Haunted Hearts

Chapter 18

I couldn't remember.
The details slipped through my grasp, leaving me frustrated and disoriented.
There was this confrontation with Alexander, and then he revealed that we shared a soul, then he told me about my sister and dad sharing one as well, a heated exchange—but the rest remained a haze.
Had we achieved our goal? Or was my memory clouded by magic or possibly an injury? What exactly were we searching for at the museum? Or did he just want me there to talk? I couldn't be certain.

Then, amidst the chatter of the coffee shop, I spotted Logan, and my heart leaped with joy. His mere presence filled me with an unexpected happiness. Happiness I hadn't felt in such a long time, it felt so foreign to me that I almost felt guilty to feel it.

As his gaze fell upon me, he strode forward, enfolding me in a embrace that seemed to cocoon my entire being. His arms, strong and reassuring, encircled me, and in that moment, I felt a sense of peace wash over me, as if I had found sanctuary in his embrace. It had been far too long since I had felt the warmth of another's touch, and the intensity of the moment overwhelmed me. Though we were only strangers, his presence enveloped me in a sense of security and belonging that I had sorely missed.
Then my back felt his wrapped hands. His hands that had been injured because of me. And I felt the air becoming harder to inhale.

As he withdrew slightly, his gaze met mine, filled with genuine concern that resonated deep within his brown eyes. "Are you alright?" he inquired, his voice soft yet filled with earnestness.

A genuine smile graced my lips, a rarity in recent times. "I am," I affirmed, the weight of my loneliness momentarily lifted by his presence. "Are you?"

He looked down at his hands that were still tightly grabbing my shoulders as he said: "yes. Weirdly enough, they are so much better. As if they were healed magically. I assume he had something to do with it."

"Yes, I—"

"Let's go to my house," he interrupted me, reaching out to take my hand. "It's not safe to talk here."

"No, wait." I said, "I want to talk to Carly. It wasn't okay how I left yesterday; I owe her an explanation."

He considered it for a second. Looking at me as if I was a puzzle he couldn't quiet understand but then he slowly nodded his head. "Okay," he spoke, as we both sat back at his table, "do you know if she's here?" He murmured.

Before I could respond, Jessica materialized beside us, offering a refill to his coffee with a flush of embarrassment at the interruption. His gracious smile and words of gratitude only seemed to deepen her blush.

"Can I get you anything, Morgan?" she inquired in her usual cheerful demeanor, but I could see some pain in those eyes.

I smiled at her. "A regular coffee, please," I replied, as I turned around the coffee shop to find a specific familiar face, "do you know where's Carly?"

"She's upstairs. Cooked up in her apartment. I'll fetch your coffees right away!" With a cheerful twirl, Jessica darted towards the rear of the shop.

"What happened?" Logan pressed once more, his tone laced with urgency.

The smell of lavender was so distracting I had to turn around, only to find this redhead girl walking towards the table next to us. As I turned back to Logan I saw he was distracted by her too. His gaze had an intensity that snapped my attention. I had never seen him looking at anyone like that. His gaping expression only made it worse. There was this pure lust in his eyes and as painful as it was, I understood why.

She was a vision of unparalleled beauty. She had a radiant and timeless beauty, with fair porcelain skin reminiscent of a delicate rose petal. Freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks like constellations in the night sky, adding a touch of whimsy to her classic allure. Her brown eyes, large and almond-shaped, shimmer with a captivating blend of warmth and wit. She was so beautiful it was almost unreal.