~Loganâs POV~I stood there, frozen, as Ava disappeared into the kitchen. I couldn't wrap my head around anything, nothing made sense at that time.She was leaving.She was leaving me!I didnât know what the hell to say. My mind kept replaying her words⌠I got a job today and an apartment.She got a job! And She was actually moving out.My chest tightened in a way I didnât understand. I shouldâve seen this coming. Hell, I pushed her to this. Last night was a mess. I knew I screwed up the second I woke up with a pounding headache and the memory of Avaâs furious, disappointed face burned into my brain. But hearing her say it out loud, making it finalâŚdamn. I hadnât expected it to feel like this.I was low-key devastated! Maybe not low-key!I ran a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling under my skin. Why does this bother me so much?Why do I feel like this? She's a bet right?I should be fine with it. She was just a roommate, right? A tutor. Someone who happened to live in my space
~Ava's pov~After leaving Logan's apartment,the air outside was cold but I barely noticed as I dragged my bag down the apartment steps. Every step felt heavier than the last, something inside me was resisting the urge to turn back and go back to Logan.But I couldn't.Not after everything that happened.I needed time to sort out my life first.I tightened my grip on my duffle bag forcing myself to focus on the road ahead. Charlotte's apartment was only a few minutes' ride away and she had been more willing and ecstatic about me crashing at her place until I figured things out.It was the right decision.The smart one!So why did it feel like I was walking away from something that I wasn't ready to let go of?âBecause a part of you wanted him to stop youI might be going insane!.I clenched my jaw, willing the thought away. Logan didn't stop me. He let me go .That alone should be enough proof of where we stood.I called a cab and waited, my heart beating fast against my ribs. My finge
~Logan's pov~The apartment was a mess not in the way of scattered clothes or dirty dishes around,no! That kind of mess didn't bother me. This was a different kind of mess,the silence was suffocating,the apartment was empty, the emptiness suffocated me in a way I wasn't used to.Ava was gone. I should have seen it coming but now that she has already left, I don't feel good now.I ran a hand through my hair,my grip tightening at the roots. This was ridiculous. I had no right to feel this way towards her but I couldn't help myself.But I knew better! My kind of life didn't allow me to have the privilege of letting someone in⌠not until my father is out of the picture.A sharp knock on the door. Yanked me out from my wandering thoughts.Who's it now?With a heavy sigh I pushed myself from the couch and made my way to the door. Levi stood there,arms crossed eyebrows raised in amusement.Levi looked exactly like me, he's my younger brother but we've always treated each other like twins. O
Ava's povâHurry up Ava! You're going to be late again" Charlotte yelled from her room.âGirl, chill out! I'm done" I said carrying my bag and exited the room. I had an early shift at the diner today, Debra had called me earlier today.âI'll see you later right? Or are you going out with Tristan again? I asked herShe grinned, she always does that whenever we're talking about Tristan. She's love sick I swear." Yeah! We're going out and I might actually spend a night at his apartment. You know⌠maybe rekindle our love..â" Please! Spare me the details char! I don't need to know your love life with Tristan, it's grossâ. I covered my ears Even though she didn't say anything bad but I wanted to tease her.Charlotte laughed" okay Ava! Don't be dramatic,but everything is set, there's food in the kitchen and everything,so you don't need to worryâ.I nodded " I'll be fine char,now I'm gonna go see you tomorrowâ I reached the door and turned to her ,I waved at her then exited the room.I call
~Avaâs POV~I stood there frozen, did Logan Carter just ask me on a date?. my heart beating faster against my chest so loudly that I was sure Logan could hear it. He had just asked me out. Logan Carter; the cocky, arrogant, undeniably gorgeous football player had just asked me on a date.My lips still tingled from his kiss, and my brain was struggling to keep up with everything that had just happened. It seemed like I was sent into a frenzy.âIâŚâ My voice came out hoarse, and I cleared my throat. That was so embarrassing! âI donât know what to say.âLoganâs eyes searched mine, his brows slightly furrowed like he was preparing himself for rejection. âYou could start by saying yes,â he said, attempting his usual smirk, but it didnât quite reach his eyes. He was scared.I exhaled loudly, stepping back slightly, needing space to think, because every time he's near me I seem to lose all my abilities to think. Logan wasnât just some guy asking me out. He was Logan Westbridge Universi
Ava's povThe next day, Charlotte nearly choked on her cereal when I told her about what happened with Logan."You did what?" She gaped at me from across the kitchen table."I said yes to a date with Logan," I muttered, sipping my coffee, trying to sound casual but inside I was freaking out.Charlotte slammed her spoon down. "Ava! This is huge! Logan doesnât date. He flirts, he hooks up, and then he moves on."I winced. "Thanks for the reminder.""But," she continued, pointing her spoon at me, "he likes you. Like, actually likes you. I seen the way he looked at you everytime."I frowned. "What do you mean?"Charlotte smirked. "Ava, that boy is whipped. He is glaring at any guy who so much as glanced in your direction whenever you aren't looking. It is so hilarious."I blinked. Logan⌠jealous? That didnât seem like him. Am I too dense to understand anything?Before I could overthink it, my phone buzzed.Logan: Be ready at 7. Iâm picking you up.I stared at the message, my stomach flip
