by Naomi Amanda
She grabbed my hand so I couldn’t drive off and was forced to talk to her. Taking a deep breath, I got ready to fake a smile and lie to her face to stop her from worrying.
“Don’t,” she deadpanned. “Don’t even think about lying to me right now. I’m done playing games, Chey. I want to know what is going on in that house. I can’t sleep in peace knowing that you come to school with a new bruise every day.”
“You don’t see any bruises on me, now, do you?” I challenged, unprepared to tell her the truth. “Nothing happened. I just felt like I couldn’t breathe there anymore so I came out for fresh air.”
“And she let you leave? Just like that?” she asked, raising a perfect eyebrow, her lush, long eyelashes brushing against her cheekbones as she blinked.
“Just like that,” I echoed. “I lied that we were picking up a birthday present for a fellow cheerleader and she let me go. You know how she hates it when someone comes home unannounced. I just told her that you’d show up at our door if I didn’t meet you at the mall.”
She watched me with a scrutinizing gaze for several more seconds until she finally gave up, letting go of my hand. She eyed my clothes, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe that I was so poorly dressed compared to her pretty blue summer dress.
“At least you got out of the house for once,” she commented as I drove out of her street and onto the main road, in the direction of Dream Bean Café, our usual hang out.
Thanks to my sneakers, she had no idea that I had fresh new wounds, though those were on me and my carelessness. And lucky for me, Susan’s slap hadn’t left a mark.
“Yeah, thank God for that.” I nodded in agreement. “We need to pick the girls for the squad and prepare them for the homecoming game.”
“Only a selected few can be on our varsity squad though,” she told me even though I knew. “And for some reason, Marika is adamant on it being that new kid. I think she’s a junior and her name is Ava something.”
“Ava Summers,” I filled her in since I was required to remember all of the girls’ names, being the team captain. “She moved here from New York. She was a gymnast at her school and learned to dance by herself.”
“Wow.” Laura seemed genuinely shocked. “Why would she move to this small town from New York? Anyway, Marika thinks she’s promising. She talks about her excessively.”
“Mm hmm,” I agreed, thinking about how Marika looked every time she passed Javier in the hallways. Her face only lit up when she spoke about Ava.
I parked outside Dream Bean Café andasked Laura what she wanted. She’d never go for something as sugar and calorie filled as the triple hot chocolate with whipped cream like I did. She’d probably ask for a black coffee or something.
“I’m good,” she answered. “I had an early lunch. You should grab something to eat though.”
Sighing, I nodded and got out of the car without realizing that I had left my phone and wallet in the cup holder of my car. I was already inside the café and in the front of the line, making my order when I realized that I had left my money behind.
“Here’s your triple hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and bear claw,” the teenaged girl behind the counter said to me, holding out my stuff.
I dug into my pockets, hoping I had left some money in the pockets by chance but came up empty.
“I’m so sorry,” I told her in a rush, my face flushing in embarrassment for holding up the line. “I forgot my wallet in the car. I’ll just go get-”
“A café mocha,” a guy with a deep, husky voice told her from behind as I stepped aside. “And I’ll pay for her stuff, too.”
“No, that’s fine,” I told him quickly, my face heating up even more.
I didn’t want anyone to think that I didn’t have money to pay for my own food. Everyone in town knew who I was and that my father was running for mayor. It would be all around town if I let a guy pay for my food so I hurried out of the café to get my wallet from my car.
“Hey, hold up,” the same husky voice from the café called after me.
I turned around to gape at a tall, well defined guy with dark hair and captivating grey-blue eyes. He looked a little older than I was but I knew that no one stayed in Northwynne once they graduated. Everyone left town for college.
“Here-” he held out my wrapped bear claw and hot chocolate. “A lot of sugar, don’t you think?”
“Let me get my wallet,” I told him quickly, ignoring his comment but he shook his head, stepping forward. “I’ll pay you back.”
He placed my drink and bear claw in my hands and smiled, revealing an adorable dimple on the right side of his cheek.
“No, its fine,” he told me and I realized that I was gaping at his handsome, chiseled, sharp jawed face. “I’ll see you around...Cheyenne Fator.”
I felt my jaw drop open as I watched him turn around and walk away. His muscular torso and perfectly fitted jean clad legs disappeared among the parked cars.
Who the hell was that guy? I had never seen him around before and how had he known my name? Okay, most of the people in town knew my name, thanks to my father but I swear I would have remembered someone as good looking as him.
Then I felt my heart stop in realization. Logan Kendall. He had to be in town and he had been gone long enough for me not to recognize him. But he recognized me. I felt my face grow hot as I turned around to get into my car.
“Shit,” Laura breathed. “That was Logan Kendall,” she said, confirming my presumption and sending my heart plummeting down to my knotted stomach.
If she was right; if that was Logan Kendall – I was screwed.
Chapter 5
When I woke up on Monday morning, I was prepared to avoid all situations that involved Logan at school. I had had the entire night to think about the consequences of befriending him even though I really, really wanted to.
