“He’s not here.”
“Huh?” I about toppled over. But I had the shoes on at least.
“Logan. His picture’s not here.” Izzie sounded bewildered. “He doesn’t even have a ‘picture not shown.’” She flipped through the pages. “And he’s not in the football team pictures, either. He’s not in this book—anywhere.”
That was weird. But I had my shoes to worry about. Could I actually make it down the stairs in them?
Izzie went on, not having the shoe-distraction, “Don’t you think it’s weird Logan’s not in the yearbook? At all? I mean, he’s Mr. Popularity. He should be all over this thing.”
I tried to balance, and think at the same time. Not easy in high heels. “When did he start school here?”
“Oh.” Izzie was pensive. “I’m not sure. He was here last year though...wasn’t he?”
“Definitely...ur,” I squinted, thinking. “Or was he?”
Just then the doorbell rang. I froze. “I’ve got to change my shoes!” These were way too dangerous. At least for tonight. I was too spazzy. I’d probably break my neck or something.
Izzie ran to get the door. Meanwhile, I tornadoed through my closet. Too bad Summer had such enormous feet. She had gobs of shoes. Where were mine? My three. Finally, I found the shoes I wear to work. They were nice. And still kind of high, a little bit, but I could walk and not worry about breaking my neck.
“Wow,” Logan said as I came down the stairs. “You look...wow.”
I smiled, suddenly feeling shy. The way he gazed at me—it was as though he was in love. I kind of wanted to run back upstairs. But kind of wanted to stay, too.
I hugged Izzie and we said our good-byes and then Logan and I were off to the award ceremony.
The banquet was fancy. There was a seafood buffet, and I tried my hardest to eat all polite-like. I’m sure Chloe would have managed with no troubles...but I wasn’t Chloe. And I was having troubles. So, I mainly stuck with the shrimp, since it didn’t have any complicated shells.
I would have been more adventurous if it had just been Logan and me at our table. But it wasn’t. There were a bunch of jocks from school, and they were all dressed in suits and had their families with them. I felt a little intimidated. I was kind of glad Logan’s family couldn’t make it. They were in Santa Carlo, or somewhere. So it was just him and me...and the jocks and their families.
I ate through the whole long, drawn-out award ceremony. I’m not really into football. I don’t know a quarterback from a halfback, or any other kind of ‘back they have, but hearing the highlights of all the great plays they made this year was a yawn-fest. To stay awake, I ate.
But afterwards, there was dancing. Logan and I danced snuggly together, and I rested my head against his broad chest. Mmmm. It was nice. I was on a cloud. (And glad I didn’t wear my high heels.) Logan was a delicious fit for a dance partner...just like Gage.
And I couldn’t believe how nice he was—on the way over to the banquet, he told me funny stories about him and his dad. It was sweet. He obviously loved his dad a lot.
“I can’t believe how much fun I’m having,” I admitted as we swayed to the music. “I was kind of nervous to come.”
He studied me seriously. “Why?”
“I don’t know. You’re popular. Popular people are cruel, didn’t you know?” We danced a while in silence. But then I went on, “But I was nervous because of the way this all came about too—the blackmail thing.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Sorry about that. It’s just...I wanted to get to know you and you have this wall …”
I looked up at him. “A wall?”
“Yeah. And I wanted to break it down—but I could tell it was going to take about a hundred years, and I wanted to be with you now. So I found a short cut.”
“But how’d you know it would work?”
He looked at me funny. “Because I know you.”
My heart did a little flip at that—the way he said it. “What do you mean?”
Logan shook his head. “You’re not ready to hear—not yet. I’ll explain it some other time. Just know, I know you...that’s why I wanted to be with you so bad.”
What?!
What, what, what?
I was suddenly filled with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I was thrilled to hear he wanted to be with me “so bad.” But on the other, I was anxious. Incredibly anxious. I don’t like secrets. In fact, secrets give me the shakes. Why did he think he knew me so well? What was that about? And bigger question still, why wasn’t I ready to hear it?
