Why

Neither of them wanted to go to sleep, so they binge watched movies and shows on the couch all night until they gradually dozed off. When Aiden wakes, it's due to the sounds of birds chirping outside, and Elise stirs at his movement.

"Morning."

Elise yawns and stretches. "Oh darn, it is morning."

"Don't want it to be?" he teases.

She blushes, and the corners of her mouth lift in a slight, shy motion. "Yesterday was pretty fun. But…" Her smile fades. "Is this over now?"

Aiden sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know. I guess so. You don't want it to last any longer, right?"

"It's not that I don't want to… I just don't want to lose you."

Aiden hesitates. "Would it really be so bad if we…were together?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Yes. I mean, these last few days, if anything, were proof of how awkward it could be. I don't… I don't want something like that to happen again."

"But Elise, no matter what happens between us, I'll always care for you, whether it's romantically or platonically. Nothing would change that."

"I feel that way, too, right now, but nothing bad has happened between us yet. Who knows how we'll think if it does? If I break up with my boyfriend, I can't lose my best friend at the same time."

"But how do we know it won't work out? I mean, maybe we'd argue, like any other couple, but we might be able to get through it all. What if our relationship is wonderful, and we never get to find that out?"

Elise shakes her head. "How likely is it that you end up with a childhood sweetheart? Statistically, pretty low. Besides, we're leaving Silverstone Beach so soon. Who knows when we'll see each other again?"

"Elise—"

"Aiden, I—" her voice breaks. "This isn't something that I'm doing because I want to. Please…please don't make it any harder than it already is."

"But why? Why can't you just give us a chance?"

"I already told you. I just— can't."

"Can't you stop being so scared? You're giving up on something just based on what-ifs. We could— if only you'd try."

Frustration rises in her, and deep down she knows it's not directed at him, but she ignores the feeling as her voice rises. "Why are you so damn insistent? I'm telling you: I can't. Don't try to convince me otherwise."

"But—"

"Can you just be quiet?"

It's not her words, but her tone that stops him as he stares for a moment.

"Do you really want to know?" she hisses. "Fine. I don't want to— I don't want it to end up the way it did with my father. Maybe it's an irrational fear, but it's legitimate for me. Happy now?" She's biting her lip, trying to stop the tears. When this proves futile, she turns around and quickly starts making her way out of the house.

Meanwhile, Aiden's frozen on the couch. "Elise, I'm— I'm sorry. I didn't— I'm sorry."

But his apologies fall on silence, as she's already slipped outside.