I stretched my arms over my head and got up, remembered vaguely Logan's words from last night as  I pulled on a long flowy almost transparent floral cardigan that came down to mid thigh, a white shirt and some lacy white shorts.  It wasn't the best outfit but still...it looked fine.  Picking up my phone, I decided to text Logan about last night.  It was weird, about what he had said even if he had been drunk then.  Was he just simply out of his mind? Or was I just too concerned about things that I had no right poking my nose into?

My phone buzzed in response, the opening bars of Beethoven's 7th symphony sounding out.  I pressed it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi Clara," Logan sounded tired.

"Um...hi.  So...."

"Yeah about last night? Don't worry about it.  It's nothing, I didn't know you heard me actually. I had too many gin and tonics and I can barely remember anything so it's best you not worry. I get weird when I'm drunk...I'm sure that your limited experience can attest to that." I could hear the forced chuckle from the other end and knew better to press Logan for answers.

"I have good ears, I think they're for listening" I tried to crack a joke to lighten the mood and to tell him that I was here if he wanted to talk, feeling quite pleased when I heard a chuckle from Logan.

"So what dare are you going to get started on?" His voice sounded genuinely interested in the dare list.

"Errr...Maybe I'll go to a party? That's a simple one.  Are there any parties that I can go to or what?" I asked, combing my fingers through my hair. 

"Yeah, my friends Sam's party.  I think it's tonight at 6:30 or something like that." I heard a car revving up.

"Oh, can you score me 2 tickets?" I had to take this chance, right? Also, do parties usually have tickets or invites? Were they like those birthday parties we had when we were kids?

"Tickets, love? Parties don't have tickets... you can just get in. Have you never been to a party?" I heard the screech of tires on his side of the line and huffed in irritation.

"Okay.  First, Logan stop using your phone when driving and second: no, I have never been to a party which is why I thought you had to have tickets to get in.  Now, get off the phone and call me again when you're not driving." I pressed the end button and checked the clock next to me, noticing that it was already 11:47am.  I had slept in so late!

My stomach rumbled as I went downstairs to pour some cereal. Suddenly, the front door slammed and a figure in a leather jacket rushed in, head bowed and running. When had I not locked the front door?

"Hey!" I shouted.  The figure turned and I grabbed him by the jacket.  "Troy." I growled.  Troy had his hands up in the air, the keys already dropped onto the hardwood floor.

"What exactly are you doing sneaking out of the house?' I released the collar of his jacket and Troy slowly backed away. 

"Stuff." He mumbled, turning.  This time I launched myself right at him and pinned him down on the couch.

"If you're not telling me I'll leave you here to rot and you will never see your crush again." I warned.

"Well...you know...maybe...just maybe I went to see...her?"

"Who's her?" I dug my fingers in deeper.  He yelped and sent me a glare.

"You know...my crush."

"Oh thank god." I released my fingers from their tight grip on him.  I had really thought he was going to go and meet up with some ciggie smoking, no good, bad girl out in the streets.  Basically, a girl equivalent of Logan. If it was only his crush Krista then I was fine with that, though admittedly I was a bit curious.  Brushing that aside I let him rush upstairs and resumed to my cereal.  I poured in the cold milk and watched the chocolate swirl around before stuffing spoonfuls of it into my mouth.  Pure yumminess.

After breakfast, I worked on some calculus homework in my room until around 3 ish in the afternoon when I got interrupted by a loud knock at the door.  I heard a door opening and closing down the hallway and knew that Troy had gotten surprised as well and probably was peering over the landing.

"Get the front door will you?" I shouted to Troy, putting down my highlighter and standing up.  I heard the door opening, slamming and a shout so with anxiety crawling at my insides I started running.  Troy was facing off downstairs with a mystery stranger, clad in black and all. 

"STOP! WHAT'S GOING ON?" I screamed putting myself in between the two without thinking, my dumbness rewarded when Troy's fist came flying out of nowhere and punched me in the face.  I gingerly felt my nose as the stranger lifted me over to the couch.  Through the blurriness in my eyes I could make out beautiful eyes, shaped like a cat and filled with three mesmerizing colours before I blacked out.

***

I opened my eyes to see two concerned looking faces peering at me.

"She's awake."

"God, I'm so sorry, Clara.  I was just really angry and..." My brother stopped talking when he saw my glare.  A pack of ice was resting on my nose and once I lifted it I could feel the soreness seep into my fragile bones instantly.

"Why were you angry?"  I was immediately curious.  What was Troy doing with someone like Logan?  I mean, there's nothing wrong with Logan but he did have a rep for being a bad boy and my dear brother never talked to those types. I mean, I didn't encourage it, even though I didn't really think of Logan in a bad way, necessarily.

"None of your business, Clar!"

"Yeah it is my business, you're my brother!" I cast a look to Logan who was looking on, seemingly oblivious to everything. 

"Well if he's only here to sleep around with you and trick you into thinking he's a good person, then yeah, it is my business!" Troy's face was red, hands balled up in fists by his sides. "I saw him sneak in last night!"

"Do you really think that I'm that bad?" Logan shook his head, rage barely controlled either.

"STOP!" I shouted and both of them turned to me.   "If you can't act civil around me then GET OUT, both of you!" I was angry as well now. 

Couldn't they work it out diplomatically instead of punching and hurting each other? All Logan could do was just explain that it wasn't true and not to revert to stereotypes and all Troy had to do was admit he was wrong and not decide to suddenly gang up against a guy so much older than him, but now they were punching each other? "I don't get why you guys have to get angry at each other for such small things! I just don't!" My rage starting to show on my face as I got closer to the two of them, glaring at them with murderous intention.

"Yeah well, this guy is just a real troublemaker.  He got into a fight with my friends yesterday, punched them. Don't associate yourself with his kind, Clara." Troy snarled.

"Really?! Your friends punched me first and for no reason at all.  I was just minding my own business but they come and bring along some fight with no explanations.  I'm not a bad omen so stop thinking I'm going to do anything to your sister or anything like that."  Logan was eerily calm.  I touched his arm and sent him a warning look before being startled at my own braveness, returning my hand to its normal place and feeling the slightest tingle where my skin had touched his.

"Well I'll just go.  Pick you up tonight, Clara?" Logan smirked in Troy's direction as he winked and walked out of the house.

"Pick me up for what?" I called after him but he simply just turned around to face me, taking a swig of a flask he's gotten out of his pants pocket and winking.

"You'll see."

_______________________________

A/N:

Here are some discussion questions:

-Do you think I should include more of Troy in the story?

-Any ideas for the decor of the party?

- *highly irrelevant* I was wondering if Downtown Abbey (you know the show) was any good.

I'm doing the party scene in the next chapter so stick around for that! :)

And also vote and comment if you enjoyed the chapter!