the rivals play ━━ logan huntzberger

17| set it up

    FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS, Audrey busied herself with hunting for apartments near campus. It took her six apartment viewings to realise that this would be harder than she anticipated. It took her two days and twenty-seven apartment viewings to realise that it was a nightmare.

     Rushing out of her classroom, she speed walked through the hallway with a cup of hot coffee in one hand and her two notebooks in another, hoping to make it to her next apartment viewing in time. Thankfully, this apartment was only a seven minute walk to campus. The only other apartments close to campus had a rent expense triple her budget, so she didn't risk touring them and getting too attached. 

     Before she walked out of the gates of the university, she heard someone faintly call her from behind. "Wilde!" She heard, turning on her heel to a hundred and eighty degree angle to face the person. She was met with Logan, his clothes the usual mix of effortlessly chic and messy.

Audrey swallowed the lump in her throat, bracing herself as he closed the distance between them. "Hi." She greeted him hurriedly, continuing her route to the apartment building, hoping she'd lose him halfway.

    "You didn't show up to the last meeting."

"I had a surprise visit." She excused. When the apartment building was in her eyesight, she said; "Logan, I really can't talk right now, I have to be somewhere—"

"I'll come with, fill you in on yesterday's meeting." Logan dismissed her worries in an instant, not giving her another opportunity to repeat it. For a moment, Audrey felt a sense of dread. She didn't want him to know about her looking for a cheaper place, not when that conversation had to come with her mentioning her father and his financial status. She wasn't ashamed of it by any way, she simply didn't want Logan, of all people, knowing her private business.

"Sure, fine." For the next few minutes, he started explaining to her everyone's ideas, disregarding some as a snooze fest and a bore. As he concluded with his final ideas and all the information on the expenses of the decorations, Audrey was only growing more nervous because they were a few steps away from her destination.

     "That sounds great." She said, stopping by the entrance, refusing to go in with him.

     "Really?" He asked, surprise. "Even the booths idea?" She nodded in response. He cocked his chin up, distrustful. "You're not going to tell me how that has no correlation to the Winter Wonderland theme?"

    "No." She forced herself to say. "I think it's all good, and that we can continue this tomorrow."

     Logan finally picked up on her dismissing him, and arched an eyebrow. His gaze drifted to the entrance door behind Audrey, observing what looked like a century old apartment building. "This is your destination?" He pointed a finger to the building.

    "Yeah." She said, still staring at him, waiting for him to leave.

    "Are you planning on entering any time soon?"

    "I will."

    "Tomorrow?" He asked sardonically. He skirted past her, opening the door. "Come on."

    "You don't have to come with."

    "You're not meeting anyone here, right?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "I'm guessing you're apartment hunting?" He waited for her to confirm before he said; "I'll come with you, make sure they don't swindle you, or anything."

     "Fine." She agreed begrudgingly, stepping into the building. The receptionist was nowhere to be seen, and despite her forced hopefulness, it looked as if no one had stepped into the place for months.