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Returning to school felt like coming home for Logan. It took no adjustment at all to settle in to some easy banter with the boys he shared a room with.
Cal, Rory and Michael were full of stories about what they had done over the holidays, but Logan found himself being strangely closed-lipped on the subject. He did tell them that his mother was getting married again, but for some reason he really didn’t want to share the fact that it was Wendy’s father. He didn’t even mention Wendy to them at all.
They all joked and messed around as they unpacked their cases, and Logan felt his good humour return to normal levels. The break away already seemed like a surreal dream, and class timetables and school sports were the only topics that concerned their immediate future.
Logan had only been back at school for two hours before Alianna tracked him down. He had just settled down on the sofa in the North Tower Common Room when she came up the stairs, squealed at the sight of him and then snuggled up beside him with a big smile.
“I missed you so much,” she said. “My parents rented a cottage in Cornwall and we had absolutely no phone reception and no Internet access, nothing! Can you imagine the hell? I kept trying to send you messages and they wouldn’t send. Wasn’t it awful not being able to speak on Christmas Day?”
Logan looked at her in confusion. As far as he was concerned they had broken up before the school holidays, and he hadn’t given her a second thought.
She saw his look and pulled a sad face. “You didn’t miss me? I know we were having a fight at the end of term, but it was over something so silly – we’re still a couple, right?”
“Um, okay, sure, if you want.” Logan shrugged. He had no problem with being back together if she was going to be lovely again.
A grin crossed his face as he remembered fighting with a girl in a whole different way.
Talk of the devil... Wendy came out of the door from the girls’ dorm rooms. She was with two of her friends and had clearly intended to pretend he didn’t exist when she suddenly took in Alianna, who had one hand on Logan’s leg.
Wendy gave one of her trademark eye rolls at him, then continued on with her friends as if they barely knew each other.
Logan found he was still grinning. There was no harm in letting Wendy see he wasn’t remotely upset by her rejection and that he’d moved on from it already. But that didn’t change the fact that they had kissed. In fact, he reminded himself, she had kissed him first. He really needed to think of some way to tease her about that. Something that might embarrass her. But he couldn’t let anyone know why she was embarrassed; it would be a lot more fun if she had to cover up for anything he might push her buttons over.
And he felt some satisfaction in the fact that Wendy looked dreadful in her uniform. It completely hid her tiny waist and small perky... No, don’t go there, just concentrate on those ugly shoes, and how horribly pale her black eyeliner makes her face look.
Alianna put her arms around Logan’s neck, dragging him back to the present. He pulled his eyes away from the sight of Wendy in her school skirt as she walked away, and tried not to remember how peachy her bottom had been when he’d cupped it.
Instead he kissed Alianna. After all, a bird in the hand...
But the kiss didn’t light a fire in his veins.
So what? At least Alianna was soft and willing, and she wasn’t likely to punch him. She also wasn’t likely to pin him to a bed and make him laugh, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
He silently cursed Wendy for making him think in clichés and metaphors. He also cursed her for ruining what had previously been a pleasure. Kissing Alianna just wasn’t doing it for him anymore.
––––––––
LOGAN LAY IN BED HALF asleep and wondered if he would be mad to break up with Alianna again, especially when she was back to thinking he was wonderful. All because he couldn’t keep his mind off some crazy chick who hated him anyway.
His phone vibrated under his pillow and he pulled it out.
Wendy? Why would Wendy be sending him a text message when she had all but blanked him earlier? He clicked on it, feeling suddenly awake.
Wendy:
She forgave you then?
Logan looked at the message in surprise. Why was Wendy even interested? Could it possibly be that she was jealous? Oh, score! If that was the case then he was definitely going to keep dating Alianna for now. He quickly typed a reply.
Logan:
You mean, I forgave her. I wasn’t the one who did anything wrong.
Wendy:
Of course not. How could she even dream of criticizing the great Logan Moss? I hope you spanked her to remind her of her place.
Logan laughed. Was Wendy actually flirting with him? Or was she being sarcastic? He wished he knew.
Logan:
I don’t think she’s into rough stuff – too feminine. Unlike some girls...
Wendy:
Quite right. I bet she’d look lovely in a ball dress, with a corset of course.
Logan:
Now that’s an idea. I’m sure if I asked she wouldn’t say no, or come out with any feminist claptrap.
Wendy:
How fortunate for you to have such a biddable girl to fulfil your desires. Who is more foolish: the fool, or the fool who follows him? (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Logan:
Indeed, so I must be Fortune’s fool. :-) (Shakespeare)
Hmm, this quote thing was much easier by text message when he didn’t have to think instantly on the hoof. Wendy sure could throw them out fast.
Wendy:
Alas, there are more fools than wise men. (Chamfort)
Logan cast his mind for another quote about fools, but only came up with Fools rush in, which wasn’t fitting. But he loved playing this game with Wendy, and couldn’t let her win the round. Wait, he had it:
Logan:
Ah, well, I am a great and sublime fool. (Mark Twain)
Wendy:
A sensible woman can never be happy with a fool. (George Washington)
Gah! How was she doing it? They had no Internet access anywhere in Compass Court School, except in the library. But he refused to let Wendy be cleverer than him.
Logan:
People miss a great deal by being sensible. (?)
Wendy:
I’m pretty sure it was Martha Gellhorn. But well played, we’ll call that one a draw.
Logan smiled wider. He’d accept a draw result, just from the pleasure of having Wendy sparring with him again. What he still couldn’t fathom out was why Wendy was texting him at all. Was she jealous? Homesick? Venting some anger? Enjoying the game with him, or just simply bored?
Logan:
Fun though this is, is there any particular reason you’re messaging me?
Wendy:
Nope. Goodnight, loser.
Logan:
All the world loves a good loser.
But Wendy didn’t reply again. Logan knew he had no chance of sleeping now. He could lie in bed thinking about Wendy, whether it was kissing her or torturing her, or he could go and brush up on his quotations. Either way, this wasn’t over, not even nearly.