Logan

Chapter 11

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. The table starts to pack up and Jason takes off, without a word to anyone. Ian shoots a, "See you in band," Logan's direction that he responds to with a nod.

He looks down to Gemma, who doesn't say anything, but gathers her belongings and begins making her way to the door. Wordlessly, she checks over her shoulder to make sure Logan was following. He was.

Stopping to throw out his tray, he loses sight of her as she steps through the cafeteria's double doors. Logan follows through them. Suddenly, an arm grabs his, tugging him into a secluded corner of the hallway. The tension in his shoulders loosens slightly when he sees that brown hair.

"So what the hell happened to your face?" The light demeanor from lunch is gone, she's back full force and full volume.

"Gemma, keep your voice down," His back to the wall, Logan's eyes scan above her head. No one looks their way, "I'm trying to keep a low profile here if you couldn't tell." He brings his gaze back down to meet hers.

"I don't care. Who the hell did that?" Her voice has lowered, but there's still an edge to it. Her eyes hold fire.

"It's nothing really, I'm just clumsy. No one did anything." His tone is pointedly light and he even brings himself to smile, "This is no big deal." He's lying through his teeth.

"Bullshit." Her tone is hard, she's not having his excuses, "Look, I know what it's like. It is a big deal, Logan. And I know I promised I would keep your secret, but if you're getting hurt or you're in danger then-"

"Hey. It has nothing to do with that." Logan cuts her off, raising his voice for the first time. He clenches his fists at his sides. No suspicions, no more phone calls. Kate and Charlie are his last chance. Kate and Charlie don't deserve this.

"Then explain to me what's going on Logan, because I'm not going to stay quiet. It's not worth it. It's not worth you getting hurt." Her expression changes slightly. Still fiery, but even more determined and a little bit sad. She won't be letting this go.

"Fuck, Gemma," Logan mutters. He glances around the hallway, still bustling with students, "Fine, but not here. Okay? We can't talk about it here."

She looks wary, but lets her eyes scan the hallway as well. Finally, she gives a resigning nod and says, "Can you meet me after school?"

Logan begins to nod before squeezing his eyes closed. Charlie.

"No," He sighs, "I'm getting picked up."

"Then we'll skip history."

His eyes go wide. "Shiittt," Logan draws out the word under his breath. "With everything else, I forgot about history. I can't go there anyway, I didn't get a new schedule."

Gemma lets a low stream of air out through her lips and rolls her eyes. "Okay. We're going to the office and getting a new schedule. I'll do the talking since I was there, besides Mrs. Thompson loves me." She points a finger at him, "But this conversation is not over, understand me?" Then she turns on her heel and cuts a path down the hall, not bothering to check if he was behind her.

Of course he was behind her.

He considers reminding her that he had also been there when he was told to get a new schedule. He could explain the situation just fine, but decided against it. He had known the girl for two days and that was enough time to know to let her take the lead on this one.

"Hi, Mrs. Thompson!" Gemma greets the school secretary when they reach the office.

The older woman's entire demeanor brightens, "Gemma, dear! How are you?"

"I'm really good, Brandon wanted me to thank you for the cookies. He said they were delicious, best birthday present ever! How is Frank doing?"

"Oh, I'm glad he liked them! Frank is good. He's been better about his diet, the last time he was at the doctor his cholesterol had come down."

Logan looks between the two. Gemma hadn't been lying when she said Mrs. Thompson loved her. Even though he didn't know who Brandon and Frank were, he didn't think it was appropriate to ask.

"That's great!" Gemma motions to Logan now, who had been silently standing a bit behind her for the entire exchange, albeit confused. "I actually brought Logan by, we have a little bit of a situation."

Mrs. Thompson looks up to Logan in surprise, as if only now noticing his presence, "Oh, hi sweetheart! How are you liking Mayfield?"

"I like it so far, thank you. There's just one prob-"

Gemma takes over, "Yeah, so you know Ms. Johnston?"

The woman makes a face, indicating she knows exactly who Ms. Johnston is. And by the look of it, she and Logan share the same opinion of the teacher.

"Exactly. So that's where Logan and I are supposed to be right now, but yesterday she told him that the class is full. So she told him to come up to the office and get a new schedule. Can you believe that?"

Mrs. Thompson rolls her eyes dramatically, "Are you serious? There is no way that class is full, that's why we put Logan in it."

"You should yell at her," Gemma says with a laugh.

"Yeah that's a great idea," the older woman chuckles back, "I'm sure that would go over well for everyone involved. Let me see what I can do, okay? You two wait over there." She points to a bench in the far corner of the office, before turning and entering a door marked 'Vice-Principal.'

After they sit down, Gemma turns to him expectantly. Before she gets the chance to speak Logan says, "Not here either. Still too many ears."

She gestures around the office, "Logan we are completely alone, you have to tell me what is going on."

He looked around. He noticed the clear glass wall, the security cameras. He saw the janitor making his way down the hall and a few students still milling about the lockers.

"Not here, Gem. Okay?"

She sighs and bites her lip, but relents. "Okay, Logan. We can talk about it later." Then she gives him one of her grins, but this one doesn't meet her eyes.