8A/N: T.T I am so sorry! I know I said that I'd post this chapter like years ago but writer's block seriously sucks. Junior year is just so hectic! I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. We all know how long it took me to pull this out. Haha. (:
Chapter Four
Logan was standing on the inside of the peninsula (or U-shaped) kitchen against the outer counter (the one with stools on the other side) making sandwiches for lunch.
"You look like a mom," Jeremy commented dryly looking at all the sandwich ingredients spread across the counter.
Logan looked up and raised her eyebrows slightly in offense, "Call me that again and I'll hit you where…well, just your imagination."
"Now I'd love to see that," Iggy said, surprising Logan when he walked in and sat next to Jeremy on a counter stool. Jeremy rolled his eyes while Logan couldn't; she didn't know Iggy that well yet.
"Hi Iggy," she smiled politely. "It's nice to see you again."
"Nice to see you too," he said flirtatiously while trying to check her out as much as he could with her big black t shirt. Jeremy elbowed Iggy in the ribs. "Ow! Watch where your elbows go!"
Jeremy rolled his eyes again, "Watch where your eyes go."
Logan simply laughed. "So you guys want lunch or something? I can fix you up a sandwich."
"That'd be gr—"
"Nah, you don't need to," Jeremy cut of Iggy. Logan sensed that Jeremy didn't want to put her though the extra trouble. He was a nice guy like that.
"It's no big deal, I don't mind. I like putting food together," she smiled then said before Jeremy could open his mouth, "I insist." Logan was done with Jake's sandwich by then called him in to eat.
"Logan!" he said as he grabbed his plate, "Can I eat in front of the TV?"
"Uhh," Logan didn't know how to answer. "Jeremy?"
"Yea, go ahead kid. Just don't make a mess and don't tell mom and dad."
Jake nodded happily and scampered off to the family room. Logan continued to make three more sandwiches.
"So, you like being a nanny?" Iggy asked and Logan's eyebrows shot up.
"I am not a nanny," eyebrows still raised. "I'm just a live-in babysitter."
"What's the difference?" Iggy asked, puzzled.
Logan set down the jar mayonnaise with the knife still in hand and leaned against the counter with her hands. "Nannies actually take care of kids and they have special training or something. A babysitter simply watches the kid and makes him food and entertains him. I am not a nanny. I don't help him take baths, I don't tell him to brush his teeth, and I don't help him get dressed. A nanny makes me sound old and makes me feel like a mom," she looked at Jeremy then back at Iggy. "Call me a nanny again and I'll slap you upside the head too." In the time that she was lecturing Iggy, she'd raised the knife and pointed it in his face. She brought the knife back down and continued with the sandwiches. "And we know that you don't want that because we all know that you need those little brain cells of yours," she said with an innocent smile.
Iggy sat there with a stunned face and slowly turned to Jeremy. Jeremy, however, had his back to him, crouching over and holding his stomach; his shoulders were shaking. Iggy turned back to Logan and a smile broke out on his face. "I like you!" he said with approval. At this, Jeremy could no longer contain his laughter and guffawed. Logan laughed a little too, enjoying the picture of Jeremy laughing.
Jeremy finally calmed down as he sat up straight and leaned his elbows against the counter. "Man! The expressions on your face," he pointed at Iggy then at Logan, "and yours too!"
Logan gave him 'the look' that said 'you better shut your mouth or else.' Jeremy stopped after a few chuckles. "Alright, here are you sandwiches. I put everything in it so yeah," she said as she set the plates in front of them. Then she turned around to wash her hands at the sink.
"Is that Beta Omega Phi? The fraternity?" Jeremy asked, looking at the Greek letters printed on the back of her shirt. He had seen it the day she arrived but didn't have time to focus on it.
"Uh, yeah. I guess so. Why, do you know of it or something?" She came back to the counter and began eating.
"Me, Iggy, and another friend are actually in it. Why do you have a shirt of it? And the hoodie you were wearing on Friday?"
