed; it was stupid of him to try. He should have known her heart couldn't take it. In all these years, nothing had changed. Those old wounds were still as raw as the day they were made.
They sat there in silence for a while. Asha sipped her tea as Logan rubbed her back, hoping that it would comfort her in some way. "I'm sorry, Asha. I'm sorry I wasn't there," he said quietly. "You don't have anything to apologize for. It wasn't your fault, Logan," she replied. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "When are you going to realize it wasn't your fault either? I just want to see you happy again." "That my friend, is something I don't think will ever happen again," she relied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I guess we better get back to work." She yawned loudly as she made a move to stand. "Don't worry about it tonight, it'll be here in the morning. You look like you could use some sleep...the guest room's all yours," Logan said. He could tell she was physically and emotionally drained. He turned to make he way to the bedroom, but instead turned around and pulled Asha into a strong hug. She was a bit startled at first, but settled into his embrace and held on to him tightly. "You looked like you needed that too," he said. He planted a kiss on top of her head before finally letting her go. "I did," Asha said. She kissed his cheek and gave his hand a squeeze before finally retiring to the guest room. Logan stood there staring after her until he heard the click of the door closing. He really believed that Alec could be the one to save her; he just hoped something would convince her to take the chance.
TBC...
"It's about Asha. You've known her for a long time right?" Alec asked. "Yeah, I've known her since she was a baby," Logan replied. "Well, I guess it's obvious by now that I like her. I more than like her...the way I feel about her is something I've never felt before. I want her like I've never wanted anything before. Not to brag or anything, but I've never had a problem getting women. But Asha...I don't know what's going on. The minute it seems like we might be getting somewhere, she bolts. I was hoping you could help me out here. Is it me? Is it her? What can I do to make her see that we could really have something special? What's going on with her?" Alec said. "Look Alec, I'm not going to help you get in her pants. If..." Logan started. "This isn't about sex. She means more to me than that. Look, I've never believed in all that talk about "the one" and "soul mates" until now. Asha is amazing woman...she's beautiful, intelligent, sweet, and she loves food. She's perfect. I-I could love her Logan, but not if she won't let me," he said softly.
Logan contemplated Alec's words for a moment. He'd never seen Alec be so honest. His feelings for Asha were very real. Alec truly wanted to make her happy, and Asha could certainly use a little of that. Logan sighed. He knew she wasn't ready, and it saddened him to think about the very real possibility that she never would be. "Alec, I know this frustrating for you, and I can see that you really care about her. I wish there was some magic word I could tell you that would make everything turn around, but there isn't. I do know why she's doing this, but Asha's like a little sister to me...and if I told you I'd be betraying her trust. I can't do that to her, she'd never forgive me. All I can say is try to be patient with her. Don't push, she's been through enough and it will only drive her away. If she cares about you as much as I think she does, she'll tell you in her own time," Logan said. Alec just sat there with sadness in his eyes. He was hoping there would be some magic solution, but there wasn't. "Thanks man. I've got to get going," Alec said as he got up and made his way toward the door. "Don't give up on her yet!" Logan yelled just before he heard the door close.
_______________________________________
He watched her as she stood there staring out the window. She stared out into the blackness of the night...down at the lights of the city. She had her guard down, and it was a side of her that only he got to see. She had been this way ever since that night, and it hurt him to see it. He hadn't been there to protect her—to protect either of them. It nearly broke his heart to see her wipe the tears from her eyes. He approached her with a mug of hot tea in hand. She jumped slightly as she felt the unexpected hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you looked like you might need this," he said, handing her the mug. "Thanks Logan," she said quietly. "He came here today—to talk to me about you," Logan said. Asha took a small sip of the hot liquid and sighed. "I'm not surprised," she replied. "Don't be upset with him, he meant well," Logan said, placing a hand on the small of her back and leading her over to the sofa. "I know. I'm not upset. It's just—hard, you know?" Asha said. "I've never seen him so honest before. Asha, he said he could lo..." Logan started. "Please don't. Don't say it...I just can't handle it, not yet," she said with a shaky voice, cutting him off. He sighed; it was stupid of him to try. He should have known her heart couldn't take it. In all these years, nothing had changed. Those old wounds were still as raw as the day they were made.
They sat there in silence for a while. Asha sipped her tea as Logan rubbed her back, hoping that it would comfort her in some way. "I'm sorry, Asha. I'm sorry I wasn't there," he said quietly. "You don't have anything to apologize for. It wasn't your fault, Logan," she replied. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "When are you going to realize it wasn't your fault either? I just want to see you happy again." "That my friend, is something I don't think will ever happen again," she relied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I guess we better get back to work." She yawned loudly as she made a move to stand. "Don't worry about it tonight, it'll be here in the morning. You look like you could use some sleep...the guest room's all yours," Logan said. He could tell she was physically and emotionally drained. He turned to make he way to the bedroom, but instead turned around and pulled Asha into a strong hug. She was a bit startled at first, but settled into his embrace and held on to him tightly. "You looked like you needed that too," he said. He planted a kiss on top of her head before finally letting her go. "I did," Asha said. She kissed his cheek and gave his hand a squeeze before finally retiring to the guest room. Logan stood there staring after her until he heard the click of the door closing. He really believed that Alec could be the one to save her; he just hoped something would convince her to take the chance.
TBC...