The New Girl (A PCA Story)

Chapter 14

I look up at Logan. I've been keeping my distance from him for months and haven't been being a good friend. I wouldn't like it if he treated ME this way.

"Look Logan, I'm-"

"I'm here for Nicole."

"WHAT?!" I exclaim.

"I said, I'm here for Nicole," he repeats.

"Nice try, Reese," Nicole says, coming from behind him, "As much of a cute guy as you are, I'd never go out with you. You and Emmy belong together and even if she's dating Dean, I'm not getting in the way of it."

I feel my cheeks turn pink. Thanks for making it awkward, Nicole. I quickly try to think of something to fire back, but Logan beats me to it,

"Her and Dean aren't even dating!"

"How would you know?" I snap back.

"Because of your ring," he says, pointing to my Claddagh ring. The heart is facing down, meaning that I am not in a relationship.

"You noticed that?" I say, sort of shakily. I can't believe he took notice to that.

"Of course I did. I look every time I see you to see if Dean has asked you out yet and, well, what is he waiting for?" Logan responds.

I feel my heart flutter. But why? Am I just in disbelief or am I flattered that Logan took notice of something so insignificant on me. I'd ask myself why he'd pay attention to something so small, but I already knew why.

"Because I love you, Emma Kane"

The words still ring in my ears, as vivid as ever. I look up into his eyes, one of which is covered by a small, loose curl. He's trying to smile a little right now, but I see the pain reflecting in his eyes. The pain of feeling as if he has lost his best friend to Dean Peterson. I see longing in his face, his eyes tell me that he needs a friend to talk to, and his slight attempt at a smile tells me that he doesn't need someone. He needs me.

"I'm sorry, Logs, but why are you actually here?" I ask, still curious about his motives of visiting. Deep down, I know that it's because he wants his best friend back, but I want to hear the words come from his mouth.

"Umm-" he points to Nicole sitting on her bed.

"LOGAN! We already went over this, you aren't here for Nicole!" I say, in shock that he had the nerve to yet again blame Nicole for his presence.

"No no no no Emmy, calm down. I was just indicating her future exit that should be occurring right about-"

"Now," Nicole cuts him off, walking in between the two of us and out of the doorway, "Have fun, lovebirds!" She says with a squeal. But then, she runs back.

"Let me know how it goes, Emma," she says, and runs back off.

Oh Nicole.

I close my door. "Here, Logan, sit," I say as i put my hand out next to me on my bed.

"Thanks," he says.

We sit in silence for the next few minutes. I have no clue what to say to him or how to start this conversation. I just really want to hear it from him, but I know that he wants to hear it from me, too. I have to keep up my strong wall, I can't show my vulnerability! But, then again, he most likely feels the same.

"Are you ready to tell me why you're here?" I've finally let out.

"Yeah. It's gonna be a little wordy, so bear with me," he says. I look right into his piercing, green eyes. He needs to know that somebody is here for him.

"Anything for you," I say, with a small smile. His eyes immediately turn from droopy to hopeful.

"Alright Emmy," he says.

"These past few weeks, or month, I should say, has been full of negativity. Well, for me, at least. I mean, you're not on the team anymore, and I think you just want to seem more girly, especially to Dean-"

"Well maybe I am becoming more girly and am interested in more girly things," I say, cutting him off.

"I never thought about that, but I've been lonely without you," he continues, "I always put on this asshole act to everyone. Everyone except you. And when you're not around, that means I'm an asshole all the time. I have nobody to be myself around."

"You can be yourself around other people too, you know. It doesn't hurt to be nice," I say back. I know that he wants to put on this whole macho man act so that nobody messes with him, but maybe more people will respect him since he's nice.

"But Emmy, I'm not comfortable as myself around anyone else. If I was, I'd be nice, genuine, and funny around everyone. But I'm not."

"Well," I say, taking a deep breath, "What makes me so special?" I ask. This is the question I've been wanting to ask since he put this whole act up, right after the Derek Gardener incident way back when.

"Emma," he says, which brings me to the conclusion that this is about to get serious, he never calls me Emma. "You," he continues, "I feel like my purpose here is to protect you. To be here for you all the time and, no matter what, be here for you. Be your shoulder to cry on, be the one to, I don't know, frantically run around the house searching for bandaids when you scrape your knee. But the point is, you're not just anyone to me, Emma Kane. You make me a better person."

"You make me a better person."

Isn't that what love is all about?

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A/N: I know I said last chapter I'd post after 6k but it seemed like it didn't send out a notification once I published the last chapter from my computer. Oops. Also, I really liked this chapter and just felt like I had to post it. It's a little long, but this is about how long I want most of the chapters to be, the ones before this are too short.

Leave comments, I love to hear what y'all are thinking!

Also, read my other story, Turning Tables! I just started it. It's not a fanfic, just a teen fiction. It's not sappy romantic, but it does have romance with a realistic, charismatic, and funny narrator, so it'll come with a realistic, teenage girl perspective.