The Good That Won't Come Out

"Lauren, I'm leaving," she said, "I can't handle this. I can't hang out with Patrick anymore."

"Ok, let me guess, you're going for a walk?"

"Yah."

Hailey left the club and the tears began to fall. She made her way out to the beach and started to sob. Everything had rushed right back and the game they had been playing, the friend game, came to a crashing stop. She flopped onto the sand and tried to regain her composure. Someone came up and stood beside her.

"Lauren said you'd be out here."

"Hi, Patrick," she said shyly. "I'd really just like to be alone."

He was silent for awhile.

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Alone, Patrick, alone,"

He held his hand out to help her up and she reluctantly took it. They began to walk down the beach. Hailey took her shoes off and carried them in one hand.

"So, what happened back there?" he asked.

"Patrick, I just can't be friends, there is too much of a history. And, I don't want to ruin your relationship. It's just not going to work."

"I know."

"I don't think we should hang out."

"I know."

"I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," he said. "I overstepped my boundaries."

He turned and faced her. He hated what they were doing to each other. Her eyes were full of pain and it was obvious she was upset.

"All we do is hurt each other," he murmured.

"Patrick, I'm going to go back to the hotel."

"Ok, good night."

For the rest of the week, Hailey basically hid in the hotel room. She felt like she did so long ago when the despair was so bad that she couldn't get out of bed. Lauren tried to talk to her, but she wasn't very talkative. She couldn't wait to get back home, to her normal life. She didn't see Patrick for the rest of the week.