Caught in the Act
The library was eerily quiet during study period, the only sounds the soft rustle of pages and the occasional scrape of a chair. I sat in the back corner, hoping the solitude would help me focus, but my mind kept drifting. Everything felt tangled—Caleb, Logan, the relentless gossip. I hadn’t expected Logan to show up, let alone sit across from me.
“Emma,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “We can’t keep avoiding this.”
I glanced up, my pulse quickening. “Logan, this isn’t the time.”
“When is the time?” he asked, leaning forward. “You’ve been shutting me out for weeks. I can’t just sit back and watch anymore.”
“You don’t have a choice,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “This is my life, Logan. I have to deal with it my way.”
“And that way involves running from everything we are?” he shot back, frustration flickering in his eyes. “We’re better than this, Emma. You know we are.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the raw emotion in his voice stopped me. Before I could think, he stood and came around the table, crouching beside me. His hand reached for mine, his touch hesitant but electric. When I didn’t pull away, his other hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing lightly against my cheek.
“Logan,” I whispered, my heart pounding.
And then his lips were on mine, silencing every doubt and fear in an instant. The kiss was deep, desperate, and filled with all the things we hadn’t been able to say. I clutched at his jacket, pulling him closer, letting myself get lost in the moment.
But the sound of someone clearing their throat shattered the bubble we’d created. We broke apart, spinning toward the doorway, and my stomach dropped.
Alyssa stood there, her arms crossed and a sly smile tugging at her lips. She tilted her head, her expression equal parts amusement and disdain.
“Well, well,” she said, her voice laced with mock surprise. “I guess Vanessa was right about you two.”
Panic surged through me as I stepped forward. “Alyssa, please—”
She held up a hand, cutting me off. “Save it. I should’ve known you were both traitors.”
“What are you talking about?” Logan demanded, his voice sharp.
Alyssa’s smirk widened as she took a step closer. “I tried to warn Vanessa about going too far, you know. I told her maybe she was wrong about you, Emma. But now I see she was right all along. You two? You’re exactly what she said you were. Liars. Backstabbers. And apparently, very stupid.”
“That’s not fair,” I said, my voice trembling. “You don’t know the whole story.”
“I know enough,” she snapped, her tone icy. “And you can bet Vanessa will love to hear about this.”
“Alyssa, don’t,” Logan said, stepping toward her. “Whatever you think you’re doing, it’s not worth it.”
She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Oh, I think it is. But… I’m not completely heartless. I’ll keep my mouth shut—on one condition.”
“What do you want?” Logan growled, his fists clenched at his sides.
Alyssa’s smile returned, sharp and calculated. “Simple. You two stay away from each other. Forever.”
My heart sank. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I’m very serious,” she said, crossing her arms. “If Vanessa finds out about this, she’ll ruin you, Emma. You know that.”
“She can try,” Logan said, his jaw tight. “We’re not afraid of her.”
“You should be,” Alyssa said coldly. “Because unlike you, Vanessa knows how to play the long game. And trust me, Emma won’t survive another round with her.”
The weight of her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I glanced at Logan, his expression a mix of fury and desperation. “Emma, we don’t have to do this,” he said, his voice breaking. “We can handle this together.”
But I couldn’t. Not after everything Vanessa had already done. The humiliation, the whispers, the way she’d torn my life apart—I couldn’t risk it happening again.
“Fine,” I said quietly, my voice trembling. “We’ll stay away from each other.”
Logan’s head snapped toward me, disbelief flashing in his eyes. “Emma, no.”
I forced myself to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I can’t.”
Alyssa’s smirk widened, satisfaction radiating off her as she turned to leave. “Smart choice,” she said over her shoulder. “Let’s see how long you two can keep it up.”
