Loving Logan

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Casey's locker is just a few down from mine so we get to see each other between every class, which is great since we only have one together this semester. Her face is buried in her locker while she goes on and on about how much she hates Mr. Parker, our history teacher. Casey had him for history last year and since she's a smart ass, the two didn't really get along.

I see Logan coming towards us and I try to think of something to say, something a little more than 'I like your shirt'. Maybe I can ask him what classes he has to see if we have any together?

Yeah, that sounds good.

When he gets closer, his eyes meet mine and I couldn't speak if I wanted to. I can't even breathe. His incredible blue eyes have squeezed the air right out of my lungs. He gives me a small smile as he passes me and I nearly faint.

Logan Malone doesn't smile.

I'm snapped from my thoughts when I hear Casey slamming her locker shut. "Katie?"

"Huh?"

"Are you high?" she asks, narrowing her eyes and studying my face as if she's checking to see if my eyes are red and puffy.

"No! Are you?" I ask nervously, not really knowing what else to say. She's totally on to me.

She looks behind me before looking back at me with a smirk. "You're checking Malone out again? Damn Katie, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush-"

"Don't you dare!" I snap, poking her arm. "I don't have a crush on him. I'm just...I..."

"Want to have his babies?"

I scoff. "You are so far off!"

We start walking to class, pulling out our schedules along the way. "Who do you have for first period?" Casey asks.

"Mrs. Baker. Chemistry," I reply enthusiastically. I want to be a doctor someday, so any type of science fascinates me. "Who do you have?"

"Parker," she facepalms. "I knew it. I knew it. Ugh, I hate that guy; with his stupid bow tie and stupid glasses and his stupid comb over. He's just so..."

"Stupid?" I laugh.

"Yes! And I get to start the day with all that stupid." She stops and looks around at the crowded hallway. "Anyway, I'll see you at lunch, I guess. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck!" I call to her as she's already walking away.

I start to class and make it just before the last bell rings. Since I'm one of the last students walking into the classroom, there's only a couple of available seats. I see one at the back of the room, but as I start towards it, someone takes it. I look across the room and see another empty seat by the window, so I quickly make my way over, only to be almost knocked down to the floor by the pain in my ass, Colton Turner.

"I'm afraid this seat's taken," he smirks, taking my seat.

I roll my eyes and turn to walk away, but I feel a hand clasp around my wrist. "Wait."

I jerk my hand away from him and scowl. "What, Colton?"

"If you really want this seat, I can think of a way you can-"

He stops suddenly when an arm reaches out from behind me, clasping onto his and pulling him up out of the chair.

"What the f**k, Malone?!" Colton asks, standing to his feet and backing away like he's afraid.

My eyes spring open wide when I see Logan Malone towering over Colton. Colton is tall enough, but Logan is huge and intimidating. His fierce blue eyes bore into Colton. "Katie is sitting here."

Logan takes a threatening step towards Colton before he can say anything else. Colton's a d**k, but no one is brave enough to mess with Logan. With a huff, Colton turns away and walks towards the last available seat at the back of the classroom.

Far, far away from me.

I give Logan a nervous smile as I sit down. He doesn't say anything, doesn't even smile back. He just looks at me with those intense blue eyes before walking back to his seat, two rows over from mine.

What the hell was that?

-

I couldn't concentrate all through Chemistry. I kept replaying Logan's confrontation with Colton over and over in my head. Why did he do that? I know Logan doesn't like Colton, so maybe he was just tired of seeing him be a jerk all the time. I can't help but think that this would be the perfect opportunity to talk to him, to tell him thanks for sticking up for me.

When the bell rings, I quickly make my way to the door, but I get tangled up in bodies and lose sight of Logan. When I make it out into the hallway, I look around, but he's nowhere to be found.

Not paying attention to where I'm going, I face plant someone's open locker door and fall on my ass. Laughter carries through the hallways as I try to get back up on my feet.

A hand reaches down for me and pulls me up.

My heart almost leaps out of my chest at the sight of him. Josh Matthews; my crush for the past three years.

"You okay?" he asks.

I nod, but I'm not able to speak. This always happens to me when I'm around him. I freeze up and forget every word of the English language. Josh is man pretty. He's tall, muscular and has a deep, gravelly voice that most guys his age can only dream of having. He has soft brown hair and dreamy chocolate brown eyes. He's the star of my dreams; the ones I know will never come true.

His eyes move up and down my body, making me feel a little uncomfortable. I cross my arms over my chest and shift nervously from one foot to the other.

"You look especially beautiful today," he says with a heart stopping smile.

