Days had passed since I sent Vanessa that message. Each time I checked my phone, I felt the same bitter mix of disappointment and relief. No response. I shouldn’t have expected one—not from her. But her silence felt louder than any reply.
I tried to focus on moving forward. Studying for college, making plans, dreaming of a future where everything wasn’t constantly spiraling out of control. But no matter how hard I tried, Vanessa lingered at the edges of my thoughts, her shadow impossible to ignore.
When Logan showed up that afternoon, it was like a break in the storm. He didn’t knock—he never did anymore—just walked in like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Hey,” he said, leaning casually against the kitchen doorway, his familiar smirk tugging at his lips.
“Hey yourself,” I replied, setting aside the textbook I’d been pretending to read.
“What are you working on?” he asked, nodding toward the book.
“Just some prep for school,” I said with a shrug. “Trying to stay ahead.”
Logan crossed the room, leaning over to glance at the page I’d been on. “Looks complicated,” he teased, his voice low.
I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips. “Not as complicated as you make it out to be.”
His laugh was soft, warm, and so incredibly Logan. For the first time in weeks, I felt a sense of calm settle over me. With him here, the noise in my head seemed to quiet, just a little.
Later, we ended up on the couch, the late afternoon sunlight spilling through the curtains. I leaned into Logan, my head resting on his shoulder as his arm wrapped protectively around me.
“This feels nice,” I murmured, my fingers brushing lightly against his.
“Yeah,” Logan replied, his voice soft. “It does.”
He tilted his head slightly, looking down at me. His blue eyes held something I couldn’t quite name—something tender, something steady.
Before I could stop myself, I leaned in, closing the distance between us. Our lips met in a kiss, slow and warm, the kind of kiss that made the rest of the world fall away.
For the first time in what felt like forever, everything felt... right. Perfect.
Logan’s hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin as the kiss deepened. He pulled me closer, his other hand trailing down my back, sending a shiver through me.
“Emma,” he murmured against my lips, his voice low and rough.
I pulled back just enough to look at him, my heart racing. “What?”
“You,” he said simply, his forehead resting against mine. “You’re everything, remember?”
His words hit me like a wave, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. But then I smiled, leaning in to kiss him again.
His phone pinged right in the middle of our hot kiss.
“Em, you need to see this, I got a text,” he said, standing and crossing the room. His tone was casual, but there was a tension in his jaw that made my stomach twist.
“A text?” I echoed, already bracing for the worst.
Logan handed me his phone, and I stared at the screen, my heart sinking.
Vanessa:
We need to talk.
Tomorrow. 9 PM. Be alone.
I looked up at Logan, the sinking feeling in my chest growing heavier. “When did you get this?”
“Few minutes ago,” he said, crossing his arms. “ I don’t know what she wants, Emma, but it feels... off. Why reach out to me now, after everything?”
I pressed a hand to my stomach, a nervous habit I couldn’t seem to shake. “This isn’t good, Logan. Whatever she wants, it’s not good.”
Logan nodded, his expression hardening. “I’ll go. We’ll never know what she’s up to if I don’t. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
But I did worry. The perfect feeling from earlier had evaporated, replaced by a gnawing dread I couldn’t shake.
“Be careful,” I whispered, looking up at him.
He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “I will. I promise.”
But as Logan left, the knot in my stomach only grew tighter. Whatever Vanessa wanted, it wasn’t going to be good.