❝A LOGAN HUNTZBERGER PARTY❞
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⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ chapter two,
Gilmore Girls — Season Four

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟗𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟑
―୨୧⋆ ˚ LUCY'S POV

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          𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐙𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐒 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑. While I always knew he was an outgoing, extroverted individual, I never really knew what to expect of him at college. I've only shared a handful of conversations with Logan since he's Tristan's cousin, but now I imagine we're going to see each other a lot more now that we're both here.

  The party he's throwing is a welcome party for the newcomers── mainly Tristan── and a lot of people have been invited to this college bar near campus. Logan arranged the whole party. He rented the bar out for the evening so we can "party in style" as Tristan keeps telling me.

I've invited my suite-mates so I can bond with them as Dad instructed me to do. I'm currently sat with Amara and Juniper── my roommate. Our other suite-mate, Joanna, is nowhere to be seen, but I imagine she's off flirting with the bartender for a drink.

Joanna Barlow── or Jo as she prefers── likes to flirt, party and dance based on first impressions. She's a drama major. She's beautiful, tall, and blonde── your classic supermodel type of girl, and if she wasn't at college, I could definitely see her walking down a catwalk.

Juniper Andrews── or June as she likes to be called── is my roommate and a very eccentric person. She's a very vibrant, very bubbly, and very colourful character who I actually think I'm getting along with. She seems to be a quiet person, but I don't mind that. If she doesn't want to talk, she doesn't have to, but she does seem to be really, really kind based off the small conversations we've shared.

I didn't sleep last night, but I didn't think I would. I was annoyingly homesick, and I was very close to calling my dad but I stuck it out── I swallowed my worries and tried to close my eyes, but I just couldn't sleep. After laying in bed for hours, I decided to get up and make myself a cup of coffee which accidentally woke up Amara.

But after waking Amara up, I made her a cup of coffee which she deemed "the best coffee in the world", and we talked. We spoke about our lives── about our hometowns, about our families, and about our future college plans. We talked until the sun rose and June moved in shortly after.

Now I sit with June and Amara, sipping on a lemonade that Tristan bought me. He's talking with Logan, and I keep peering over at them at the bar to check on him.

  "You've got hot friends." I look over at Amara who is staring at some guy I've never seen before in my life. "I mean..." She exhales. "Wow."

  "Mara, I have no idea who that is."

  She snaps her head back to me, shrugging her shoulders. "Dammit." Her head falls into her hand, and she begins to drink her lemonade through the straw. "Do you think that very hot boyfriend of yours can get me something stronger?"

  It's been made perfectly clear to me that Tristan is hot. Each of my suite-mates have told me that I've "scored"── whatever that freaking means, and all I can do is nod, smile and laugh.

  "How long have you two been together?"

  "Two years," I answer, my eyes peering over at June who sits next to me.

  "Wow," Amara whistles. "That's like a lifetime for two eighteen-year-olds."

  "What about you guys?" I ask, moving my straw in hopeless circles.

  "Single." Amara hits her hand against the table, sighing loudly. "Very, very single, but very, very ready to mingle." She wiggles her eyebrows, and I laugh.

  I shift my eyes over to June who leans against her hand. "I had a girlfriend back home," she answers. "We broke up just before I came to college."

  "I'm sorry," I reply, nudging her gently.

"I'm gonna go grab another drink," Amara says, shuffling out of our booth. "Gonna see if I can get something stronger. See you guys." She waves, snatching her lemonade as she moves away from the table.

June has fallen silent, continuing to sip on her drink quietly, and I fear I've overstepped by asking about previous relationships. Make a friend, Dad had said, so that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to make a friend.

"Sorry if I overstepped. I just──"

"No. No, it's fine," she insists. "We need to get to know each other. We're going to be living together for a whole year, you know?"

"I'm still sorry. I-It's none of my business."

"It's fine, don't worry." She offers me a kind smile. "I just don't like talking about her, that's all. Our breakup was..." She exhales. "...hard."

"Where are you from?" I ask, moving past the girlfriend talk to discuss something a little easier.

"Scranton," she answers. "Pennsylvania."

I crack a smile, remembering something about that particular city in Pennsylvania. "My dad's truck broke down in Scranton," I tell her. "It started smoking on our way back home, and it was awful. I thought my dad was going to inhale the smoke and die."

A laugh bubbles out of June, and I feel myself finally relax. "Where are you from?"

"A little town nearby called Stars Hollow."

