Tracking Logan Foster

{13} When She Cries

Two weeks passed after the incident in the hospital. My parents kept me under strict lock and key in fear I'd go off trying to kill myself again.

It wasn't like I had even been planning on committing suicide in the first place. I'd tried explaining that I had been trying to save Logan's life, and although they believed it, they still thought I'd do something reckless again.

I refused to speak in school and my relationship with Wyatt became distanced and strained, especially when she would ask about why I had been in the hospital for another week.

After suffering a minor injury from that day, a sling was now supporting my shoulder from strain. For me, it was a reminder of Justin Levingston who I had yet to see since that day.

Mrs. Drew buzzed around the front of the class, giving one of her infamous lectures. My notebook was still inside my backpack and I couldn't find the motivation to pay attention as I twirled a pencil between my fingers.

Twisting around in my seat, I shot a quick glance to the back of the room to catch Logan's eye as he gave me a ghost of a smile. Warmth spread through my chest, continuing to redden my face.

Wyatt watched our exchange with a critical eye as her lip pouted in a frown. Leaning closer to me, she whispered, "Whatever you're doing with that weird boy, be careful."

Crack.

Wyatt's eyes widened as the pencil in my hand split in two, scattering splinters across my desk. She looked from me to the pencil and back to me again, raising her eyebrows.

The suffocating weight of every pair of eyes on my back made me stiffen. My chair scraped across the ground as I stood up, bolting out of the room before she could see the tears spill down my face. Mrs. Drew gave me an indecipherable look and sighed, not knowing what to do.

Once I was out in the hallway, I locked myself in a stall in the girls' bathroom, heaving giant sobs where I sat on the toilet with the cover down.

It wasn't fair. Logan didn't choose this life, yet people still made fun of him for it. Wyatt didn't know him, nobody did. I bawled my eyes out for the broken boy who was misunderstood, for the boy who would rather be dead, and for the boy I loved.

The door to the bathroom opened, and I froze.

"Iris? Are you in here?"

Grinding my teeth together, I refused to speak when Wyatt made her way into the restroom, standing in front of the only stall that was shut. Mine.

She sighed, knocking on the stall door. "Come on. Why are you so upset over that? I was just giving you advice."

Focusing on her pink flats and black tights under the door, I clenched the toilet paper that I had used as tissues, tighter in my hands.

"I don't need your advice, Wyatt!" I snapped, yelling, "Leave me alone!"

A few seconds of silence ensued my outburst before Wyatt wordlessly turned on her heel and left.

Silent tears continued to flow down my face. I didn't care that I had most likely just lost my best friend. I only cared that not even my best friend could be sympathetic to the one boy who needed it the most.

At least five minutes later, the door reopened and I groaned, angrily swiping the tears from my face.

"I said leave me alone-"

I stopped short when the pair of shoes visible beneath the stall door were not pink flats, but rather were black sneakers with loose laces. A pair of dark jeans ruffled together as a body leaned against the stall door.

"Are you crying?" A new, yet familiar, voice asked.

I couldn't find my voice and tried, but failed to form any words as my mouth opened and closed several times.

A resigned sigh escaped from the intruder's lips and he gently commanded, "Open the door."

Shakily climbing off the toilet seat to my feet, I hesitantly unlocked the stall door to find Logan standing outside of it, giving me a worried look as he ran a hand through his long dirty blonde hair. 

"W-What are y-you doing here?" I stuttered, sniffling unattractively.

He shrugged, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as he tucked me against his comforting body. Pressing his lips to the top of my head, he whispered, "I should be asking you the same thing."

Burying my face in the crook of his neck, I grasped the fabric of his sweater in my hands and said, "Wyatt called you weird."

I felt his body shake against mine and glanced up as my jaw dropped.

"Why are you laughing?" I asked in wonder.

Logan gave me a dazzling smile, displaying two straight rows of white teeth as he shook his head, chuckling.

Gently smoothing the hair off my face, Logan pressed his forehead against mine as he searched my eyes with his glowing ones. His thumbs came up under my eyes, wiping away my tears.

"Harsh," he said with a half smile. "Trust me, I've been called worse. Why are you crying over something someone said about me?"

My eyes fell to our feet and I twisted my hands together in front of me only to feel Logan's large hands envelop mine. I met his eyes once again and spoke.

"You don't deserve this, Logan," I said. His eyes dropped to my lips, causing me to suck in a breath.

"No," he agreed, "I don't. I don't deserve you."

When Logan's lips were only a breath away from mine, the door to the bathroom noisily squeaked open and we shot identical looks of panic at each other.

Logan smoothly opened the nearest stall door and pulled me inside of it. He sat down on the toilet with the lid down and pulled his legs up to his chest to hide his feet.

I stood in front of him, feeling cramped in the tight space as my face flushed. He could undoubtedly hear my heart beating in my chest.

Relax, he mouthed as the stall next to ours became occupied. Reaching across the small space between us, Logan cupped my face in his hands and pulled me closer, questioning me with his eyes.

When I didn't make a move to get away, he closed the gap and lightly pressed his lips against mine, slowly at first. Bringing my arms up around his neck, I tangled my fingers in his hair and closed my eyes, kissing him back.

The toilet flushed in the stall next to ours and we waited until the girl had safely left before we came out of our stall, stifling our giggles behind our hands.

"Let's get out of here," Logan said, smiling over his shoulder as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out into the hall after making certain the coast was clear.

I didn't protest when he strode right past Mrs. Drew's class and headed straight for the double doors leading outside. I shivered once the harsh wind tore relentlessly through my clothes and wondered, "Where are we going?"

With an amused glint in his eye, Logan winked, sending my heart fluttering, and promised, "You'll see."

************

Thank you guys so much for all your support with this story! Your votes and comments mean so much to me. I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I enjoy writing it. :)