Old Author's Note

Hey peeps! Thanks so much for all the votes and stuff I appreciate it and did I mention? 

WE GOT TO 300 VIEWS!!!!!!!! YES!! *DANCES WEIRDLY AROUND THE ROOM AND STUFFS FACE WITH CHOCOLATE* LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH AND THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!

STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

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New Author's Note

Looking back it seems so surreal that I can watch my book grow in views through my chapter's author's notes back when I was writing.  This chapter was written when the book was at 300 views, and now as I'm editing it for the second time the book is at 88,000 views! It's a crazy journey guys!

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BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! I jumped out of bed, smacking my shins on my bedside table and slammed down on the alarm's stop button, groaning and muttering curse words under my breath.  I abhorred Mondays.

I struggled into a Radiohead T-shirt and ripped jeans, giving up the girly look and the makeup except for a slick of lip gloss and a half enthusiastic spray of perfume.  Stumbling to the front door I yawned and immediately stopped, my mouth frozen as I take in the dining room table or more specifically, who was sitting at it and holding a conversation with my parents.  I widened my eyes and lengthened out my stumbles into quick walking and all but grab Logan by the shoulders and push him out of his chair.  

"Clara! What are you doing?!" My mom exclaims, getting up and making her way over.  I shoot a deathly morning glare at her and drag Logan after me out of the house.  

"Why do you always find a way to my house? Last time you came here, not calling me whatsoever and basically trespassed illegally.  Emphasis on the word: illegal, Logan! What the hell are you doing here...again?!" 

Logan held up his hands and raised an eyebrow, a smirk already forming on his face.

"I found out where your house was because I asked your friend.  She's in my science class and was more than willing to give me your address.  I came today to check up on work...and maybe persuade you to finish part of my project for me."

"Right.  Great, because now I have the incentive of a psychopath trailing me to help you with a school project.  I knew this would happen and what did I do? I kept my mouth shut and watched you get away with absolute havoc.  Why do you insist on being in my life?" My temper was flaring and as I caught a glimpse through the window of my parents staring silently at each other across the dining table I could only feel the heat rising.  My life had been pretty well controlled for such a long time without both additions of my parents being home and Logan keeping me out of my ordinary routines.

"I still need the good grades, or else my sister is going to kill me.  As much as I enjoy my individuality, I really don't want to hunker down on the streets for anything of my fault" He shrugs as he tosses his car keys in his hand and heads down to the curb where his car was parked.

I look back at the house which now had its windows shut and the faint voices of my parents leaking out the door.  They were shouting again and I predicted that in about 5 minutes my mom would storm out with her suitcase and a first class ticket to Hawaii to get away from our family.  In another 10 my dad would follow suit, taking his car (or our car that we shared) and drive off into the dawn.  

This all meant that I wouldn't have a ride to school.  I huffed and looked down at my watch before shaking my head.

"Offer me a ride?" I shout after Logan, a faint tinge of desperation in my voice.

"Why should I? You've just seriously offended me." At this he held a hand over his heart and made a pouty face "I also think that you'd not like to sit in my 'bad boy' car and be endangered by cigarette smoke" Logan sighs dramatically as he folds his long body neatly into the driver's seat of the car.

"I don't care. You're driving me." And with a bold streak of unusual braveness I stuff myself in the small seat next to him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He swivelled around to look at me, an incredulous look spreading over his face as he gripped the steering wheel.

"I know what you're doing.  Driving me.  Now let's go!"

He splutters before grabbing my backpack and unzipping it.

"What are you doing?" I reach over to tug my bag back but he keeps it out of my reach.  "It's rude to look into a lady's bag!" 

He studiously ignored me as he produces a wallet from my bag and starts rooting through it.

"Why do you need my cash! You better stop it right now, Logan!" I shout as I push him.  Per par, he doesn't move an inch.  

Logan still has his hand in the depths of my precious bag however and I shoot him a death glare.  

"GIVE ME MY MONEY! NOW!" This time I pick up an old shoe on the floor of the car and whack him around the head with it.  Logan startles as he grabs the shoe from his lap where it had fallen and examines it horrifically. He rubs his head.

"What do you think you're doing, angel?" He hisses as he turns to glare at me.

"Defending myself against a low life thief." I jut my chin out and try to strike a pose, instead just banging my elbow against the car door and recoiling to clutch it in pain.

"A low life?" He raises another eyebrow before he lunges at me.  I freeze, expecting something else to happen before I feel fingers tickling my sides.  I double up with laughter, begging him to stop as he laughs back.  

I liked his laugh.

And as soon as it had started he leans back in his seat and stops.  My grin fades away only slightly from my face as I clutch my sides. 

"I'm sorry for whapping you with my shoe.  I just...I don't know.  I get fiercely protective with my money and..." I trail off as I shake my head and look down at the ground, anywhere but in the gaze of his inquisitive eyes.

"What?" His voice was probing and I couldn't resist blurting out the thoughts on my mind, seeing especially as we both watch my mom drag her Louis Vuitton suitcase back onto the path and stomp away angrily.

Logan doesn't say anything but watches the scene curiously in her wake before deciding to step on the pedal, starting our route to school.

"I work for my money okay? The things I buy like clothes and books and food all come from my part time jobs and whatever money I scrape by on tutoring or...art" I say.  Oops, that was way too much information.  I slowly give a soft exhale as we screeched to a stop outside of the school and Logan turns to look at me.

"Why? Don't your parents take care of you?" His eyes cloud with worry and I tugged my lips into a soft smile, acting for the sake of him.  No one had really cared about me before...not like this.  I usually was the one caring about others, but that was also because I had never told anyone about my life. 

"Most of the time they're away at some trip or meeting or as you saw...they argue and spend their money lavishly to get away from each other and us.  We're a burden on them and they always leave in such a hurry that they don't leave enough money for two teenagers trying to live on their own.  All they do is pay the bills but with everything else I have to pay for, money runs out pretty quickly.  It's a bit tough but I get by okay." I shrug here.  I normally never told this much to anyone but something about Logan told me he understood.  Hadn't he also had problems with his parents. 

"I get it." Logan answers before he turns his face away from me.  When he looks back he's back to himself again.  "You'll get through, Clara.  We all do in the end."

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TRIVIA:

-Anyone like the ship name Larla? or Cogan? (they both sound weird but I don't know...what do you guys think?)

-Anyone want to do a collab novel? (I'll post more details on my page later :)

-Do you like Clara or Logan better?

Okay that's it for now. *Munches on 300 views cake* *grins*

See you guys in Chapter 10.....(wow we've made it so far.  Almost 10,000 words!"

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