"Oh, it was my brother's. He was in it when he came for college, I guess."
Iggy caught the past tense. "He was in it? He's not anymore? Why not?"
"Um," she began uneasily with sad eyes and looked down at her food. "It's complicated," she stated with a sad smile.
Jeremy and Iggy looked at each other for a moment.
"So, who's your other friend?" Logan asked, more upbeat and changing the subject.
"Oh, you might meet him some time," Jeremy offered.
"I 'might'?"
"Yea, you might."
Logan rolled her eyes at his ambiguity and continued to eat.
Jeremy, having finished his sandwich, got up to rinse his plate. Iggy followed a few minutes afterward. They thanked her for the lunch and left; Jeremy went to work and Iggy had class.
"Hey Jake," Logan said as she rounded the corner to the family room. "You want to go to the park? It's nice outside."
"Okay! I'll go get ready!"
"Go have fun, Jake. I'm just gonna sit here," Logan said over the noise of children's laughter and sat down on a park bench
Jake ran off to the sandbox to play with the other kids and Logan watched. The park was beautiful with rich-green grass; tall, strong trees; and benches and tables scattered about. A large sandbox was on one side of the park while the other side was open space with a few gazebos at the end.
"Yo! Dude! Watch out!" a guy called out from behind her. Logan turned from where she was sitting just in time to see a football zooming towards her and caught it swiftly in her hands. She stood up and looked over to where the ball came from. She saw a group of college guys looking over at her with eyebrow-raised faces. "That was a good catch," the same guy who shouted said to her when he reached Logan.
"Thanks," she smiled. He was good looking, had the surfer look with beach blonde hair and light blue eyes and was about a head taller than she was. Since he was only wearing a wife beater and basketball shorts, she could tell that he had a nice body too. "Your friends look kind of surprised," she gestured to them.
He chuckled. "Yeah, we all kind of thought that you were a guy," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
Logan's smile widened. "That's understandable. I am wearing baggy jeans and a large shirt. I suppose my hair just kind of camouflaged with my shirt huh?"
"Yeah. So what's your name?"
"Logan," she said, offering him a handshake.
"Dude! Hurry up!" one of his friends shouted when they realized that he wasn't coming back.
He turned around gestured with his arm that they could go along without him, "You guys can play!"
The other guy rolled his eyes. "The BALL!"
"Oh," he said and turned around.
"I got it," Logan said then threw the ball over to them.
"And a nice throw too," he said, impressed.
"Thanks, I played football for four years when I was in high school," she admitted, shrugging a shoulder.
"Wow," he said with raised eyebrows. "Nice. Which school did you go to? Because I would've heard of you," he winked.
"Wilms," she said, returning his flirtatious attitude with some of her own.
"I haven't heard of it," he said with a raised eyebrow.
Logan chuckled. "That's because it's in New York. I'm not from around here."
"Oh? Are you here for college? UCLA?"
"No. Actually, I'm taking the year off."
He nodded his head and pointed to her shirt. "So I notice that you're wearing a Beta Omega Phi shirt. Your boyfriend's?" He asked oh, so casually.
Logan caught it and smiled. "No, it's not my boyfriend's. I don't have one." Logan paused and gestured towards him, "Wait, are you in it?"
"Yes, I am."
"Oh, well do you know—" Logan was cut off by the ringing of her cell phone. "Sorry, I need to take this," she said apologetically.
"It's no problem," he smiled. "I should probably get back to the guys. Maybe I'll see you around the park?"
Logan smiled a promising smile, "Yea, maybe."
"Alright, so I will see you around the park then," he said with a mix of cockiness, shyness, confidence, and sweetness—all the while, lightly touching her clasped hands and a flashing charming smile.
Logan did not swoon. No, she wasn't one of those girls who faint at the feet of charming men. She doesn't immediately go after him and chase him until she gets him.
She just flirts and…melts inside.
