Falling

25

Logan sighed and stood from the couch, Dana and Hadley stirring as he moved them.

"I know Vinny's here," Logan said, turning to face me as he stood in front of the couch. "I know I saw him last night and his car is out front."

I let out a deep breath and clenched my hands at my side. "Yeah, he's here."

Logan started to say something and stopped before letting out a breath and directing his eyes toward the ceiling as if he was rethinking what he wanted to say to me.

"What's going on?" Isaac asked, coming out of the kitchen.

The two of us turned away from our staring match and saw that the rest of our friends were awake and rubbing their eyes in tiredness and confusion. Isaac widened his eyes at me and we shared a look that I hope conveyed to him that I was in crisis mode.

Logan didn't say anything and I appreciated that he wasn't forcing this conversation to happen in front of all our friends. That at least told me that he didn't absolutely hate me for keeping this from him. But part of me knew it would be easier to just get it over with. It would be easier to come clean to all of my friends at the same time than having to do it over and over again and at this moment I knew I couldn't keep it from Logan any longer.

"I was just about to tell Logan something," I said, clearing my throat.

Archie squinted at the sunlight coming in through the window and put his blanket over his head, just poking his eyes out so he could see me. The girls curled up together on the couch with looks equally confused and concerned. Isaac kept a neutral face, sure to not give away that he knew what I was about to do.

"What's going on, Carson?" Dana asked after I paused for a long moment. "Are you okay?"

I nodded at her with a small, awkward smile and took a deep breath.

"This feels, like, super serious right now," Hadley said, sitting up.

"I, um," I started, unclenching my hands and clapping them together. "Well, you guys were, um, you were right when you said you thought I was seeing someone."

"I knew it!" Hadley exclaimed, standing from the couch and pointing at me. She and Dana squealed in delight while Archie pulled the blanket off his head.

"No shit!" he exclaimed, sharing a look with Hadley.

They didn't notice the discomfort on my face or Logan's rigid stance. Logan clenched his jaw and didn't say anything. He knew without me having to say it the person I was talking about. I couldn't tell if he was actually angry or just uncomfortable with the idea of me dating his brother.

"Who is it?" Dana asked.

"Is it someone from school?" Hadley excitedly shot at me.

"Is it the hot lifeguard from summer camp?" Archie added, a slight glare coming from Hadley.

I looked around at each of them and tried to be more casual, nonchalant, but by how they looked at me I could tell they saw how uncomfortable I felt.

"It's, uh, it's someone from school," I said with a nod.

"Oh my God!" Hadley and Dana squealed at the same time.

Archie slumped back in his seat. "I really thought you bagged the lifeguard."

"Archie, shut up about the lifeguard!" Hadley snapped. "I want to hear about Carson's lady friend."

It was now or never.

"Not a lady," I corrected.

I forced myself not to look away from their wide-eyed gazes. The only two who did not look at all surprised were Isaac and Logan.