Avaâs POVThe night air was cool as Logan and I walked side by side, the quiet sounds of the city enveloping around us. My fingers curled around the plush wolf heâd tried so hard to win, and I couldnât help but smile.âSo, whatâs next?â Logan asked, tossing the last of his fries into his mouth.I raised an eyebrow. âNext? Itâs almost midnight, Carter.ââAnd?â He smirked. âScared to stay out late?âI rolled my eyes. âI have work tomorrow, unlike you.âLogan placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. âAre you calling me unemployed?âI gave him a pointed look. âYou literally donât have a job.ââTechnically, I do.â He grinned. âI play football. Thatâs a job.ââFootball isnât a job, itâs a sport,â I shot back.âA sport I get paid for,â he countered.I groaned. âYou get scholarship money for it. Thatâs different.âLogan shrugged. âDetails, details.âI shook my head, but I was smiling. Being around him was easy, even when we were arguing.We walked a little longer until we reached a sma
Loganâs POVThe gym was empty except for the sound of my fists slamming into the punching bag. Each hit sent a sharp ache up my arm, but I welcomed the pain. It was better than thinking. Better than remembering.After last night, after seeing her, I hadnât been able to get Ava out of my damn head. The way she looked at me like she saw me for the first time had messed me up more than I wanted to admit.I landed another punch, breathing hard.âYou trying to kill the bag or yourself?âI turned to see Aaron leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, his usual cocky smirk in place.What the fuck does he want?I rolled my shoulders. âWhat do you want?âHe strolled in, tossing a football between his hands. âI think you know.âI grabbed my towel, wiping the sweat from my face. âNot in the mood, man.âAaron let out a mock gasp. âNot in the mood? Thatâs funny because last time I checked, you had plenty of motivation.âI clenched my jaw. âDrop it.âHe grinned. âCome on, Logan. Donât tell me you
~Ava pov~If someone in the past had told me that Iâd be going to the mall like a normal girl with a boyfriend who treated me like I hung the moon I wouldâve laughed until I cried.But here I was. Saturday afternoon. Wearing real jeans. Not Loganâs shirt. And for once, my mascara wasnât waterproof because I wasnât expecting to cry today.How life changes.âYou need new shoes,â Charlotte declared, arms crossed as we stood outside one of those fancy stores with mannequins. I blinked. âI have shoes.âShe gave me a long, questioning look.âYou have Loganâs slides and four pair of combat boots that look like they fought in two wars.âââŚExcuse you! It's fashionââTheyâre tragic.âI sighed. âFine. But Iâm not spending more thanâŚââGirl, hush. Tristanâs paying.âI stared at her. âWhat? Why would he pay for me?âShe grinned, wicked and proud. â Okay it was Logan, that said that.It was his idea. âGet Ava some proper shoes so she doesnât show up to your birthday dinner looking like an ancient
~Ava's pov~I stared at the man in front of me, my hand still clutching the doorknob like it was the only thing keeping me standing.The silence between us stretched thin. His eyes raked over me judgmental, cold, furious.I shrank back instinctively, pulling Loganâs shirt tighter around me.âReal classy, Ava,â my father sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. âThrowing yourself at the first guy with a bed.âMy stomach twisted painfully.Before I could utter a reply, heavy footsteps approached behind me.Logan.âWho the hell are you?â Loganâs voice was sharp, edged with protectiveness. He moved beside me, wrapping a strong arm around my waist without hesitation, pulling me slightly behind him.My fatherâs lip curled into a sneer.âAnd who the hell are you?â he shot back. âAnother loser sheâs using to pay her bills?âThe words hit harder than I wanted to admit.I flinched, shame flooding through me.I couldn't even believe if this was my father talking before me.Logan stiffened, hi
~Avaâs POV~I wish I couldâve stayed like that forever. Wrapped up in Loganâs arms, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart against my ear, his hand lazily drawing circles on my back.It was easy to forget the rest of the world existed when I was with him.I smiled against his bare chest, feeling a strange kind of peace settle over me the kind I hadnât felt in years.My phone buzzed somewhere on the nightstand, vibrating against the table.I groaned, not wanting to move, but Logan chuckled and gave me a playful smack on the hip."Better get that, baby," he said, his voice thick with sleep.I stretched, feeling deliciously sore, and reached over to grab it.Charlotteâs name flashed across the screen.I frowned. Why was she calling so early?Sliding off the bed ignoring Loganâs mocking whine as I stole his warmth I padded across the room. I was dressed in nothing but a pair of Loganâs loose basketball shorts and his t-shirt, which hung almost indecently off one shoulder.My neck tingle
