Logan parked his car inside the garage.
He spent his time on the road, calming down his breathing pattern. His inhales and exhales flowed too swiftly. He felt his ears turn cold at one point. If he didn’t regulate his lungs, he’d pass out in the middle of driving.
That wasn’t a pretty picture in his head.
He sensed a small achievement when he got out of the car. At least, he was home—unlike some people.
He greeted the servants that he passed by as he made his way to his room. Both his father and his mom were out of sight. He would just have to greet them during dinner.
Taking off his shoes, Logan placed them on a rack. He flopped directly onto the bed, remembering that he already had a shower. He lied on his stomach, arms spread wide. The soft blankets and pillows cushioned his anxiety. His consciousness slowly drifted into—
His eyes widened suddenly.
Then, he sat up with his feet planted on the floor. He took out his phone, dialing the familiar number.
“Logan? You home?”
The corner of Logan’s lips twitched. His frustrations instantly melted. Any scolding or lecture faded away. The sweet sound of Alex’s voice had taken over. It consumed all of his senses.
“Yeah, I am” He answered gruffly. He gazed out his window, “Are you?”
“Not yet but…” Alex paused, “Your brother seems hungry and is trying to get us back as soon as possible. Did I miss anything important at school?”
Logan clicked his tongue, “Of course you did. What did you expect?”
He heard her groan from the other end of the line, “How bad is it? What did I miss?”
“Me.”
…
…
…
The silence was just what he predicted. It made him grin from ear to ear. But if he expected a retort or a curse, Logan received neither.
Alex took a different route and used a teasing tone, “Aw, did you miss me?”
Logan’s nerves solidified but his heart soared. It pumped faster, warming his frozen muscles. The exhilaration stretched his lips further. He feared that it could potentially tear up his face. He should probably pout but he also didn’t want to ruin the good mood.
Before he could reply, a scream broke him out from his daze. The grip on his phone tightened and his voice became alarmed, “What just happened?”
“Nothing. Jae just hit the break for a second” Alex grumbled. Then, she seemed to pull her phone away from her ear, “What the hell happened?”
Logan heard his twin’s booming laughter as he answered her question, “I just didn’t think I’d ever hear you talk like that.”
“What’s wrong with it?” Alex asked.
“Nothing. Continue.”
She pressed the phone back to her ear, “I think your brother is broken.”
“He is just probably traumatized from last time” Logan chuckled, “Where are you guys?”
“Just one more town to go. It won’t be long now. You can stop missing us.”
“I’m afraid that’s impossible… but do please keep flirting with me.”
Alex scoffed at his arrogance, “I am not flirting with you.”
“Right, right. They’re ‘casual statements’.”
Alex frowned as she climbed out of the car. She had one hand tucked in her coat’s pocket while she held up her phone to her ear. She walked up to the porch and entered the house. Did that become another thing Logan held against her? He didn’t sound worried at all. Emily must have lied to her about it.
“And here I thought you have been anxious all day because of our absence” Alex replied in a whisper, “I guess it was my mistake. I shouldn’t play nice anymore.”
Her feet led her up the stairs, stomping on her way. She kept her tone soft, “I even had a surprise for you.”
“Wait, wait, wait…” Logan cut in, “Will I like this surprise?”
“I am not sure.”
Alex found an open door and stepped inside. The carpet on the floor silenced her shoes. She held her breath for good measure. Logan’s voice continued to chatter both of her ears. She had to lower the volume when she first heard his voice.
“Aw, come on. What is it?” He asked excitedly, “Am I gonna get a kiss?”
Scowling, Alex doubted Emily’s words again. She bared her teeth and bit back her retort. The sound of Logan’s cackle made her temple throb.
She picked up a pillow and threw it at the back of his head, “How about I just leave?”
Logan hunched from the impact. He recovered quickly and whirled his head around. His sight beheld a blonde girl in a peach coat. She openly glared, nostrils flaring a bit. He never felt more cared for than a pair of gray eyes staring angrily at his direction.
“Xandra? Where’s Alex?”
Alex flung another pillow at him, targeting his face.
Logan held up his arms to block the attack. He dived over his bed and attempted to capture his visitor in his arms. Alex stepped back, distancing herself from his reach. She shook her head at his sudden burst of energy.