"That does not sound real." When I told Amara that I lived in Stars Hollow, she also said that the town sounded made-up. Yes, it sounds like some fictional town where fairies live, but it's very real, very small, and very dramatic.

  "I can promise you it's very, very real."

"I'd love to live in a small town." June leans back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. "It must be nice."

"Well, it has a few flaws, but I love my town."

  June looks to me wistfully. "Is it just you and your dad?"

  "Yeah," I reply, nodding with a sincere smile on my face. "It's always just been me and my dad."

  "He seems nice."

  Rory Gilmore moved in earlier today, and after Dad helped move her mattress in and out of her room, he stopped by to see me. He met June and Joanna as well as their families, and then he bought lunch for me and June before he left to handle more divorce stuff back home. I'm going to call him in the morning and ask how the divorce stuff is going because he's hardly talked about it. I think he's ashamed by it.

  "Yeah, your parents seemed nice too."

  June nods, but she doesn't look sincere. "They're..." She shrugs. "...fine."

  "I'm guessing there's a story there too," I say, and June cracks a smile. "You don't have to tell me, but I want you to know that I'm interested in being friends, okay? I want to get along with you and the other girls."

  Her face softens. "Really?"

  I laugh. "Yes, really."

  She looks away, staring down at her drink again. "Well..." She holds her hand out to me. "...I want to be friends. It'd be nice."

  I take her hand, shaking it. "It would be nice."

"I'm just..." She shrugs. "...not very good with new people, I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine." I free my hand from hers. "I had a total freakout yesterday. I cried like a child all day." I see June smile, and I'm just glad my pain brought a smile to her face. I think she needs a little boost. "Look, college is probably going to be hard and painful, but if we stick together, I think we're gonna be okay."

"You think?"

I nod, finishing my glass of lemonade. "Yeah, I think we're going to be fine."

"Are we friends?" she asks, and I grin.

"Yeah. I think we are. That okay?"

She inhales sharply. "Yeah, that's okay."

"If you feel homesick or nervous or feeling like crying, let me know, okay?" She nods, finishing her drink. "I'm your roommate, right? I'm the one who will be there at three in the morning, the one that'll help you climb back through the window if you're sneaking in, and the one that'll keep you sane."

"I don't think I'll be climbing through any windows," June replies, chuckling. "But I'll help you climb through one."

"You think I'll be sneaking back in?"

She rolls her eyes, looking towards the bar where Logan and Tristan are. "Lucy, have you seen that boyfriend of yours? I might be gay, but I'm not blind."

A laugh bubbles out of me, and June starts to laugh too. "Okay, but you'll help me sneak back in?"

  "That's what I'm here for." We raise our empty glasses, clinking them together. "Here's to being friends."

  "Friends," I repeat, clinking our glasses again.

  Look at me, Dad, I made a friend.

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          ❝𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐈 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐍❞

Hands grasp my shoulders, and I stare up at a tall boy with an Australian accent. I think my cheeks heat in either flattery or embarrassment, and Logan steps up next to me, placing a hand on this stranger's arm. "Finn, leave her alone."

My stranger called Finn ignores Logan, and continues to stare at me. "Darling, are you single? I would love──"

I feel Tristan's presence behind me before I hear him say, "She's taken."

Finn removes his hands from my shoulders, peering at Tristan who stands behind me. "Oh, you're Luciana..." Finn grins down at me. "My god, you are beautiful."

"Thank you," I reply, flattered.

"Okay, come on, Finn." Logan tugs on his arm, pulling him away from me and Tristan.

"Call me!" Finn waves, I laugh, and Logan shoves him so far away from me that I no longer see him in a matter of seconds.

Tristan slides an arm around my torso, placing his hand against my stomach. I lean back against him, feeling instantly comforted on a whole other level. "Hey," I whisper. "Did you hear him? I'm the most beautiful woman he's ever seen."

Tristan spins me, pulling me flush against him. "Yes, you are." He dips his head, kissing me, but I instantly pull back, tasting something strange on his lips. "What?"

"Have you been drinking?"

"Just had a beer," he replies, hooking an arm around my waist.

  "Are you sure?"

  He nods, leaning down again but I pull back, not wanting to kiss him when he's obviously a little tipsy. "Come on, Blue, I'm f-fine." He slurs the last word, and I free myself from his arms, pushing my hand into his.

  "Come on." I string him along, dragging him to the bar so I can get him a glass of water.

