The bell rang, signaling the end to not only Emma's grueling AP Calculus class, but to her entire exhausting day. Now, she was looking forward to nothing more than going home and maybe taking a short nap before she dug into her mountain of homework; today was one of the few days she didn't have any mandatory after-school activities, and she planned on taking full advantage of it. But first, she needed to stop by her locker and change out her books.

Emma's locker was on the other side of the gym from where she currently stood. Normally, that wouldn't have been a big deal – she passed by the gym every day before going home. She didn't even think twice about it. Why would she? But today, things were going to turn out a little different than she'd planned. And it would all start with that stupid gym. Really, with the way her day had been going so far, she should have known.

She was only a few feet away from the gym doors when she saw Logan Harris sauntering down the hall, coming right towards her and acting like he owned the place. Still, the hallway was crowded enough that he should have been easy to overlook. Of course, she'd never be that lucky. That just wasn't how things worked for her.

She'd had every intention of ignoring him and just sailing right on by. But there was something about him today, something that she'd never noticed before. She couldn't say what it was, but there was a strange, almost-pulling sensation that she felt when she looked at him. It wasn't enough to make her want to stay anywhere near him, but it was enough to get her to hesitate a fraction of a second. That was all the time he needed to lock onto her.

"Well, if it isn't good ol' Emma Malik." Logan said, grinning in that stupid way of his.

"Logan." Emma replied coolly.

Logan had been in her class since the sixth grade, and he'd only gotten more annoying with each passing year. She didn't really know him; she'd never been able to stand listening to him talk for more than about five minutes before wanting to pull her own hair out. At least, not since that time in eighth grade when he—

No. She shoved that thought out of her mind, refusing to even acknowledge it. Better to keep thoughts like that buried deep down inside. Besides, how well did she really have to know someone before she could confidently say that she hated them?

"Can I talk to you a second?" he asked, pulling her back to the present. He had a weird expression on his face that she couldn't quite read. Did he feel that weird pulling sensation too?

"...About what?" She narrowed her eyes just slightly. He'd never talked to her before, so why would he start now? Her suspicious mind was already running, trying to figure out what his angle could be.

"You're on the student council, right?"

"Yeah... so?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could talk to them. See about getting Homecoming pushed back like a week." He grinned widely, looking at her like it was already a done deal.

"What?" Emma blinked, the stupidity of the statement surprising her.

What was he talking about? He knew that the students didn't actually decide things like that, didn't he? Really, being student body vice president only meant that she had something impressive to put on her college application and a quiet little office she could hide in to study on her breaks.

"Well... I just thought it'd be better to have it the day after we played Westfield, instead of the week before, what with that being the big game of the season and all. Right?"

"You know the reservations were made weeks ago, don't you?"

All the catering, all the planning – what kind of an egomaniac was he? Asking to change the date of the biggest dance of the semester less than a month out? Did he really expect everyone to abandon all of their hard work on his personal whim?

"Oh. Ok." Logan shrugged. Then, he turned and started walking towards the gym like nothing had happened.

"Wait." Emma said, hurrying after him.

She didn't know what possessed her to follow him. Maybe it was that strange pull she'd felt when she'd seen him walking towards her. Or the weird hollow feeling when he turned away. Or was it that she just wanted to hear why he'd felt entitled enough to ask about changing the dance in the first place? She made it to the gym door just as it was closing behind him. Without thinking, she pushed it open and followed him inside.

"Yeah?" Logan asked over his shoulder. But he didn't turn or even slow down. He just kept walking towards the far end of the room.

"Why's it so important to you?"

"Just wondering, that's all." Logan shrugged.

But that didn't really cut it. She continued to follow him even after she figured out where he was going. When they finally got to the door for the boys' locker room, he turned around to face her.

"Are you going to follow me inside?" he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Emma folded her arms across her chest and gave him her best scoff.

As Logan disappeared into the locker room, Emma walked back towards the gym's main doors, shaking her head. She wasn't sure what had come over her. Normally, she never would have cared about Logan's reasons for anything, especially if it meant having to spend any extra time with him.

"Get it together, Malik." she grumbled to herself, pushing the door.

It didn't budge.

Emma stared at it for a second. Then, she tried again, pushing harder. Still nothing. She rattled on the door handle, starting to feel like an idiot. For a brief second, she caught herself wondering if it was a pull door instead of a push one. But she'd been going in and out of the gym successfully for three and a half years now, and she knew how the door opened. Also, there was a silver bar on her side that gave her a bit of a clue.

She was still standing there when Logan came out of the locker room.

"Great." she mumbled to herself.

"Awww, did you decide to wait for me?" he called out in an overly-friendly tone. Emma's lip curled slightly before she could stop it.

"Oh, naturally." she said, rolling her eyes at the door. Under her breath she added, because who wouldn't want to wait for you?

Logan walked up next to her and pressed down on the push bar himself, going through the same routine that Emma had just done. Nothing happened. At least it meant it wasn't just her. Though it did mean they might have a slightly bigger problem.

"It's locked." she told him. Still, it didn't really make sense. Why would the door be locked this soon after school ended? They'd only been in here for a few minutes.

"I see that." he said, brows furrowing. He turned to face her. "What are we going to do?"

Emma was a little surprised that he was asking her. She was even more surprised at the worry that seemed to be on his face.

No. She shoved that thought out of her mind, refusing to even acknowledge it. Better to keep thoughts like that buried deep down inaside. Besides, how well did she really have to know someone before she could confidently say that she hated them?

"Not today." Logan told her. When she just stared at him, he added, "It got canceled."

"Really?"

"Really." Logan sighed, acting like she was the moron here. "Coach is sick."

That was strange. Coach Robins never got sick. Besides, the coach had been there this morning for Emma's own PE class – he'd been staring at her, face full of disappointment at her repeated inability to hit a volleyball to anyone on her team.

"So... no one's coming to find us?" Emma asked.

"Probably not." Logan said, pulling out his phone. Then, he looked back at her, and she could see the worry that was definitely on his face now. "Got any bars?"

Emma pulled out her own phone and saw she had no service. But... how could that be? They were in the middle of the school – in the middle of the city. She always had full bars. Slowly, she raised her eyes up to Logan.

"You neither, huh?" he asked.

Emma shook her head.

"Well then," Logan said, dropping his backpack on the ground, the sound echoing off the walls, "Looks like we're in for a long night."

Emma wasn't about to wait here all night – she had things to do, and none of them involved sleeping on a dirty basketball court. She banged on the door, calling out for anybody who might still be wandering the halls. Of course, no one came. As the hours ticked away, she realized that she hadn't actually heard a noise outside in a disturbingly long time. Emma sighed to herself and turned to face Logan. It looked like she might really be forced to spend the night here with him.

"At least I can get a jump on my AP History essay." she grumbled to herself. She slid down the wall, until she was on the ground next to her backpack. She opened her book, doing her best to ignore the obnoxious boy who sat down beside her.