Logan collapsed on her bed after a few hours at the park with Jake. After her encounter with…well, it was only after she started playing with Jake that she remembered he hadn't introduced himself. Anyway, Teresa had called to give her a heads up that she and John would be working late that night. So in a few hours, Logan would have to haul herself out of her comfy bed and feed Jake in a few hours.
Logan knew she really shouldn't but she really needed to. She had to babysit Jake after all. But she really needed too. Her falling eyelids told her yes while her head told her no.
Ugh, I am so tired! Logan thought. But I really can't. I need to watch Jake. But damn, Jake is so tiring sometimes! I think I deserve it…but I'm on the clock right now! But I am sooooo sleepy.
After her mentality failed in a debate against her physical needs, she quickly set an alarm on her cell phone so she could take a quick cat nap. She didn't bother to close her bedroom door for privacy because she needed to be alerted should anything happen with Jake.
Logan sighed as she wiggled into a more comfortable position and let her eyes close.
"She said her brother was in it. Pierce. Does that name sound familiar to you?" Jeremy asked as he took a sip from his Vanilla Frappuccino.
Iggy hummed as he drank from his own drink. "Mmm…mmm…mmmm?"
Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Dude, what's with the mmm-ing?"
"I don't know man, this drink is just really good," Iggy said as he nodded his head up and down. "But the name does sound familiar, now that you mention it. I think I've heard some of the frat guys talk about a Pierce."
"Yeahh, I've heard them talk about him too. But I can't remember his first name," Jeremy said with a little frustration.
"Where's Carson at? Isn't he supposed to meet us here?" Iggy asked as he just remembered.
"Mmm, maybe he's coming late."
They both sat there for a few minutes trying to remember the name of who could possibly be Logan's older brother.
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late," Carson said as he sat down with them after ordering his coffee. "What are you guys doing?"
"Thinking," Iggy murmured.
"Don't hurt yourselves," Carson said dryly.
"Shut up," Jeremy said, still in deep thought. "Hey, do you know anyone with the name Pierce?"
Puzzled, Carson answered, "Doesn't the chick who's living in your house have that name?"
"Someone other than her," Jeremy said.
"Yea, I knew someone," Carson conceded. "His name was Daniel Pierce. Why, what's up?" After Jeremy and Iggy told him about Logan and what she said about her brother, Carson didn't reveal anything else about Daniel Pierce. Jeremy tried to get more information out of Carson but it seemed as if Carson knew very little so he gave up for the time being.
"It's almost dinner time and I'm getting hungry, you guys wanna go to my place and eat? Logan's a pretty good cook." Jeremy knew Logan would be cooking dinner tonight because his parents would be home late. Jeremy stood up and threw his empty cup in the trashcan and Iggy and Carson followed suit.
Ten minutes later, the three got out of the cars and Jeremy opened the front door. "Logan? Jake?" Jeremy walked into the living room and saw Jake sitting on the floor playing video games.
Jake tore his eyes away from the screen and greeted them.
"Hey kid," Carson said as he ruffled his hair and sat down on the couch a few feet behind him.
"'Sup dawgg," Iggy nodded and sat next to Carson.
"Where's Logan, Jake?"
"Uhh," Jake tried to answer while working the control, "she's upstairs? I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know? Hasn't she been watching you? Jake?" It was a lost cause, Jake was too absorbed into his game.
"Just go look for her, man. I'm hungry," Iggy complained.
Jeremy sighed and went upstairs to search her room. As he came nearer to her room, he saw that the door was open and peered inside. Logan's face was in the pillow, her arms and legs spread out, and her deep breathing could be heard. Jeremy looked at her for a moment, smiled, and then quietly shut the door.
"You guys just wanna order some pizza?" Jeremy asked as he sat down next to Iggy.
"What happened to Logan making dinner?" Carson leaned forward to look at Jeremy across from Iggy.
"Ah, she's sleeping. I don't want to wake her," Jeremy said.
Carson furrowed his eyebrows. "You don't want to wake her?"
"Be quiet, Carson! It seems as if our Jeremy is growing quite fond of Logan, don't you think?" Iggy said with a very gay voice. Carson inched away from him.
