The Logan Snafu

Where did all my matching bras and underwear go? Why couldn't I find anything in my closet? Crouched in front of my drawers, I cursed under my breath. Urgh. At one point, my closet had been well-organized to maximize space– clothing on hangers, shoes on a rack, cute crates holding a smorgasbord of cleaning products, extras, and towels. But did I keep up with that system? Nope.

My jaw ached from clenching my teeth. Packing was infuriating business. I straightened and bonked my head on an open drawer. Pain radiated through my skull. "Frick me!" I slammed the drawer shut.

"You good?" Ty called from his spot, sprawled out on my little twin bed.

My lips pressed together in a white slash. I came out of the closet to clothes strewn all over my dorm room, rubbing the back of my head.

Ty looked up from playing sudoku on his phone, brow wrinkled.

I breathed through my nose, ignoring my irritated, quickening pulse. "I thought I had a system of organized chaos, but my closet's just pure chaos. I know we're just gonna be at Will's cottage for a week, but I need to pack for every eventuality. What did he say we're doing again?"

"He didn't say. Probably skiing if there's enough snow. Drinking. And that's about it." Ty smirked, eyes glimmering. "And he has a hot tub."

Ty plus a hot tub? Yes, please. My cheeks heated, thoughts wandering to enjoyable places. I shook my head. Focus on packing, Nat.

"Okay, so layers to bundle up and a swimsuit. Got it." I nodded and winced. Moving my head was no bueno. I'd 100% have an ugly egg-sized bump on my head. Love that for me.

Time to get packing over with so I could watch Marvel movies with Ty. My muscles tightened in readiness. Pushing my shoulders back, I went back into my closet and rummaged around.

Yesterday, Ty and I went for Beavertails with Theo and Marie, who were more than happy to leave the party. Ty just texted Marie to come down, so we didn't even have to step into the house. Theo was his usual abrasive self, and Marie was quiet, but she talked more to Ty. I shared a yummy Killaloe Sunrise Beavertail with Ty. Fried dough with cinnamon sugar sprinkles and a squeeze of lemon– yum.

We dropped Theo and Marie back home and drove back to Summit. I told him about Raveena's rude comments and Alec's Summit Signature antics. At least I wouldn't see Raveena for a week, and Professor Davis hadn't told me about any more work to do for my internship. Over reading week, I could focus on hanging out with my friends and catching up on my business and schoolwork.

I grabbed two sweaters I couldn't decide between and my backpack from my closet. The friendship bracelet tied to my backpack zipper caught my attention. The friendship bracelet Logan made me.

My mouth slackened. Oh, crap apples, yesterday I forgot to tell Ty about Logan. Plus, filling him in on everything else took up the entire car ride. I wracked my brain for anything else I had forgotten. Nope. That was pretty much everything. The idea of not telling Ty about this didn't even cross my mind. But that didn't make me any less nervous. A wave of cold hit me.

I burst out of the closet. "I have another thing to tell you."

"Yeah?" Ty set down his phone and tilted his head to the side.

My stomach churned as I stood there, one arm clasping the other at the elbow. Just say it, Nat. Five words. Get it out of your mouth.

A breeze ruffled papers on my desk.

I rapidly blinked at him. "I'm nervous," I blurted out and perched on the edge of the bed. "I'm nervous to tell you." My muscles went all twitchy and quivery as I wrung my hands, palms sweaty.

"Yeah, I got that." Ty sat up and moved next to me. He grew still to observe me, voice deepening. "Whatever it is, it's okay."

"I thought I should tell you, you know, that I'm feeling nervous. Because we said we'd talk. Communicate." I clasped my knees together tightly, shoulders curling forward. Gosh, I wish I could just speed up time and know that the worst-case scenario playing itself out in my head wouldn't happen. Ty's hurt, betrayed expression from when I kissed Ellis replayed itself over and over in my head. I never wanted to cause him that pain again.

Ty leaned towards me, bed frame creaking. "I can tell when you're nervous, but thanks for telling me. Get whatever you have to say off your chest."

