It wasn’t soft or tentative like at the party. This was something else entirely—hot, hungry, and demanding. His lips moved against mine with an intensity that made my head spin, his hands sliding up my back to pull me closer.
I gasped, and he took advantage of it, deepening the kiss until I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. My hands found their way into his hair, clutching at him as if letting go wasn’t an option.
The world narrowed to just us—his lips, his hands, the low growl that rumbled in his chest when I shifted in his lap.
It was too much.
I broke away, panting, my cheeks burning as I pushed against his chest. “We can’t,” I said, my voice trembling.
“Why not?” Logan asked, his eyes dark with frustration and something deeper. “What are you so afraid of?”
I couldn’t answer. Not when he was looking at me like that, his lips swollen from the kiss, his hands still resting on my hips like he wasn’t ready to let go.
“Why are you running from this, Em?” he asked, his voice softer now, almost pleading.
“Just—” I couldn’t take it any longer. I turned quickly and stumbled towards the door, my heart pounding in my chest, every step a battle against the pull of his gaze. I could feel his eyes on me as I ran down the hall, my breathing ragged, my legs shaking. I didn’t stop until I was safely outside, the cool night air biting at my skin, giving me a moment to breathe—away from him, away from everything.
***
By Monday morning, the entire school knew about our kiss at the party.
Whispers followed me through the hallways, snickers from Logan’s friends and side-eyes from girls who had been vying for his attention for years. But the worst part was Vanessa.
She cornered me in the hallway between classes, her sharp smile not quite hiding the fury in her eyes.
“Care to explain what happened at the party?” she said, her voice saccharine sweet.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, come on. You think no one saw it? You, throwing yourself at Logan like that?”
My stomach twisted. “I wasn’t—”
“Save it,” she snapped. “You’re pathetic, you know that? Clinging to him like he actually cares about you.”
“You don’t know anything about us,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.
Her mask slipped for a moment. But then Vanessa scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Let me give you a little advice: Logan doesn’t do relationships. And if he does, it’s not going to be with someone like you.”
***
I skipped the cafeteria during lunch, hiding out in the library instead. The quiet was a welcome relief from the constant stares and whispers, but it didn’t last.
“Thought I’d find you here,” a voice said from behind me, low and familiar.
I turned, and there he was. Logan, leaning against the bookshelf like he owned the place.
“What do you want?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Just busy,” I said casually, turning back to my book.
“Busy avoiding me,” he slid into the seat across from me. “Did Vanessa say something to you?”
“Logan, just drop it, please”.
“No. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I can’t do this,” I blurted out, my chest tightening.
“Do what?”
“I can’t be part of your games, Logan. I’m not like Vanessa or your other friends. I’m not—”
“—good enough? Not fun enough?” he interrupted, his voice low and dangerous. “Why are you running from me? What are you afraid of?”
I didn’t answer, but the silence spoke volumes.
Logan leaned closer, his eyes narrowing, his voice dropping to a whisper. “If you keep avoiding me, I’ll fuck you right here. Do you want that?”