~Loganâs POV~The first thing I became aware of was the warmth.Soft,Sweet., and Familiar.I shifted slightly, blinking against the early morning light leaking through the blinds.And there she was.Curled against my chest, her head tucked under my chin, her arm thrown lazily across my waist like she belonged there.Like she was meant to be there.My heart clenched painfully in my chest.For a long minute, I just stared at her, afraid to even breathe too loud in case it shattered the fragile peace wrapping around us.She was beautiful.More beautiful than anything I deserved.Her hair was a wild mess against the pillow, her cheeks still flushed from the night before, her lips parted slightly as she breathed in slow, even rhythms.I tightened my arm around her instinctively, pulling her even closer.Mine.She was mine!The thought echoed in my head, loud and possessive.She was mine.And nothing⌠I mean no one was going to take her from me.I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, lettin
~Logan's POV~The sunlight streamed through the windows of the apartment, but all I could see was her.Still sitting cross-legged on my couch, her hair a messy bun around her head, her eyes were so soft and trusting, even after everything I barely managed to tell her last night.She didn't even freak out as i was expecting. I didnât deserve her.But selfishly, I wasnât going to let her go.I pushed myself off the wall where Iâd been leaning and crossed the room toward her.She smiled up at me, the kind of smile that made the tight knot in my chest loosen just a little. The kind of smile that lit up my whole world."You doing anything later?" I asked, my voice coming out roughly from lack of sleep and too many emotions.Her head tilted slightly. "No... why?"I smirked and sat on the coffee table in front of her, close enough that our knees brushed."After football practice," I said, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, "I'm taking you out. Proper date. Just you and me
~Avaâs POV~We stood there for a long moment, just breathing the same air, the world outside Loganâs apartment became blurring.Finally, he pulled back, threading his fingers with mine. His touch was hesitant, almost like he was afraid I'd remove my hands if he held on too tightly."Come inside," he said.I nodded and stepped in, letting him close the door behind me. The apartment was dim, the only light coming from a small lamp in the corner. Logan led me to the couch and sat down heavily, pulling me down beside him. He stared at the floor for a long moment, his leg bouncing slightly."I don't know where to start," he muttered."Wherever you want," I said softly. "I'm here."He glanced at me,gratitude flickering in his blue eyes."I guess..." He let out a breath. "I guess I should start with my mom."I waited. He rubbed the back of his neck, the way he always did when he was nervous."My mom was the best person I ever knew," he said, voice thick with emotion. "She was...kind. Gent
~Ava pov~The cafeteria buzzed with a lot of noise, voices bouncing off the walls, trays clattering. I sat across from Charlotte, my fingers wrapped around a cold coffee cup, staring blankly at the swirling cream inside.I hadn't taken a single sip.Charlotte was yapping about some group project disaster, but I wasn't listening to her. I was busy lost against the storm in my head.I couldnât stop thinking about last night.What was going on with Logan? Why did he leave like that? The way heâd bolted from the apartment without even meeting my eyes. The haunted look when he returned, hours later. "Okay, you're scaring me now," Charlotte said, dragging me out of my thoughts.She leaned forward, eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat.Finally, I set the cup down with a soft clink and whispered, "It's Logan."Charlotte's eyes sharpened immediately. "What happened? Did he cheat on you?!" âWhat? No!" I saidShe frowned âthen what did he do to get
~Loganâs POV~My phone buzzed again.Blocked number.I didnât want to answer it. Every part of me wanted to toss the damn thing into the ocean and go back to cuddling Ava on the bed, pretending like nothing could touch the peace weâd just found.But something in my stomach twisted, cold and sharp.I answered.âLogan,â came a voice I hadnât heard in months, smooth and sharp as broken glass. âGlad you picked up.âMy chest tightened. âWhat the hell do you want, Vincent?âVincent. My fatherâs right-hand man. The guy who delivered threats with a smirk and cleaned up blood without blinking.âIf you donât want to work with your father, thatâs your choice. But heâs thinking about bringing Levi in. And I figured youâd want a heads up.âI froze. âWhat did you just say?ââYou heard me. Levi. Heâs almost twenty one right? Perfect age to start learning the family business.ââWhere is he?â I snapped, already reaching for my jeans. âWhereâs Levi?ââHeâs with your father. Dinner. That place on Riverv
~Avaâs POV~The beach trip ended with more laughter than scandal, thank God. Charlotte and Tristan gave us hell all the way back endless teasing, exaggerated side-eyes, and dramatic sighs every time Logan and I so much as breathed in sync.âYou two seriously need a warning label,â Charlotte huffed as she rolled down the window. âCaution: PDA ahead.âTristan snorted. âForget that. I need bleach for my eyes after walking in on...ââDo not dare to finish that sentence,â I cut in, hiding my burning face in Loganâs shoulder.How can someone be so dramatic? I bet they do more indoors than us,but the way they're overreacting, make them seem like saints.He laughed, rubbing my arm. âStill worth it,â he whispered, pressing a kiss to my hair.When we pulled into the driveway, Charlotte and Tristan practically launched themselves out of the car like it was on fire.âNever again,â Charlotte muttered, slamming the door. âNext trip, weâre getting separate cabins.ââOr a new hotel! cause I don't wan