Chapter 1

Logan sprinted down the crowded school hallway, weaving through students until he spotted his best friend, Connor, talking to his girlfriend of the month outside a classroom. Completely unaware that his younger sister, Olivia, needed him.

“Connor!” He called out, voice urgent.

Connor turned at the sound of his name, his brows knitting together when he saw Logan struggling to catch his breath.

“Logan? What’s wrong?” He asked, taking a step forward.

“It’s Olivia,” Logan said between hurried breaths. “Sarah found me after P.E. She said something happened and told me to get you.”

Connor’s stomach dropped, the color draining from his face. “Why didn’t you text me?”

Connor’s girlfriend had been long forgotten now as the both of them broke into a run, hurrying down the hallway to get to Olivia.

“You’re an idiot. I did text you. Your phone was off.” Logan gave Connor a pointed look. They both knew why. Whenever Connor was with his girlfriend, the rest of the world had a habit of disappearing.

Connor winced, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips before worry quickly replaced it.

They both hurried toward the nurse’s office, neither daring to voice the endless possibilities of what might have happened to Olivia that raced through their minds.

They rounded the corner and reached the cramped office tucked away beside a row of abandoned science classrooms. When they got to the actual door to the nurse’s, they burst through the door, only to find the room nearly empty. Except for a freshman who sat on one of the beds, pressing a tissue against a bloodied nose.

“Hi boys. Olivia just left for the principal’s office,” The school nurse, Ms. Isabelle looked up at Connor. “I’ve already contacted your parents, but they’re out of the province. Someone will need to take her home.” She told him with a reassuring smile.

Connor thanked the nurse before turning to Logan as soon as they were outside.

“Can you get Olivia?” He asked. “I have a chemistry test next period, and I can’t afford to miss it. I’ll trust you to take care of her, pleas…“

Before Connor even finished his sentence, Logan didn’t hesitate to nod. He promised him that he’d take her home and take care of her so far as Connor covered for him if his coach asked why he missed practice.

Then they both parted ways. Connor headed back to class while Logan set off to pick up Olivia. Whatever had happened to her, Logan could only hope she was all right.

~~

“Where’s Connor?” Was the first thing Olivia asked the moment Logan stepped into the principal’s office.

So much for a warm welcome.

Logan placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. “For your information, Your Highness, Connor sent me to rescue you from the cruel prison known as school.”

Olivia's expression didn’t budge. Instead she gave him a look that could kill.

Logan quickly raised both hands in surrender. “The real reason is your parents are out of town, and Connor has a major test he can’t miss if he wants to graduate in two months.”

She let out a quiet sigh before grabbing her bag. Without another word, she followed Logan out to the senior parking lot.

The walk to his car was silent until Olivia spoke.

“I’m warning you now,” She muttered, her irises flickering as she glanced at Logan. “I’m not in the mood for company today. Once we get home, you should leave. Unless you want to spend the afternoon watching cheesy romance movies while I eat an unhealthy amount of junk food and cry for absolutely no reason.”

Logan eyed her before looking back at the path they were walking. Only one reason struck him.

“So… it’s that time of the month?”

The instant he said that, Olivia shot him a murderous glare.

He merely laughed, shrugging a shoulder. “I think what you’re actually saying is that you’d love for me to stop by the grocery store, buy enough snacks to feed a football team, rent a few terrible romance movies, build a blanket fort in your living room, and let you cry on my shoulder. Which I can imagine ends with you threatening to kill me if I ever tell anyone I saw you crying. How does that sound to you?” Logan asked her.

Typical Olivia would have rolled her eyes but a reluctant smile tugged at the corners of her lips there and then. “That sounds perfect.” She admitted, and this time, she couldn’t hide her smile.

~~

Logan woke up to the glow of the laptop screen shining brightly into his eyes. Olivia was curled up and asleep beside him. Despite her tear-stained cheeks and the exhaustion on her face after a day of painful cramps, she still looked beautiful.

Careful not to wake her, Logan gently slipped his arm from beneath her head and headed for the bathroom.

When he returned, he wandered into the kitchen for a glass of water, only to find Olivia already there. A bottle of painkillers and a glass of water sat on the counter in front of her.

She glanced up as he entered. Their eyes met briefly before she quickly looked away, blushing as she put the medicine back into the cabinet.

Chuckling quietly under his breath, Logan headed to the refrigerator where a handwritten note from Connor was attached.

‘Gone out with some friends. I’ll probably be back tomorrow morning.’ It reads.

Logan shook his head and smiled to himself. It was classic Connor. He adored his younger sister, but always walked on eggshells whenever she was on her period.

Logan held up Connor’s note with a grin. “Looks like it’s just the two of us until tomorrow.” Olivia gave a distracted nod, refusing to meet his eyes as she tightened her grip on the glass in her hands.

Seeing that, Logan’s smile slowly faded, his eyes softening with concern.

“Olivia. What’s wrong? You were doing okay earlier.”

As if on cue, Olivia turned, too fast and groaned. “Why are you always so nice to me? Why can’t you just ignore me like most of Connor’s friends? You make it almost impossible to stop—”

Completely bewildered, and unable to make sense of what she was saying, Logan couldn't hold back any longer and interrupted her.

“What are you talking about, Olivia?” He raised an eyebrow, both confused and genuinely worried about her sanity at that moment.

Olivia fell into silence. She parted her mouth as if to speak then closed it. When she finally looked back up, her eyes were warm, uncertainty on her face.

“I don’t understand why you keep insisting on being so nice to me. You’re making it impossible for me. I know I shouldn’t feel this way. I’ve tried not to, but I can’t help it. And after everything you did for me today…” She trailed off, her cheeks turning pink shades as she remembered.

“It was incredible, Logan. Honestly, not even some boyfriends would go that far for their girlfriends. You’re confusing me. You’re making me think there’s something more between us.” Before Olivia could lose her nerve, she closed the distance between them.

Stopping only few inches away, she mumbled the words, steady as ever. “Logan, I like you. Not as my brother’s best friend… but as someone I want to be with.” She lifted her gaze to meet his towering six-foot-three frame, only to quickly lower it again, suddenly finding the ground far more fascinating than looking him in the eye.

Logan was frozen on the spot. He was shell-shocked, to say the least. In the span of a single minute, his life had become one of the biggest clichés imaginable— his best friend’s little sister had just confessed that she had feelings for him.

The craziest part?

Logan had been hopelessly drawn to her and liked her since the very first moment he laid eyes on her.

Hearing her admit everything she’d been struggling to hide, words failed him. So rather than putting his feelings into words, Logan closed the distance between them and captured her lips in a gentle kiss, hoping that answered every of her questions.