LOGAN

That Sunday I showed up at the library promptly at ten o'clock. I sat in the back at a circular table waiting for Maisy to show. I was nervous; I'm not going to lie.

I spent most of the night, lying awake and reliving the earlier part of the evening. I replayed everything Maisy and I talked about over in my head; I thought about the whispery moans she made when I kissed her as I showered that morning, and pictured the way she looked when she waved goodbye as I poured myself a bowl of cereal. My head was filled with nothing but Maisy and I couldn't do anything to prevent the permanent goofy smile that was attached to my face. Even my dad noticed my altered mood.

"Good night?" he asked, slapping my back as he grabbed his morning coffee from the counter. I nodded my head but didn't give him any details; he didn't need to know any of the details. "I'll be back late tonight. Inventory. Eat without me, okay?"

I nodded again, not even bothering to give him a hard time. If I played my cards right, I could possibly be eating dinner with Maisy tonight and I was glad that the house would be empty. Maybe I could bring her back here? I knew I was getting ahead of myself but I couldn't help it. I was like an addict. I had a taste of Maisy last night and I knew I'd do just about anything to have more.

But she was five minutes late. I looked up at the clock again. Maisy never struck me to be anything but punctual, but it was still early and we had a late night so I wasn't that worried yet. I cracked open one of the books, hoping to get a head start on things so there'd be less to do when she got here.

Twenty minutes later I started to get concerned. I would've called her, but I didn't know her number and stupidly hadn't thought to ask for it last night. At first I thought maybe something had happened, but as the time continued to tick by I started to think that maybe it was something else. Maybe she regretted things. Maybe she wasn't going to show up at all.

Forty-five minutes later I had all but given up. I had myself convinced that last night never actually happened, that it was all some sort of stupid little illusion I conjured up in my fucked up head. Each of the moments I remembered started to feel more and more unreal as I sat there and waited for her.

An hour and a half later I closed my books and packed up my bag. Justin probably showed up at Maisy's house this morning. He most likely swept her off her feet with some grand gesture and they probably got back together. I looked down at the now cold coffee that I had brought for her and tossed it in the trash.

As I was trudging through the parking lot to my car my phone buzzed. I scrambled to get to it, but I let out a frustrated groan when Will's picture popped up on the screen. "What?" I sighed, taking my disappointment out on my best friend.

"Well someone's in a good mood," Will deadpanned on the other line.

"Sorry. I'm at the library. I was supposed to do a project with Maisy and she never showed."

"Ah! I was calling to see why you ditched the party so early last night, but I get it now. You had to get a good night's sleep for Maisy Jacobs," he teased in a sing-song voice. After all these years Will still loved making fun of my crush on Maisy. I knew I could shut him up with just one mention of last night. I usually didn't keep things from Will, but for some reason I didn't say anything. Besides, I didn't know if it even mattered anymore.

"Did you try calling her?" he asked.

"I don't have her number."

"I'll call Kimberly. She probably has it. I can text it to you."

"Thanks man. I'd appreciate that."

I hung up the phone and unlocked my car. I knew Will would come through with the number. He may have given me a hard time about my feelings for Maisy, but he always had my back. I just wasn't sure if I would actually use it. Maisy was a big girl. She obviously didn't come today for a reason. But what that reason was, was what was bugging me.

When I said good-bye to her last night everything seemed fine. I had no reason to think she wouldn't show up today. What exactly had happened in the last seven hours to make Maisy change her mind?

Before I knew what I was doing I found myself driving towards her house. Things were left unsaid last night and I knew I couldn't live with myself if I just let her slip away. I'm not sure what I planned on doing, or if I would even have the courage to knock on her door, but I felt myself pulled in the direction of her home.

As soon as I drove down her street I knew something was wrong. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as I took in the mess of cars parked down on her end of the block and neighbors gathered in huddled together outside her house. My pulse sped up and my stomach knotted.

I pulled up to the curb, shut off the engine, and threw open the door. Slamming it shut behind me, I jogged over to the house, stopping just ten feet away from where I kissed Maisy goodbye last night. I saw the yellow police tape and broke out in a cold sweat.

Swiveling my head around, I searched for Maisy. I looked for something that would give me a clue as to what was going on. There was no ambulance out front and I didn't know if that should make me feel better or worse, but there were three police cars. All my earlier hurt, resentment, and second-guessing evaporated in that moment and all that was left was fear, a very real fear, that something had happened to Maisy.

"It was suicide," a woman standing behind me told her friend in a hushed voice.

I spun around, the color draining from my face as I gawked at the older lady wrapped in a housecoast with her curlers still in her hair. My stomach dropped. I thought I was going to be sick. All I could hear was my heart pounding in my chest and all I could picture was Maisy waving goodbye.

What had happened in the last seven hours?

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Any guesses? Any theories as to what happened to Maisy? Were you surprised by the suicide? I'd love to hear your feedback and please don't forget to show the story some love with a vote!