  He says he's only had one drink but from the way he's acting── knocking into strangers and tripping over his words── I think he's had one too many drinks. I'm not sure what he's drank, and I'm in no place to judge, but I am going to keep an eye on him now because this half-drunk slob is my boyfriend── he's my mess to handle.

  A cup of water slides towards us. "Drink."

  He lifts the cup of water, downs it, and his body slumps forward, his head hitting the crook of my neck. "Sorry," he mumbles against my skin, his eyes closing. "I'm sorry."

  "I can't believe you're drunk." I place a hand in his hair, and a laugh crawls out my throat. "You've been here for an hour, Tristan. How can you be drunk?"

  His head shoots up. "I am not drunk."

  I grin, placing a hand against his cheek. "Right." I move my barstool closer to his, pulling his head back down to rest on my shoulder. "It's fine, you're just a lightweight, sweetie."

  "I am not──"

  "Drunk?" Logan appears next to me, slapping a hand on Tristan's back. "Yeah, you are."

  "Screw you," Tristan bites out, wrapping an arm around me. "You smell nice, Blue."

I place a hand in his hair, and I look to Logan, giving him a pointed "what did you do" look, but Tristan did this all on his own. He chose to drink, and apparently keep drinking. He'll likely regret his actions in the morning, but I'm going to stay with him and keep him hydrated. I don't need him throwing up everywhere.

Logan laughs, placing another glass of water down. "Luce, I promise I did not give him more than..." He shrugs. "...two beers."

"Clearly he drank more."

He shouldn't even be drinking. He's eighteen.

"Or he's just an extreme lightweight."

"I am not a lightweight." Tristan lifts his head, but he immediately falls back down, hitting my shoulder once again. "Hold me, baby."

I wrap an arm around his shoulders, brushing a kiss against his head. "Just don't move," I say, looking back towards Logan.

"Hey, look..." He grabs a barstool, pulling it to sit down next to me. "...T said you needed a job."

"Oh, yeah. I do."

While I know my dad will always provide for me, I still want to get a job. I always loved working at the diner, and I'll still work there during the holidays, so while I'm at college, I need a job to give me something to do besides college. I want to make some of my own money, and maybe help my dad pay my college tuition.

Logan slaps a hand on my shoulder. "Well, I need a bartender." My eyes widen, surprised that that's the job he wants me── the diner's daughter from a small town── to do.

"Oh," I breathe out. "Really?"

"You look terrified, Luce."

"Well, I've never..." I sigh. "I-I don't──"

Logan laughs. "You don't need bartending experience, Luce. I just need somebody who can pour a drink, serve it, and handle Finn." I look past his shoulder, seeing that Finn is flirting with a hopeless blonde who definitely doesn't look interested. "Oh, and somebody who can handle my friend, Colin."

"Colin?"

"Oh, you'll meet him soon." Logan downs his drink, waving down the bartender to pour him another. "Anyway, what do you say?"

"Why do you need a bartender?"

"For my parties," he replies. "I host a few every couple of months, and it's totally flexible, and it's good money."

My eyebrow raises. "How good?"

"Well, let's just say you won't get a better wage anywhere else, Luce." Logan nudges me, and I sigh, knowing damn well that he probably pays more than necessary. "What do you say?"

Tristan lifts his head slightly, his eyes on mine. "Take it, Blue." He pushes his mouth against mine, and I immediately pull back, surprised. "You're so pretty. I love you."

His head hits my shoulder again. "God, he acts just like this when he's sober." Logan downs his drink, pushing it across the bar.

I smile, resting my cheek on Tristan's head. "You know what..." I look to Logan. "I'll do it."

"You will?" He stands up, accidentally knocking somebody behind him. "Oh, that's great, Luce. I'll let you know when the next one is, alright?" He pats my shoulder a few times. "Have a good night. Drink whatever you want── it's on me."

"Thanks, Logan." He pushes the barstool under the bar, slapping a hand on Tristan's back.

"Bye, T."

"Screw you," Tristan murmurs, and all Logan does is laugh as he walks away from us, leaving Tristan to groan and moan. "I hate that guy."

  "No, you don't."

  "He did this," he claims, lifting his head. "He kept giving me drinks."

  "Oh, really?" I look away, finding that Logan is now with Finn and... Colin, I think. "Well, at least you know your limit, right?"

