It's September 14th. Logan's 29th birthday.
I get picked up by Dinah's mom, who offered to drop us at the airport. Us, that is, Dinah, James and me, of course.
"How are you, Nessie?" Dinah's mom asks me cheerfully.
"I'm fine, thank you," I reply.
"So, what's your decision about Logan?" she asks me. "I hope you'll forgive him, dear."
"I'm not sure yet," I say. "My parents bought us a house for our wedding gift already, but..." my voice trails off, I'm thinking what to say.
"But?" everyone asks. "But what, Nessie?"
"He did hurt me more than I ever thought I'd be, so I don't think I'd be able to trust him this easily again," I explain to them, sighing slightly.
Luckily, Dinah changes the topic of our little conversation so that we stop talking about Logan and me.
Even after we board our plane and have our journey back to LA, Dinah and James don't ask me about Logan. We talk about some neutral stuff.
At the airport we meet Philip. James' brother is so kind as to give us all a lift.
Why did I come back here, to LA, though?
I don't know.
Oh, right, still got some of my stuff left at Logan's house. Gotta get it...
"Hey, guys, how was your journey?" Philip asks us.
"Pretty safe, luckily," Dinah and I tell him, smiling.
"We had a great time, bro," James adds cheerfully.
"Alright, so, then... Where am I supposed to drop you, eh, Nessie? Logan's house or..."
"My parents bought me, well, me and Logan a house, so I'd love it if you could drop me right there," I say as I take a piece of paper out of my pocket and show it to Philip. "That's where I have to go get the keys and my address."
"Wow," Philip whistles. "That's pretty far, farther than James' house at least. You know what? Let's drop Dinah and James first, then you'll get your keys and I'll drop you near your house."
"Oh, it'd be awesome, thanks, Philip," I tell him.
As James and Dinah leave Philip's car, they ask...
"So, see you tonight maybe, Nessie?" they look at me, seemingly worried.
"I don't know," I reply, sighing. "I can't promise."
"Oh, okay then," they say, not being okay with my response, and they leave for James' beautiful house.
Philip takes me to the building where I luckily get my keys - mine and Logan's, two sets of keys were waiting for me there.
As I get back into Philip's car, the radio is turned on.
"I thought some music would cheer you up, eh?" he asks, smiling a weak smile.
"Thanks for caring, Philip," I say. "It's so kind of you, really."
"You're welcome, Nessie," he replies, winking.
Everything goes perfectly fine till I hear this song...
In my head it goes as if Logan sang along with me.
Together:
"I feel the night explode when we're together
Emotion overload in the heat of pleasure"
Logan:
"Take me I'm yours into your arms"
I:
"Never let me go
Tonight I really need to know"
Together:
"Tell it to my heart"
Logan:
"Tell me I'm the only one"
I:
"Is this really love or just a game?"
Together:
"Tell it to my heart
I can feel my body rock every time you call my name"
Logan:
"The passion's so complete. It's never ending
As long as I receive, the message you're sending
Body to body, soul to soul
Always feel you near"
I:
"So say the words I long to hear
Tell it to my heart
Tell me I'm the only one
Is this really love or just a game?
Tell it to my heart
I can feel my body rock every time you call my name"
Logan:
"Love, love on the run, breaking us down
Though we keep holding one
I don't want to lose, no I can't let you go
Tell it to my heart
Tell me I'm the only one
Is this really love or just a game?
Tell it to my heart
I can feel my body rock every time you call my name"
"Ooh, woah, I'm so sorry, Nessie!" Philip exclaims, turning the radio off as he sees tears falling down from my eyes. "I didn't mean to make you feel more upset, believe me, really."
"It's okay, Philip," I say, sniffing. "It's just that... I can't stop thinking about Logan."
Philip looks at me knowingly for a few seconds.
