Chapter 14 Awkwardness
Ava's pov
We made it back to Logan's apartment and he switched the lights on. Everything has become awkward because of my mixed feelings about Logan and I don't even want to face him now.
I heard him sigh “nerd! You're going to crush a poor teddy bear with the way you're hugging it like that".
I immediately came to my senses. “Oh shoot! I didn't mean too". This is actually the first gift I've received from someone other than my mom and whether it's from Logan or not I'm going to cherish it.
“Logan!”
“Nerd”
We both said at the same time.
I nodded at him " you can go first”.
He reached his hands to his hair and started messing with them " umm…I had so much fun today nerd! If you're down, we can do this again…sometime?”.
He actually looks cute when he's nervous!.
Shit! Don't get swayed by his cuteness Ava, don't!. I reminded myself.
" Definitely, I had a good time too, thank you Logan for what you did today; I really appreciate it”.
It's true; I never thought that Logan would actually try to help me with my siblings drama but I'm very grateful for him. Brian and Kate have always been foul-mouthed and I had no problem with it ever but insulting me In Front of Logan? I just couldn't take it.
Logan smiled; like an actual smile not his usual stupid smirk that he has all the time.he has a very beautiful smile.
“You should smile more, you have a very beautiful smile". I said before I could even process the words.
“Crap!" I put my hand to hide my mouth “I'm sorry,I didn't mean too… I …”
Logan laughed “geez! Ava chill! I Know I'm hot, don't worry” he winked at me.
I froze for a second, trying to make sense of what just happened. My heart hammered in my chest, and I could feel the heat creeping up my neck. Why did I have to say that? Why did I have to tell him he had a beautiful smile?
But Logan seemed completely unfazed, which both relieved and frustrated me at the same time. His casual response, the wink, the way he just laughed it off... It made me feel like he didn’t take anything seriously. Like he didn’t even realize how much his presence affected me.
But that wasn’t the worst part. No, the worst part was that it was starting to feel like I didn’t mind. It wasn’t even just about his looks, though God knows he was attractive. It was the way he could make everything feel lighter, even when I was drowning in my own worries. The way he made me feel like I wasn’t just some uptight nerd, but someone worth noticing.
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Focus, Ava. You’re not here to have feelings about Logan. You’re here because he’s the one person who actually helped you today.
“Are you okay?” Logan asked, his voice pulling me back into the moment. He was standing there, eyebrows raised, looking at me with something that almost resembled concern.
I blinked rapidly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just... tired, I guess.”
Logan nodded, but I could tell he wasn’t convinced. “You sure? You looked like you were about to pass out for a second.”
I chuckled, trying to play it off. “It’s just... all the drama with Brian and Kate. I think I’m just worn out.”
Logan’s expression softened, and he took a step toward me. “Hey, I get it. That whole situation was messed up, and they had no right to talk to you like that. But you don’t have to go through it alone, okay? I’m here for you. I mean... I know I’m not exactly the best person to be your emotional support or whatever, but I can at least help you with the annoying stuff. Like your siblings.”
I swallowed, unsure how to respond. My emotions were all over the place. I had never had anyone offer to help me like this before. Sure, I had my mom, but I didn’t want to burden her with all my problems. And as for my friends, well, I didn’t really have any. I kept to myself. But Logan was... different.
I let out a slow breath, realizing I was still holding the teddy bear tightly against my chest. “Thanks, Logan,” I said quietly. “That means a lot.”
He smiled again, and for the first time, I felt like it wasn’t just the smile of a guy who was always trying to get under my skin. This was different. His smile now seemed... genuine. He really did care, even if he was trying to play it cool.
“You’re welcome, nerd,” he replied, his tone playful, but there was an edge to it that told me he wasn’t just messing around anymore.
I nodded, the awkwardness between us starting to dissipate. The tension that had been hovering in the air was finally starting to fade, and we both settled into a comfortable silence.
