Chapter 36 Period cramps
Ava’s POV
I was curled up on my couch, clutching my stomach as another set of cramps churned through me. I groaned, my face turning in discomfort. Periods were the worst. It felt like my uterus was personally having war against me, and I was losing so badly.
The soft glow of my lamp illuminated across my apartment, and I briefly considered reaching for my phone to distract myself. Instead, I sighed and closed my eyes, willing the pain to pass.
Why do we women have to suffer like this!?
Then, there was a knock at the door. I frowned because I wasn’t expecting anyone. Dragging myself up with great effort, I went to the door and pulled it open.
Before I could react, I was engulfed in a tight embrace.
Logan.
His fresh cologne wrapped around me as he held me close. His arms were firm, his grip was as possessive as ever, like he needed this as much as I did. For a moment, I forgot about the pain, the exhaustion, and just melted into him.
“Logan?” I mumbled against his chest, my voice coming weak.
“I needed to see you,” he muttered, burying his face in my hair. “Are you okay?”
I hesitated before sighing. “Period cramps. They’re killing me.”
Logan pulled back slightly, his brow furrowed in concern. He studied my face, his gaze softening. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because there’s nothing you can do about it,” I grumbled, turning back inside and collapsing onto the couch again. Logan followed, sitting beside me.
“I’ll be right back,” he said suddenly, standing up.
“What? Where are you going?” I asked, confused.
“You’ll see,” he said before slipping out the door.
I sighed, curled back into my blanket. I didn’t have the energy to question him.
Ten minutes later, the door swung open again, and Logan entered in, his arms full of bags. He dumped them onto my side table and turned to me with a smug grin.
“I come with gifts,” he announced.
I blinked at the amount of stuff he’d brought chocolate, chips, heat patches, herbal tea, a stuffed panda, and even a bottle of painkillers.
I stared at him. “Logan…”
He shrugged as if it was no big deal. “You’re in pain, and I can’t punch your uterus to make it stop, so this is the next best thing.”
Despite the discomfort, I laughed, feeling my heart swell. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And yet, you love me for it.” He smirked, grabbing a blanket and draping it over me before handing me a bar of chocolate. “Eat this. Chocolate is supposed to help.”
I took a bite, the sweetness melting on my tongue. “I can’t believe you did all this.”
Logan settled beside me, pulling me into his arms. “Believe it. Now shut up and let me take care of you.”
I smiled against his chest, my cramps momentarily forgotten. Maybe periods weren’t so bad when you had Logan Carter by your side.
Perks of having a caring boyfriend.
Logan’s arms around me were warm, comforting, and everything I needed at that moment. The tightness in my chest from the cramps started to ease just a little with him next to me. I let myself relax into the softness of his embrace, his heartbeat a steady rhythm against my ear.
For a while, we didn’t say much. I nibbled on the chocolate he brought me, and Logan casually flipped through his phone, probably checking something for school or football. His presence was enough to make me feel, like the world outside didn’t matter. It was just us in this little bubble of calm, tucked away from the storm of everything else.
Eventually, I set the chocolate wrapper aside and looked up at him, resting my chin on his chest. “You really didn’t have to do all this, you know.”
He gave me a playful side eye, his lips turning into a grin. “Of course I did. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t spoil you when you’re in pain?”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t suppress the warmth I felt inside me. “A pretty bad one.”
“Exactly,” he said, his fingers lightly brushing my hair back from my face. “Can’t let that happen.”
We stayed like that for a while longer, and I could feel my body slowly starting to relax. The heat patch he’d given me was working wonders, the pain in my stomach subsiding bit by bit. But it wasn’t just the chocolate or the snacks that made me feel better. It was him Logan, who always seemed to know exactly what I needed, even when I didn’t.
“So,” I began after a few minutes of comfortable silence, “how was football practice?”
Logan groaned, and I could hear the frustration in his voice. “It was… fine. Until Aaron.” He shifted uncomfortably, his muscles tensing under my touch. “He’s being a complete asshole lately. And I’m getting tired of it.”
I frowned. “What happened?”
Logan’s jaw clenched, his hand gripping the edge of the couch. “He’s been avoiding passing the ball to me or Tristan, and it’s messing with the whole team. We’re supposed to work together, but lately, it’s like he’s doing everything he can to make things harder.”
“Ugh, that’s the worst.” I could feel the tension from him, and I traced soothing patterns on his chest to try to calm him down. “Have you talked to him about it?”
“I tried,” Logan muttered. “But he’s being… difficult. And honestly, it feels like everything is escalating between us. There’s this stupid bet we made a while ago, and now I think it’s really starting to mess with his head.”
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “A bet?”
Logan nodded, his eyes darkening with irritation. “Yeah. I won’t go into the details, but it’s all tied up in his stupid ego. I can’t stand it. He keeps bringing it up whenever he gets the chance, trying to get under my skin. It’s just a game to him, but it’s not for me.”
I could tell it was bothering him more than he was letting on. The way his fists clenched and his shoulders tensed showed just how deep this was getting to him. He wasn’t the kind of person to let anything, especially something petty ruin his focus. But I could see that Aaron was getting under his skin in ways that frustrated him.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, looking up at him. “You don’t deserve that.”
Logan’s gaze softened when he met my eyes. “I’m just tired of pretending it’s not affecting me. I want to focus on what really matters, you know? I’ve got football, I’ve got you, and I don’t want anything to get in the way of that.”
I leaned up to kiss his jaw, my fingers grazing his cheek. “Then you don’t need to let Aaron or his stupid bet get to you. You’re better than that.”
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Yeah, I know. I just wish it were easier to ignore.”
“Just focus on me,” I teased, trying to lighten the mood. “I’ll keep you distracted.” I pressed my lips to his cheek, then gently pulled away, meeting his eyes. “We’ll get through this.”
He sighed, resting his forehead against mine. “I know. You’re right. I just… I don’t know. Everything feels off, and I’m trying to fix it.”
“You will,” I said confidently, threading my fingers through his. “You always do.”
“Thanks for today,” I murmured against his chest, my eyes fluttering closed. “You really didn’t have to do all of this, but I’m glad you did.”
He chuckled softly, his fingers brushing through my hair in a comforting rhythm. “I told you, I’d do anything to take care of you.”
“I know,” I whispered, a smile tugging at my lips. “And I appreciate it. More than you know.”
Logan pressed a kiss to my forehead, the weight of the world feeling a little less heavy with him beside me. “Anytime, Ava. Anytime.”