"I swear..." He places a hand over his heart. "...I did not drink more than..." He begins to count with his fingers, and then he holds up six fingers. "...this many."

I pat a sympathetic hand against his cheek. "Well, you're allowed to go a little wild, alright?" He nods, dropping his head back to my shoulder. "It's your welcome party."

"It's your welcome party too. It's everybody's." He starts to laugh, and all I can do is laugh right along with him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"No, like, I really love you." He lifts his head, and he takes my face in his hands. "You're the greatest. You're..." He hums, pressing his forehand against mine. "...you're my Blue."

  It's annoying how those words can make me feel weak all over again.

  His head falls, and this time it stays resting on my shoulder. I don't move from my seat, and I keep a hand against his neck, checking his pulse because yes, I'm that paranoid.

  Don't get me wrong, people can drink and have fun. I'm not opposed to people getting drunk, I'm just not somebody who particularly likes the whole drinking out thing. I've never had a drop of alcohol, and I don't think I will until I turn twenty-one just because I don't want to be like this── passed out on somebody's shoulder.

Dad always tells me that drinking isn't a smart thing to do, and looking at Tristan right now, I think Dad was right. It's his first day living at college and he's already drunk. I mean, what the hell is the rest of the year going to be like if this is how he's acting after one day?

Okay, I'm just overreacting now.

  My eyes catch onto Amara and Joanna who are dancing in the corner, spinning around one another with drinks in their hands. It seems they're also drunk, so I need to make sure they get home safely once we leave this party.

I know very little about Joanna. I'm not sure if she likes me. I'm not sure how she's feeling. All I know is that she's drunk, spinning around Amara, and on the verge of throwing up based on how she's practically tipping over.

  I shift my gaze over to June who is sat at our booth with a book in her hand. I smile, and when she lifts her gaze to meet my eyes, I wave for her to come over which she does. She walks to me, slipping her book into her back pocket.

"Woah, how much has he had to drink?"

"About six," I say, sliding a hand through his hair which causes him to groan. "He'll be fine."

"Have you seen Jo and Amara?" We both look to the corner to see that they're laughing hysterically. "We've got some... interesting suite-mates, Lucy."

"Well, it wouldn't be college if we didn't."

"Do you need any help?" She looks back to Tristan, and I chuckle.

"Yes, actually that'd be great."

June puts a hesitant hand on his back. "Is he..." She dips down, seeing that his face is smushed against my collarbone. "...conscious?"

I squeeze Tristan's shoulder. "Hey, honey." I shuffle back, cupping his face with my hands to lift his head. "Me and June are gonna take you home now, okay?" Tristan groans in response, and I think that means yes.

June laughs, stepping towards him. "Hi," June says, lifting Tristan's arm to rest around her shoulders. "I'm June. It's, uh..." I look at her with a wide grin. "...it's nice to meet you."

I lift Tristan's other arm, placing it around my shoulders, and we pull him off his chair which appears to be harder than I anticipated. The second he's lifted up and off his stool, he falls forward, and we nearly crash to the ground with him. "Oh, my God."

"I'm gonna tell him to stop..." I pull him up again, holding onto him extra tightly. "...going to the gym."

June groans, tugging on Tristan's arm to get him to move his stupid legs. "Oh, maybe we could start──" He topples into her side and she stumbles into the wall.

"Are you okay?"

I pull Tristan back to me, and June sticks up her thumb. "I'm great!"

"J-June," Tristan groans, keeping his arm around his shoulders.

"Yeah?"

"I-Isn't she pretty?" He looks to me, and I smile despite the pain in my hip from Tristan crashing into me.

June looks to me, smitten. "Yeah, she is. You're a very lucky guy, Tristan."

"I am. I love her. Y-You can't have her."

Drunk Tristan is something I never thought I'd see, and I don't know how I feel about it. He's extra clingy, extra affectionate, and extra loving. I  mean, I'll always love him, drunk or sober, but I may not love him if he throws up in my car.

I drove here because I knew I wouldn't be drinking and I'm the only one in my suite who owns a car so I'm driving everyone home. I lean Tristan against the car while June opens the passenger-side door.

"Okay." I place both my hands on his chest. "You are going to get in this car, sit here patiently, and when I get back, I'm going to drive you home, alright?"

"Wanna go home with you." He clasps my hand, tugging me closer.

"You can't. I need to──"

"Please," he whines, and I look to June with pleading eyes.

"He can crash in our room."

"Are you sure?"

