25: Can We Leave?
Completely trusting Harper, even with my hair impervious to the wind and I'd be finding pins for days, she was right. A few naturally shorter strands framed my face by the time I parked at Grace's house.
Logan seemed uneasy, even after his eyes sparkled at my appearance, and his gentle kiss on my neck approved of my hair. He looked just as amazing in his suit, although my cheeks warmed because, this time, the idea of ripping it off him stuck in my mind.
"Cheese and rice... Ellie, you're a beauty," Grace gushed with teary eyes and a loud, nasally sniffle. Taking pictures, except for my hair up and a corsage of white roses on my wrist matching Logan's boutonniere, we looked the same.
"Sorry," he mumbled in my ear. "Mom's a hysterical mess."
"Under the tree!" She pointed at the only tree in their small yard.
I smiled when Logan poked his head around the lower branches, resting my hand on his chest when his arm slid around my waist. He squeezed my side and dipped his head, its weight resting on mine.
A similar band of white roses peeked out of Grace's sleeve. Logan had bought her a matching corsage. How sweet was this boy? She must've melted when he gave it to her.
"Let me take a few of you together," I suggested, changing spots with Grace and taking photos on all our phones. After a quick check that at least one was decent, I flashed a thumbs-up.
"Get going." She fanned her teary eyes and pushed Logan towards me. "I have bowling tonight, although there's no way I'm taking these flowers off."
I laughed and returned her phone. My smile faded at Logan's tight-lipped version with his extended elbow. Nerves fluttered through me as I took it.
"Here we go again." He sounded anything but happy.
His distracted mood lasted the ten-minute drive to his school. While I wanted to know what bothered him, what he knew that I didn't, I wasn't sure if asking would upset him more. Instead, I squeezed constant pressure into our linked hands to let him know I was here.
Judgmental eyes zeroed in on his truck as he parked, unabashed glaring continuing as I slipped out. Ducking my head, my smile wobbled under the obvious, 'Why is she here?' hostility.
As Logan guided us up the sidewalk, how little I knew about his friends sunk in. His closest friend, Josh, dated Ava. The ones he'd mentioned the most, I'd met both at practice since she was a head cheerleader, but since Logan and I headed out after, we hadn't hung out with anyone.
Sitting at Logan's practices was like sitting through Jake's with one glaring exception. Here, people still watched and whispered at me, understandable at first, but weeks later, it was difficult to keep my nose buried in homework when the cheerleaders struck haughty stances, hands on their hips and eyes narrowed.
They probably thought I'd stolen him away. Sorry, not sorry, they had three years and he was mine now.
Music bounced off the hallway walls and a trophy case I couldn't help but scan for Logan's name in. A couple of trophies wore it, but he kept walking, his bicep bunching tighter and trapping my hand the closer we got.
Inside their gym, everyone stopped, and the music screeched to a halt. A low hum echoed, followed by coughs and noises of disapproval.
My heart thudding, I wanted to melt into the floor. What a nightmare.
Step after step, the room sizzled with whispers. I swallowed the dryness turning my tongue into sawdust and leaned against Logan. His posture was stiff and robotic, and his face was a blank expression of indifference. It was very believable—I would've believed he didn't care everyone stared except his arm tensed the tighter he squeezed my hand.
Before Logan, I hadn't realized there were different kinds of hand squeezes. At my school's dance, they'd said, 'We'll get through this, but it'll be fun.' His message was more, 'We'll get through this and leave as soon as possible.'
These whispers were so... catty.
"Her? That's his girlfriend?"
"She's Jake Harrison's sister?"
Of fucking course. As I stifled a groan, Logan clenched his jaw so hard that a dimple creased his cheek.
"She's tiny."
"Like a middle schooler."
"It's so unfair."
"Her hair's cute, but what is she wearing?"
"She's not that pretty."
Okay, well this was all just... lovely. I huffed a hot breath.
"He looks happy... So fucking unfair."
As nearly every girl hated me upon sight, I understood why Logan had suggested I brought Harper. She wouldn't have minded another tongue-lashing opportunity since ego-smashing was her sport of choice, but she'd declined in favor of a solo chick-flick movie night. Part of me wished I'd done the same.