"Nessie, you see... Loges isn't a bad kid, he's never been one... As far as I know him. True, he's oversensitive, he's impulsive, he's stubborn, but he's never been self-confident at all, Nessie. That's what his accident made even worse, I guess. It deprived him of the little confidence he had had in himself. If he had been thinking rightly, if he'd been reasoning, he'd never have acted that way. Poor little Loges, he couldn't believe you'd stay by his side although you were always there for him. His jealousy should be justified, though... Who wouldn't fear losing such a girl like you?"
I can't help but just smile at these words.
"He thought his doctor would steal me away from him," I say.
"See?" Philip asks. "All I know is that he loves you, Nessie. I can tell you love him back as well, although he acted like an idiot..." he sighs lightly.
"So what do you think I should do now?" I ask him.
Philip puts a CD in the player and looks in my eyes.
"Take this song as my answer to your question," he says mysteriously.
I sigh lightly as we stop by my house.
"Your house's pretty close to Logan's," Philip tells me. "Maybe that is a sign, Nessie. I don't wanna pressure you into doing something you don't wanna do... But please, listen to your heart before you tell him goodbye, Nessie."
"Thank you, Philip," I smile weakly. "Thanks for everything."
"You're welcome, Nessie," he says, smiling back at me. I watch as he drives off.
Then I take my luggage up the stairs and put it down. I open the front door of the house I was supposed to be opening with Logan standing right next to me...
The house is beautiful, not big, not small, perfect. Perfect for us...
I go upstairs with my suitcase.
Our bedroom is way beyond perfect...
I enter the bathroom and have a quick shower. Then I wash and dry my wavy hair, and leave it down after I'm finally done brushing it.
In my bathrobe, I head towards my suitcase and pick my outfit - baby blue jeans and a T-shirt with a heart-shaped print on it. And golden sandals.
I take out a colorful bag. My gift for Logan, one of his favorite fragrances...
It's his birthday.
Should I go?
Maybe I should...
I go out, somehow remembering to lock the door.
Here I go.
I walk towards Logan's house slowly. Yet, slowly happens to mean fast, 'cause I arrive there in no time at all.
"Ah, hello, Nessie!" Jeff opens the door for me, a big smile on his face. "I'm glad that you decided to give Logan one more chance, Honey."
"We both made mistakes that day," I tell him. "Here I am to try to get things right."
"Nessie! You're back!" Pres exclaims, hugging me pretty tightly. "I missed you! We missed you! Are you gonna forgive my brother that stupid mistake?" she asks me.
"Only if he forgives me mine," I tell her.
We enter the kitchen, where Pam's struggling with decorating Logan's birthday cake.
"Mom, look who just came in!" Pres exclaims enthusiastically.
"Nessie!" Pam comes and hugs me. "So glad to see you here. Logan's having his birthday party outside, in the garden. I mean, it's not really a party at all... Logan's just as sad as he's been lately and everyone's trying to cheer him up. I see it's not really working so far, though... Even Stephen can't bring a true smile on his face, I swear..."
"Stephen? Glickman? Gustavo from the series?" I ask her.
"Yeah, he's the only one guest you haven't met in person before," she tells me.
"I'll go there," I say, taking a deep breath.
I approach the back door slowly. The table's so close to it... Logan's sitting with his back towards the door, so he can't see me right now. A pair of crutches beside him. Everyone's so busy trying to cheer him up that they don't notice me standing right behind the door. James is playing his guitar and... He spots me.
"Oh, woah, yeah, yeah..." he sings, looking at me.
I step out of the door as James plays a familiar tune.
"Hey," I say casually, all eyes are on me as Logan turns around and stands up, a mixture of happiness and disbelieve visible in his pretty eyes.
"Hey, yay," he plays along the scenario that James created as well, he approaches me without even caring to use his crutches to walk now.
"Hey, yay, hey, yay," everybody echoes.
My heart melts suddenly as Logan sings to me.
"Still got that same look that sets me off."
It's my turn.
"Guess there's just something about you."
Then Logan's turn.
"I got these feelings can't let 'em show
'Cause I wouldn't let you go.
I shouldn't have let you go."
My turn again.
