It had been a few weeks since the hospital. The physical pain had lessened, though the ache in my chest remained, a constant reminder of what I had lost. But I was healing—slowly, cautiously.
I spent most of my time at home, focusing on small steps forward. My parents had been surprisingly supportive, giving me space when I needed it but always ready to step in when I felt overwhelmed. And Logan... Logan had been my anchor.
The knock at the door that morning wasn’t unexpected. Logan had been stopping by more often, always checking in, always making sure I was okay.
When I opened the door, there he was—standing on the porch with his usual mix of calm and confidence. He grinned when he saw me, holding up a small paper bag.
“Brought donuts,” he said, his voice light. “Figured you might need a sugar rush.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “You just want an excuse to eat half of them yourself.”
“Caught me,” he admitted, stepping inside.
I led him to the kitchen, where he placed the bag on the counter and began unpacking the donuts. He looked so at ease, so... normal. I felt a little more like myself.
“So,” he said, leaning against the counter and eyeing me with a teasing grin. “Are you going to fight me for the chocolate one, or do we have a truce today?”
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “You can have it. I’ll be nice... for once.”
“Wow,” Logan said, raising an eyebrow. “Must be my lucky day.”
He handed me a donut, and for a while, we just sat at the kitchen table, talking about nothing in particular. It felt good—easy.
As the morning turned into afternoon, Logan leaned back in his chair, his expression softening.
“You look better,” he said, his voice quieter now.
“I feel better,” I admitted. “Not perfect, but... better.”
He nodded, studying me for a moment. “That’s good. You deserve that.”
I looked down at my hands, twisting my fingers together. “Logan... have you heard anything about Caleb?”
Logan’s smile faltered, his expression hardening slightly. “Yeah. A little.”
“What happened after the fight?” I asked, my voice hesitant.
Logan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “He’s out of school. Got expelled for what he did to Jake.”
My heart sank. “Expelled?”
“Yeah,” Logan said, his jaw tightening. “Apparently, Jake’s parents pushed for it. Between the fight and everything else going on, the school didn’t really have a choice.”
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. “Where is he now?”
“No one really knows,” Logan admitted. “He’s been... off the grid, I guess. Not answering calls, not showing up anywhere.”
I leaned back in my chair, the weight of the news settling over me. Caleb had always been unpredictable, but this was different.
“Emma,” Logan said, his voice pulling me back to the present. “You’re not responsible for him, you know.”
“I know,” I said quickly, though the guilt still lingered. “I just... I can’t stop thinking about everything. How did Vanessa know I was pregnant? How did she get that picture? That had to be her, right?”
Logan’s jaw tightened, his eyes darkening slightly. “It was definitely Vanessa. She’s the only one who could’ve done it.”
“But how?” I pressed. “Why was she even at the hospital that day? And where is she now? She hasn’t been at school either.”
Logan shook his head. “No idea. She’s disappeared too. I heard rumors that her parents pulled her out of school, but no one knows for sure.”
I let out a shaky breath, my mind racing. “It doesn’t make sense, Logan. Why would she go through all of this? Just to ruin my life?”
Logan reached across the table, his hand covering mine. “Vanessa thrives on control, Emma. She doesn’t care about anyone else as long as she gets what she wants.”
I nodded slowly, though the questions still burned in the back of my mind.
“I’ll figure it out,” Logan said softly, his voice steady.
For a moment, I let myself believe him. I let myself lean into the warmth of his hand, the steadiness of his presence.