My stomach churned. I turned to face Ty head-on.

"Logan kissed me." The words came out of me in a breath. Ty went rigid. I shook my head and clarified. "I mean, Logan tried to kiss me. He leaned in and closed his eyes, and I was like nope, not happening."

Ty swallowed, lips pinched together. He went unnaturally stiff and wouldn't meet my gaze.

My chest tightened because I couldn't get enough oxygen. Crap, crap, crap, I wasn't explaining myself right. I pressed a fist against my thigh. "Right after I found out Mia and Pablo were together, and that my Mom was staying with Mia, and that my Dad was involved with it all, I had to go, and Logan was the only person I could think to go to because I was a bitch to Layla and I couldn't go to Will or you for obvious reasons. So I went over, and I realized that I wanted to be with you, and I was really happy, and Logan took that as me moving on, and wham, bam, he tried to plant one on me. But we both agreed that would have been a bad idea." A bad, bad idea.

His gaze finally lifted to mine, blue eyes piercing. "Didn't you guys say that before too, when you saw him in business class?" Ty spoke in a too-quiet, very un-Ty-like voice.

"Well, yeah." I felt my heart throb in the still, quiet break in the conversation. Gosh, brain, think of something to say! "I did say that I didn't mean what I sent in the pro/con list anymore– that I don't feel that way about him anymore."

Ty looked at me from lowered lids, face serious. "And he still tried to kiss you?"

I gulped. "Right."

"I'm trying not to get jealous here." He tilted his head back, tension cording his neck and shoulders muscles. "I'm really trying."

Ty took a deep, steadying breath. "I want you to be friends with Logan. That's great. You guys have history. But have a clear line there. Boundaries."

"Yes, one hundred percent, yes." I bobbed my head to emphasize my very, very strong agreement. "I've spelled out to Logan that I want to be with you, and if he tried anything, I'd tell you. And reevaluate my friendship with him."

Ty's eyes brightened. "Great."

"Great," I parroted. "Look at us, talking instead of assuming." I nudged his shoulder, grinning.

Ty cracked a smile. "Wow, look at us." He laughed but cut himself off mid-laugh, the light in his eyes dimming just as quickly as it arrived. "Oh, and same with Ellis. I know you talked with him but after Micah and seeing you kiss him, even though it wasn't a real kiss, I...." He grimaced.

A flush crept across my cheeks as I cringed. The Ellis Fake Kissident™. "No, yeah. I gotcha. I don't know why I'd ever even see him. And we're not all buddy buddy, texting and stuff. I'll tell you if he does contact me, though."

Ty nodded, his shoulders and torso loosening as the tension ebbed.

My stomach sunk, smile wavering. A lump formed in my throat. If Ty was fine about Logan, did he...

I cleared my throat. "Did you, ah, see anyone else while we weren't together?"

"No." The word came out of him immediately. He paused. "You?"

My breath went even and calm. "Course not. Just that Logan snafu." I gave him a half smile before I remembered one last tidbit. "Oh, and Mia's dating Pablo, and I was apparently the last to find that out."

"Yeah, you were. Even I caught on. I tried to bring it up to you, but you didn't want to hear it." Ty shrugged his broad shoulders.

My brows shot up. I forgot about that. "I guess you did, and I didn't even want to consider it." Dumb move, Nat.

I brushed my hands off. "Phew. Glad we got all of that out of the way. Now, back to packing. Purple or brown sweater?" I held up the two options.

Ty leaned back, interlocking his fingers behind his head. "Either, but I like the brown. Matches your eyes."

My heart warmed. Note to self, wear some more brown.

"Brown it is." I stuffed the sweater into my overflowing duffel bag.

Ty shook his head, looking at the other pile of clothes I still had to fit. "I have extra space in my bag."

I stared at the pile of clothes I still had to pack. "Thanks. I'm gonna need it."

Wow. The whole Logan conversation went better than expected. Well, I had been building it up in my head. Tomorrow, we'd drive to Will's cottage and have a great week. Everything would be great, right?