LOGAN (Book One)

THIRTY-SIX

"Hi Effie, I've wanted to ask, but who was that guy who dropped you off earlier?"

I looked up at Nina, who placed her food tray on the table where I was sitting. After a hard day vocalizing and dance lessons with my dance coach Girlie. Who told us to call him that?

My dance coach is a Filipino gay man who is super sassy, and he loves it. He speaks fluent Tagalog, and when he gets angry or frustrated, especially with Nina not catching up with the dance, he vents his anger at how slow she is. And I understand most of the cuss words he puts out. I may have been born here, but I could hear my mom's dialect ringing in my ears whenever Athena and Ares fought over stupid things.

Nina and I aren't friends, but more acquaintances since we are both get the same company. We are getting to know each other slowly. When I'm around her flashing that angel look smile and bright white teeth tell me something odd about her. But Lena wants us to be friends.

Ever since she got here, I can't quite figure it out. She's a mystery, and when Newton came to pick her up last week, I tried to say hi to him, but Newton ignored me, which was weird because just weeks ago, he was all in my bubble until he made his way out with the new girl who's his niece. They don't even look alike. Well, yeah, she has half of his genes, but I see no slight resemblance. Just something about her isn't right.

Am I just overthinking it, or is Nina just weird?

Every weekend I attend my lessons, although I'm not officially a trainee until I finish high school. Lena didn't want me to exhaust myself with school and to be an artist.

Nina took a bite of the spaghetti rolling her fork that the company's cafeteria was serving. I had myself a burger and fries.

"Oh, that's Logan, my boyfriend," I told her proudly.

"He's sweet to take you here, far from home," she said. "He's not busy or anything?"

"Well, I wanted to take an Uber, but it cost too much, and Logan offered me a ride whenever until I got my car."

"There are few decent guys around. Your lucky to have a boyfriend like Logan."

"Yeah, I do. I'm fortunate." I smiled and then ate a piece of fries dipped in ketchup into my mouth. "So, do you have a boyfriend?" I asked boldly.

Talking to her isn't so bad. I'm just waiting for the weirdness to come.

Nina blushes. "No, but I liked this guy once. Back in middle school." She started playing with the meatball. "I have liked him a long time, and he was nice to me. The first person who ever talked to me. Before, I wasn't popular or noticeable with other people, but he was nice to me. When I was with him, I wasn't ashamed of myself."

"Did you tell him how you feel?"

"No," shaking her head. She then gave light pokes to the meatball. "You see, I wasn't slim nor a size that fits a four. He was with so many girls that I didn't dare to confess. My parents sent me to Switzerland to study abroad before I went back home to start high school. After three years, I returned to see him with a brand new me. I went to visit him where he works to surprise him. But everything changed when I saw him with someone, and I could tell they were in love. I was heartbroken. He had forgotten about me when he met her."

Her voice suddenly changed - it sounded dark. "He was mine first. I saw him first. He was-" I watched the ends of the fork pierce the meatball with the juice out like a knife stabbing flesh. Nina's fingers wrapped around the fork her skin turned white.

"Nina?"

Her green eyes turned dark, and I felt some heinous vibes coming off her. I don't think she's herself, and asking about her love life was a mistake. When I called her name again, she blinked, returning her innocent eyes, and smiled at me. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"