Invisible String

Chapter 25 -The aftermath

Logan didn't buy it for a second. "Bullshit. I know what 'nothing' means in a woman's world," he said, glancing at me with a smirk.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Nice try, but I'm fine."

He set the plate down a little harder than necessary, leaning in closer. "Fine doesn't exist when you're avoiding something." His tone wasn't accusing—more like he genuinely wanted to know.

I stayed quiet for a moment, feeling the weight of his stare. There was a certain intensity to it.

"Okay, maybe I'm not fine," I finally admitted, wiping my hands on a towel. "But it's not a big deal. Just... stuff."

Logan didn't move, his eyes fixed on me. "What kind of stuff?"

I sighed, my thoughts a little jumbled. "I don't know. Just... you've been acting weird all night, and I don't get it."

He seemed taken aback by my honesty but didn't pull away. "I haven't been acting weird," he said, though there was a hint of defensiveness in his voice.

"Really? 'Uh, yeah... It's... different... good?'" I mimicked his voice, exaggerating the way he'd said it earlier, and the effect was instant—he let out a surprised laugh, the tension in the air easing just a little.

He shook his head, clearly trying to suppress his smile. "Okay, okay, you've got me there," he admitted, chuckling. "I was just surprised by the sudden change. I guess I was just processing the new... you."

I raised an eyebrow. "The new me?"

"Yeah," he said, his tone a little hesitant. "The new hair, the whole vibe..."

I touched my hair, smiling slightly. "I didn't think it would make that much of a difference, but... I guess it did."

Logan nodded. "It's not bad, actually. It suits you." He gave a small grin. "Just took me by surprise."

I chuckled. "I guess I should've warned you, huh?"

He shrugged, still smiling. "Nah, it's good. Just... different."

"Well, I like it," I said, finishing up with the dishes. "And I'm not planning to go back anytime soon."

"Hey, if it makes you happy, that's all that matters," he said, a bit of warmth in his voice. The atmosphere felt a little lighter, the unspoken tension between us fading away.

"But do you like it?" I asked, just to be sure, my gaze meeting his as I tilted my head slightly.

Without warning, he gently cupped my face in his hands, a soft smile spreading across his lips. "I love it," he said, his eyes locking with mine. "And I agree with Ethan—you look hot."

His words lingered in the air, and before I could process them fully, he leaned in, his lips brushing toward mine. But I froze, suddenly realizing the silence from the table. I quickly turned around, and to my surprise, all three of them were staring at us—eyes wide, expectant.

"Don't mind us!" Ethan called out with a grin, clearly amused.

"Yeah, keep doing what you're doing," Veronica chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "We'll just watch."

Eros raised an eyebrow, shaking his head. "Well, that sounded creepy..."

I rolled my eyes, my face heating up. "Seriously?" I said, trying to suppress my laughter and my embarrassment at the same time. Logan, for his part, just chuckled under his breath, his hands still gently resting on my face, a grin spreading across his features as he caught the playful vibe.

I turned back to Logan, giving him a look that said maybe later. "We need to be more careful," I said, more amused than anything.

He shrugged, a nonchalant smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It's not like they didn't already know we were hooking up. I'm guessing you told Veronica, I told Ethan, and Eros guessed this morning just by looking at us."