The Sea Never Forgets

ChapterI-Astraea

It was a warm, humid July night, the kind that felt less like summer and more like a heavy blanket draped over the city. I'd been waiting months for weather like this after another brutal Michigan winter.

Tonight, though, the heat felt almost suffocating, pressing against the windows of the Rose Room in Birmingham, where my best friend Liz and I were spending the night.

The Rose Room was its own little contradiction. The air conditioning blasted from every vent, but it didn't stand a chance against a room packed with dancing bodies. The bass rattled through my ribs, making any real conversation almost impossible.

Nightclubs had never really been my thing.

Too loud. Too crowded. Too many people pretending they were having the best night of their lives. But Liz had spent the last ten years married to a man who barely deserved the title of husband, and after finally signing the divorce papers, she'd decided she was making up for lost time.

If Liz wanted one reckless night after ten years of marriage, I could survive a few hours in a nightclub.

"I swear, A, I can't look at another man," Liz complained, pulling her hair into a messy bun. "They're all the same. And the worst part? They either think I'm your older sister..." She paused dramatically. "...or your mom."

I laughed. "I mean, we have a similar vibe."

The similarities pretty much ended there. Liz was a natural redhead with bright blue eyes.

I had heterochromia—one blue eye like my mom's and one violet like my dad's. My hair couldn't decide what color it wanted to be either, black on top and blonde underneath. Another strange little gift from my parents.

Most people noticed the violet eye first.

They'd stare for a second, ask if I wore colored contacts, and move on. Nobody ever looked long enough to realize it was the least unusual thing about me.

My life looked normal enough. College. Michigan winters. Movie nights with Liz. Coffee runs. It was a good disguise.

"Maybe I'm secretly your long-lost Atlantean cousin," Liz said with a grin.

I kept a perfectly straight face. "Oh, definitely. Pure Atlantean bloodline."

She snorted into her drink, and a second later we were both laughing. Whatever happened tonight, it was Liz's night. I was just along for the ride.

The dance floor was packed shoulder to shoulder, lights flashing across faces I couldn't keep track of. The DJ had apparently declared war on everyone's hearing, and judging by the bass vibrating through the floor, he was winning.

I didn't even notice two men had joined us until someone slipped an arm around Liz's shoulders.

She turned immediately.

Brown hair. Brown eyes. Late twenties. Tall enough that she actually had to tilt her head back to look at him. That alone earned him a few points.

She smiled. He smiled back. Well…

That problem solved itself. Which left me with his friend.

He was probably around six-one, with wavy brown hair and eyes that looked hazel whenever the lights swept across his face. At five-four, everyone felt tall to me, but even I had to admit he was attractive.

If Liz was allowing herself one reckless night…

Maybe I could too.

He hesitated for half a second before walking over, like he'd talked himself into it at the last minute.

"I think you just ruined this entire club for me," he said, leaning closer so I could hear him.

“Oh?”

"Yeah." He glanced around the room before looking back at me. "Now I can't look at anyone else."

I laughed. "That's a terrible problem to have."

"It really is."

His smile caught me off guard. Not because it was perfect. Because it wasn't. It looked real.

"What 's your name?"

I laughed before I could stop myself. "Anna."

It wasn't my real name. I never used my real name in clubs. It was easier that way. Strangers didn't need to know anything about me beyond the next few hours.

"Anna," he repeated, like he was trying it out. "I'm Logan." He studied me for a second. "You know..."

"What?"

"You don't seem like someone who tells strangers much."

"Maybe I don't."

"See?"

"See what?"

"I was right."

That caught me off guard. Just enough that I hesitated. Then I tilted my head.

"Maybe I haven't decided if you're trustworthy yet."

Logan laughed. A real laugh. Not the polite kind people fake because they think they're supposed to.

I tried to focus on the music again, letting the bass vibrate through my body, but my eyes drifted toward Liz almost immediately.

She was already wrapped around Jake, kissing him like she was trying to erase the last ten years of her life in one night.

A small wave of dread mixed with amusement settled in my chest. Liz was absolutely leaving with him.

When I turned back around, Logan had moved closer without me even noticing. Close enough that I had to tilt my head to keep looking at him.

His eyes flickered toward his friend for a second before settling back on me. I knew what usually came next.

The invitation. The compliment. The assumption that I'd say yes.

But Logan didn’t say any of it.

Instead, his hand lifted slowly, fingertips brushing lightly against my jaw before he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. The touch was unexpectedly gentle compared to everything else around us—the music, the flashing lights, the strangers constantly bumping into each other.

My necklace warmed against my skin. Not enough to hurt. Just enough to make me catch my breath. Logan noticed immediately.

"Are you okay?" he asked, leaning closer so I could hear him.

"Yeah." I glanced toward the dance floor. "Just warm in here."

He looked at me for another second, like he wasn't sure he believed me.

"You're hard to figure out."

"Maybe."

"You always answer questions with another question?"

"Only when I don't know the person asking."

"Harsh."

