Invisible String

Chapter 2 -Strings

"Thanks," I said, somewhat impressed, only to realize his eyes were already locked on mine.

Wow.

Despite being brown, his eyes reminded me of a captivating mix of amber and hazel. They were... intriguing.

My heart raced, leaving me breathless.

A sigh escaped my lips unintentionally, as if I were anticipating something.

We locked eyes for a few seconds until Logan abruptly stepped away.

His sudden departure left behind a chilling void that enveloped me and sent shivers down my spine, as if fate were cruelly mocking me, humiliating me once again.

I think I could set a record with the number of times a person can feel humiliated in one night.

What the hell just happened?

My mind became a whirlwind of unanswered questions, while a bittersweet taste lingered in my chest.

***

"I'm telling you, Ronnie! He was the coolest person ever," I insist, pacing back and forth in the hotel room the very next morning.

"You spoke to him for two minutes in a dark alley," Ronnie laughs, cutting off my rambling.

"But he looked like he..." I start, struggling to find the right words to convey the impression Logan left on me.

"He looked like he what?" Ronnie raises an eyebrow, clearly amused by my excitement.

"He looked like he had this mysterious aura, you know? And those eyes... They were so intense," I explain, gesturing with my hands.

Ronnie chuckles, shaking her head.

"I'm serious! There was something about him," I protest, feeling a bit defensive.

"Alright, alright, I believe you," Ronnie says, holding up her hands in surrender. "You know? I haven't seen you this crazy about a boy ever since..."

"Shush" i cut her off, not wanting her to name the devil.

"Fine, fine," Ronnie concedes with a smirk. "But you know what? You should totally ask him out."

"What? No way!" I exclaim, feeling a rush of panic at the thought. "I barely know him."

"Exactly! That's what dates are for," Ronnie reasons, grinning mischievously.

I groan, flopping down on the hotel bed next to her. "I don't even know if he's interested."

"Only one way to find out," Ronnie says, pulling out her phone. "Let's see if we can track him down."

"No way!"

"Why?"

"Because I like the totally unrealistic version of him I've already built in my mind!" I confess, feeling a bit embarrassed by my own admission.

"Fair enough. But hey, who knows? Maybe the real him is even better than the version in your head."

"Maybe he's not. Maybe he sucks."

"You're insane."

"Let me live in my fantasy world."

"You can't do that forever," she shakes her head in disapproval. "What happened with Noah can't make you quit the dating world. You're young and hot and you need to put yourself out there."

I sigh, knowing she's right but not quite ready to admit it. "I know, I know. Maybe I'll consider it... eventually."

Ronnie gives me a knowing look. "I'll hold you to that."

"Moving on," I change the subject. "How did things go last night with Dean?"

"Same old story," Ronnie replies with a sigh. "He left in the early hours of the morning without even saying goodbye. But before you jump in, we both agreed it was for the best. Goodbyes can be tough."

 "I get it." 

No i didn't.

"Well, at least you're handling it well."

"Yeah, it's not the first time, and it probably won't be the last," Ronnie replies with a shrug. "But, i don't want to talk about my drama. Let's focus on your potential mystery man."

"He's not mine and he's not a mystery. He's actually Simon's kid," I reveal, watching as Ronnie's mouth falls open in disbelief.

"No way!"

"I swear. Apparently, they don't get along."

"Spill the tea. All of it."

"That's all I know."

"And you didn't ask?"

"Of course not. I could tell it made him uncomfortable."

Ronnie leans back, processing the new information. "Well, that's certainly unexpected. Simon Carter's kid... This just got a lot more interesting. That man is so intimidating. He gives me the heebie-jeebies."

I nod in agreement with Ronnie's assessment. "Yeah, Simon Carter has always had this intimidating presence, like he's got secrets you don't want to know about."

"I heard he's got ties to some pretty shady stuff," Ronnie adds, her voice dropping to a whisper as if afraid someone might overhear.

"Seriously? I wouldn't be surprised," I reply, feeling a shiver run down my spine at the thought.

"You better steer clear of that mess. Dean's mentioned some of the things that man gets up to, and trust me, you don't want to be involved," Ronnie warns, her tone serious.

"I wouldn't get close to that man for all the money in the world."

"For good reason," Ronnie agrees, nodding thoughtfully. "Including his son."

"Why though?" I protest, my frustration evident.

Ronnie sighs, her expression turning serious. "Trust me, you don't want to get tangled up with someone like Simon Carter. From what I've heard, he's bad news. And if his son is anything like him..."

"I get it," I interrupt, holding up my hand. "Point taken. But still, Logan didn't seem all that bad. He was actually pretty cool."

"You barely know him, though," Ronnie points out. "People can be good at putting on a facade, especially when they're trying to impress someone."

"Just like with Noah?" Her tone turns rough.

I knew deep down she was still upset because I didn't listen to her when she first told me about the rumors of Noah's extracurricular activities. I recall even calling her a 'jealous bitch'. Our friendship went through a dark patch there for a minute, but we got through it.

"C'mon," I plead, not wanting to talk about it. I was still embarrassed about the way I acted and protected him like an idiot.

Piece of advice, ladies: always believe your friends. God knows I wish I had.

"I don't want to see you get hurt."

"You won't." I assure her, offering a small smile. Then, a mischievous thought crosses my mind, and I can't help but ask, "Do you really think he was trying to impress me?" I flash a playful grin.

"You are a lost cause!" Ronnie quips, throwing a pillow at my face.

"Ouch!" I exclaim, pretending to be offended while laughing.

Ronnie chuckles, shaking her head. "You're hopeless, you know that?"

"I prefer to think of it as optimistic," I shoot back, tossing the pillow back at her.

"Optimistic or delusional, take your pick," she teases, easily dodging the pillow.

"Hey, optimism is a virtue," I protest, laughing with her.

"Fine, fine," Ronnie concedes, still grinning. "But promise me you'll keep your eyes open, okay? Don't let yourself get swept away by some charming guy who may not have the best intentions."

"I won't, because let's face it, I'll probably never see him again. I'm just teasing," I reassure her, feeling grateful for her friendship and concern. "Now, how about that breakfast?"