Who was I kidding, all of me wished I could be anywhere else.
"Tough crowd." I looked up at Logan with wide eyes. Already annoyed, every cord in his neck was taut enough to snap.
Poor guy. This was awful. As much as I hated high school, I liked my classes and had Harper. Thanks to Jake, no one messed with me and, until this year, I lived in anonymity. Even with additional attention, my school didn't pass the same judgment.
Well, I was here for him now.
Lifting our joined hands, I kissed the smooth, warm skin on the back of his hand. Turning his head, the overhead lights cast shadows over his expression, but making his tempered frustration melt into a smile was everything.
"We're only here for two things, and we can leave after." Dropping my hand, his arm slid across my shoulders. His polite, masked expression remained. Like he was playing a part.
Since he needed me to do the same, I side-hugged him and fixed a smile.
"Science guys first." Logan steered me toward three guys and one girl. "Guys, this is Elle."
Blinking at his use of my old nickname, hopefully, my smile hid my surprise. Logan pointed through the introductions.
"Emmitt." A near Ryan look-alike, with straight brown hair gelled back, brown eyes, and round glasses grinned and shook my hand. His relaxed, shoulder-slouched disposition made me feel at ease.
"Jason." A guy with slightly shaky hands but kind dark brown eyes and black hair greeted me with a chin lift.
"And the only one who could snag a date." Logan smiled for the first time. "Kyle."
"Very funny." Kyle's gray eyes shifted to the adorably short, cute girl on his left. "This is Gemma."
"Nice to meet all of you." I shook so many hands. Gemma's long, fitted red dress fit her perfectly, and finally, someone near my height.
Logan towered over everyone, but we relaxed under their friendly vibes.
While they made small talk, I observed the fire and ice theme. Over thirty-foot-long drapes of white fabric cast with blue lighting hung from the gym's central scoreboard. Chandeliers made from white and light blue balloons hung from its center. Along alternating walls, uplighting in blue or red illuminated their gymnasium, and red paper lanterns bunched in the dance floor's corners.
Launched into a science discussion, I only caught the words 'Ampère' and 'Maxwell.' Gemma's spare-me look made me suppress a giggle.
"Elle, do you like science?" At Jason's question, all five heads turned towards me.
"It's not my best subject, but I don't dislike it. I have physics in the spring. Regular though, not AP."
"We were just discussing the Ampère-Maxwell law—"
Our group was interrupted by a hand slapping Logan's shoulder. He turned, by default also turning me.
"Nice to meet all of you." I smiled at Logan's friends before another hand, slender and delicate, closed around my wrist, bringing me to face a gorgeous power couple. A literal blonde bombshell and her strapping handsome boyfriend smiled politely.
Josh and Ava.
"Bro, long time no see."
Logan's shoulders relaxed from his bro handshake with Josh, and he gave Ava's stunning appearance a nod. His eyes paused on her hands, and he frowned and glanced at Josh. When his friend shook his head with an obvious 'Don't say anything' look, I gave up on whatever their mimed conversation meant and faced Ava.
"You look amazing," I said.
We shared a fake girl hug, pressing our chests—fine, my chest into her stomach—and wrapped elbows. Even from a distance, she was the only welcoming girl here. Tall and thin, her straight blonde hair was slicked into a straight bun. Unlike Logan's pretty ocean blues, hers were tainted slightly gray but sparkled with the sharpness of someone who never missed a single detail.
Logan once described Ava as like his sister. During the first practice I'd attended, she'd stared at me with extreme scrutiny, then smiled. So, we were fine, but Logan hadn't talked about his teammates much.
Hopefully, I wasn't causing tension between them. Dating your sworn enemy's sister had to involve some.
"Hi, Elle." Ava's tone wasn't overly friendly but also not unfriendly. And that spoke volumes in girl code. "Or is it Ellie? Eleanor?"
"I'm going with Ellie." Before I answered, Josh bent over and gave me a warm hug.
