Mixed Signals
The hallway buzzed with the usual after-lunch chaos as I walked toward my locker, hoping for a moment of peace. Instead, I saw Logan leaning casually against Vanessa’s locker, his easy grin firmly in place. My steps slowed as I watched them talk, her hair flipping in exaggerated movements and his hands tucked nonchalantly into his pockets.
What the hell were they talking about?
Logan laughed at something she said, and my stomach twisted. I hated how effortlessly she could demand attention, her polished charm masking the venom underneath. And I hated even more that Logan seemed to be falling for it.
“Hey,” I said sharply, coming up behind them.
Vanessa turned first, her eyes lighting up in faux surprise. “Emma! We were just talking about you.”
Logan straightened, his grin faltering as he glanced at me. “Hey, Em.”
Vanessa gave me a slow, saccharine smile before brushing past me, her perfume lingering in the air. “I’ll let you two catch up,” she said, her tone dripping with sweetness. “See you later, Logan.”
I waited until she was out of earshot before crossing my arms. “What was that about?”
Logan rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncharacteristically sheepish. “Vanessa said she wants to make peace. You know, bury the hatchet.”
I stared at him, incredulous. “And you believed her?”
He shrugged. “I mean, people can change.”
“Logan.” I took a step closer, lowering my voice. “She’s not trying to change. She’s trying to manipulate you—again. How can you not see that?”
He sighed, leaning back against the lockers. “Look, I get it. She’s done some messed-up stuff. But she said she feels bad about everything that happened and wants to move on. She even said she wants to be… friends.”
The words hung in the air between us, and I couldn’t stop the laugh that burst out of me. “Girlfriends? Seriously? Logan, she doesn’t want to be my friend. She wants to humiliate me again, and you’re playing right into her hands.”
Logan frowned. “She seemed genuine.”
“She’s Vanessa,” I snapped. “She could win an Oscar for her fake sincerity.”
He pushed off the locker, his jaw tightening. “You don’t know that.”
I stared at him, my frustration bubbling over. “You’re such a fool sometimes, Logan. She’s using you to get to me, and you’re letting her.”
His expression softened, and he took a step closer. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you. I just think… maybe she’s trying to make things right. And if she isn’t, I’ll have your back. You know that.”
The sincerity in his voice gave me pause. For all his flaws, Logan’s loyalty had never wavered. But this time, I wasn’t sure if that was enough.
“Fine,” I muttered, turning away. “But don’t come crying to me when she shows her true colors.”
“I won’t,” he said, a hint of a smile in his voice. “But I’ll be there to stop her if she tries anything.”