Ugh! I wanted to talk about it. Now. This minute. But Logan shook his head. “I’ll tell you when you’re ready,” he murmured, running his fingers through my hair. “You smell so good,” he whispered, his lips brushing my neck, sending tingles through my body. “Feel so good in my arms.” He held me tighter still, making my heart flutter.
His voice was full of reverent awe. “I can’t believe you’re here with me.”
Oh! Hearing his sweet compliments, so tender and sincere, tugged at my heart, made it pitter and patter and do all kinds of crazy things.
Still, I was incredibly anxious. Anxious, anxious, anxious. Only I tried to relax, at least a little, ‘cause I was having a good time, a wonderful time. I didn’t want to mess it up. I didn’t want to get into a fight with him, trying to make him tell me something he clearly didn’t want to. I’ll worry about it tomorrow, I promised myself. Tonight, I just want to enjoy being with Logan, enjoy this fairy-tale. Tomorrow I’ll be realistic. Tonight I want to be kissed.
CHAPTER 12
“I don’t feel very good,” I told Logan suddenly, backing away from him.
We were dancing, really close and snuggly, and I was having such an awesome time, I hated bringing it up. I didn’t want to spoil things. But I didn’t want to barf on him, either. I figured that might spoil things too. Only there was no denying it—though, I tried at first—I was sick. And getting sicker by the second. It had come on sort of suddenly, yet in small steps. First, I felt sort of hot, then sweaty, but now I felt woozy. Sadly, there was no doubt—I was going to throw up.
“I’m sick,” I told Logan, backing away further from him, in case I barfed. “I—I need to go.”
He reached for me, looking concerned, but then relented. “Okay,” he said, allowing the space I created, though it seemed hard for him, like he wanted to put his arms around me and coddle, which was sweet. I like coddling. I do. But right now, no. Big no. He stepped away, “I’ll get our jackets and we’ll go.”
I nodded, clutching my stomach.
“I’ll wait outside,” I told him, knowing I wouldn’t be able to face his friends, trying to smile and be polite, do all that good-bye stuff. I knew it would be a disaster. ’Cause I knew I was going to puke any minute. Any. Minute.
“I’ll walk you,” Logan said, forgetting our coats and his friends. He practically carried me out to his car. “Michaela what is it? Are you okay?”
I shook my head, pulling away from him. With my hand over my mouth, I ran to a grassy spot in front of his car and threw up. I threw up again and again. It was humiliating—but I was too sick to care. I wanted to die, felt like I was going to.
Logan helped me into his car and handed me a plastic bag he pulled from his glove box. “I keep them around,” he explained. “Chloe drinks too much at parties.”
I smiled wryly, sweating like a pig. “So you’re used to girls puking?”
“Hey, wouldn’t be a date without it,” he grinned. Then he said gently, “So where to? Your home or the hospital?”
I heaved into the bag. I felt like we should go to the hospital, but it seemed a little extreme. “Home,” I murmured.
As he drove, Logan kept gazing over at me, looking concerned. What a good guy, I thought nauseously. I ruin his big night, but he keeps on being sweet. Who would have thought?
“Are you okay?” he asked. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the hospital?”
I shook m
y head. When we got to my house, I threw up in my driveway. Logan tenderly held my hair out of my face while I did it.
“What’s going on?” Suddenly Gage was beside us, looking furious. He pulled me away from Logan. “What’s the matter with her?” His eyes were shooting daggers. “Did you get her drunk?”
Logan shook his head, eyeing Gage’s hands on me. “She’s sick.”
“Seriously,” I croaked. Gage sounded so angry, I was afraid he was going to hit Logan. I was too sick for this kind of drama. I wanted to curl up in a ball. I wanted to die. “I didn’t drink anything—I’m just—” I threw up again. On Gage’s shoes. “Geez, I’m so sorry.”
“Beth’s not home,” Gage said, ignoring what I’d just done to his shoes. He shot Logan a look. “I’m going to take her to the hospital.”
“No. I’ve got it covered.” Logan helped me back into his car. “Why don’t you go find Addison?”
