Page 122 of Hypothetical Heart
“And I’m chopped liver,” I deadpan, glaring at Logan.
He puts his hands up in surrender, and when Suzie notices her lack of affection, she turns toward me with a frown.
“Whatever.” I lean down, not being able to help myself from running my hands through her soft fur. “I still love you.”
“Come on, girls. My mom’s waiting,” Logan says, smiling down at the both of us.
After dinner, Logan and I end up taking Suzie for a walk around the neighborhood. It was already cold outside, but, we rushed back to my house once it started raining. As soon as we get back inside, we fall right back into the same patterns.
Both of us lay on my bed; I’m reading one of the books he bought me at Meet in the Margins while Logan keeps on running his hand over my back while the other holds my book open for me.
We stay like this for a while, up to the point where Logan’s soothing motions almost make me fall asleep.
“Can we get ice cream from your house?” I ask, sitting up while I rub my eyes.
“Yeah,” Logan stands from my bed. “I’ll go get it. Do you want your usual?”
“Yes, please!” I smile, grabbing my book and flinging my arms aroundhis shoulders.
He picks me up and carries me in a piggyback down the stairs. Suzie hops off of her dog bed which sits between my bed and the bathroom door, trotting ahead of us. While Logan goes over to his house, I head into the living room.
The rain patters softly against the windows, casting a gentle rhythm throughout the house. I’m alone in the living room–since my dad’s at the hospital–while Logan goes next door. I’m surrounded by the comforting scent of the candle I lit that’s burning on the kitchen island. A warm, golden glow from the fireplace bathes the room in a soft light, making it the perfect refuge from the storm outside.
I sit on the floor, my back resting against the couch,flipping through an old photo album I found on one of the shelves. Logan sits next to me suddenly, a bowl of ice cream in each hand. His arm casually drapes over the back of the couch, handing me a bowl over my shoulder.
“Look at this one,” I say, my voice tinged with nostalgia as I point to a picture of us as kids, grinning widely with mud smeared on our faces. “We were such a mess.”
Logan chuckles, leaning in closer to get a better look. “I remember that day. We got in so much trouble for ruining those new clothes.”
I laugh, and the sound echoes through the room. “It was worth it.”
A comfortable silence settles between us as we continue to flip through the pages. The rain outside seems to intensify, the sound growing louder. I shiver slightly, and without hesitation, Logan reaches over and pulls a blanket around my shoulders.
“Thanks,” I murmur, looking up at him with a grateful smile.
Once the photo albums are put away, Logan grabs my book off the kitchen counter and opens it to where I have it bookmarked.
“Logan, wait–” I get up, keeping the blanket wrapped around me because I know exactly what page I left off on.
“Embarrassed?” He laughs, starting to walk over to me as he scans the pages.
I shrug. “No, not at all.”
Our eyes meet, and for a moment, the world outside the living room ceases to exist.
The rain continues to pour outside, a soothing backdrop to the moment unfolding in the living room. A look passes over Logan’s face that tells me he knows what I'm thinking about, and there’s a large part of me that’s happy he’s aware.
Logan continues inching closer to me, looking like he knows exactly what he’s going to do.
“Can I do that to you?” I whisper when he gets closer.
I’m pressed against the back of the couch when he gently cups my face, kissing me.
He pulls back slightly, searching my eyes for any hesitation. Seeing none, he whispers, “You want to?” His hands slide down my waist like he’s preparing to make this a mutual exchange.
I nod, a soft smile playing on my lips. “I want to, but I don’t need you to do anything to me.”
“What?” he asks, completely baffled. “Why?”
