The Project
By Monday, I had a plan: avoid Logan Reyes at all costs. Whatever happened on that hill needed to stay there. I couldn’t let myself get sucked into his world. Not again.
But, of course, the universe had other plans.
I should’ve known something was up the second Mr. Barnes started pairing us off for the English project. As soon as he called my name, followed by Logan’s, my stomach sank.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath.
I glanced across the room, and there he was, leaning back in his chair with that smug grin, like he’d already won. When class ended, I marched up to him, my hands clenched into fists.
“You did this, didn’t you?” I demanded.
“Did what?” he asked, feigning innocence. “Get paired with the smartest girl in the class? Sounds like a win to me.”
“Logan.”
“Okay, fine,” he admitted, holding up his hands. “Maybe I… suggested it to Barnes. But come on, Em, don’t act like you’re not flattered.”
“Flattered?” I hissed. “I don’t need your charity, Logan. Or your games.”
His smirk faltered, just for a second. But then he leaned in, his voice dropping. “This isn’t a game. Not with you.”
My heart did this stupid little flip, but I refused to let him see it. I spun on my heel and walked away, ignoring the way my cheeks burned.
The day only got worse when Vanessa caught wind of the whole thing. She didn’t even bother being subtle, loudly complaining in the cafeteria about how Logan “manipulated” the teacher.
“It’s so obvious,” she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “He’s just trying to make Emma his next conquest.”
The laughter that followed stung, but I kept my head down. I couldn’t let them see me crack.
Later, when Logan and I met for our first project session, I couldn’t help but ask. “Doesn’t it bother you? What they’re saying?”
He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “They can say whatever they want. I know the truth.”
And the way he said it, so calm, so sure—it left me speechless.
