Unlikely Hearts - Logan Huntzberger

Chapter Eleven

The morning light seeped through the thin curtains of Alouette's apartment as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She groaned, rolling over to check the time on her phone. It was late, but she didn't care. She had no motivation to get up, no plans that seemed worth her time.

Louise and Madeline were already up, bustling around the kitchen as the smell of coffee and toast wafted through the apartment. She could hear them talking, their voices hushed but still carrying the excitement of the night before. Alouette sighed, pushing herself up and running a hand through her tangled hair.

When she finally made her way into the kitchen, Louise's eyes lit up. "Well, well, look who's finally awake."

Alouette managed a smile. "Morning."

Madeline set a plate of toast in front of her. "You look like you had a rough night. More than usual."

Alouette rolled her eyes, taking a bite. "Just needed to blow off some steam."

"Or needed to avoid someone," Amelia chimed in, her gaze knowing as she joined them at the table.

Alouette sighed, reaching for the coffee cup Louise handed her. "Can we not?"

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "You know that's not how this works. What happened with Logan?"

Alouette took a long sip of coffee, as if it would buy her enough time to think of an answer. "Nothing happened."

"Oh, come on," Louise said, leaning forward with a grin. "We saw you two talking last night. And he followed you into the bathroom. That doesn't scream 'nothing.'"

Alouette felt the frustration rise. She didn't want to hash it out, didn't want to dissect every moment. She plastered on a casual smile. "It's just classic Logan."

Madeline crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. "Is that really all you're going to say?"

Alouette shrugged, feigning indifference. "What else is there to say? We had a fight, like always."

Amelia watched her carefully, her expression softer than the others. "You know, you don't have to pretend with us. If he upset you—"

"He didn't," Alouette cut in, her tone sharper than she intended. She forced herself to soften it. "Seriously, guys. It's fine. I just... drank too much and needed to get out of there."

Louise shared a look with Madeline before sighing. "Well, if you ever want to talk about it, you know we're here."

Alouette nodded, grateful for the out. "Thanks, but I'm good. Really." She shoved the rest of her toast into her mouth, ending the conversation.

As the day went on, Alouette busied herself with errands and assignments, trying to distract herself from the persistent knot in her chest. But Logan's words from the night before replayed in her mind. "You can't keep running forever."

She hated that he was right. Hated that no matter how hard she tried to shut him out, he always seemed to find a way back in. Even now, just the thought of him made her feel like she was teetering on the edge of something she wasn't ready to face.

By the time evening rolled around, Alouette had almost convinced herself that she was fine. Her schedule was packed, and she would keep it that way. She had dinner plans with Atlas and Finn, and she knew they'd appreciate her showing up on time for once.

*

The restaurant bustled with life, an upscale spot in New Haven where Alouette, Atlas, and Finn settled into a booth. The dim lighting and warm atmosphere felt inviting, but Alouette sensed the tension radiating from her brother. Finn, ever the charmer, tried to lighten the mood, cracking jokes and making casual conversation. Alouette played along, grateful for his easygoing nature.

"So, how's everything going with you, Letty?" Atlas asked, his voice calm but his eyes sharp. "I haven't seen you around much lately."

Alouette shrugged, avoiding his gaze as she sipped her water. "You know how it is, classes and all."

Finn shot her a look, knowing she was skirting around the truth. Atlas was observant, and Alouette knew it wouldn't be long before he pressed further. The moment hung in the air before Atlas leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.

"And how's Logan?" His tone was casual, but Alouette knew better.

Finn shifted uncomfortably beside her, glancing between the siblings. "Oh, come on, Atlas. Logan's harmless."

Alouette sighed, meeting her brother's gaze. "It's fine, Atlas. Logan and I just ran into each other a few times. It's no big deal."

Atlas frown deepened. "Letty, I know you. And I know Logan. You need to be careful."

Finn, sensing the tension, tried to smooth things over. "Look, it's not like Alouette's falling for the guy again. Right, Letty?"

Alouette forced a smile, even as a knot formed in her stomach. "Of course not. We're just...friends. Or acquaintances. Whatever."

Atlas didn't look convinced. "Just friends, huh? Because last time, it wasn't just friends, and you got hurt."

"Atlas," she said firmly, "I can handle myself."

"Can you?" he shot back, his protective instincts kicking in. "Because I remember how things were at Choate, and I remember how it ended. He doesn't deserve a second chance."

Alouette's temper flared. "I'm not giving him a second chance! We're not even together. We're just—"

"Just what?" Atlas interrupted. "Spending time together until he gets bored and finds someone else? Or until you get your hopes up again?"

Finn jumped in, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. How about we don't ruin the dinner with talk about Logan? He's not even here."

Alouette shot Finn a grateful look. "Thanks, Finn."

Atlas shook his head, the frustration still evident on his face. "I just don't want to see you hurt again. You know how Logan is— he may be one of my best friends, but he's selfish with his girls."

Alouette bit her lip. "I appreciate it, Atlas, but I'm not a kid anymore. I can handle Logan."

Atlas expression softened, but the concern in his eyes remained. "Just promise me you'll be careful. That's all I'm asking."

"Okay, I promise," Alouette replied, feeling a pang of guilt. She wasn't ready to tell him everything, not when she wasn't even sure what it all meant.

As the food arrived, Finn steered the conversation back to safer topics, and the tension slowly eased. But as they laughed and talked about everything else, Alouette couldn't shake the feeling that Atlas's words had struck a nerve.