"Hi, Josh... You guys look great." With his fitted, solid-black tuxedo and her floor-length, body-hugging satin dress with a scoop neck and extremely low back in an ivory white my clumsy ass wouldn't spill punch on or dragged the hem in the dirt, they looked fit for the Oscars, not a high school dance.
"Logan," a suggestive female voice spoke up.
Another tall, thin girl with a low-cut, fitted, long dress—hers in navy—stood close to him. Too close, and my spine stiffened with the urge to move away. Under thick, smoky eye makeup, her brown eyes glimmered, and her glossy black hair was in a high bun.
"Kendall, this is my girlfriend." Logan's voice strained.
Fully aware of how physically small I was, no one had attempted to make me feel smaller of a person. Waves of judgmental criticism flowed off her like an aura of distaste. Her glaring eyes raked over me like a bug that didn't deserve to be squashed under her shoe.
Discomfort churned in my stomach. I hated how she was more beautiful up close than from a bleacher seat's distance, and I really hated picturing her having done anything with my boyfriend.
I swallowed the bitterness drying my tongue. No matter what they'd shared in the past, he was with me now. Mine.
Taking in Ava and Kendall, Logan had asked me to wear my hair up because that's how theirs was styled. Cat eye and contouring makeup were impeccably beautiful on their faces but beyond my skillset.
As Kendall's critical eyes took in my skirt, I realized hair was where our similarities ended.
"Eleanor, aren't you cute tonight?"
Unlike my short, flirty dress, theirs molded onto their bodies like a second skin. While my legs looked like miniature tree stumps, their straight skirts and thigh slits stretched their already-long legs.
A dress inventory showed almost all the other girls wore long dresses. I was like a little girl in her birthday dress, but that's how she wanted me to feel. Rather than say something rude, I smiled, mentally tackling and punching her in the ovaries.
"I like it," Logan whispered hot in my ear. Tingles slipped between my shoulder blades as his thumb stroked the back of my neck. "Easy access."
I giggled at how much steam I'd needed to get last weekend's wrinkles out, but another football player approaching was a welcomed distraction. Another tall, thin, but not particularly happy-looking, blonde followed him.
"There she is." Bryce choked me into a big hug.
"Oof." I groaned at the ceiling and gave awkward pats on his broad back. Leaning in, he took a deep breath of my hair. "Hi, Bryce."
I gasped for oxygen as he released me and pulled the blonde closer. "Meet my date. This is... Ce... Ca... uhh..."
"Laura." I shook her chilly hand, although, by her bored expression, she probably wouldn't stick around. Her inspection seemed less judgmental, and her smile more genuine. "You're, like, so pretty. We were all shocked when Logan was taken, but I totally see why."
"Thank you." Smiling, I added insult against Kendall's continuing dirty look and snuggled closer into Logan, internally high-fiving myself when his hand lowered and clutched my hip.
"Bryce." Logan's voice was low in warning. "Don't you have something to say?"
Some silent exchange followed between them until Bryce's eyes dropped and he cringed. "Ellie, Elle, I uhh, need to tell you something." Looking at Logan, not me, he shifted his weight and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry. You know. The uhh... game stuff. Trifecta, you know."
"Oh." My mouth slacked and a chill swept through me.
Right. That. What could I say to, 'Sorry we rated your hotness, insulted your V-card holder status, and because you're Jake's sister, we put you atop a sexist game ranking girls in a degrading challenge like sexual meat'?
"Thanks." I squeezed tighter against Logan's side. "I guess there's some indirect compliment there."
"Exactly." He grinned and lifted his eyebrows.
Logan didn't answer but the tension in his body remained like I hugged one of the cement walls.
"Are you two going to Cole's after-party?" Josh offered a much-appreciated diversion.
Logan shook his head but winked at me. What did he have planned? My heart thumped faster and heat rose into my cheeks, but I wasn't ashamed of what happened in his truck.
Truthfully, he'd made me feel incredible just from how he'd looked at me last week, dark and hungry. I just hadn't expected any feelings to linger, but he'd awoken a part of me buried so deep, I didn't know it existed. Heated and frustrated, yes, but also an aching pressure in my chest every time I thought about us together.
Both were more than I'd expected.
