〜♣︎♣︎♣︎〜
I didn't know what to expect the next day. Many scenarios flocked my mind on what to be prepared for. But I definitely didn't expect to get confronted by the queen bitch and super jock on the same day.
Excuse my language.
Logan had greeted me at my bus and apologized for his behavior last night. I'd placed a dainty pink bow-clip in his hair, and he wore it through our class and all the way to my commuter locker.
He grunted at me. "Why do you always glare? Sheesh, so scary."
"We're switching it up today?" I gasped, shoving my house keys to the bottom of my bag. "I was not aware of this change to our schedule."
He rolled his eyes. "You think you're so clever."
"Ah, but I am, Logo."
"That wasn't a compliment." He hated his nickname. Good.
"But I took it as one." I poked his nose and he swatted my hand away immediately. "It's all about positivity, Reeley boy."
I enthusiastically flipped my hair for effect and turned to my locker, only to slam straight into it.
Logan tried extremely hard to hide his laughter, as my face went beet red, and carefully slid open the door for me. But his lips curled into a wonderful smile and he leaned easily against it, careful to watch me dig through all my loose papers, textbooks, and folders. "You're funny. You know that, Linnets?"
"Yes, so funny that I crack myself up," I muttered, still embarrassed.
He only let out a raspy chuckle. "Why the hell do you have so much junk in there? Why not just get a tablet?" He held my door so it didn't whack me in the face. Again.
I didn't bother look up. "Who is going to buy me one? My mom? No way. I don't have a job."
"Then get one."
"That's rich coming from you, I don't see you working either."
"That's different."
I raised a brow at him. "How so?"
He shrugged, running a hand through his luscious raven locks. "Well, for starters, I don't really have a reason to. And also, most of my time goes to volunteering."
That was a news to me. "You volunteer? Where?"
"The local hospital. They let us assist with basic tasks in the ER as long as you're CPR certified." He gave me a wicked grin. "You know, all part of my selfless ruse."
I didn't believe him for a second but I still said, "How sad," and resumed shuffling through my stuff, handing him my notebook. "Can you hold that for a second?"
Reeley quirked an eyebrow. "Do I look like your servant? Wait, actually don't answer that."
"I prefer the term assistant, but to each their own," I replied anyway.
Logan narrowed his eyes, threateningly might I add. I challenged his flare-up. "What's with the face?"
That only riled him up more and he huffed a frustrated breath. I shrugged. Our war had ended too quickly. I could practically see him waving a white flag.
He acknowledged it, too. And as I continued to file books into his hand, he openly stared at me.
Once again, that feeling of exposure surrounded me, and I suddenly fought the urge to wrap myself up in a fuzzy wool blanket. "Stop staring at me."
Logan shrugged, casually smoothing out his hair. He had the audacity to say, "I'm not."
I tried to keep my scowl in place. But my cheeks burned as his gaze bored holes into my jacket. It wasn't that he was acting weird—Logan Reeley was an odd dude—it was the fact that his lips were quirked into a wry smile.
A ghost smile, as I liked to call it.
"Alright," I closed my locker aggressively, "what gives? You've been weird ever since last night. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starting to notice a trend."
His smile slipped. Maybe he was surprised that I had brought up last night in the first place. We'd conveniently walked around it for hours now.
But his bafflement vanished quickly, and he shrugged again, seemingly aloof. "I'm just thinking about something else. I told you"—I noticed his small, incredibly fake, smile—"it has nothing to do with you. Last night was my fault, I was in a bad mood and I apologize for leaving like that."
I blinked, not really buying his words. If last night didn't matter, then why was he trying so hard to diligently cover it up?
I was curious. I wanted to ask, but it wasn't my place. So I just let it be.
"Okay," I said, watching his tight smile expand.
"And besides, you're my Pretty Little Liars buddy," Logan continued, "I can't just ditch you."
