Unlikely Hearts - Logan Huntzberger

Chapter Six

The clock struck eleven, and the spacious apartment was alive with laughter, chatter, and the intoxicating scent of cake and snacks. Alouette Davenport stood in the middle of the chaos, her heart racing with excitement and a hint of anxiety. It was her 19th birthday, and she had planned this blowout party for weeks, determined to celebrate in style. The boys had pulled out all the stops, transforming her living room into a festive wonderland, complete with balloons, streamers, and a disco ball that twinkled above.

"Happy birthday, Letty!" her friends cheered, lifting their drinks in a toast as she made her way toward them.

She couldn't help but smile, soaking in the energy of the night. Madeline and Louise were already tipsy, giggling uncontrollably as they chatted with a group of guys. Across the room, Amelia was deep in conversation with Finn, who had come back from Australia just for this occasion. Everything was going perfectly... until the doorbell rang.

"Can you get that?" Atlas called from the kitchen, where he was mixing drinks.

Alouette nodded, sliding through the crowd and pulling the door open, expecting to see Alex standing there with a smile and a gift in hand. Instead, he strolled in with a casual wave, his friends trailing behind him. They exchanged quick hellos, and he grinned at her before turning to his crew.

"Hey, I can only stay for a bit! Gotta meet up with some friends after this," Alex said nonchalantly, checking his phone.

"What? You're leaving already?" Alouette felt a frown tug at her lips, her heart sinking. "It's my birthday!"

"Yeah, I know, but I promised I'd swing by. Gotta keep my commitments, right?" He shot her a playful wink before heading toward the fridge.

Alouette felt a wave of disappointment crash over her, the excitement of the evening suddenly evaporating. Did he even think to get her a present? She wanted to shout out her frustrations, but she merely forced a smile, hiding her hurt.

"Have fun, I guess," she mumbled, trying to sound casual.

As he grabbed a drink and exited the apartment as soon as he entered. Alouette turned away, feeling the festive atmosphere turn cold around her. The party continued, but she felt herself drifting, the laughter and music blurring into the background.

It wasn't long before Logan Huntzberger emerged from the crowd, his signature smirk in place as he approached her. "You look like someone just stole your cake. What's going on?"

"Nothing," Alouette replied tersely, crossing her arms and trying to appear unbothered.

"C'mon, don't play coy. I can see you're about two seconds away from throwing a tantrum. Where's the birthday girl spirit?"

"Maybe it's been crushed by my non-boyfriend who couldn't even stay for thirty minutes on my special day," she snapped, annoyance bubbling to the surface.

Logan's brow furrowed. "So, Alex didn't stick around? What's up with that?"

"It's his loss, I guess. He had other plans," she retorted, but the edge in her voice lacked conviction.

"Other plans? Or a case of 'can't be bothered'?" Logan asked, tilting his head in that infuriatingly charming way that always made her feel slightly flustered.

"Can you not?" she huffed, wishing she could shove her feelings away as easily as she could push him out of her space.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help." He took a step closer, his tone softening. "Why don't we step away from all this for a second? You look like you could use a break."

She hesitated but felt the weight of the crowd pressing in on her. "Fine. Lead the way."

He guided her to a quieter corner of the apartment, away from the noise of the party. They stepped into the dimly lit hallway adjacent to Alouette's bedroom, the sounds of laughter muffled. Alouette leaned against the wall, crossing her arms defensively. She wanted to roll her eyes at him but felt her annoyance start to fade. Alouette found herself looking up at him, his face inches from hers. She felt her heart race. Just when she thought they were on the verge of a breakthrough, she cleared her throat, panic setting in. "I really should get back to my party. I don't want to be away too long."