I froze at that. How did Logan know about Addison?
Gage seemed taken back. “What?!”
But Logan didn’t stand around, talking. He ignored Gage, acting like he wasn’t even there. Instead, he slipped into the car and we headed for the hospital.
***
When we left the hospital, it was after midnight. “Sorry I ruined your night,” I told Logan as we climbed back into his car.
“No. I’m sorry I fed you shrimp,” he said.
It turned out shrimp was the culprit. Apparently, I’m slightly allergic.
We drove back to the auditorium to get our jackets. “Oh no,” Logan groaned when he saw the Toyota parked out front. “It’s Chloe.”
She got out of her car before we even parked. She ran over to Logan’s side of the window. “You’re still with her?” Chloe seemed shocked, especially when she saw who “her” was. She narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re the pathetic sales-girl from Posh.” I gritted my teeth, trying to breath-in empathy. If the guy I was ga-ga over was with another girl, I’d be hurt and say mean things, too. Well, no, I probably wouldn’t say anything. But I’d be hurt. And think mean things.
“You said you had a date—but with her?” Chloe sneered. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Empathy,” I silently ordered. “Empathy.”
“It’s no joke,” Logan said. “Chloe, meet my girlfriend, Michaela.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Chloe wailed. “Your girlfriend?!”
Logan nodded. “Chloe, I meant it. We’re over.” Then he said gently, “Listen, I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Don’t do me any favors,” she snapped, then glared at me. “Goodnight—girlfriend.”
She called me some other names as she stormed off to her car. I got the feeling she wasn’t pleased.
Logan gave me a sideways glance. “Sorry about that.”
I shook my head, not knowing where I stood on the situation. “She thought she was going to go to the banquet with you,” I told him.
“Well, she shouldn’t have thought that. I didn’t invite her—I never invited her.” Logan laid his head on the steering wheel. “The guys mentioned the banquet and I guess Chloe assumed I was taking her. But last night, when I realized she thought that—I told her she was wrong—that I’d already asked someone.”
He looked up at me. “I never meant for Chloe to take us so seriously. I mean it. I didn’t. And I was always really clear with her on that.” Logan looked resigned. “I guess I should call her.”
He went into the auditorium and got our jackets. There were still people milling about, cleaning. But everyone I saw looked tired. They should leave it for tomorrow, I thought with a yawn. It’s time to hit the sheets.
I, for one, was beat. And sad. I doubted Logan still wanted to take me to the dance, take me anywhere. Sure he was being nice about the whole upchuck episode, but inside he was probably thinking, “What a loser.” I know I was. I could just imagine what Summer would say when she heard about it. And I knew she would, hear about it, I mean. It would probably be all over school by Monday.
When Logan came back to the car, he turned the heater to high as I was shaking. Then he looked up at me apologetically. “Sorry that Chloe-thing messed up our night.”
I blinked. The Chloe-thing messed up our night? The Chloe thing? Really? I had puked my guts out and made him spend the evening in the emergency room, yet he was worried the Chloe-thing ruined our night?
CHAPTER 13
Monday, at school, people treated me differently. Suddenly, I was Logan Ryan’s girlfriend. Suddenly, I had an in with the beautiful people. Not that I wanted in. I didn’t. At all. But they were Logan’s friends. His “crowd.”
And something that was kind of fun about that was seeing Summer’s reaction, ‘cause she wanted in—desperately. And she kind of was, a little bit. Sort of. She was on the outskirts of “in.” But she wanted totally in. She was like, obsessed with it. She could barely make a move on her own for fear the “in” people might not approve. It was weird. And lame. And seemed like a lot of work. I used to get tired just watching her kiss butt.
But this morning, Summer kept clear of Logan and me. She just glared at us from a far. And I could see her eyes blazing green. I bet she believed me now. I bet she was telling all her friends Logan had given me a computer.
That made me smile.
