Chapter 4
“You know what, I’m so glad that we’re doing this.” I smiled, sitting down on Nicole’s floor.
“Me too.” Grace nodded enthusiastically. “We missed you so much over the summer.” She added, sitting down next to me.
“I know right, plus it’s been weird with the whole dating stuff.” Nicole laughed, flipping through her magazine. “So! What’s the story with you and Logan?”
“Oh my gosh I’m not going into detail about that right now. All I know is that we’re friends or whatever and I’m not doing anything to ruin that.” I shook my head, reaching for my phone as it started buzzing.
“Ooh speak of the devil.” I laughed, pushing my phone aside without reading the message from Logan.
“You aren’t going to read it?” Grace questioned, flipping through her magazine just like Nicole was.
“Hell no.” I laughed. “We’ve been practically at each other’s throats all week. It’s either a sext or him getting pissed at me.” I shrugged, reaching for a magazine from the stack on the floor.
“Oooh.” Nicole giggled, giving me a look.
“No it’s not as ‘oooh’ as it sounds.” I shook my head. “Because sure we’ve been flirting and the sexual tension is damn suffocating, but nothing’s happening and it’s frustrating!”
“I think we need to watch a Nicholas Sparks movie.” Grace announced, pulling Nicole’s laptop towards us.
“Agreed.” I nodded. “I vote on Safe Haven.”
“Yes oh my gosh yes.”
~*~*~
My phone went off again as I climbed into the Jeep.
I’d completely forgotten about the text from Logan earlier.
I turned on the car, blasting the air conditioning as I grabbed my phone to read the multiple texts. They were all from Logan…
*Football field @6* - 4:32
I frowned, looking at the clock. It was already 5:45…
*Look, I know you probably don’t want to see me but I really have a lot of things to talk to you about…* - 4:59
*Marley…?* - 5:15
*Okay I get it I’m the last person you want to talk to but is ignoring me really that necessary?* - 5:38
*Just meet me at the football field at 6. I’ll explain…* - 5:46
I sighed, tossing my phone onto the passenger seat before pulling out of the parking space.
Should I even bother going? What did he have to say to me?
I turned up the radio to clear my head as I drove towards the school. It wouldn’t hurt to head in the general direction, just incase I decided to go.
I was cruising down Big Beaver, blasting Fall Out Boy with all of the windows rolled down.
A smile crossed my face. I was actually going to see Logan. And we’d talk about things… And we’d flirt… And we’d kiss and make up and everything would be perfect.
Because Logan and I would be perfect. Hell, we are perfect.
“You will remember me!!!! For centuries!!!” I sang at the top of my lungs, bouncing along in my seat to the music. “Some legends are told! Some turn to dust some to gold! But you will remember me!!! Remember me! For centuries!”
I turned up the music at a red light, happiness pulsing through my body.
I glanced over at the car next to me. It was a group of very attractive guys in the car next to me. So I sang along at the top of my lungs, making them all laugh.
With a wink, I accelerated to drive through the green light. I was still singing at the top of my lungs for the song.
Over the loud music, I didn’t hear the honking coming from my right until it was too late.
I panicked, slamming on the accelerator as I tightly grabbed the steering wheel.
The back of my car was hit, and I was thrown against the window as my car spun to the side.
This time, I slammed on the brakes and squeezed my eyes shut frantically.
As the car came to a stop, I slowly opened my eyes, my heart pounding in my chest.
My dad was going to kill me…
With shaking hands, I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car.
There was a middle aged woman getting out of the car behind me.
“Stupid girl watch where you’re going!” The woman yelled at me, smoothing down her business bun hair.
My eyes widened as I rested my hand against the car for support.
“Excuse me ma’am but you hit me.” I said softly, feeling a bit light headed.
“I’m calling the police. This is your fault. You’re so paying for this.” The woman snapped, pulling out her phone.
“Right, right.” I mumbled, my head throbbing.
“I leaned against my car, pushing my hair back from my forehead.
Oh I was so dead for this… So so so dead…
20 minutes later found me sitting on the back of an ambulance, pressing a piece of gauze to the gash on my forehead.
“Ms. Ryder?” A policeman asked, walking up to me.
“Yes?” I asked, turning my head to look at him.
“Hi, I’m Officer Rogers. I’m just going to ask you a few questions about what happened.” He said, sitting down on the back of the ambulance with me.
“Yea yea absolutely.” I nodded, suddenly feeling nervous.
“Can you tell me, in your own words please, exactly what happened?” The officer asked, holding a pen and paper pad in his hands.
“Yea I was just about to cross Adams, the light had turned green, and I heard a lot of honking so I accelerated and the next thing I knew the car was out of control.” I explained, pulling the gauze away from my head. I winced before readjusting it, pressing a clean side to the gash.