"Wait, what?" All thoughts of his acting ability went flying out the window. I glared at him. "When did I say I'd watch that show with you?"
He laughed as if we shared an inside joke. "Yesterday. When we were eating pizza. Duh." Then he turned, head cocking to one side. "You were busy staring at me, drool and all. Is that what you want? Someone to have some fun with?"
"Yes."
All traces of teasing immediately vanished. "What?"
I quirked my lips and saluted him, enjoying that terrified look on his face. "Two can play that game."
Logan stopped. His eyebrows rose and his face flashed with surprise. "Evil, how interesting."
He snatched my hand.
I jumped. "What are you doing?"
"Taking you to class," he replied as if the most obvious thing in the world. The amount of oomph this guy had at 7:30 AM was astounding. "Would you please move? You're literally aging faster by just standing like that." He dragged me through the halls without giving me even a second to breathe. His long legs took large strides as he moved, not nearly leaving me with enough time to tag along.
"Shut up, Reeley," I grumbled pathetically, trying my best to evade a nice metal pole.
But as we swirled through the hustling crowd of students, I thought back to Reeley's sudden expression drop. Initially, I'd seen him as innocent, full of hope. I got that from his eyes.
But now I saw his mask. And his callous eyes.
A constant act.
And I wondered, was it exhausting to pretend? It certainly was for me. My brain's wires were all tangled up, muddled and taunting me everyday. And if he was anything like me, his were, too.
His actions were intriguing. Calculated. They made me want to hunt down his secret.
And in my experience, when people wore masks like that, they often had a monster of a past.
♣︎♣︎♣︎
My professor had finally wrapped up his rant about Freud's psychosexual stages of development and freed me to finally address the horrific rumbling in my stomach. I packed my bag and rapidly shoved my way through the crowds of horrendous people trampling one another on their way out of classrooms. The dining hall was a zoo this time of day, but I had no other option. My only break was during this time and if I didn't hurry, I wouldn't get to eat at all.
I heaved a sigh, laying my bag sideways on the table and waited for Hannah and Co. It was a miracle the four of us were able to find a time when all of our breaks coincided.
Speak of the devils, a hand interrupted my thoughts. "Money?"
I nodded, searching through my bag for the twenty bucks Jared had given me in the morning, and made sure to slap it into his palm. No words or looks were exchanged as Logan grabbed it and pushed through the crowd of students loitering in lines.
I scoffed. "What a poser."
Hannah and Jerry vigorously agreed with me and set themselves down. They dug into their food, and we quickly launched into a debate arguing about the origin of lizards. This lasted for five minutes until the topic was conveniently swerved to me.
How I reminded Jerry of lizards was beyond me. And frankly, a little concerning.
He smiled evilly. "So Kiera, a little birdie told me that you and Logan are dating?"
I instantly glared at Hannah.
Her hands played with a lone celery stick. "I did nothing, this is all Jared. He's notorious for spreading rumors, don't you know?"
I crossed my arms over my chest. I did know. "I wouldn't count you out just yet.
Jerry intercepted our stare off. "But the real question is, what happened to that other guy you were with? Last I remember, you were with him all through high school."
I froze. Sure, I thought about him all the time. Sure, he haunted me. Sure, the mere existence of him made my stomach twist inside out.
But having someone actually ask me about him so nonchalantly made my skin crawl. They didn't know what he'd done. They didn't know him like I did. To the unsuspecting person, he looked decent enough, they would actually marvel at what a gracious human being he was.
It made me want hurl.
It also didn't help that Hannah's radiant smile faltered at the mention, and she tried to keep a straight face. "You have a boyfriend? Why didn't you say anything?"
My stomach churned more, and I fiddled with my hands. "No. I don't have a boyfriend." My eyes shot daggers at Jerry. "We broke up. But thank you for that."
Jerry beamed obliviously. "You're welcome."
I opened my mouth to make another defense but someone cleared their throat behind me.
All thoughts of me ex floated away.