If I overthought, how excited he'd gotten me so quickly was a little embarrassing, but hopefully, that was how things worked the first time. Newness magnified the excitement.
Even in a non-aroused way, my body craved him, even the lightest touch. Despite how I couldn't wait to leave, I was glad it was with him and loved the heated comfort of his arm around me.
Also, despite him liking the experience to be about my pleasure, I wanted to please him too. Not that I knew how, but, for him, I wanted to try.
Tonight, hopefully.
"Logan, Kendall." A teacher tapped their shoulders and pointed to a stage where a microphone and table with two crowns were placed.
Kendall reached for Logan's arm, but he leaned over, kissed my cheek, and walked away while she remained.
Ouch, what a burn for the ice queen. I'd seriously have to appreciate my boyfriend later.
Talk about ironic fire and ice but unfortunately, the moment was short-lived.
"Sucks." Her glare at me narrowed. "Doesn't it?"
Not really wanting her answer, I obliged, "What?"
Her wicked smile held no joy as if savoring an inside secret at my expense. "Knowing that you don't belong with him."
Please. Her jealousy was more transparent than the tulle layers fluffing my skirt. "Kendall, we'll never be friends and I'm okay with that. Have a good night."
Saying goodbye to Logan's actual friends, I walked away and stood near his science friends. I didn't have to wait longer than thirty seconds before he approached with long, confident steps and a crown flattening his blonde hair.
His genuine smile and extended hand I'd accept any day, but something squealed in me at the way he stopped and asked, "Can I have this dance?"
All the stares and whispers melted away. His eyes seeing only me put my nerves at ease and I blushed as I slipped my hand into his. As we took the center of the dance floor, if anyone else said anything, I didn't hear over the beats throbbing in my ears.
Logan pulled me into his sturdy chest. "At the risk of being a gigantic sap," he said, eyes locked on mine. "We don't have a song, so I hope this is okay?"
"You picked something?"
This boy couldn't get any sweeter. He just couldn't, and I was melting in his hold.
"I had help." He smiled as the slow, gentle tempo of Ed Sheeran's Perfect started. "Ava gave me a playlist, with explicit instructions that I couldn't pick anything on it because they were her and Josh's songs. Plural."
"Sounds perfect." Clogged with emotion, my voice turned croaky.
The room blurred under the heat radiating through his suit. Swaying and stepping to the music, I focused on not stepping on his feet. For a big guy, his balance and coordination were so much better than mine.
"Relax, baby." His hands circled my waist.
With a deep breath, the sweetness from Logan's lapel rose filled my nose. I rested my cheek on his chest. His comforting body heat made everyone's attention irrelevant. All that mattered was the awe in his eyes seeing only me, the sense of security his strong arms around me unlocked, the hammering of my heart, and his steady heartbeat calming like a metronome.
My eyes closed as all signs pointed in the same direction—I was telling him tonight.
"Ellie?" My eyes opened to him smiling as we swayed through the song.
"Whatever it is, yes, as long as you don't dip me."
"Sounds like a challenge." He smirked as his arms tightened and tipped me halfway back. Releasing a quiet squeal, I clutched into his coat sleeves. "Just wanted to say thanks for coming with me, baby."
His smile turned sad, and I knew why without him explaining. After less than an hour here, with a few exceptions, I felt completely judged and suffocated. He spent every day of school like this?
"Laura's right." He pulled me upright, leaned over, and ran his nose up my neck and behind my ear. "You're so pretty tonight."
"You're not so bad to look at either."
Excitement buzzed in my veins as he lingered close. Warm breaths washed over my ear. "Wanna get out of here?"
"Already?" Eyes wide, I pulled back to gauge if he was serious. Was I rubbing off on him? "After one song?"
"A hundred percent sure." Those pretty blue eyes looked so steady. When heat simmered, low and suggestive, in them, I gulped. My words were lost, nodding made him break into a relieved smile. "A thousand percent."
Not yet, interrupted a low, nagging tug on my low belly.
"Except..." I cringed. How embarrassing, but—
"Except what?" His warm hand on my back led me off the dance area.
"I have to pee."
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