Chapter 11

By the following day, news of how much of an ass Logan Hernández was had spread like wildfire. People couldn’t believe it and frankly neither did I, that was, that my plan had worked. I was ecstatic and beside myself with joy. Logan’s name was on everybody’s tongue. I swear I couldn’t believe my good fortune sometimes. After all, he’d made everyone call me the janitor for almost a week. This was just the tip of the iceberg.

Logan and I hadn’t spoken in almost three days though I knew I couldn’t avoid him for much longer as we were yet to begin preparations for our school project. Principal Donna was expecting a full breakdown of what we utilized our week and there was no way we could afford coming up empty. It was Thursday and so, today was the day we had to go to the animal shelter.

I thought about looking for him then decided against it. It was still a bit weird, the fact that we’d almost kissed and I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. Damn Logan. Why must he invade my thoughts all the time? Even when he wasn’t near, it was still like he was hovering around, trying to find the perfect time to distract me from my thoughts with those pink, plumb lips of his.

The bell for first period rang and I scurried to class along with Aimee and Darren. They bickered all the way and I laughed at them, the only evidence I was a part of them. Sometimes it felt like it was just two of them and I was third-wheeling. I know they didn’t want me to feel that way and I should have probably said something about how I was feeling but I didn’t. Who knew? It might have just been in my head.

Class went on for two long hours. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Biology, but sometimes it was just exhausting to keep up with some of those terms.

On my way to Spanish however, Logan caught up with me.

“What on earth is wrong with you?” he asked me, urgency in his voice. I didn’t meet his eyes, only kept my head straight and continued walking or I would’ve burst out laughing. “Hale, I’m talking to you. Stop ignoring me.”

He grabbed my arm and halted my steps in the middle of the hallway, going to stand in front of me, giving me no other option but to meet his angry eyes. I stretched my lips extra wide to give him a big smile. “Whatever are you talking about, Logan dear?”

He gave me an icy glare, his jaw clenching so hard I thought his teeth would break. “I have feelings for Yvonne?” His nostrils flared. “How come I didn’t know that and how come the entire fucking school knows it?”

My brows raised. Logan cursing meant Logan was mad. Seemed like I’d really done it this time.

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, raising my chin in the air. “What’s my business with your business?” I hadn’t realized he was still holding my arm until he pressed almost painfully. I winced, trying to free my arm. “Let me go, Logan. You’re hurting me.”

He freed my arm almost immediately, like my skin had burnt him. I watched him run his hands through his thick dark hair exasperatedly while I massaged my aching arm. “I can’t believe you, Hale. You’re unbelievable.”

“But you said you liked her,” I argued, because he had. Hadn’t he?

He met my eyes, confusion swirling in his green orbs. “When did I say that?”

Had I gotten him wrong? “You… you said you cared about someone whose name starts with a Y.”

“Wha—” he breathed, pinching the bridge of his nose and looking away for a second before resting his eyes on me again. I’d never seen him look this flustered. Hell, I was beginning to get flustered. “Again, when did I say that?”

Now I was flustered, my cheeks heating up. “In Principal Donna’s office. You mentioned—”

“And you thought I was talking about Yvonne? Are you that dense?” Angry air blew through his nostrils like a raging bull. Why was he so mad? I didn’t get it. I’d obviously misjudged the situation but why was he so angry? He was Logan Hernández, the most popular boy at Cambridge High. Students literally thrived on his every word. All he had to do was deny the allegations and that was it. But if he hadn’t been talking about Yvonne, who was it?

“Don’t insult me, Hernández.” I felt silly for reading the situation wrong in Principal Donna’s office but that didn’t give him the right to insult me. “I was wrong but I’m not going to apologize for it. You’ve done worse to me.”

“You can’t even see beyond your fat nose to know that—”

“Don’t talk to her like that, man. Not cool.” I looked up to see Darren pull up beside me. His left arm went around my shoulder protectively and even though I was thankful for his help, I could’ve taken care of myself. It was Logan, after all. Aimee appeared by my side a few seconds later. It wouldn’t have been surprising if this was something they’d done before. Why did they feel the need to protect me?

Logan stared at the three of us for what seemed like forever before shaking his head and letting out a humorless laugh. “You know what, Hale? I’m not doing this. I’d rather get expelled than spend one more moment with you and you don’t have to worry, I’ll tell Principal Donna myself.”

He walked away, leaving me standing there wondering what exactly it was that had pissed him off so greatly. A small interested crowd had gathered and it was getting increasingly difficult to ignore the whispers.

“What just happened?” Aimee asked, and for the first time when it came to Logan, it didn’t sound like she was teasing me.

“I have no idea,” I answered, not liking the way I was feeling. It shouldn’t matter that Logan was angry at me. It was what I’d always wanted, wasn’t it? Him staying away from me. So why on earth was I feeling… bad?

“I don’t know, Lexi,” Darren murmured, his eyes on Logan’s retreating figure before he wandered out of view. “He seemed really pissed there. Are you sure he said Yvonne?”

The truth was I wasn’t but there was no point crying over spilt milk. “It doesn’t matter,” I told him. “What’s done is done.”

Darren nodded. “So, what are you going to do now?”

I sighed deeply, wondering why I suddenly felt the urge to cry. “I have no idea.”