Darkness Before Dawn

while his fingers strummed the chords. When he added, 'whiskey girl' to a song, he'd lay it on thick causing his southern drawl to come out in a raspy and husky sound, grabbing her attention. Livy's heated eyes would drift up to meet his and they'd lock in place. Whiskey girl had become a nickname he used for her and her alone.
    All of their friends had left the lake now, and they were having a heated discussion- more like an argument- with Livy about the future. Luke was trying in vain to keep his emotions at bay. Olivia took him completely by surprise with her thoughts and truth be told, it wasn't sitting well with him. He couldn't say he was completely blindsided by it, he felt earlier that she was holding back, but still, he wasn't expecting this.
    Tension mounted between them as Luke said, "What do you mean you want to leave Georgia? So you're telling me you're better off somewhere else? This right here baby," he said, hitching up his thumb and pointing to the woods behind him, "is the real deal. This is where your heart is, where your friends and family are. It's your home. You're not going to get much better than this." Luke rubbed his chest as tightness gripped him inside just thinking about it, an unfamiliar feeling creeping in.
    He paused, placing his right hand over his heart and said, "It's also where...I am. Take it or leave it. What's it going to be?"
    Sitting under the tree on an old wool gray blanket gave her very little reprieve from the sweltering sun. Olivia bit the inside of her lip as she glanced up at Luke with her big, round chocolate eyes. She could swear she heard his voice crack at the last statement he made. It was as if he was saying take me or leave me. Goodness, did it hurt to hear that since she had no intention of leaving him to begin with.
    "Take it or leave it... what is that supposed to mean, Luke?" Olivia spat out with bite. Shaking her head, she pulled up her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around and looked away. Olivia felt sick as she replayed the words in her mind.
    Luke didn't respond, instead he just stood there silently, stubbornly. She looked back up into his green eyes and saw that they held a mixture of confusion and a hint of pain yet his body radiated confidence as he spoke. Subtly, she shook her head and sighed, so frustrated by how difficult he was to read.
    Luke looked so good standing there with his deep olive tan and messy sandy blonde hair that had dried unevenly from swimming in the lake earlier. His hair was longer than most men's and full of different shades of dirty blonde that women would pay top dollar for. The strands curled just at the tips framing the sides of his handsome face. He kept pushing it away but it would just fall back. His black board shorts hung low on his waist, showing off the slight v that dipped into his suit. It wasn't pronounced, but the thin strip of dark hair driving up from beneath caught her attention. Luke wasn't overly defined or full of ridiculous bulging muscles, but he was toned to the right amount of perfection for her.
    Olivia loved Luke deeply and probably always would. He was her first real boyfriend- not counting all the losers she dated in high school. Luke was pretty much her first real everything. They began dating before college and as luck would have it, they ended up at the same university. But she wasn't destined to live in a small town forever. Olivia aspired beyond the life she was dealt, she worked hard for it. Why couldn't he comprehend her need to at least give it a shot outside of Georgia? She wasn't breaking up with him, she just wanted to see what else was out there. Surely he would understand… Or perhaps even go with her should she ultimately decide to leave?
    A current of air silently glided off the lake and through their little spot. The trees swayed causing the sun to filter through the green leaves and land onto her bronzed skin. Olivia bit the inside of her lip, a habit she had when she was nervous. She worried that the decision she was about to make could change so much between them. She knew what she wanted; city lights, a little snow, the hustle and bustle of busy streets, and most of all, a secure life where she wouldn't have to rely on anyone again. But she couldn't figure out why, deep down, she had a notion that what she was about to say could tear them apart.
    Olivia was picking at her nails as she tried to think of an answer that would be the "right one." Answering his question with