I'd hate to be a burden to June on her first night staying here, especially when the burden is my lump of a boyfriend.

"Yeah. It's completely fine."

"Thank you, June!" Tristan yells, surprising me, and we both laugh, lowering him into the passenger seat.

Once Tristan is securely in the seat, his eyes immediately close, and I shut the door quietly before we turn away.

  June sighs, leaning back against the car. "Let's go save the others."

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𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐔𝐏 𝐌𝐘 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐃. The bed I have at Yale isn't exactly built for two people, and it's especially not built for my six foot drunk boyfriend. June is sitting on her bed, flicking through her book, and I'm pulling Tristan's shoes off his feet because that's what a girlfriend does── pulls the shoes off the drunk boyfriend.

We put Amara and Joanna to bed, and I put a glass of water next to their beds alongside a bucket from the storage closet in case they need to throw up later. Aren't I a good suite-mate?

It's after midnight, and all I want to do is crash, but my boyfriend takes me the majority of the bed.

Once I've pulled off his shoes, I lift him slightly so I can tug off his jacket. He stretches against my bed, taking up even more room, and he starts to doze off to sleep. I lean down, press a kiss to his cheek, and promise I'll be back in a minute. He mutters something that sounds like "I love you", but I can't be entirely sure.

"Can you keep an eye on him?" I ask June who looks up from her book.

"Yeah, of course."

I move out of the bedroom, towards the bathroom and I change into my pjs before splashing my face with water. I brush my teeth, and as I stare into the mirror, I feel my throat swell with emotion and I haven't a clue why. Once I've finished brushing my teeth, I move out of the bathroom, and I come to a stop, unsure on which way to go.

  I should go into my room, fit myself next to Tristan and go to sleep, but I also want to step outside and have a minute to myself. I feel like crying, and I don't know why I want to. I just have this tightening in my chest, this ringing in my head, and this swelling in my throat.

  I really, really need to cry.

  And that's exactly what I do. I step outside of my suite, move towards the staircase leading up to the boy's suites, and I sit down on the steps. I lean my head against the bannister, and I feel the tears I've been seemingly holding back all night begin to trickle down my cheeks.

Usually, in a time like this── a time where I'm feeling upset and confused── I'd turn to my dad, but he isn't here. Now I could call him but I have that nagging feeling deep in my stomach that screams, "Don't bother him!" He's probably sound asleep right now, and while he said I could call him whenever I want, I still don't feel like I can.

I'm supposed to be giving college a shot, and while I've only been here for two days, I wish this feeling of loneliness would disappear. I wish I could suck it up, pretend I'm fine, and move on, but I think I've been holding in my emotions all day and now they're unleashing late at night while everybody in their suites sleep, not knowing that there's a girl crying out here.

  I don't even know what I'm crying for.

  I thought all my tears were shed yesterday, but I guess they never really fade away until I find the reason why I'm crying like this.

Usually, I'd speak to my dad, and second to my dad, I'd talk to Tristan but he's... unconscious. I want to talk to him, hold him, and cry because I think he'd know how to ease the pain thumping in my chest. But then again, I don't want to bother Tristan just like I don't want to bother my dad.

I don't know who to talk to. I don't know who I can turn to. I'm afraid to turn to anyone when I don't even know why I'm crying.

A sob catches in my throat and I cover my mouth with my hand, afraid somebody will overhear which is exactly what happens. In front of me stands a familiar face── a face I saw just an hour ago.

He moves towards me, sitting on the step next to me, and I don't say a damn word, but I do keep crying because once the tears start, they can't stop. His arm comes to rest around my shoulders and he pulls me towards him, whispering a quiet, "Come on." I shake my head, feeling ridiculous for crying like this to him of all people.

My head hits his shoulder, and the comfort only makes me cry harder. I hate crying── I've always hated crying── and to cry in the arms of somebody I barely know is embarrassing and stupid, but I can't stop.

I don't know how long I sit there, crying and choking back sobs, but the comfort never leaves. It only squeezes tighter, wraps around me like a safety net and holds on, and I'm damn grateful, but I still don't say a damn word── I can't say a damn word.

Once the tears subside, and I can no longer cry, I stay leaning on the arm of a friend because the comfort is something I didn't realise I needed this badly.

"I think this makes us best friends, Luce."

A laugh surprisingly ripples out of me, and I lift my head. "I'm sorry," I choke out. "I hope I didn't ruin your..." I look to his tear-stained shoulder.