"You asked me for closure before"
Logan sings again.
"And girl I told you it's over, it's over,
It's not over.
So here we go again, yeah."
He lifts my head with his hand, making me look him in his beautiful eyes as he sings the last line.
And he continues, taking my trembling hands in his.
"It's like I'm falling in love all over again.
For the first time and I know that it feels right.
I think I'm falling in love all over again.
Love at first sight, do you know how I feel"
I sing then.
"To the left, left, left.
On the right, right, right.
To the back, back, back
On the side, side, side."
Logan repeats the words I sang.
"To the left, left, left.
On the right, right, right.
To the back, back, back
On the side, side, side.
Tonight"
It's my turn to sing now.
"I know I try to not face the truth, but"
Logan cuts me off right now.
"No one can love me like you do."
I sing again, gently taking Logan's hands and putting them on my waist before I put mine around his neck and hide my face in his chest, hugging him tightly.
"Your love is static, it pulls me in like a song when it first begins,
I just don't wanna let you end (No)"
Logan sings again, hugging me back.
"You just take me over and you are my controller."
I look at him while singing.
"I told ya, I told ya, told ya,
I'm ready to go again (Yeah)
It's like I'm falling in love all over again.
For the first time and I know that it feels right.
I think I'm falling in love all over again.
Love at first sight, do you know how I feel "
Logan sings then.
"To the left, left, left.
On the right, right, right.
To the back, back, back
On the side, side, side."
I repeat the words after him.
"To the left, left, left.
On the right, right, right.
To the back, back, back
On the side, side, side.
Tonight."
Logan takes his turn to sing.
"Baby there's something that you did that holds me on."
I take mine.
"Maybe there's something that just keeps me from moving on."
Logan's turn again.
"The moment I see you, I know it's going to be you,
I got this figured out.
(Ooh)"
We sing together.
"It's like I'm falling in love all over again.
For the first time and I know that it feels right.
I think I'm falling in love all over again.
Love at first sight, do you know how I feel to the left, left, left.
On the right, right, right.
To the back, back, back
On the side, side, side.
To the left, left, left.
On the right, right, right.
To the back, back, back
On the side, side, side.
Tonight."
Logan does the vocalize pretty well.
"(Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)"
I sing then.
"All over again, all over again, yeah"
Logan's vocalize again.
"(Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)"
Me, once again.
"All over again, all over again oh yeah"
Logan, once more.
"(Over again, ooh)"
Me, once more.
"All over again"
We finish together, repeating last line.
"All over again."
Logan leans in to kiss me. We both smile through our sweet and passionate kiss.
Everyone starts cheering.
I look into Logan's brown eyes.
"Happy birthday, Honey," I say, handing him his present.
"Thank you, Sweetheart," he tells me. "Now it is a happy birthday. Nessie, you are my very best birthday gift ever."
"So this is the famous Nessie," Stephen Glickman says, coming to us. "Glad to finally meet you, Ness. To tell the truth, honestly, I'd never imagine a person like you could make one of my Dogs learn his lesson in such a tough, painful way. Good job, girl!"
"Wait... What? You praise me for that, excuse me?" I'm very shocked.
"You know, sometimes, when a guy like Dog Logan over here makes a stupid mistake like he did, he may not see that as his stupid mistake. Dog Logan realized that pretty quickly. He made that mistake only because he loves you. You knew that. You weren't just sure if you could trust him again this easily. You helped him realize he did something undoubtedly wrong. Now you know he learned his most important lesson. He learned the power of trust."
I turn to Logan right then.
"I knew you felt uneasy since that road accident, Logie-bear, I just couldn't stand your not trusting me," I tell him.
"Why were you so into your thoughts lately, Nessie? I thought I was making you feel upset, Sweetheart..." he tells me.
"I was just thinking about what I could do to make you get better, Honey," I tell him.
Logan hugs me.
"I love you, my sweet Lionessie," he tells me.
"Love you too," I reply, smiling.
This is all we both really need right now.