Jeremy just rolled his eyes. "Dude, shut up. The little bugger," he nodded in Jake's direction, "probably wore her out today."
Jake giggled. "We went to the park today," he said over his shoulder.
"Yeah, definitely let her sleep."
"Alright, let's just order some pizza," Carson said as he got out his cell phone. "Pizza Hut or Dominoe's?"
Christine stood in airport at the gates as she waited to spot Daniel. He was flying back from LA so he could attend her high school graduation. Christine and her parents had come late due to traffic—her parents were waiting in the car.
Finally, she saw the familiar long face of her brothers. "DANIEL!"
Daniel smiled as he spotted her and quickly went to hug her. "Hey Christy! I've missed you so much!"
"I've missed you too!" was her muffled reply. They let go of each other and continued to the baggage claim.
"Listen, Christy, before anything else happens or whatever, I need to tell you something."
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Christine's voice laced with concern.
"Everything is fine," he reassured her, "well, depending on how you look at things."
"Okay…so, what's up?"
Daniel took a deep breath. "As cheesy as this sounds…I'm in love with someone."
A huge smile graced Christine's face. "That's great! What's her name and when am I going to meet her?!"
"Uhh, well…" Daniel took another deep breath. "His name is—"
Logan woke to the sound of the doorbell. "What the fuck?" Logan rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she looked at the time. 8:00 PM stared back her. "Shit!" She quickly freshened up in the bathroom and went downstairs. As she walked into the kitchen, the smell of pizza assaulted her nose and saw an unfamiliar guy sitting at the counter. "Um, hi."
"Oh, hey," he said as he turned around and wiped his hands. "You must be Logan Pierce, Jake's babysitter."
"Yes…I am. And you are?"
"Oh, I'm a friend of Jeremy's, Carson Jones. Nice to finally meet you," he smiled and offered his hand.
Logan cocked her head to the side as she shook his hand. "Carson Jones? That name sounds familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"
"Maybe Jeremy has mentioned me before?"
"No..I don't think so. From somewhere else."
"Well, I don't know about that but I sure do know about you from someone other than Jeremy, Christine."
Logan's eyes widened in shock and her heart skipped a beat. "How—how do you know my first name?" she whispered.
"From your brother, Daniel," Carson said gently. "I'm very sorry for what happened." He looked down and played with his hands.
Logan's heart started beating faster and her vision got blurry. "How did you know Daniel?" Logan then remembered why his name sounded so familiar. "You—you were Daniel's…" she pointed a lifeless finger at him.
"Yea, I was," Carson looked up with glassy eyes.
Logan stood there, frozen.
Because her back was still facing the doorway, she didn't see Jeremy and Iggy enter.
"Hey Logan!" Iggy greeted her.
"Hey, you're awake. As you can see, we've got pizza." Jeremy's smile fell when Logan turned around.
With shifty eyes, she acknowledged Jeremy and Iggy. She knew she looked like she was about to cry and she couldn't let the boys see her like this. She hardly knew them; they couldn't see her when she was at her weakest.
"I—I'm sorry. I need to use the bathroom. Excuse me."
A/N: HUZZAH! I've gotten rid of my writer's block! (; I told myself that I wouldn't read any other FP stories until I finished writing my own. Then I said, "Screw that," and went to look for some new stories to read. Turns out that that was just what I needed! :D Hopefully writer's block won't attack me again but junior year of high school is really tough. So, we'll see when I'll be able to get my next chapter out.
BTW, if this chapter seems kind of weird..well, I'm sorry. I wrote the first half a couple months ago then I just finished the second half today. I hope it flowed! Thanks for reading!
xoxo,
clear vision.
P.S.
If any of you have ever read Private by Kate Brian, I am WELL aware that the park scene is very much like the scene when Thomas Pearson and Reed Brennan first meet. But trust me, I wrote my scene LONG before I ever read Private so sorry if it's a pet peeve of yours. I guess that whole scene isn't as unique, is it? Haha (: