~Avaâs POV~I stood there frozen, did Logan Carter just ask me on a date?. my heart beating faster against my chest so loudly that I was sure Logan could hear it. He had just asked me out. Logan Carter; the cocky, arrogant, undeniably gorgeous football player had just asked me on a date.My lips still tingled from his kiss, and my brain was struggling to keep up with everything that had just happened. It seemed like I was sent into a frenzy.âIâŚâ My voice came out hoarse, and I cleared my throat. That was so embarrassing! âI donât know what to say.âLoganâs eyes searched mine, his brows slightly furrowed like he was preparing himself for rejection. âYou could start by saying yes,â he said, attempting his usual smirk, but it didnât quite reach his eyes. He was scared.I exhaled loudly, stepping back slightly, needing space to think, because every time he's near me I seem to lose all my abilities to think. Logan wasnât just some guy asking me out. He was Logan Westbridge Universi
Ava's povThe next day, Charlotte nearly choked on her cereal when I told her about what happened with Logan."You did what?" She gaped at me from across the kitchen table."I said yes to a date with Logan," I muttered, sipping my coffee, trying to sound casual but inside I was freaking out.Charlotte slammed her spoon down. "Ava! This is huge! Logan doesnât date. He flirts, he hooks up, and then he moves on."I winced. "Thanks for the reminder.""But," she continued, pointing her spoon at me, "he likes you. Like, actually likes you. I seen the way he looked at you everytime."I frowned. "What do you mean?"Charlotte smirked. "Ava, that boy is whipped. He is glaring at any guy who so much as glanced in your direction whenever you aren't looking. It is so hilarious."I blinked. Logan⌠jealous? That didnât seem like him. Am I too dense to understand anything?Before I could overthink it, my phone buzzed.Logan: Be ready at 7. Iâm picking you up.I stared at the message, my stomach flip
Avaâs POVThe night air was cool as Logan and I walked side by side, the quiet sounds of the city enveloping around us. My fingers curled around the plush wolf heâd tried so hard to win, and I couldnât help but smile.âSo, whatâs next?â Logan asked, tossing the last of his fries into his mouth.I raised an eyebrow. âNext? Itâs almost midnight, Carter.ââAnd?â He smirked. âScared to stay out late?âI rolled my eyes. âI have work tomorrow, unlike you.âLogan placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. âAre you calling me unemployed?âI gave him a pointed look. âYou literally donât have a job.ââTechnically, I do.â He grinned. âI play football. Thatâs a job.ââFootball isnât a job, itâs a sport,â I shot back.âA sport I get paid for,â he countered.I groaned. âYou get scholarship money for it. Thatâs different.âLogan shrugged. âDetails, details.âI shook my head, but I was smiling. Being around him was easy, even when we were arguing.We walked a little longer until we reached a sma
Loganâs POVThe gym was empty except for the sound of my fists slamming into the punching bag. Each hit sent a sharp ache up my arm, but I welcomed the pain. It was better than thinking. Better than remembering.After last night, after seeing her, I hadnât been able to get Ava out of my damn head. The way she looked at me like she saw me for the first time had messed me up more than I wanted to admit.I landed another punch, breathing hard.âYou trying to kill the bag or yourself?âI turned to see Aaron leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, his usual cocky smirk in place.What the fuck does he want?I rolled my shoulders. âWhat do you want?âHe strolled in, tossing a football between his hands. âI think you know.âI grabbed my towel, wiping the sweat from my face. âNot in the mood, man.âAaron let out a mock gasp. âNot in the mood? Thatâs funny because last time I checked, you had plenty of motivation.âI clenched my jaw. âDrop it.âHe grinned. âCome on, Logan. Donât tell me you