I wasn’t basing all this on the fact that he had grown up to be such a good looking guy. I was basing it on the fact that we had been good friends once upon a time and he seemed to remember me. Plus, the only two real friends I had were Marika and Laura. Everyone else who hung out with me did it for the popularity or because they wanted something from me. And I hadn’t ever pegged Logan to be someone like that. Not that I knew much about him anymore. I mean, everyone had changed since we were kids.
“I can’t believe he’s so hot,” Laura gushed as I exchanged books in my locker during first period. “The rumors were true.”
“If the rumors were true then he’s starting school today,” I murmured, some of my resolve to steer clear from him disintegrating. “Laura, you have to help me. Make sure I stay away from him.”
“Why?” she asked, dubious to the expression on my face. “Are you attracted to him? Because I think all the girls at school are going to be all over him-”
That was when I actually paid attention to my surroundings and heard the gushes and excitement coming from behind me. That was usually the kind of greeting that Laura and I or the football guys got when we walked into school after a break or after football games.
“He’s behind me, isn’t he?” I asked, my heart racing at the thought as the voices got closer.
Laura gave me a sheepish smile and a small nod before I felt the presence of someone standing way too close to me from behind.
“Cheyenne,” Logan’s husky voice was unmistakable and way too close to my ear. “Good morning.”
“It is not a good morning,” I muttered to myself, shutting my locker harder than I intended, making me flinch.
“Laura, right?” he asked when I didn’t respond to him and Laura nodded, her cheeks flushing brighter than her already blushed cheeks.
“Hey, you guys think you could show me around after class?” he asked, making me turn around to glare at him.
As soon as my eyes landed on his adorable half-smile and dimple, I felt my annoyance falter.
“You’ve lived here before,” I reminded him.
“I was talking about
the high school.” He chuckled, making my insides turn to goo. “I only recall attending kindergarten and primary school in Northwynne.”
“That’s right.” Laura’s face lit up with her most flirtatious smile, making me want to smack her silly. “We can show you around during recess.”
“The school isn’t that big,” I snapped at both of them. “That’s it, we’re out of here.”
I looped my hand through hers and started half-dragging her to toward our first class.
“Sorry, she didn’t eat breakfast and she gets grumpy when she’s hungry,” Laura called out to him and I gave her the stink eye.
“Do you guys know where the history class is?” I swallowed against the lump in my throat as he put his question out there.
Great. He had the same first period as us. What were the chances that he had the same class schedule as I did? Laura and I had most of our classes together, except our electives because she hated creative writing and I couldn’t muster enough physical energy to do whatever she had chosen.
“Sure do.” Laura grinned even while I dragged her, making her stumble on her four inch heels. “Just follow us.”
What were the chances that Logan had the same class schedule as us? A very huge chance. And when Laura had seen his class schedule and told me that I was in for trouble, I ignored her. I believed in my strength to ignore the very existence of him which ended up being harder than I expected. Especially because Laura invited him to sit at our table during recess.
“Bro! Logan, right?” Dayle rose from his seat to fist bump him as soon as we joined our friends at the table.
“You remember Logan?” Laura asked him, pressing her lips to his cheek before sitting beside him.
“Of course, we were like buddies back in second grade.” He bobbed his head as if being friends with someone back in primary school was the coolest thing ever.
“You mean second grade when I was a total nerd and never left the class room while you ran around bullying people?” Logan asked, making everyone at the table laugh.
“He still bullies people.” Marika smirked. “Hi, I’m Marika Torrez – Cheyenne’s friend.”
“Hey.” He gave her one of his heart melting smiles. “Logan Kendall, Cheyenne’s childhood friend.”
“No one’s going to be my friend if you guys don’t sit down,” I snapped, sitting in my usual seat, making Marika and Logan sit on either sides of me.
Mistake number one – letting Laura talk to him. Mistake number two – opening my mouth in front of him, let alone speaking to him. Mistake number three – telling them to sit down because having Logan sit so close to me was unbearable. Mostly because he looked like a Greek God and smelt like heaven.
“You barely have anything on your plate,” Logan commented even though I had taken a sandwich, fruit and juice. “Here.” He placed a slice of pizza on my tray.
I fought the urge to respond to his obvious habit of buying me food. But I didn’t want to start any conversations with him. If Laura was going to drag him into our friend circle, I was going to have to try harder to get out of situations that included him, even if that meant staying away from my friends.
So I picked up his slice of pizza and placed it back in his tray before stuffing the apple and the carton of juice in my book bag for later. I grabbed my sandwich, taking a huge bite as I stood up, dumped my tray and walked out of the cafeteria.
I felt several eyes on me and not just from my own table. Everyone was watching me as I left, wondering what the hell had just happened and honestly, I wasn’t sure myself. I just knew that I couldn’t be around him.
I wasn’t going to lie that I wasn’t attracted to him. I was extremely attracted to him and that was a bigger problem because it had been forever since I had liked any guy in our school. I had dated a number of the good looking guys at school and the rest were either taken or not worth my time, being open about how douche-y they were.
But Logan – he was different. He was somehow old but new to me and it was messing with my head and I wasn’t even through half the day.
