The Red String | ONC 2024

15. Abby's Confession

Emma grabbed Logan's hand. She led him off the dance floor and over to the refreshment table, trying to organize her thoughts as she did. She grabbed a drink, her hand shaking slightly as she picked it up. Why was she so nervous about this? All she was going to do was have an honest conversation with a guy she barely liked. What was so hard about that? She'd stood up in front of entire roomfuls of people on the debate team, giving long speeches about topics she only barely cared about. So this should be easy. She took a sip of her lukewarm soda, trying to calm her nerves.

"So, you wanted to talk?" Logan asked after a moment or two of awkward silence.

"Uh, yeah..." Emma started. She still hadn't worked out quite how she wanted to go about this. Then, deciding she should just get it over with, she blurted out, "So why did you invite me here in the first place?"

"To homecoming?" Logan asked, looking surprised. As if he'd invited her to so many different places that he just couldn't figure out which one she meant.

Emma nodded, already regretting the question.

"Technically, you invited me, remember?" he grinned.

Emma scoffed and rolled her eyes. Logan turned serious.

"Well... I don't know." he said, brows creasing slightly. "I mean, there was just something interesting about you. Ever since that day at the gym, you know?"

Emma nodded again; she did know. She'd felt this weird kind of pull towards him that she hadn't noticed before that day; she'd never felt anything like it. But just because there was this weird sensation didn't mean that she'd suddenly started liking him— at least, not like that. He wasn't nearly as off-putting lately, but that just wasn't enough. And if she didn't want to date him, then it was only fair that she let him know. She just didn't want to hurt him too bad if he actually did like her.

"Look," she said slowly. "It's not that I don't like you..."

She trailed off, mildly surprised that it was true; she didn't dislike him. And she was pretty sure this was the first time she'd ever said that out loud. Still...

"It's ok." Logan told her.

Emma couldn't help but notice he was grinning again. Did the guy have to act like everything was some sort of joke? She opened her mouth to tell him that she was serious, but what he said next stopped her in her tracks.

"I feel the same way." he said.

Emma just stared at him. Really?

"You do?" she blinked.

"Yeah. I mean, no offence, but you're kind of a lot."

"I'm... I'm what?" she asked. She was a lot? How could he even say something like that? Especially since they both knew it was him that was a lot!

"I don't mean anything bad by it!" he said quickly, like somehow that would help. "But it's like every time the two of us are together, something happens, you know?"

"Yeah, I do." Emma said. It was exactly what she'd been thinking. It was just surprising to hear that he felt the same way.

"So you invited me here because...?" she asked. It didn't seem like he'd actually answered her question. And if anything, his new revelation made her more even more confused.

"Well, at the time, I kind of wanted to see... I'm really sorry." He looked uncomfortable.

"Don't be." Emma said, stopping him cold. "I completely agree."

"You do?" Now it was Logan's turn to look surprised. But he quickly recovered. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "You mean, you think you're a lot too?"

"Absolutely not!" she said sharply. But the corners of her mouth started twitching upwards almost instantly, and she saw the relief flood his face.

"So, friends then?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Emma grinned. She might not want to date the guy, but she actually could see herself being friends with him.

The two of them made their way back towards the dance floor. Apparently Abby had seen them walk off, because she ambushed Emma as soon as they left the refreshment area. She grabbed Emma's arm and practically dragged her out of Logan's earshot.

"Are you ok? What happened?" Abby asked, sounding worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I told him I didn't want to date him." Emma said simply.

"You did?" Abby asked, sounding aghast. "In the middle of homecoming?"

"It wasn't like that." Emma protested. Abby made it sound like she'd just stomped all over the guy's heart and left him sobbing in the corner.

"Well..." Abby nodded, looking only half-convinced. "What did he say?"

"That he felt the same way."

"He did?" she asked. She glanced over at Logan. Seeing that he didn't seem particularly heartbroken, she let out a small sigh of relief. "Oh. Well, that's good."

Abby's facial expression relaxed for just a second. Then, her brows furrowed slightly; clearly something was still on her mind.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked. She didn't see why Abby would be upset by any of this, especially when neither Emma nor Logan was particularly bothered by it.

"Yeah. Oh, yeah— totally." Abby said a little too quickly. She nodded her head up and down, as if that would help her sell it. It didn't.

"Abby..." Emma started.

"It's just that... I was thinking... If you're not going to be dating Logan..."

As Emma watched her friend fidget, something was slowly dawning on her. Ever since Logan had broken his arm, Abby had been spending an awful lot of time with him. And yeah, it had started out as her helping him with homework. But for the past week, he'd been spending every lunch period with them. And if he didn't actually have any interest in Emma— who was apparently a lot, she couldn't forget— then why was he hanging around so much? There was only one reason that Emma could think of.

Her mind drifted back to when Abby had signed Logan's cast— hearts and all. At the time, Emma had just thought her friend was being ridiculous and a little girly. But maybe that wasn't the case at all. Besides, Abby had been practically falling all over herself to help him out with his homework. And she'd been almost giddy at the idea of hanging out with him and Jackson after that basketball game...

"Hey, Abby—" she started.

"Can I tell you something?" Abby blurted out.

"Uh, yeah. Sure."

Abby took a deep breath. Then, all in a rush, she said, "I... I like Logan, ok?"

"Since when?" Emma asked.

"Honestly? Freshman year."

Now that did surprise Emma. Why would Abby have kept that a secret for so long? Well, Emma guessed she had been a little harsh on Logan. She could see why her friend wouldn't have wanted to announce it until recently. Suddenly, Emma was finding it difficult to contain herself.

"So the reason you were asking if I wanted to date him was because...?" she trailed off, grinning the whole time.

Abby just nodded at the floor.

"Have you told him that?" Emma asked. Abby's head shot up.

"What? No! Why would I?" she asked, looking mildly horrified at the thought. "First of all, I thought you liked him— at least, for the last week or so. And also... what if he doesn't like me back?"

"What if he does?" Emma asked.

"...Do you think he might?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Emma said. She grabbed her friend's hand and spun around, looking for Logan.