Evan Rayne.
An Evan Rayne Diagnosis:
WVU Quarterback.
Stunning gray eyes and luscious blonde hair.
School's heartthrob.
Loved by all.
"Hey Kiera," Rayne smiled.
Also, my lab partner for chem.
"Hey... Evan?" He stood in front me, awkwardly rubbing his arm was odd. We never really conversed outside of class. Maybe a few hi's and bye's floated around us like ghosts, but not an actual conversation. Weird?
"May I talk to you?" Evan asked politely.
Very much.
"Uh sure..." I replied, standing up.
A hurried glance escaped the corner of his eye. "Um, well, you know how we have to do our lab report?"
He gulped and peered over my shoulder. I spun around to find Jerry taunting Evan to dare to speak. I sighed, of course Jerry had a problem with Evan, the boys had an unnatural hatred for "jocks".
"Jerry," I said to him, snapping him out of his death glare. Immediately, my friend softened and I used his lowered guard to mimic a loop with my fingers. "Turn around."
"Why?" Jerry demanded, his green gaze hardening in Evan's direction again. "I'm not doing anything wrong here."
I narrowed my eyes. "Turn around."
Jerry huffed begrudgingly and I sighed, returning to Evan. "Sorry about that, he's just antsy." I tried to look sweet. "Please, continue."
Evan folded his hands together, and I heard Jerry let out an unattractive grunt. "Right," Rayne drawled, still glancing over my shoulder. "Uh, about the report. I was thinking we could do something afterwards. If you're down, that is."
"Oh?" I didn't mean to look so flabbergasted by his statement, but I hadn't been expecting him to straight up ask me out on a date. Especially after having a total of five conversations. "Uh—"
"I think she'll pass on that one," I heard a deep voice interrupt me.
My bodyguard sure loved to make an entrance.
Logan scowled at Evan, towering over him with our food held firmly in one hand. I knew I was supposed to be annoyed, I knew I shouldn't let him slide for needling his way into my conversation. But the way he stood with wisps of fury rolling off of him had me feeling some sort of way. This man was undeniably the most attractive person I had ever seen.
Suddenly my stomach tossed and my cheeks flamed. I quickly ripped my eyes away from him before my thoughts could escalate further.
How could you?
I'm sorry.
I felt ashamed for even thinking that.
How he would always be with me. How he would always make me feel guilty.
I glanced at the trays instead, they must have been serving burgers today because Logan held two large burgers, fries, and a giant chocolate chip cookie, which I assumed was for me because he hated chocolate. Something about that sent a wave of guilt over me. I made him fetch and pay for my food. And yet, I was such an ass to him.
Note to self, be kinder to Logan.
Evan blinked erratically, as if he'd been physically slapped by Logan. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. She'll pass," gritted out Logan.
I let out a growl. "No, she won't. I think I can speak for myself."
Reeley crossed his arms over his chest and returned my look of death. "Alright, speak."
Clarification. Logan actually intended to say, What were you going to say that could be better than what I just said?
Ass. I suddenly realized why I wasn't nice to him. The man made it hard.
I arrogantly puffed my bangs. "Well, I was going to say—"
"No," Logan interrupted again.
"Stop that."
"Don't answer him."
I placed my foot down on my heel and shot him a challenging stare. "What is your problem?"
Evan spoke up, eyeing our exchanges, "Kiera, is that a yes or a no?"
Logan sent me a look. If you say yes I will murder you.
I gave him one back. You have no right. His nose flared angrily, and I felt a bubble of satisfaction. You tried.
This went on for some time, and Evan examined us, hesitantly shifting his gaze between Logan and I.
I abruptly broke our war and shoved Logan aside, slapping on a grin. "Yes, I'd love to."
Evan visibly relaxed and blew a breath, ruffling his bright, blonde-dyed hair. His giant frame regained its posture. "Great! So I'll see you on Saturday?"