“Now Mrs. Peterson is extremely upset about what happened, can you tell me what happened right after the accident?” Officer Rogers asked, still writing on his pad.
“I got out of the car and I figured we’d exchange insurance and stuff and I’d have my mom help me with all that stuff when I got home, but she started yelling at me about how it was my fault and I should’ve seen where I was going. Then she said she was calling the cops and just sort of walked off.” I explained.
“Great, well here’s your license and registration back.” He told me, handing me the papers.
“Thanks.” I smiled.
“Marley! Oh my goodness!” Jane exclaimed, rushing up to me. “What happened!” She gasped.
“Just a little accident, I’m fine.” I reassured her, still holding the gauze to my forehead.
“Oh dear, is your head okay?” Jane frowned, taking my face in her hands.
“I’m fine I’m fine, they said I don’t need stitches.” I replied, giving her a soft smile.
“Officer hi I’m her mother is it alright if we can leave?” Jane asked, wrapping her arm around my shoulders as I stood up.
“Of course.”
“Will the woman be pressing charges? The officer on the phone said that she was trying to blame the crash on Marley.” My mother said seriously, her eyes on the officer.
“I’m sorry I can’t disclose that information with you at this time.” Officer Rogers shook his head.
“No actually I’m sorry, I don’t think I properly introduced myself.” Jane corrected herself, extending her hand. “Jane Ryder, special defense attorney. Now on behalf of my client, Marley Ryder, I would like to know the extent of this case.”
I have to admit, despite how much I didn’t want to like her, I was damn impressed.
Officer Rogers shook her hand, nodding.
“Mrs. Peterson will not be pressing charges. We have several eye witnesses that say the red Jeep wrangler did not proceed forwards until the light was green.” Officer Rogers explained. “Fault for the collision lies within the opposing party and damaged will be compensated in full.”
“Thank you.” Jane said before leading me away from the ambulance.
“Thanks.” I muttered, still feeling a bit light headed.
“Any time.” Jane smiled. “Would you like to stop off and get some ice cream or something?” She offered.
“No no not right now thanks. I kind of just want to go home and sleep.” I said softly as I got into the car.
“Absolutely.” Jane nodded.
“What’s going to happen to the Jeep?” I asked quietly, closing my eyes as I leaned back against the seat.
“We’re going to get it towed to the house and deal with it then. Don’t you worry about a thing.” Jane said softly.
I just nodded, stretching out my sore neck.
It had been a long ass day…
~*~*~
“Are you sure you don’t need anything?” Mark asked nervously, turning to face me.
“Can you just hand me the water?” I asked, pointing to the glass on my nightstand.
“Yes absolutely.” Mark nodded, quickly getting it for me.
“Great now can you just leave my room?” I raised my eyebrows, taking a sip of the water.
Mark frowned. “But you’re injured. I’ll help and-”
“I hurt my head, no big deal.” I laughed, taking another sip of the water. “I’m tired and I want to sleep.”
Mark frowned, standing up from my bed. “Well sorry for trying to help.”
“Oh gosh don’t make a big deal out of this okay? I have a cut on my forehead, I’m not dying.” I rolled my eyes, setting the water back on my nightstand. “Turn the lights out when you leave.”
“It’s not even 8!” Mark gave me a weird look.
“I’m not sleeping. I’m just going to watch Netflix.” I sighed. “Mark, you’re being weird, chill.”
“Dude you got into a car crash I'm sorry that I’m worried about you!” Mark frowned from the doorway. “When you ran out in the middle of a damn hurricane to make sure I was okay, I didn’t complain!”
“Okay yay I love you thanks you’re an awesome brother now bye.” I sighed, laying back against my pillows.
Mark stuck his tongue out at me before turning off the lights and shutting the door behind him.
I contently rested my head on my pillow, pressing play on Netflix.
I was watching Footloose, again. It was my favorite movie.
I’d only just gotten to the part where they’re racing the busses at Chuck’s race track, when the door burst open and my lights were turned on.
“Hey!” I exclaimed, reaching to pause the movie.
“You just completely blow me off?! After everything we’ve bene through, you just ignore me completely?” Logan asked loudly, shutting the door behind him.
“Logan stop yelling.” I sighed, shaking my head.
“Not even a damn text?! Marley what the hell! You could’ve at least down up to tell me that we have no chance at all anymore!” Logan yelled, walking towards my bed.
“It’s not what you think I-”
“No okay I’m sick of this. I’m sick of you. You broke up with me at the beginning of the summer and the whole time I tried to forget about you but that didn’t work because I’m still in love with you! And then you started flirting with me and acting all cute and shit and leading me on!” Logan yelled.
