I walked into the library. Nothing felt quite right without Logan in my life. Ever since I watched him descend from my window, I felt a sense of loss... I felt hopeless and weak, even though it was my fault that we weren't together. Maybe I was wrong to deny him. No, he brought this upon himself. Maybe he could change. No, he's been this way this long... nothing will change him. I was so deep in thought, that I didn't even notice when the bell on the door jingled, signaling the approach of someone.
"Well, who shit in your salad?" I heard an extremely familiar voice echo through the silence. I jerked my head up and it was all I could do to not pounce on him over the desk.
"Dillon!" I screamed as I ran around it and threw my arms around his neck. "I've missed you soo much!" I pulled him away and gave him a once-over. He looked great, college suited him. His familiar, curly fro was gone, replaced by cornrows and he grew a neat goatee. He looked handsome, like a man and not my dorky, older brother.
"I've missed you too, Kidd," he said, ruffling my hair. "Why the makeover?" he asked, examining me as well.
"Someone once told me to keep my head up, that I was a good girl and sooner or later Logan would notice that," I said, smiling broadly at him.
"Yeah, Ren, but you didn't have to change yourself for that dick, you were perfect as you were," he said, looking down at me.
"It wasn't so much for him as it was for me. It was time for a change, you know? Just like you," I replied, gesturing at him.
"Okay, I can understand that. How've you been holding up? Did he realize how awesome you are or what?" he asked, seeming genuinely concerned.
"Yes, he did, Dillon," I said with a sigh.
"....and...," he said, egging me on.
"...and it was too late," I said, shrugging.
"Shit, I'm sorry, Ren. Any more prospects in mind?" he asked, actually buying my not-caring façade. If only he knew how much my heart ached with every thought of Logan Chadwick.
"Well, I have been talking to Tristan Wilson some," I said, shrugging again.
"Another white boy? Jeez, Ren! There's no hope for you, is there?" he said, throwing up his hands and acting all dramatic. I couldn't help but laugh because I knew Dillon could give a rat's ass about skin color, though I'm sure he would prefer if they were black.
"Easy, Killer, Tristan's a good guy," I said, blushing. As if on cue, my phone began to ring, I looked at it and Tristan's name popped up on the screen. I gave Dillon the 'one minute' finger and answered it.
"Hello?" I said excitedly into the phone.
"Hey, Gorgeous, I was just calling to see what you were up to this b-e-a-utiful Saturday morning," he said chipperly.
"Oh, nothing, I was just sitting up here at the library, my brother just got home for the weekend, but I'm stuck here for the next few hours," I said with a sigh.
"Oh... Well, would you like company?" he asked, sounding a little bummed as if he had something in mind before he found out that I was busy.
"I would love company!" I said, hardly able to contain myself. I watched as Dillon's eyes grew wide and he began to vigorously shake his head.
"Awesome, I'll see you soon, Babe," he said before hanging up.
"What?" I said as put my phone back on the charger.
"You can't have you're little boyfriends coming up here visiting you on the job!" Dillon said, tsking and shaking his head.
"Tristan is not my boyfriend and he just wants to come here to keep me company, look at this place! You could hear a mouse piss on a cotton ball in here and I don't want to spend the next few hours at wits end, trying not to pull my freakin' hair out!" I said frantically.
"Okay, okay, point taken. Just be careful. I'll see you when you get home," he said, giving me a small smile and a quick hug.
"I will. I love you, Dillon," I said as he began to walk away.
"Back atcha," he said as he made his exit. It didn't take long before I saw Logan's shiny, black Navigator pull into the parking lot.
~*~*~*~
Though I owed Logan absolutely nothing, I couldn't control the fact that I felt as if I was doing something I shouldn't be. It didn't take long before I heard the tell-tale jingling of the bell by the door. I tried to make myself look busy with some freshly returned books, looking up only as he approached the counter.
The sight before me made my jaw drop. Logan, stunning as always, was holding a vase with red roses, a box of chocolates, and a box. I stared at him with wide eyes in disbelief as he sat all of it down on the counter.
"Logan... what is all of this?" I managed to choke out, my eyes rolling over everything on the counter.
"It's part of my apology. I know it's too early for Valentine's Day but I was clueless about what girls like. I figured that girls like flowers, candy, and jewelry at least that's what my dad used to get mom before she lost it. Did I do okay?" he said, making the whole thing sound like one sentence.
"I-I," I stammered, feeling the fist around my heart loosen a bit more. "Logan, I can't take any of this. It's not fair to you. Honestly, Tristan's coming here to the library to hang out and keep me company until I get off."
Logan looked at me as if I had just spit in his face and to my surprise, he kept his cool. "Lauren, you can keep all of this, okay? This is my apology to you. Here, let me show you what I got you," he said, picking up the box and gesturing for me to come close.
I leaned forward as he opened the box. Inside was a shiny, platinum necklace that read 'Lauren' in diamond letters. Again, my jaw dropped as he took it out of the box and clamped it around my neck. He allowed his fingertips to linger at the nape of my neck longer than necessary, causing me to shiver. Without warning, he leaned in and brushed my lips with his.
"I love you, too," he said as he stood upright and flashed me his perfect smile. We both looked to the window and saw Tristan's red F-150 pulling into the parking lot. "I'll see you around, Babe," Logan said as he quickly kissed me again and hugged me over the counter.
Before I could utter a word, his back was to me and he was disappearing out the door. From the window, I could see Logan and Tristan pass each other in the parking lot. They looked as if they were staring each other down before Tristan broke contact and looked up at the building.
Soon, the bells jingled and he came inside, damn near filling the doorway. "Wow," he began, looking at the counter, "someone's been trying some major sucking up... Did it work?"
"Does it look like it?" I asked, a playful smile dancing across my face.
"No, but looks are deceiving," he grumbled as he got closer. I walked from behind the desk and gave Tristan a light hug.
"It's good to see you, Tristan," I said as I inhaled his scent. I pulled away and gave him a once-over. He had on a white fitted tee shirt with the John Deere logo on it and a pair of fitted Levis. Against my better judgment, I stole a glimpse at his package and felt my cheeks grow warm. Thank God for fitted Levis. I silently prayed that he didn't notice my attention to his nether region, lucky for me he didn't.
"It's good to see you, too, Babe," he said looking down on me with that to-die-for smile. Lord, how I wished for simplicity. I'm in quite a predicament... not wanting to hurt Logan and not wanting to lead Tristan on. How I longed for the days when I was just a piece of furniture in the classroom. "So what are we doin today?" he asked.
"I don't get off for another two hours and some change," I said, bummed.