I nodded. "Saturday it is."
Evan grinned triumphantly. "Logan, smile a bit." Now he was relaxed. "It's good for the heart."
Logan scowled even more as Evan scampered off, leaving me to drop my smile and aim my evil-eye at my friends. "Alright, what gives?"
Logan jumped from his seat, infuriated. "Why would you to do that?! Don't you know who he is?! He's Evan Rayne!"
"You don't say!" I gasped. "I thought he was Paris Hilton!"
"Why would you agree to go on a date with him?"
"Because, believe it or not, I actually want to go on a date with him." I plopped down in between Logan and Hannah.
"What about Jared?!" Logan shouted incredulously.
"What about him?" I asked, chewing on a french fry.
"He hates the guy!"
"I don't care." I chomped on another one. "Whatever beef Jared has with people is none of my concern. You can figure out whether or not you want to tell him— oh sorry, report to him— yourself."
He groaned. "Your cousin is going to have my head on a platter if he finds out that you're going on a date with Evan Rayne."
"Why do you say his name like it's a disease? The guy is actually pretty nice."
"He's fishy."
"Everyone is fishy to you."
He placed his head in his hands. "I cannot believe this. This actually makes me sick. I'm getting nauseous, look at my face Kiera"—he grabbed my shoulders and yanked me centimeters from him—"it's becoming green."
I shoved him away. "Would you quit it? You're so dramatic."
Reeley threw his hands into the air. "I have to be! You're dating my best friend's sworn enemy. What the hell am I supposed to do? You both are stubborn assholes."
I shrugged, winking at Jerry who seemed to be visibly enjoying Logan's crisis. "I guess you're going to have to cover for me." I casually grabbed my enormous cookie and took a huge bite out. "Aren't we supposed to be friends?"
"Are you asking me to choose between you and the unbreakable vow I made with my best friend since fifth grade?"
"Yup."
Logan blinked at me as I continued staring him down. Finally, he huffed and picked up a carrot to offer to me. "You're nicer."
I took it triumphantly. "That I am Reeley boy, that I am."
Jared: 0
Kiera: 1
♣︎♣︎♣︎
When the last class of the day ended I scampered to the girl's room to avoid Logan's wrath for a while. He agreed to help me, but that didn't mean he particularly liked it. I had no doubt that he would complain on the way back home.
I took a peek at myself in the mirror, my hair had been let loose today and flowed around my t-shirt. The girl in the mirror blinked at me and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. A giddy smile slowly spread across her face as she recalled the scenario in the dining hall.
And yet, her eyes still sunk.
I observed the stress lines and dark circles under them. I had become so accustomed to it. They reminded me of what all he had done. He made certain that I would always have a looming cloud above my head—I would never truly be happy.
A chill suddenly slithered up my spine as a clang went rattling against my skull. I winced.
I could feel what it was like to be around him. My chest tightened, the hairs on my arms stood up, and I braced myself. I was afraid again.
Surely, he wouldn't be here. Would he?
I heard two shallow breaths behind me. My instincts kicked in and my hands snaked in front of me. I heard tingling metal. I closed my fists and launched them, breathing rapidly.
"Hey!"
Then I froze. This voice was feminine. My hesitant eyes shot open and I forced my pants to a standstill. Olivia Greene stood fuming at me in all her glory after evading my swing. "What the hell?!"
I quickly retracted my claws. "Sorry."
My apology didn't do much to ease her expression. She raised a brow and eyed me like I would be squashed by her shoe. "Who hurt you?" Her question was rather mocking. "It's quite rude to attack someone in a bathroom."
"I wasn't trying to beat you up." I placed a hand on my hip.
Everything about her irked me. Her maroon hair, electric pink skirt, and uncanny ability to make my life a living hell in lab. "I just got surprised."
"In the girl's restroom?" she huffed arrogantly. "Nice try. No need to be so hostile."
I shook my head. "I'm not being hostile, I'm apologizing."
