Invisible String

Chapter 29 -It's good to see me isn't it?

I laugh, caught off guard by his rapid-fire questions but rolling with it. "Uh, I'm from here—Pennsylvania. I'm a singer, and I stole your cousin by being super charming." I flash a playful smile, leaning into the banter.

John lets out an exaggerated gasp, clutching his chest. "Charming, huh? Logan, I thought I taught you to be immune to charm!"

Logan crosses his arms, smirking. "Clearly, I'm a terrible student. But, to be fair, her charm is hard to resist."

John raises an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. "Alright, singer lady. If you're so charming, sing something for us! Let's see the magic in action."

"Oh no," I protest, laughing nervously. "I don't perform on command."

"Shame," John says, winking. "Guess we'll just have to trust Logan's word."

"Which you should," Logan adds with mock seriousness. "She's the real deal."

"Alright, alright," John concedes, giving me a look that says he's not done poking fun. "But I'm holding you to a performance later. I've got standards to uphold, you know."

I laugh, shaking my head. "As much as I miss the stage, I won't be on it for a while. I just finished a world tour two months ago, and I've been going through some personal stuff, you know?"

"Oh, I know," John replies, his tone dripping with implication. The moment the words leave his mouth, Logan smacks him on the arm—hard enough to make him wince—and my cheeks burn as I feel the heat creeping up.

"John," Logan warns, his voice low but firm.

"What?" John says, feigning innocence, though the glint of mischief in his eyes betrays him. "I didn't say anything!"

"It's okay," I mumble, brushing my hair behind my ear as I try to push past the moment. "I mean, what happened is out there, and I can't pretend like people don't know."

Logan stiffens beside me, his jaw tightening just enough for me to notice. He doesn't like when I bring it up, probably because he knows how much it still weighs on me. But John, ever the extrovert, doesn't miss a beat.

"Well, for what it's worth," John says, his tone softening just a bit, "it takes guts to own it like that. Most people would crawl under a rock."

"Trust me," I reply with a weak smile, "I've considered never leaving this apartment ever again."

John raises an eyebrow, leaning against the armrest of the couch. "Really? I can't picture you as the hideaway type. You seem more like the 'turn pain into a killer song and win a Grammy' type."

I let out a small laugh, the corners of my lips tugging up despite myself. "Easier said than done."

"But not impossible," Logan adds, his voice calm but firm. His eyes meet mine briefly, steady and grounding.

John gestures dramatically toward Logan. "See? That's your personal cheerleader right there. I, however, am here for comic relief. And snacks. Seriously, it's two in the afternoon do you guys not eat? I'm starving."

"Nice segue," Logan mutters, shaking his head.

"Always," John says with a wink before turning back to me. "Alright, Genesis, what's the best thing in this apartment's kitchen right now? And don't say cereal. I came all this way, and I expect at least a decent sandwich."

I can't help but grin at his antics. "I don't know. The fridge is kind of Logan's territory."

John pleads theatrically. "Please cook something for me."

"Don't expect gourmet. You're getting whatever's easiest to throw together."

"Sounds promising," John says, already heading toward the kitchen. "Don't let me down, Chef Logan."