When Love Collides

CHAPTER - V



The school hall was almost empty, save for a few students lingering around after class. Leaning casually against the wall, Soumya crossed her arms, eyeing Logan as he stood before her. His usual cocky grin was gone, replaced by something far more serious—almost threatening. He wasn’t playing around today.

Logan stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. “You need to do my work, Soumya. I don’t give a fuck how it happens, but I need Riu. She’s mine, from the moment I saw her.” His dark eyes burned with intensity. “No one—and I mean no one, not even that dumbass Zane—is coming between us.”

Soumya raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly as if amused by his determination. But inside, she relished being in the middle of this. She liked the power it gave her—the attention, the control. “Don’t worry, Logan,” she replied smoothly, her tone light and confident. “I’ll help you. Riu’s yours. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

Logan’s gaze bore into hers, his expression unyielding. “Help me get her, and I’ll make it worth your while. Whatever you want—money, status, I don’t care. You name it.”

Soumya’s smile widened, a sly, almost sinister edge to it. “Deal.”

---

The Night Before the Match

Soumya lay sprawled on her bed, scrolling lazily through Instagram when her phone buzzed. A message request. She opened it and almost jumped when she saw the name—Logan Cruz.

“Aren’t you Soumya? We met at the art exhibition.”

Soumya felt a rush of excitement, her fingers moving quickly as she typed back. 
Yes, I am. Why are you texting me?

Logan’s reply was instant. 
“Are you friends with Riya Kapoor?”

Soumya’s pulse quickened. 
Yeah, we’re close. Why do you ask?

Logan’s next message made her pause. 
“She’s pretty.”

Soumya stared at the screen, her mind racing. Was he actually serious about this? 
Yeah, she is. But why are you telling me this?

Logan’s next response caught her completely off-guard. 
“I think I’m in love with her. She’s been in my head ever since that day at the exhibition.”

Soumya froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. Love? That wasn’t what she had expected. She knew Logan’s reputation—he didn’t fall for girls; he used them. But this felt... different. Maybe she could use it to her advantage.

Soumya: “Riu’s not into you, Logan. She’s not one of those girls you mess around with. She’s different. You’re wasting your time.”

Logan’s reply was cold, almost mocking. 
“Haha, don’t worry about that. If I want something, it’s already mine. Just give me her number. We’ll talk more in person.”

Soumya hesitated. Was she really going to hand over Riu’s number just like that? But then she thought of Zane's attraction towards Riya. And a twisted part of her wanted to see where this would lead.

She quickly typed out Riu’s number and hit send. 

Logan: “Good girl.”

---

The next day, Riu sat in the college canteen with Soumya and Lana, pushing her food around on her plate. The canteen was buzzing with energy, students chatting and laughing all around them, but she felt disconnected from it all. She hadn’t been able to focus since she’d gotten Logan’s texts last night.

Lana leaned forward, eyeing her curiously. “What’s wrong, Riu? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. And your lunch is barely touched.”

Riu sighed, her frustration bubbling over. “It’s just... Logan. He’s like, forcing his way into my life, and it’s creeping me out. I’m not one of those girls he hooks up with every other weekend.”

Soumya glanced up, her expression thoughtful. “I think you’re judging him too quickly, Riu. Logan’s not all bad. He’s got a rough exterior, yeah, but I don’t think he’s as heartless as everyone makes him out to be.”

Riu gave her a disbelieving look. “Soumya, come on. We’re talking about the same Logan, right? The guy who got into a fistfight with Zane over—what? A stupid bet?”

Soumya shrugged. “Maybe. But you know, yesterday, after the football match, he fed over 1,000 kids on West Haven Street. Did it all himself. No cameras, no media—just him and his money. He’s not what you think.”

Riu hesitated, the anger in her chest faltering slightly. “That’s... hard to believe. Why would he do something like that?”

“Maybe he’s trying to prove something,” Soumya said softly, her gaze intense. “Or maybe he just needs someone to see him for who he really is.”

Lana snorted. “Yeah, right. Or maybe he’s just trying to clean up his image so he can keep getting away with all the shady shit he’s into.”

Riu shook her head, conflicted. “I don’t know... It’s just... confusing. I didn’t come here to deal with guys like him. I’m here to focus on my career, to build a life for myself.”

Soumya leaned in, a small, knowing smile on her lips. “You know what they say, right? Sometimes, the people who are the most messed up are the ones who need love the most.”

Riu frowned, looking down at her untouched food. “Love? No way. I’m not here to fix anyone.”

Soumya smirked. “Maybe. But something tells me you might be the one to fix Logan.”

---

Logan sat in the dimly lit bar that night, nursing a drink as his friends laughed and talked around him. The bar was loud, the music pulsing through the air, but Logan was quieter than usual. His mind kept drifting back to Riu—her defiance, the way she hadn’t immediately fallen for his charm like everyone else.

One of his friends leaned over, smirking. “Hey Logan, what’s so special about that Riya chick? You’ve been different ever since she showed up.”

Drake, seated across from them, grinned. “Maybe our boy’s in love.”

Another guy laughed, shaking his head. “Fuck love, man. All that matters is getting laid. Why waste time chasing after one girl when you can have a different one every night?”

Logan’s gaze hardened, his smile fading. “You guys don’t get it. It’s not just about that.” He took a long drag from his cigarette, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Everything’s about control. You want something, you go after it. You don’t stop until it’s yours. That’s what matters.”

Drake raised his glass. “Yeah, and we all know you don’t quit until you get what you want.”

Logan’s smile returned, but it was darker this time, edged with something almost dangerous. “Damn right.”

---

That night, as Riu lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, she felt a strange sense of unease settle over her. She knew Logan wasn’t going to give up. The thought both scared her and intrigued her. What did he really want? Was it just a game to him, or was there something more?

Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, and she glanced over, half-expecting to see his name.

Sure enough, there it was.

Logan: “You still up, beautiful?”

Riu didn’t reply. She turned her phone off and rolled over, her mind racing. She didn’t know what he wanted from her, but one thing was for sure:

Whatever this was—it was far from over.