Chapter 9 Flustered
Ava’s POV
The moment I read my dad’s message, my stomach twisted into knots.
Brian and Kate are coming over there tomorrow. They’ll stay at your place.
Stay at my place? What place?! I don't even have a place to call mine and he wants me to bring my siblings here!
I don't think Logan will be pleased by this, I just have to start looking for a place before things get out of hands.
My hands tightened around my phone as frustration bubbled up inside me. He didn’t even ask if I had the space, didn’t care about what I was going through. Typical. After throwing me out like garbage, now he wanted me to play host for his perfect little family?
I locked my phone and exhaled sharply, trying to calm myself. No use getting worked up now. I had bigger problems like the fact that I was homeless, currently crashing at Logan Carter’s apartment, and somehow surviving the chaos that came with being around him.
Speaking of Logan…
“Hey, nerd!”
I turned my head just in time to see him jogging toward me, freshly showered from practice, his damp hair sticking to his forehead. He smelled like soap and cologne, and I hated that I noticed.
I hated even more that my heart skipped when he smirked at me.
I rolled my eyes. “Stop calling me that.”
“But it fits so well,” he teased, falling into step beside me. “Where you headed?”
I sighed. “Nowhere important.”
He arched a brow. “You always this vague, or am I just special?”
I bit my lip, debating if I should tell him about my dad’s message. No. Logan didn’t need to know. The last thing I wanted was for him to pity me.
We reached the apartment in silence, the air between us thick with something unspoken. Last night’s kiss still lingered in my mind, no matter how much I tried to ignore it.
Maybe he had forgotten.
Maybe it meant nothing.
Maybe I was stupid for even thinking about it.
Maybe it's for the best.
Logan unlocked the door, letting me in first. “You okay, nerd? You’re weirdly quiet, or is something going on?”
“I’m fine,” I lied, heading straight to my duffel bag in the corner.
I needed to figure something out fast. There was no way I was letting Brian and Kate show up and see me like this. I needed a job, a real place to stay, something.
I pulled out my laptop, ignoring Logan as he flopped onto the couch.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Looking for jobs,” I muttered.
He hummed. “You really that desperate to move out?”
I paused, gripping my laptop tighter. “Yes.”
Silence. Then, “Is it because of the kiss?”
My breath caught.
I snapped my head toward him, eyes widening. He remembered.
I don't know if that makes me happy or nervous.
Logan leaned back against the couch, watching me with that stupid, knowing smirk.
“You’ve been acting weird since last night, nerd,” he continued. “Is it because you liked it?”
I scoffed. “Oh, please.”
He grinned. “So you didn’t?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
His smirk widened. “You totally did.”
I turned back to my laptop, typing aggressively just to not look at him. “Shut up, Logan.”
He chuckled, stretching his arms behind his head. “You’re cute when you’re flustered, you know that?”
I glared at him. “I will throw this laptop at your face, stop bugging me Logan”.
“Damn, violent much?”
I exhaled, shaking my head. “Can you just …” I stopped, my stomach rumbling loudly, betraying me.
Logan burst out laughing. “Holy shit, nerd, was that your stomach?”
I groaned, covering my face. “I hate my life.”
Still laughing, he stood up. “Come on. I’ll make us something to eat.”
I peeked through my fingers. “You can cook?”
He smirked. “Don’t sound so shocked.”
I sighed, closing my laptop. Maybe, just for tonight, I could take a break from overthinking. Maybe I could just sit back, eat whatever Logan was planning to make, and pretend things weren’t as complicated as they felt.
For now.