“So, what now?” I asked, glancing around the apartment. Logan’s place was... well, it was typical of him. A little messy, but not in a way that made it look like he didn’t care. There were books and old video game consoles scattered around, a few empty pizza boxes stacked on the counter, and a half-open bag of chips on the coffee table. It was cozy in a way that made me feel like I could relax, like I didn’t have to be on guard.
Logan shrugged, clearly comfortable in his space. “Well, I can offer you two things: one, I can make you the most disgusting cup of coffee you’ve ever had, or two, we can watch something on Netflix and pretend to be productive. Your choice, nerd.”
I rolled my eyes, amused by how seriously he was presenting the options. “Hmm, I think I’ll pass on the coffee, thanks. But the Netflix thing sounds good.”
Logan grinned and reached for the remote control, clicking through the options. “Good choice. You might actually survive tonight if you don’t drink my coffee. The last time I tried to make it, I nearly burned the kitchen down.”
I laughed, more from relief than anything else. This wasn’t the kind of night I had expected, but in a way, it was exactly what I needed. No drama. No awkwardness. Just... Logan and me, watching bad TV shows and pretending everything was fine.
But as I settled back onto the couch, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that this night was different. It wasn’t just about the movie or the coffee. It wasn’t even just about the way Logan had helped me with my siblings. It was something else entirely—something I didn’t want to admit, even to myself.
I liked being around him. More than I should. More than I was comfortable with.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Logan said, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts. He glanced over at me, raising an eyebrow. “Are you planning on talking to me, or should I just assume you’re going to stare at the TV the whole time?”
I blinked, realizing I had been zoning out. “Sorry, I’m just... tired,” I said again, hoping he wouldn’t press the issue.
Logan didn’t look convinced, but he let it go. “Alright, well, if you start falling asleep on me, I’ll just throw a pillow at your head.”
“Nice. Real considerate,” I muttered, but I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips.
We continued watching the show in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Every now and then, Logan would make some sarcastic comment about the plot, or I’d point out something ridiculous in the show. It was like we had known each other for years, even though we hadn’t really spent much time together before today. It felt easy. Natural.
And then, just as I was starting to relax into the moment, Logan paused the show and turned toward me.
“Hey, Ava, can I ask you something?”
I frowned, unsure where this was going. “Sure... what’s up?”
He hesitated for a moment, his fingers tapping nervously against the armrest. “So... I’ve been thinking. About what you said earlier...”
My stomach dropped. What did I say earlier?
He looked at me with that slightly awkward yet earnest expression. “About me having a beautiful smile.”
I froze. “Oh no. Logan, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
He held up a hand to stop me. “No, it’s not that. I’m just... I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting you to say that, but it made me think. I don’t really let people in. I mean, you probably know that already. I mess around a lot, but... I don’t know, I feel like I can actually talk to you. You know?”
I stared at him, my heart hammering again. This wasn’t the playful Logan I was used to. This was... vulnerable Logan. And I didn’t know how to deal with that.
“I don’t know what I’m trying to say,” he continued, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “I guess I’m just trying to say thanks. For being here today. For putting up with my dumb jokes. For actually being someone who... cares. It’s more than I’m used to.”
I swallowed, not sure what to say. He was right—Logan wasn’t the type of guy who let people see the real him. He kept everyone at arm’s length, acting like he didn’t care about anything or anyone. But now, sitting here, I could see a different side of him. The side he usually kept hidden.
And for some reason, that made my heart ache a little.
“Logan,” I said softly, “You don’t have to thank me. I’m just... happy to help. That’s what friends do, right?”
He smiled again, though this time it was quieter, more thoughtful. “Yeah. I guess so.”
For a long moment, we just stared at each other. The air between us was thick with something unspoken. It wasn’t love. It wasn’t even anything romantic... but it was something. Something that made my heart flutter in ways I didn’t want to admit.
And maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something new.