So, needless to say, I almost shat myself when he walked into my last period creative writing class – the only class where I could sit alone without Marika or Laura talking in my ear. Plus, none of the other students dared to take the seat next to me when I made it so obvious that I needed my space to think in this class because writing was one of my only escapes.
“Hey.” He plopped into the seat next to me, his long legs stretching underneath the table.
It was hard not to notice his biceps bulge out of his very fitting black t-shirt or the fact that his jeans fit him so well, it probably wouldn’t look good on any other guy. According to Laura he would be ‘eye candy'.
“I think you’re drooling.” He chuckled and I turned my attention to the front of the class, my cheeks aflame. “Are you ignoring me? I thought we could be friends again since we were so close back in the day.”
“You thought wrong,” I murmured as Mr. Archer walked into the class, scanning the class to see if all the students were present. “And I don’t even remember much before junior high so-”
“But I remember everything-”
“I assume all of you have prepared for today’s reading,” Mr. Archer announced, looking down at the class list and saving me from the unwanted conversation with Logan. “Oh, we have a new student. Welcome to Northwynne High, Mr. Kendall.”
“Thank you,” Logan pipped up, smiling brightly.
It would actually be pretty nauseating that he smiled so much if he hadn’t had the cutest darn dimple in his cheek. I really needed to get over it.
Mr. Archer decided to take a seat at the back of the class, calling on random people in the classroom to go up and stand in front of the whole class to do their reading. When it was my turn, I suddenly felt more nervous than usual but I tried to concentrate on the words written in my notebook. But my heart blamed Logan for my nervousness.
I tried my hardest to ignore him as I slipped out of my seat and slowly made my way to the front of the room but I could feel his heated gaze on me. So when I turned to face the class, I looked straight ahead to the end of the classroom where Mr. Archer sat, eyeing me because he ‘expected a lot from me’.
“You wanted to paint a picture of me; the only color you used was red.
You wanted to instill your feelings in me; the only emotion I felt was dread.
You shoved me in a box of perfection; but you wanted more.
You tried to fix me but I’m not broken; but you wouldn’t let me go.
I stayed up all night and day; wondering what I did wrong.
I forced a smile but cried at night; I couldn’t be that strong.
I dreaded the morning light; but the sun rose every day.
In my mind, I couldn’t be perfect; in reality, I couldn’t find another way.
So I became who you wanted me to be; but I still wasn’t enough.
Nothing would ever make you happy; so I finally gave up.”
It wasn’t my best work and I knew it because poetry wasn’t my strong suit. I was more of a consequential writer but my not-so-good-poetry wasn’t the reason I had my heart my in throat, a knotted stomach, sweaty hands and a tomato red face.
When I finished reading, I glanced at the rest of the students, my eyes landing on Logan who obviously had his eyes on me throughout the entire period. Only now, he had arms crossed on the table, his chin resting between them with his hot gaze still on me, making me squirm.
“Thank you,” I said quickly and made it to my seat just as the bell rang, ending the period and hopefully my embarrassment, as well.
“Some were good. Some could do better,” Mr. Archer said as he sauntered to the front of the class. “Mr. Kendall, I hope to hear something from you during our next class. That’s it for today-”
Everyone was out of their seats and out of the door before he could even finish his sentence. I took my time putting my stuff away, hoping Logan would get up and le
ave but he stayed in his seat, watching me.
“That was pretty deep,” he commented and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “Something that happened to you?”
The lump in my throat reappeared and I almost choked on my own spit. I had to think of a good comeback – something snarky and rude so he would leave me alone.
But I found my tongued tied-self murmuring, “Everything we write about isn’t something we went through.”
“Chey!”
I looked up to find Marika outside the class, waving crazily before she realized that I was alone in the class with Logan. She skipped inside, the excitement visible on her face.
“It’s time for the cheer-tryouts,” she declared with a grin.
“Right,” I said, ready to leave the class to go change into my cheerleading uniform that I had left in the girls’ locker room. “I’m busy. See you around.”
“You’re trying out to be a cheerleader?” he asked in a light tone, an amused smile spreading on his lips.
“Trying out?” Marika choked into a fit of giggles. “You misunderstood. Cheyenne is the cheerleading captain. She has to choose the new members.”
I watched as his eyes widened in surprise and I suppressed the need to smirk and stick my nose in the air as I started to leave the classroom.
“Can I come watch?” he asked and I turned around quickly, ready to tell him no. “I don’t want to go back to an empty house.”
“Sure!” Marika exclaimed happily. “You have to watch Cheyenne. She’s amazing.”
I scoffed, turning around to go to the locker room without Marika since she was too busy fawning over Logan.
Maybe he’d take more interest in her or Laura who couldn’t seem to say no to him. Then maybe he’d stay away from me and maybe I’d be able to live my life quietly. And I wouldn’t get myself into trouble for being seen with him.
Chapter 6
Laura and Logan were already at the field with the girls who were ready to try out by the time Marika and I got into our uniforms. They were getting pretty chatty on the bleachers so I tried to focus my attention on the table placed in the front with three chairs, waiting to be occupied by me and my girls so we could start the tryouts.