"You'll recover."

He smiled.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"The hair definitely helped."

“And?”

“... The dress didn’t hurt either.”

I should've rolled my eyes. Instead, I laughed. And annoyingly enough, I liked him a little more.

The necklace stayed warm against my skin, pulsing softly beneath my collarbone. Weirdly comforting. Weirdly alive.

And honestly? That should've worried me more than it did. I barely knew him. Normally, that would've been enough to make me walk away.

Tonight… Apparently not.

His hand slid carefully to my waist then, waiting—giving me every opportunity to step away.

I didn’t.

Something shifted in his expression. Not surprise. Relief.

He moved closer, one hand brushing gently against my cheek. His eyes stayed on mine for a second, almost like he was waiting for me to change my mind.

He gave me every chance to stop him.

Then he kissed me. Somehow, it didn't feel anything like the chaos around us. Slow at first. Intentional. His mouth moved against mine slowly, one hand steady at my waist while the other rested lightly against my face.

And this time… I felt it. Not just attraction.

The spark. Not overwhelming. Not consuming. But undeniably there.

Something deeper flickered beneath it. Warmth spread through my chest so suddenly it caught me off guard.

My stomach flipped. Then it flipped again.

For one strange, dizzy second, the music disappeared. So did everyone else.

My fingers curled instinctively into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him slightly closer before I could stop myself.

Logan reacted instantly, his hand tightening against my waist like he'd felt it too.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead nearly brushed mine. His eyes looked darker now, almost stunned beneath the flashing club lights.

“Okay,” he murmured softly, sounding genuinely caught off guard for the first time that night. “That definitely wasn’t supposed to happen.”

I blinked. “What?”

His gaze searched mine for another second before the easy smile returned, softer now.

“Nothing.”

Before I could ask, his friend appeared beside him saying something too fast for me to catch over the music.

Liz stumbled into view looking like she'd completely forgotten where she was. Her lipstick was smeared halfway across her face, and her sweaty hair was sticking to her forehead.

She pointed dramatically between me and Logan, looking absurdly pleased with herself.

"Good," she laughed. "Now I know I wasn't imagining the chemistry between you two."

I laughed despite myself, shaking my head at her.

Logan leaned down closer to me again, his mouth near my ear.

"Want to get out of here?" he asked, leaning close enough that I could hear him. "Somewhere quieter. Maybe the hotel down the block?"

The way he said it wasn’t pushy. It sounded more like an invitation than a proposition.

I looked toward Liz.

She was nodding so aggressively I thought she might actually hurt her neck.

“Please,” she mouthed dramatically. “I’m begging you.”

I rolled my eyes, but I already knew how this night was going to end. There was no universe where Liz was calling it a night anytime soon.

And if I was being honest…

I wasn't ready for the night to end either

“Okay,” I said finally, looking back at him.

Something warm flickered across his face. Not victory. Relief.

He reached for my hand as we started moving through the crowd. His fingers slipped between mine so naturally I didn't even notice until we were already walking.

The second we stepped outside the club, the silence hit me like a wave. My ears rang after hours of music, and the warm Birmingham night air felt impossibly soft against my skin after the freezing air conditioning inside.

Logan stayed close beside me as we walked, one hand resting lightly against my waist.

Ahead of us, Liz and his friend were laughing so hard neither of them seemed capable of finishing a sentence.

“You’re quieter out here,” Logan said softly.

I glanced at him. “Maybe I can finally hear myself think.”

He smiled. “And what’s the verdict?”

“Still undecided.”

“About me?”

I looked at him sideways, pretending to think about it. “Maybe.”

He laughed quietly under his breath. “Fair enough. I probably deserve that.”

It should've sounded arrogant. Somehow… It didn't.

Under the streetlights, I realized he could actually see me now. The club had hidden the details. Out here, there was nowhere to hide the contrast between my eyes or the strange color of my hair.

Logan noticed almost immediately. His steps slowed slightly. “Your eyes…”

I immediately prepared myself for the usual reaction. Questions. Confusion. Weird fascination.

But he just smiled softly. “They’re beautiful.”

The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. I didn't answer right away.

Before I could think of something sarcastic to say, his friend turned around and started walking backward in front of us.

"Anna, I don't think we officially met yet. I'm Jake." He held out his hand.

I laughed and shook it. “I’m pretty sure I watched your entire soul leave your body while kissing Liz.”

Liz burst out laughing. "Oh my God, I love you."

"See?" Jake pointed at me, then looked at Logan. "You're screwed."

Logan groaned quietly. “Please ignore him.”

“Can’t,” I replied lightly. “He’s unfortunately entertaining.”

Jake placed a hand over his chest like I’d deeply moved him.

"Thank you." He looked at Logan. "I like her."

I caught the quick look Logan shot him then—a warning mixed with amusement. Interesting.

"Okay..." He frowned. "Your eyes are actually insane."

“Jake,” Logan muttered.

“What? I’m respectful.”

I laughed softly. “Thank you.”