What Happens In Hamburg

Chapter 6

Logan stood nervously behind the door of the ladies room, waiting. It had taken him perhaps ten seconds to fully grasp what had happened, and he'd rushed after Rory without explanations, leaving the four looking after them in shock. Clearly none of them had realized that a simple game could've turned into something serious.

Rory paced around the bathroom, as the light over her head flickered. Her head throbbed, she'd clearly had a little too much to drink as well. And what had just happened was just too much on top of everything. She was angry, hurt, disappointed and just plain tired. She was done with the game and she needed time to process. Realizing that Logan was probably just outside that door, she understood that there was probably no reason to delay her exit. It was not like she had a place to hide or run to. And perhaps that was for the better. After splashing her water with cold water, and drying it off, she emerged.

"Ace, I'm sorry...," he began.

"Can we just go?" she said, clearly not ready to hear it.

She didn't wait for an answer and headed out the door, and Logan followed, quickly grabbing their jackets and telling Karl that they had to leave as Rory wasn't feeling well. Technically it was the truth.

The night air had turned crisp, as the two walked along the street, the establishments along the street still bustling with people, Rory hastily walking in front while Logan followed five feet after her, feeling like it was better to give her her space right now. Rory recalled the general direction back to the apartment surprisingly well, giving Logan no good reason to interrupt her. She clearly needed some space, and that was justifiable. Logan cursed his terrible judgement call. Why was it that he never made mistakes like that at work, and always with Rory? It was as if he couldn't quite think clearly around her, blinded by his emotions. On the bright side, the walk through the cool night, sobered the two up significantly.

Suddenly, about halfway back to the apartment, Rory came to a halt at a street corner. Logan hesitated, keeping his distance, observing.

"What were you thinking, Logan!? God!" she turned and raged. "You had no right to put me in that situation!" she continued shouting angrily. "What you go along with the game and just by chance the person you aim to play the joke on is the person who you know will get hurt by that. Our breakup was not just hard on you, you know. You have no idea what I went through!" she shouted, getting a few curious looks from bystanders.

Logan stood there quietly, waiting for her to say something more. But nothing came. Her last sentence had calmed him - he didn't know what she'd gone through, hence he couldn't have know the seriousness of the situation, but he hadn't been completely oblivious either. He could remember the look on her face at her graduation so well, he had no doubt she had been hurt too.

"I screwed up, I'm sorry. You're right, you're absolutely right," he admitted, finally daring to speak. "I'm still an idiot around you: I can't think straight, I overthink things, I'm scared all the time of saying or doing the wrong thing and well clearly failing," he explained, taking a deep breath, feeling defeated. "I actually considered doing the dare on someone else and then I just thought that would've hurt you too, like I'd never be willing to do it to you again, that we could never do that. I even considered just refusing to do it altogether, but then they would've wanted me to explain. And I am not ready to discuss it with them, it hurts for me too," he sighed. "I may have said what I did in the worst possible context but I did mean it, and for that I am not sorry. And no, I am not pressurizing you, I just love you, and I am terrified of losing you again," Logan said.

Rory sat down at a nearby bench, closed her eyes, leaning her forehead on her hand, letting out a shallow breath. She wanted to be angry at him, but everything he had said made perfect sense.