“You sure are lively,” she remarked, crossing her arms over her chest, “You must have a lot of fun today.”
Logan had his back on the mattress. His head hung over the edge while he grinned, “Just so you know… I love this surprise. So what were the stalkers like?”
Alex stared up at the ceiling. She bit her inner cheek, pretending to think about it. She needed to choose her words carefully. She peeked from the corner of her eye. The oblivious expression on his face squeezed her heart. It was a lot harder to lie these days.
Not because she ran out of ideas but because this person didn’t deserve them… and yet… Why did they keep things from him? Was it to keep him this way? For him to not change and stay the happy person they knew?
A part of Alex admitted those claims to be true. After what happened the other day, she realized that she couldn’t stand Logan being upset. She liked him better as his annoying self. If she needed to loosen up a bit, she’d gladly do it.
And she had.
“Well, I think Jae was merely exaggerating. They weren’t anything that Emily couldn’t handle” Alex chuckled. She sat on the bed, gazing down at emerald eyes, “How about you? How was your day?”
“Tell me” Logan smiled lopsidedly as he sat up, “Have you gone soft ever since you heard my conversation with my ex-girlfriend? Maybe even after I told you about it?”
A lump expanded in Alex’s throat. He hit the nail on the head with that one. She felt her cheeks burn from the embarrassment. She didn’t show her vulnerabilities often but when they do, she hardly noticed.
She wondered when did Logan cross those walls of hers—and how many were they?
Alex looked at the floor and raised the side of her fist to her lips. She cleared her throat. Although she couldn’t see him, she could imagine the smirk on his face. She raised her chin and glanced at the open door.
She kept her gaze straight and pointed a finger at him, “Never speak of this again or I’ll never speak to you again, capiche?”
“Yes, ma’am” Logan saluted.
The gesture caught Alex’s attention from the corner of her eye. Her head snapped towards him. She puffed out her cheeks at the amused face she saw, “You better keep your word.”
“When did I ever—” He began to say but thought better of it. He scratched the back of his neck, “Right. The party. And you also don’t like promises so I’ll just do my best then.”
He set his hands behind his back, leaning back and clutching the edge of bed. He stared out of the window. It looked different from a few minutes ago.
Maybe it wasn’t the window but the inside that changed. The silence that followed was peaceful. The atmosphere was as it should be, light as air. Logan took a deep breath. He felt like his normal self again.
He snorted silently.
Alex observed him from her peripheral vision. A small wave of relief washed over her. Logan seemed to enjoy a joke inside his head. She’d take that over what Emily said earlier.
At least, her cousin’s suggestion to visit him didn’t go to waste.
As if he could feel Alex’s eyes on him, Logan flickered his gaze towards her. She quickly looked away and pretended to fix her wig. The front strands brushed the sides of her face, hiding the blush that rushed into her cheeks.
Logan saw through her act and grinned, “Alex, I—”
“Guys! I’m coming in!”
Jae walked over to the doorway. One of his hands covered his eyes while the other patted on the walla, making sure he didn’t hit anything. He stopped when he felt the carpet under him.
“Are you both decent?”
“Now, why would you think we’d be indecent with the door open?” Alex scowled.
Logan perked up. He leaned closer until his breath could caress her face, “So it’s okay if the door was closed?”
“That’s not—”
“If you really had to” Jae interrupted, still perceiving darkness, “I’d prefer it behind closed doors instead of out in the hallway.”
Alex shifted her attention to the blonde twin. She snapped, “What did you even come here for?”
“Right.”
Jae let his hand drop. He pressed his lips together, bouncing from foot to foot, “I’m sorry to cut this short but your aunt has been calling you. You wouldn’t answer so she dialed me. She’s really agitated and wants you back home.”
“Ah, but…” Alex sneaked a glance at Logan.
A delighted smile spread across his face. The fact that she came to see him first was already enough. He nudged her shoulder, “Go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Well, I guess I have to go,” she sighed, rising to her feet. She waved in goodbye and headed for the door, “I’ll be leaving now.”
“Wait!” Logan protested and grabbed her hand. He tugged her back. When she looked at him, he stuck out his bottom lip, “Where’s my kiss?”
Another pillow made its way to his face.
This time, it managed to hit its target.
