CHAPTER FOURTEEN

It has been so long since the last time Reagan has spent her Friday morning sitting in their pick up truck to pump up gas, she could barely remember it. She does, however, clearly remember that her companions in the truck were never anyone else other than her dad and older brother.

But somehow, a few years and a broken school bus later, her companions turned to a group of boys who apparently make up a five-piece boyband and a 22 year old, 200-pound body builder with blonde hair and a perpetually present camera.

She couldn't complain, really. The mentioned blonde bought all of them falafels before they headed to the gas station.

It was the primary reason she couldn't complain about how loud and incessant Logan was all morning. He basically dragged her out of her house on a peaceful, windy day, to drive to the village way before her scheduled trip after lunch, and continued to pester her over the jacket he saw her wearing earlier that morning. But then he bought her food and all right she had to yell at him fell out the window.

So when Reagan was sat in the driver seat of the truck, she only let out a burdened sigh (instead of thwacking Logan's forehead like she was compelled to do) when he said, "We're gonna have to talk about it, Reagan, one way or another."

Reagan took a long, forlorn glance at her falafel, knowing she wouldn't be able to eat it in peace, before she absently shrugged at him, "Talk about what?"

There were a number of things Logan must've wanted to confront her about when it involved Jack but of course he dove straight into the single topic she didn't have the brainpower to talk about.

"Well, for starters, what happened when you went hiking."

She took another long sigh and settled her head against the headrest, shutting her eyes for a moment because she just wanted to eat her falafel in peace.

"I told you," She mumbled tiredly, "Nothing happened. We just hiked."

"You're an awful liar," He noted, taking a generous bite out of his own falafel, and letting out an appreciative hum. "I don't know if you just think you're convincing or you think I'm an idiot but neither of those are true so just tell me."

Reagan peeked one eye open, raising an eyebrow, "I like you better when you're talking to your camera."

Logan took another bite before he answered, mouth filled with chewed vegetables, "And I liked it better when you guys weren't walking on eggshells around each other."

Reagan frowned at Logan, guilt settling itself somewhere in her chest at the thought that her stupid crush was affecting more than just her friendship with Jack. Logan only sent her an encouraging look in return that assured her he wasn't upset with her.

"You're invested in your friendships," She noted with a small smile and Logan only shrugged a shoulder back.

"The kids are brothers to me, I like knowing what goes on in their lives," He said softly before a frown settled on his face, "And I don't have anything better to do, honestly. There's no wifi and the closest thing I have to cheesy romcoms is their love lives."

Reagan let out a small laugh and glanced at the rear view mirror. Through the glass separating the inside of the pickup truck and the seats under open air was the sight of the boys idly chatting, rolls of food on their hands.

Corbyn was the one telling a story, animatedly making gestures with his hand, and all his friends seemed to be only half-paying attention.

"Daniel told me Corbyn had a girlfriend," She said, taking a bite out of her own, "Pester him about his love life."

"They're stable and very much in love," He pulled a disapproving face that made Reagan chuckle, "Basically old and married, it's boring. I'd rather hear about what's going on between you and Jack."

All the amusement drained out of her at that point and she sighed again, sinking down onto her seat and grimly taking another bite out of her food just to avoid talking to Logan for a few more moments.

He was staring at her though,waiting for a response, so she rolled her eyes and grumbled, "There's nothing going on between Jack and I."

"Reagan," He started slowly, almost warning, "I wasn't kidding when I said you were an awful liar."

"I'm not lying," She said defensively and played with the hem of her shirt to avoid looking up at him, "Not anymore, at least."

"What does that mean?" He asked, shifting in his seat to fully face her.

Logan was annoying and insistent but arguably the best person to talk to because he was brotherly, willing to listen and didn't look like the kind of person who would judge her.

So she told him. Parked the car, straightened her seat and told him everything.

From the night he apologized in the car, then the hiking, to the near kiss he interrupted and the conversation they had in the roof where Jack made it painfully clear that he was only confused when he tried to kiss her. And after some thought, he realized he only wanted to have Reagan as a friend, nothing more.

It took a few seconds of Logan sitting next to her in silence after she's finished telling him what happened before he let out a sigh and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

She let out a bitter laugh after that, letting her head fall against the headrest, "God, I'm pathetic."