"Don't worry 'bout it."

I raise my hands, brushing my eyes and cheeks. "I hate crying." I sniffle, wiping a hand under my nose. "God," I breathe out. "I feel ridiculous."

"What's going on?"

"I-I don't know," I laugh uncomfortably. "Usually in times like this, I'd..." I swallow my emotion. "...I'd call my dad or I'd talk to Tristan, but I don't wanna bother my dad, and Tristan is unconscious and I just──" I cover my face, and tears start to spill from my eyes once more.

  A hand slides against my back, and I remove my hands from my face, taking a few deep breaths. "How about you talk to me?"

  "What?"

  "I know I'm not your dad, and I know I'm not Tristan, but I'm close enough to him." He grins, and it brings another broken smile out of me. "Come on. I'm here. Just talk."

  I turn my body, now facing Logan, and I pull my legs up to rest my chin on my knees. "For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be here, but now that I'm here..." I close my eyes, emotion bubbling in my throat. "...I just feel lonely and confused and lost and──"

  "Lucy," he interrupts. "Do you wanna know what I did the first week I started Yale?"

  "What?"

  "I went out every night," he tells me, and I stare at him strangely. "I went out because I didn't want to deal with the fact that I── somebody who never, ever cared about school── was at a college where every Huntzberger had gone. I was in this constant fear that people were judging me, so to handle it, I went out every night and severely regretted in the morning."

  "Are you saying I should go out every night?"

  "No." He touches my arm, forcing me to look directly at him. "I'm saying you're probably going to struggle your first week here, but after this first week, you'll feel a thousand times better. That probably sounds like a cliche, but it's true, Lucy. The first week of anything is always the hardest but after it's over, you'll feel like you're not out of place. You won't feel lonely, you won't feel sad, and you won't feel lost. You'll feel like you belong which you do."

  "Do you feel better?" I ask. "Do you still feel like everybody is watching you── waiting for you to make a mistake?"

  He shrugs. "I stopped caring what other people think a long time ago, Luce."

  "Good," I reply. "From what I know, you're pretty great, Logan."

  He smiles widely. "Well, you're pretty great too, Luce── tears and all."

  "Does it really get better?" I ask, hopeful.

  "Don't you think I'm doing better?" He waves his arms in front of me, and a laugh crawls out of me. "See laughing already. I think you're feeling a little better, huh?"

  I nod, smiling over at him. "Thank you."

  "Anytime, Luce." He nudges my arm. "And listen, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on──"

  "This will never happen again," I insist, shaking my head. "This might be the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to me, and I'd appreciate if you never, ever brought it up again."

  He sighs, frowning. "Dammit. I was gonna broadcast it all over Yale that Lucy Danes was crying on the steps of Durfee Hall."

  I smack his arm. "Bastard."

  "You know, this kinda makes us best friends."

  I roll my eyes. "If I become best friends with you, Addy will never forgive me."

  "Oh, Addy." Logan laughs, obviously remembering the witty blonde he met last year at his cousin's party. "How is she?"

  "Fine," I reply. "She's at Juilliard──"

  "Oh, that's interesting, what──"

  "──with her boyfriend," I interrupt, and Logan clamps his mouth shut which brings a giant smile to my satisfied face. "Anyway, she's doing great, and I miss her a lot."

  "Well, that's good," Logan says, nodding his head a few times.

  "Hey, what are you doing here anyway?"

  "Oh, I came to check on Tristan. Is he..." He looks to my suite door, and I nod. "Do you want me to get him out of there? Take him back to his room?"

  "And risk him attacking you for taking him away from me── his dazzling, beautiful girlfriend."

  "He might claw at me..." Logan stands up, and he reaches for my hand, pulling me up and off the stairs. "But I can take the risk if you want?"

  I shake my head. "No, it's okay. I-I wanna keep an eye on him."

  "Okay." Logan squeezes my shoulder, and I smile politely. "You're a good girlfriend, Luce. My cousin is lucky to have you."

  "I think I'm pretty lucky too."

  Logan nods, stepping away from me as I reach for the door handle to my suite door. "Will you be okay?"

  "Yeah, thanks to you." I wave towards him. "Thank you, Logan. I really appreciate the shoulder, but never mention this again."

  He grins, waving back. "Goodnight, Luce."

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authors note:

kind of a messy chapter lol idk

lil emotional moment but look at luce and logan bonding <3