His compliment catches me off guard. "Thank you," I mutter.

There's an awkward silence that passes between us before Josh clears his throat. "So uh, I'm actually glad I ran into you, or you ran into me, or into my locker..."

Is he nervous? Does he seriously not know that I've been drooling over him since the eighth grade when he was the star quarterback of our JV football team?

"Oh yeah?" My heart thumps wildly in anticipation as I search his eyes.

"We've known each other for a while, but I don't know... we've never really hung out. I was wondering if maybe you'd like to have dinner or see a movie with me sometime?"

It takes a monumental effort not to scream out loud. I bite my lip to keep myself from smiling like an i***t. "Sure, sounds like fun."

He digs around in his pockets before pulling out his phone. "Put your number in my phone and I'll give you a call."

I hope he doesn't notice how shaky my hands are as I type my number. I double check it once I'm done to make sure it's right. I've waited too long for this to mess it up.

"Here you go," I say, handing his phone back to him.

"Thanks, Katie. I'll call you." He flashes an adorable smile before disappearing into the crowded hallway.

I'm left standing in the same spot, wondering if I just made the last three minutes up in my head. Josh has never noticed me before; never so much as glanced in my direction. He's dated Taylor Brooks, the classic queen bee of our school, off and on, for the past couple of years. She's gorgeous, of course, and has the body of a twenty-one year old.

Which begs the question, what does he see in me? I'm plain; nothing special as far as looks are concerned. And my body? I'm still wondering if I've even hit puberty yet.

 -

At lunch, the first thing I did was tell Casey all about my little run in, or run into rather, with Josh. She's never liked him and insists that I can do better, but she seems happy for me, nonetheless.

"My little Mary Kate is growing up so fast, just look at you. Going on your first date," she coos, pinching my cheek.

"First date? Did I miss something?" Evan, Casey's cousin asks, taking the seat next to me.

Bryant, his best friend, sits down next to Casey, across from Evan and me, and mirrors Evan's inquisitive stare.

Evan is a good-looking guy with steely blue eyes and a smile that can light up a room. Every high school girl's dream, really. Unfortunately for them, he's in the closet and the only people who know his secret are me, Casey and Bryant. He thrives on my love life, or lack thereof, and always makes up these impossible scenarios with guys I'll never have a chance with.

Bryant is the polar opposite of Evan; not interested in hearing anything about that kind of stuff or basically anything not related to Fortnite.

He pushes his black frame glasses up his nose and clears his throat. "Does Coach Baxter know?"

Casey looks at me and smirks. "Oh yeah, what will daddy say about all this?"

"I'm sixteen. I'm allowed to date, I just haven't because..."

"Because your dad is scary as hell," Evan finishes for me.

My dad is the coach of our high school football team, meaning not a single jock glances my way out of fear of being benched. Josh doesn't play anymore, so maybe he's not aware of just how overprotective my dad is.

"He'll be fine. Besides, Josh is a good guy. I think my-"

"Josh?!" Evan interrupts me. "As in Josh Matthews?!"

My friends have known about my crush for years, so Evan's reaction isn't surprising.

I smile bashfully. "He finally asked me out."

Evan throws his arms around me and kisses the side of my head. "I feel like such a proud big brother."

"You're literally a day older than me," I deadpan.

"Josh seems like a cool guy," Bryant shrugs.

I think he says something else, but I can't hear him. My eyes are drawn to the entrance of the cafeteria, where Logan Malone just walked in. I watch him as he stalks angrily through the crowd. Every time I see him, I wonder what happened to turn him into the mysterious loner he is; what made him so angry and distant?

His eyes meet mine and I find myself unable to look away. Most people would run if Logan caught them staring. Not me. I'm not afraid of him, just intrigued. I know there's more to him than what meets the eye. Or, maybe I don't know. But I sense it. I feel it somehow.

He doesn't take his eyes off mine and I suddenly start to feel flushed. My heart begins to pound. I want to say something, but words elude me. Instead, I throw my hand up and wave awkwardly as he walks past me. Surprisingly, he waves back and there's the faintest of smiles creeping across his face.

Before I can work up the nerve to go and talk to him, he looks away from me and that hard, mean expression returns. He disappears into the crowd, probably finding his way to the exit since he never eats in the cafeteria.

I'm not sure where he goes or what he's doing during lunch, but he's been doing this since middle school. Just more to the mystery of Logan Malone, I guess.

When I turn my attention back to my friends, they're all staring at me.

"What?" I ask.

Casey smirks. "Just a hopeless stalker."