“I wasn’t leading you on!” I yelled back, pain shooting through my forehead.
“You could’ve told me that we had no chance! Before you left you said ‘we’ll see where the end of the summer takes us’!” Logan yelled, running his hands through his hair.
“That was a courtesy statement! I was breaking up with you and I was trying to be nice about it! You’re the one who dated a slutty cheerleader and then tried to be ‘just friends’ with me!” I screamed, getting out of bed.
“You hooked up with that Chris guy all summer!” Logan yelled.
I let out a groan of frustration, throwing a pillow across the room at him.
“But I still thought about you every damn day! A second didn’t go by that I wasn’t thinking about you! I was wondering what you were doing, what you were thinking, who you were with, if you thought about me, if you cared about me. I wondered what you’d think of my haircut, or what you’d say if you saw me, or what you’d say if you still saw me with the damn necklace!” I screamed, tugging on my hair. “You’re the one who completely ignored me when you came to see Mark, and when I was home!”
“Then why’d you stand me up tonight!” Logan yelled, holding his hands up in defense.
“I was on my way! I was less than three damn minutes when some idiotic woman t-boned me! Okay?! I wanted to go to the football field! You have no idea how much I wanted to come and make up with you and everything would be okay and I wouldn’t have felt so guilty about this summer!” I screamed. “Logan do you honestly think I’d stand you up? After everything we’ve been through?!”
“You- Holy shit are you okay?” Logan whispered.
“That is so not the point right now!” I screamed, walking towards him. “Gosh you are so frustrating! Make up your damn mind! Are you ignoring me or are you flirting with me or are you pissed at me! Because I can’t keep doing this back and forth and stressing out about what’s going to happen between us!”
“I’m not the one with all the back and forth! You tell me you love me and then six months later you decide that you don’t believe in love! What the hell am I supposed to do when you break my heart?!” Logan yelled.
“It’s not that I don’t love you I-”
“It’s that you what! What Marley? Because I distinctively remember standing right in this damn spot three months ago when you told me that you never really loved me and that you didn’t think we should stay together over the summer!” Logan yelled, putting his hands on his hips.
“Well nothing lasts forever, okay?!” I yelled, running my hands through my hair. “And we wouldn’t either!”
Tears were falling down my cheeks as my hands shook uncontrollably in my hair.
But Logan just looked at me, his mouth slightly open and his hands behind his head.
“Then is that what you want?” Logan asked quietly, his voice shaking. “Do you want me to walk right out of that door and never talk to you again?”
I took a deep breath, biting my lip. “I don’t… I don’t know.” I said quietly, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
Logan sighed, sitting down next to me.
“Because if that’s what you want, just tell me.” Logan said softly. “I’ll leave right now.”
I shook my head, reaching for his hands.
“I don’t want you to leave.” I admitted, taking his hands in mine. “I just don’t… I just don’t want things to be complicated.”
“Then we’ll keep it uncomplicated.” Logan said quietly. “Just friends.”
I let out a sigh, leaning forwards to press my forehead against his shoulder. “That’s not exactly what I had in mind.” I said softly.
Logan instantly pulled me into his arms, a feeling I never thought I’d get to feel again.
“But friends who have the potential to love each other.” Logan said quietly. “You’ll be my friends sister who I have a massive crush on. You’ll be the cute Sophomore in my Spanish class.”
I looked up at him hesitantly, unsure where we were going with this…
“Friends?” I hesitated, looking down at my hands.
“Don’t stress. I know you’re freaking out right now but listen, you and I will be friends. We can do this. And hey, maybe in a few days or weeks or months even, we decide to try a relationship again.” Logan gave me a soft smile.
I just nodded, taking a deep breath.
“Will you… Will you stay with me tonight?” I asked, my cheeks turning slightly pink.
Logan sighed. “I want to, I really do, but I don’t think that’s the best idea.”
“Oh…” I mumbled, embarrassment filling my face.
“No it’s nothing bad I promise. Sleeping with you next to me will me inside because I can’t do anything with you. Besides, Mark will be wondering where I am and he already almost punched me because of this.”
I raised my eyebrows. “He what?”
“First thing he did when he got home was try to punch me before Wesley held him back.” Logan admitted. “But hey, we’ll talk more later okay? We’re good for now?”
I nodded, pulling back from him.
“Yea we’re good.” I tucked my hair behind my ear as I stood up from the bed.
“Goodnight Marley.” Logan said softly as he left the room.
“Night.” I replied quietly.
Despite the pain in my forehead, I couldn’t help but smile because Logan and I were finally talking again.