Avaâs POVThe first thing I did when my salary hit my account was stare at my phone screen in disbelief.$2,000.I wasnât used to seeing that much money in my account at once. I knew it wouldnât last long rent, groceries, and bills would take a huge part but for now, I let myself have a moment to feel proud.Iâd earned this.The second thing I did was text Charlotte.Me: Weâre going apartment hunting today.Charlotte: OMG FINALLY! Iâm grabbing coffee. Meet me at campus in 20 minutes!I barely had time to pull on a decent outfit before running out the door. The sun was bright, and for the first time in a while, I felt like things were coming together.I was getting out of Charlotte apartment giving her a space with her boyfriend.âOkay, so I did some research,â Charlotte said, sliding into the booth across from me at the campus cafĂŠ. She had two coffees in her hands one for her, one for me. âI found a few places that are actually within budget.âI took the coffee gratefully. âHow much
Avaâs POVMoving day came faster than I expected.I woke up to the sound of Charlotte banging on my door, her voice too energetic for the early morning.How can she be chirpy so early in the morning?âRise and shine, apartment owner! Time to move your broke ass out of here!âI groaned, burying my face in my pillow. âFive more minutes.ââNope.â She yanked my blanket away. âWe have a lot to do. Loganâs coming soon, and if he sees you drooling on your pillow, I will never let you live it down and I don't think he'll appreciate thatâ she winked at meThat got me up.I threw a pillow at her, but she dodged it with a laugh. âGet dressed, loser. Iâll make coffee.âI sighed, dragging myself out of bed.By the time I was dressed and had shoved a piece of toast into my mouth, Logan had already arrived.He leaned against the doorframe, looking way too good in a simple hoodie and jeans. âYou ready, nerd?âI rolled my eyes. âYou know, normal people say good morning.ââIâm not normal,â he said with
Avaâs POVCharlotte and I sat at our usual table, her phone in one hand and a fork in the other as she scrolled through something on her feed. I poked at my salad, not really paying attention, until she let out a dramatic sigh.âYou know, for someone who just got her own place, you donât seem very excited,â she pointed out, setting her phone down.I shrugged. âI am. Itâs just⌠a lot.âShe studied me for a second before smirking. âOr maybe it has something to do with Logan.âI nearly choked on my drink. âExcuse me?âBefore she could respond, a tray dropped onto the table across from us. Logan slid into the seat beside me, followed by Tristan, who took his usual place next to her.âTalking about me again?â Logan teased, stealing one of my fries.I glared at him. âNo one was talking about you.âCharlotte snorted. âLies.âTristan laughed. âYou two are exhausting to watch, you know that?âLogan smirked, completely unfazed. âSo, nerd, you coming to the game later?âI sighed. âI have work,
Avaâs POVCharlotte and I had managed to snag a table near the window cafeteria,where the sun streamed in, warming the wooden surface.I stabbed my fork into my salad, listening to Charlotte ramble about some drama between her and Tristan when a shadow suddenly fell over us.âMind if I join?âI looked up, surprised to see Levi Carter standing beside our table, a charming grin on his face. Carter's siblings are charming!.Charlotte, ever the flirt, beamed at him. âOf course! Sit with us anytime, handsome.âLevi chuckled and pulled out a chair. âIâll take that as an official invitation.âI shook my head with a small smile. Levi was different from Logan, softer around the edges, with an easygoing aura that made him instantly likable. He was also just as attractive, and I could already feel the stares from nearby tables as he settled in.âSo,â Levi started, looking between me and Charlotte, âwhat do you guys do for fun around here?ââFun?â Charlotte scoffed. âPlease, this campus is borin
~Loganâs POV~My phone buzzed again.Blocked number.I didnât want to answer it. Every part of me wanted to toss the damn thing into the ocean and go back to cuddling Ava on the bed, pretending like nothing could touch the peace weâd just found.But something in my stomach twisted, cold and sharp.I answered.âLogan,â came a voice I hadnât heard in months, smooth and sharp as broken glass. âGlad you picked up.âMy chest tightened. âWhat the hell do you want, Vincent?âVincent. My fatherâs right-hand man. The guy who delivered threats with a smirk and cleaned up blood without blinking.âIf you donât want to work with your father, thatâs your choice. But heâs thinking about bringing Levi in. And I figured youâd want a heads up.âI froze. âWhat did you just say?ââYou heard me. Levi. Heâs almost twenty one right? Perfect age to start learning the family business.ââWhere is he?â I snapped, already reaching for my jeans. âWhereâs Levi?ââHeâs with your father. Dinner. That place on Riverv
