The Red String | ONC 2024

17. Abby's Confession

Emma grabbed Logan's hand. She led him off the dance floor and over to the refreshment table, trying to organize her thoughts as she did. She grabbed a drink, her hand shaking slightly as she picked it up. Why was she so nervous about this? All she was going to do was have an honest conversation with a guy she barely liked. What was so hard about that? She'd stood up in front of entire roomfuls of people on the debate team, giving long speeches about topics she didn't even care about. So this should be easy. She took a sip of her lukewarm soda, trying to calm her nerves.

"So, you wanted to talk?" Logan asked after a moment or two of awkward silence.

"Uh, yeah..." Emma started. She still hadn't worked out quite how she wanted to go about this. Then, deciding she should just get it over with, she blurted out, "So why did you invite me here in the first place?"

"To Homecoming?" Logan asked, looking surprised. As if he'd invited her to so many different places that he just couldn't figure out which one she meant.

Emma nodded, already regretting the question.

"Technically, you invited me, remember?" he grinned.

Emma scoffed and rolled her eyes. Logan turned serious.

"Well... I don't know." he said, brows creasing slightly. "I mean, there was just something interesting about you. Ever since that day at the gym, you know?"

Emma nodded again; she did know. She'd felt this weird kind of pull towards him that she hadn't noticed before that day; she'd never felt anything like it. But just because there was this weird sensation didn't mean that she'd suddenly started liking him – at least, not like that. He wasn't nearly as off-putting lately, but that just wasn't enough. And if she didn't want to date him, then it was only fair that she let him know. She just didn't want to hurt him too bad if he actually did like her.

"Look," she said slowly. "It's not that I don't like you..."

She trailed off, mildly surprised that it was true; she didn't dislike him. And she was pretty sure this was the first time she'd ever said that out loud. Still...

"It's ok." Logan told her.

Emma couldn't help but notice that he was grinning again. Did the guy have to act like everything was some sort of joke? She opened her mouth to tell him that she was serious, but what he said next stopped her in her tracks.

"I feel the same way." he said.

Emma just stared at him. Really?

"You do?" She blinked, wondering if she'd heard him correctly.

"Yeah. I mean, no offense, but you're kind of a lot."

"I'm... I'm what?" she asked. She was a lot? How could he even say something like that? Especially since they both knew it was him that was a lot!

"I don't mean anything bad by it!" he said quickly, like somehow that would help. "But it's like every time the two of us are together, something happens, you know?"

"Yeah, I do." Emma said. It was exactly what she'd been thinking. It was just surprising to hear that he felt the same way.

"So you invited me here because...?" she asked. It didn't seem like he'd actually answered her question. And if anything, his new revelation made her even more confused.

"Well, at the time, I kind of wanted to see... I mean, I told you there was just something about... I'm really sorry." He looked uncomfortable.

"Don't be." Emma said, stopping him cold. "I completely agree."