Logan spent the morning introducing me to everyone as his girlfriend. To football players, cheerleaders, Homecoming Queens, band members, teachers. Everyone. He seemed to be proud that we were together, though I couldn’t quite figure out why. Obviously, neither could his friends—I could tell. But Logan didn’t seem to notice their surprised reaction. Or maybe I exaggerated it. Maybe I made it into a bigger deal than it actually was. Maybe. But I don’t think so.
I heard to two cheerleaders whisper to each other once Logan and I walked away. “What’s up with that?” they both whispered, like the universe was suddenly spinning backward.
Logan had been holding my hand the whole time they were talking with him, telling him about Hayley Major’s upcoming party, how there was going to be a band. “Michaela should be in a band,” Logan told them, putting his arm around me. “She plays the guitar and sings. She’s good.”
I blinked, ‘cause how did he know that?
The cheerleaders blinked too. ‘Cause why should they care?
But that’s how he was with everyone. No matter what they said, he would turn the conversation to me. It was baffling. To everyone. Especially me.
Before first period Logan walked me to my class and stood with me at the door, holding my hand with his left hand, and running his fingers through my hair with his right. He kept pressing into me like he was going to kiss me, but kissing isn’t allowed at our school. So, he just kept drawing his mouth close to mine, almost kissing me, making me hot for it.
Finally, he backed away a little.
“Well, I better go,” he said, though he seemed to want to stick around, go to class with me maybe or something. Not that I minded. At all. He was yummy, drool-inducing gorgeous. And not only that, but sweet, sweet, sweet and his eyes, sexy as anything, kept looking into mine like I was the most beautiful creature that ever walked the planet. So, yeah, he was welcome to stick around forever. Only, Gage was going to be coming around the corner any minute and I didn’t want to be standing here with Logan when he did. Just ‘cause.
“See ya,” I said.
“Right,” Logan smiled taking a reluctant step away from me.
As he turned to leave, he almost plowed into Gage.
Ugh!
I didn’t see the rest of what happened. I’m a chicken, I didn’t want to see Gage’s reaction. I couldn’t take it. Instead, I ran to my seat.
Once there, I plopped in my chair, leaning my forehead against my desk. The words Who is the most important person in your life? and Don’t crowd me swirled around in my head, getting tangled, making it hard for me to breathe. I was practically hyperventilating. I had to concentrate on every breath, make them
come out slow, even.
All through class, I could feel Gage’s gaze boring into me. But I didn’t turn around. Not once. I couldn’t. If Gage looked hurt, that would kill me. But if he didn’t look hurt, that would kill me, too.
When class was over Gage was at my heels. “So everything went okay at the hospital?”
I glanced back at him, surprised by his concern. Just for something to do with my hands, I fidgeted with the straps of my backpack, like I was adjusting them, but really, I was making them too loose as I’d had them perfect. “Yeah,” I said, loosening them even further, “I’m allergic to shrimp.”
He looked as though he wanted to say more, a lot more. He had that look, the one he had the night he kissed me, that come-hither-and-be-mine expression. It was in his eyes, all tender warm, and it got my heart beating so wild and jack-hammery, I was sure he could hear it. My breath caught as he reached toward me. But just then I saw Logan rounding the corner, coming toward us.
Gage saw him coming too. He set his jaw, pulling his hands back, stuffing them into his coat pocket. Without saying a word, he started to walk away, but then, he didn’t. He turned back toward me. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
***
After gym, I breezed through the swinging doors at the back of the school, just as my ex, Seth, was coming out. I accidentally smacked him in the head with the door. Really hard.
“Seth, geez! I’m sorry,” I gasped, really truly meaning it, ‘cause I’d smacked him hard. (Of course, I’d dreamed of smacking him often, all the time, especially when we’d first broke up. But doing it for real wasn’t as satisfying as you might think, maybe it was because it was with a door instead of the back of my hand. Or maybe because I’m a pacifist at heart. Anyway, I felt bad.)
“Yeah, you’re sorry,” Seth growled, rubbing his head where the door had smacked him, his eyes blazing. “You are one sorry—” He started calling me a bunch of filthy names.
A Demon's Kiss (Young Adult Romance) Page 8