~Avaâs POV~The beach trip ended with more laughter than scandal, thank God. Charlotte and Tristan gave us hell all the way back endless teasing, exaggerated side-eyes, and dramatic sighs every time Logan and I so much as breathed in sync.âYou two seriously need a warning label,â Charlotte huffed as she rolled down the window. âCaution: PDA ahead.âTristan snorted. âForget that. I need bleach for my eyes after walking in on...ââDo not dare to finish that sentence,â I cut in, hiding my burning face in Loganâs shoulder.How can someone be so dramatic? I bet they do more indoors than us,but the way they're overreacting, make them seem like saints.He laughed, rubbing my arm. âStill worth it,â he whispered, pressing a kiss to my hair.When we pulled into the driveway, Charlotte and Tristan practically launched themselves out of the car like it was on fire.âNever again,â Charlotte muttered, slamming the door. âNext trip, weâre getting separate cabins.ââOr a new hotel! cause I don't wan
~Ava's POV~The beach trip ended with more laughter than scandal, thankfully. Charlotte and Tristan gave us hell all the way back endless teasing, side-eyes, and dramatic sighs whenever Logan and I so much as held hands. But we took it in stride. After all, we had survived an awkward walk-of-shame level encounter. Everything else felt like background noise.When we pulled into the driveway of our apartment complex, Charlotte and Tristan practically jumped out of the car, muttering about never needing to see another couple naked again in their lives. I had snorted into Loganâs shoulder, half hiding my face as he pressed a kiss to my hair and whispered, "Still worth it."Instead of heading to my place, I followed Logan up to his apartment like it was the most natural thing in the world. My place was quiet and neat, but his felt more warmer. Like a place where things happened, where love happened. And maybe I wasnât ready to sleep alone just yet. Not when everything had changed betwee
~Avaâs POV~I stormed down the boardwalk, the heat of the sun nothing compared to the burn inside my chest.What the hell just happened?Who just shows up like that? Ex-girlfriend or not, Serena's presence felt like a glitch in our perfect little bubble and I hated how shaken I felt. I hated that I even doubted Logan, even for a second.âAva!âHis voice.Of course.I picked up my pace, but seconds later, I heard his bare feet slapping against the wood. âAva, wait!âI spun around. âLogan, seriously, donâtâŚâHe didnât stop. He reached me in three long strides and grabbed my wrist, gently but firmly. âPlease, just stop running for one second.âI yanked my hand back, not because I didnât want him to hold me but because I wanted him to work for it. âShe said this was your spot.âHe exhaled, looking frustrated. âIt was. Years ago. Before I ever met you. We came here once. Thatâs it.ââAnd now she just magically shows up while weâre here and calls it a coincidence?ââI didnât ask her to com
~Avaâs POV~Charlotte's words still echoed in my head.âSo was it makeup sex?!âI blinked at her like sheâd grown two heads. âWhat is wrong with you?!âShe just laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder like she'd asked whether the weather was nice. âDonât act like youâre shocked. You know me.ââYouâre a menace.ââIâm a best friend,â she corrected with a smug little smirk. âAnd best friends ask.âI sighed, sinking back into the lounge chair, my skin warm from the sun and my nerves still buzzing from... well, everything. âIt wasnât makeup sex, okay?âCharlotte gave me a suspicious side-eye. âBut you said you had an argument last night.âI chewed on my lip, my voice quieter now. âWe did. But thatâs not why it happened. It wasnât about fixing something or distracting ourselves. It was... real.âCharlotteâs teasing expression softened instantly. âOkay, that I can respect.âI glanced out at the pool where Logan was being tackled into the water by Tristan for the fifth time in a row. He w