"Hey," He said with a voice that sounded near to scolding, "Don't say that."

"I am though," She defended with a self-deprecating shake of her head, "I've known the guy for how long and here I am, so hung up on him, talking to his friend about how disappointed I am that he doesn't like me back. I'm not even supposed to like him as much as I do now, christ's sake, we've known--"

"I'm your friend too, you know," He interrupted before she could continue rambling, "And you spent almost each hour since we've been here by his side. I can't blame you for liking him."

"The same way I can't blame him for not liking me back," she said, just to emphasize her point, and Logan's frown deepened.

"I don't think he would've tried to kiss you if no part of him liked you, Ri."

"We were in front of a waterfall, Logan," She sighed, clenching the steering wheel tighter, "It was peaceful and romantic and I was just..." she swallowed a lump in her throat, "Convenient. I was the one with him but it could've been anyone. He probably would've done the same regardless of who it was."

Logan was quiet for a moment after that, pursing his lips. She assumed it was because he must've thought she was right but he spoke up.

"I don't think he's that kind of guy," He said.

"Don't bother, Logan," She grumbled, "There's no point in trying to convince me that he likes me back. I know what unattached flirting is," she paused to cringe at her own words, "I know that it doesn't mean anything to him. It's my fault for letting it mean something to me."

Logan was quiet after that but he didn't move from his position facing her. She could practically feel Logan staring at her while a thousand thoughts were probably running through his head, and it made her uneasy.

"You know I'd probably be convinced that it was just was a temporary, spur of the moment kind of thing for Jack," He said carefully as if he was just stringing together the words in his brain, "But the part where he mentioned Daniel having his arm around you when you were on the roof is throwing me off."

Reagan paused at that. She didn't get the relevance of that statement when Jack said it and she didn't fully get the relevance of Logan bringing it up, "If it helps, that part confused me too."

Logan's frown suddenly quirked upwards, looking absolutely smug and devious, and it made her feel more uneasy than she was already feeling.

"I don't want to put words in his mouth," He said, finally moving and adjusting in his seat so he was facing towards the front, "I think it's be better if you ask him what that meant."

Reagan could only blink at him.

She assumed Jack said that because the sight of Daniel and Reagan as friends made him realize that that was what he wanted. To be just friends.

But she wasn't completely daft. She could understand that Logan was implying that Jack might've said it out of jealousy.

She must've done something embarrassing like fidget or blush because Logan's grin only grew wider and his voice was beyond smug when he said, "We better go to that locksmith now."

She wanted to hit him. Partly because it was seven in the morning on a Friday and she was dealing with Logan's bullshit a little too early, but mostly because he gave her a little bit of hope that maybe her entire conversation with Jack about being friends was a complete misunderstanding.

She turned on the engine to back up to the freeway but when she glanced at the rear view mirror, she caught the sight of Jack outside with his food long gone and his head resting limply on Daniel's shoulder.

Just the sight of him ignited a confusing, mixed set of emotions somewhere in the back of her mind because she definitely liked Jack and he was definitely unattainable.

She wanted to hit Logan again. False hope was the last thing she needed.

OH MY GOD I MISSED YOU GUYS

CALI BBY im sorry this is 2 weeks late but chapter dedicated to you because i love youuu ❤

I'M SO OVERWHELMED BY YOUR SUPPORT thank you for the 1000+ notifications I came home to by the way, definitely did not nearly choke on my drink and cry

half of those notifs were from my child Shannen who i love dearly YOURE INCREDIBLE AND THANK YOU FOR MOTIVATING ME ALWAYS <3 I CANT EVEN FIND THE WORDS. YOU LEGIT HAVE SPAM HOUR FOR THIS STORY I DONT DESERVE YOU????? like 500 comments on one chapter??? if that's not dedication idfk what is

thank you to everyone who left such nice words :') im very thankful <3 <3 im currently cringing while reading previous chapters of this story but ty to the people who are kind enough to not point the cringy parts out

btw jack & reagan are gonna get their shit together soon i swear. this weird, drawn-out and tiring internal judgment from reagan will end in like two chapters. i'm sorry for this filler w bigbro!logan it wasn't supposed to take up an entire chapter

I'm gonna try my best to update daily from now on <3 once again, thank you and i hope you continue reading this 💓 gonna go catch up on reading and responding now while crying i adore you guys <3