She smirked. "Yeah? For almost giving me a black eye?"
"Again," I kept my teeth clenched and forced out a smile. "Sorry."
Olivia glanced at her fingernails, bored, as if I wasn't worth her time. "Fine. What the hell was that in the dining hall earlier? Are you and Reeley dating or something?"
I shook my head. "No, not at all. We're just...
friends."
Was that what we were?
"Really?" Olivia's eyebrows rose. "You sure?"
"Yes? Why? What's it to you?"
She shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just curious."
I brushed my hands on my jeans. "Well, FYI curiosity killed the cat." I passed by her in attempts to leave this god awful bathroom. Only Olivia didn't let me, she stuck her foot out and twisted my legs in between hers.
My hands went flailing and I shrieked as my cheek hit the cold tile. "Ow! What the hell?!"
Olivia looked smug as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Tit for tat."
I was about to rage fire. Maybe hop up and swipe my foot under her ankles. Give her a taste of her own medicine.
Even her pink heels were cocky. They infuriated me. I wanted to snap them in half. But I bit my tongue. I couldn't do whatever I wanted here. I had to keep calm.
So I eyed her gold anklet instead. "Have we met before?" A vague image of a girl with that exact anklet popped up from Jared's phone. "Did you and my cousin have a thing?"
Olivia's heels clicked away from me. "Nope," she gleamed as she hovered by the door, "I've got my eyes on someone else."
"I didn't ask if—"
But she was already gone. Only the poignant whiff of her disgusting cherry perfume remained. Actually, the devil sprayed it in my eye before she left, leaving me blind on the floor and groaning as I waited for my watery eyes to sober up. About twenty painful minutes later, I exited the restroom and witnessed Logan waiting on a pillar a few meters away from the bathroom.
He was really into a book with shiny dragon stamped on the cover. And as the wind blew, his silky raven hair flopped over his forehead. He was too engrossed in his book to notice. He looked... nice.
Stop it.
As I approached him, Logan's focus shifted and he blinked. "What took you so long? Were you peeing this whole time?"
"No," I snapped defensively, "what are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you?" Logan responded, his eyes wide and innocent. "Wait, were you trying to avoid me? I ruined it."
I sighed. "I wasn't." I watched as he put away his book and linked his arm with mine. "You're being extra bizarre today."
"That's because you're going on a date with fucking Evan." Logan made sure to add extra spit to his name.
Let it go already, dude.
"Do you know Olivia Greene?"
He glanced at me like I just told him I was getting married to my doormat. "Who?"
I suddenly felt embarrassed and shook my head. "No one. Never mind."
"Why do you always say random things that no one ever cares about?"
"You're one to talk."
He rolled his eyes. "I guess I walked right into that one. That's the cost of our friendship."
Friendship. There he goes with the word.
Was that what we were? Friends?
I liked the sound of that.
My friend.
The beginnings of something in this new life. Friends.
Maybe Jared had point with his meddling. Maybe he wasn't all that stupid. He always had a reason.
Jared: 1
Kiera: 1
I never thought I'd see the day we'd tie.
I wanted it to be like this all the time. Where there was no fear and no suspicion. Only ease. I liked the sliver of this life I'd gotten to taste.
Please don't rip it away from me.
"Friends," I repeated. The word felt nice on my tongue. It filled me with a sense of comfort and warmth as we walked to his car and I sat in the passenger's seat. All felt right in the world. Maybe I would add to it. "Can I volunteer somewhere, too?"
Logan paused, cocking his head at me. "Volunteer? Yes, depends on where."
"Anywhere. I want to do something. Like you guys."
A life where I had goals. Aspirations.
Logan didn't notice my mini reflection. He only nodded and started the engine, grinning to himself. We soon rolled out of the driveway in silence.
"Why the hell would you choose Evan Rayne?"
He really wouldn't let it go.
〜♣︎♣︎♣︎〜