Ava's povI woke up to the rays of sunlight streaming through the balcony doors and the even warmer feeling of Logan's arms wrapped tightly around me. His chest rose and fell against my back, he was sleeping soundly without any worries. I couldâve stayed like that forever.But then before I could dwell on his warmth again I heard a knock.And thenâŚ"Rise and shine, lovebirds!" Charlotteâs obnoxiously chipper voice rang through the door. I almost forgot that we were here with Charlotte and Tristan.I froze. Logan groaned behind me and buried his face into the crook of my neck. âTell me Iâm dreaming,â he mumbled.Another knock followed. âHope you two got enough sleep last night... though judging by the thumping and oh-my-gods, Iâm gonna guess not.â Tristan's deep voice rang through the door.My entire body went hot. âOh my God,â I whispered. Now I was going to experience the walk of shame!âTristan!â I shouted back, grabbing the closest pillow and chucking it toward the door as if it wo
Logan's povI regretted those four words the second they left my mouth."None of your business."Really? That was all I could say?God, I sounded like a complete asshole! What the fuck was wrong with me?!But my blood was still boiling from the phone call. That voice, the one that haunted my nightmares and my childhood, had no right to call me now. Not after everything.And definitely not while I was here, with her. Why did he have to call me now? He ruined my whole day.But when Ava asked⌠it was like something in me snapped. Like all the anger Iâd buried deep decided now was the perfect moment to come clawing out Even though I didn't mean to snap at her.She stiffened beside me, pulling her knees to her chest. She looked so small, so hurt, and I hated myself for putting that look on her face.But instead of apologizing, I made it worse.âWhy do you always have to push?â I snapped. âWhy canât you just let things go for once?âHer head whipped toward me, eyes wide. âAre you fucking se
~Ava~My phone buzzed sometime after midnight. I was already half-asleep, wrapped in my blanket and dreaming about Logan's smile.Tristan: Pack a bag, sunshine squad. Weâre going to the beach tomorrow. No excuses.Charlotte: YESSSSS! Iâve been dying for some sun, you're the best baby â¤ď¸Tristan: â¤ď¸Logan: Is it too late to pretend Iâm sick now?Tristan: Nope. Ava already said you're coming.I laughed, even though I hadn't said a word. Trust Tristan to drag us all into a random beach trip like it was the most normal thing in the world.He was rich so that wasn't a problem to him at all.Me: I didnât say anything. But fine. Iâm in.Logan replied with a heart emoji. I stared at it for a while, smiling like an idiot, before finally putting my phone away.The next morning came so fast. Charlotte picked me up, blasting music with the windows down."Are you ready to tan and gossip about everything and pretend we don't have responsibilities?" she grinned."Born ready," I laughed.Logan and
~Ava~The sunlight casted a shadow over the trees, soft and warm on my skin. It was the kind of day that begged to be savoured. After everything with Natasha, I thought things might spiral and go wrong. That Logan might pull away and decides he didn't want me anymore, or worse, that I might. But somehow, we didn't break apart. We just... solidified. Like the pressure we were experiencing only made us stronger. Like he was fire and I was glass, and instead of shattering, I melted into something whole.I hadnât expected to find him waiting outside my final class, leaning against the pillar like he belonged there âŚlike he belonged to me. His hoodie was pushed up to his elbows, revealing tanned tattooed forearms I pretended not to stare at. A dimple peeked when he saw me.âHey,â he said, offering me that half-smile that always knocked the air out of my lungs.He had that hold on me, and I couldn't complain shit.âHey,â I replied, trying to sound casual even though my pulse had started