Chapter 5 Close Quarters

Ava's POV

I stared at the eviction notice in my hands, my stomach twisting into knots. my landlord said I had a week but here I am .... on the streets!.

Rent issues. A "miscalculation," my landlord had called it. But all I heard was: you have to leave.

I didn't even have a place to go.

It wasn't like I could call anyone. I'd already strained things with my dad, and my so-called friends were more interested in their own drama than helping me out.

I could get a cheap motel, but what the hell was I supposed to do after that?

I just wanted to disappear.

But as I stood outside the dorm, gripping my duffel bag like it could somehow shield me from everything, a ping from my phone broke the silence.

Logan Carter: What's up, nerd?

I almost didn't want to reply. I didn't even know why I had his number in the first place, but here it was, glowing on the screen.

I bit my lip, thinking of all the options none of them great before I did the dumbest thing possible.

Ava: ...Got a couch I can crash on?

I stared at the message for a second, waiting for him to respond. My heart pounded, half hoping he'd ignore it, half wanting him to be the kind of guy who would help me out.

A few seconds later, the phone buzzed again.

Logan Carter: Yeah, come by. I'll be home in 30.

I stared at the screen, blinking.

What the hell had I just done? well.... I broke my rule .... again!

I had no idea what I was expecting. I wasn't really friends with Logan. Hell, I barely knew him beyond the tutoring sessions. But for some reason, when I thought about spending the night alone, I couldn't shake the idea of... of not being alone. Not with him.

And so, against every ounce of logic in my body, I pulled my duffel bag over my shoulder and made my way to Logan's apartment.

Logan's apartment wasn't exactly what I'd expected.

I don't know why I thought it would be some kind of frat house chaos, but it was quiet. Clean. A little too sterile, like someone was trying too hard to look put together.

And Logan?

He was leaning against the door frame when I arrived, arms crossed and that familiar smirk plastered on his face.

"What's the matter, Ava? You look like you've just been kicked out of the entire state."

I managed a tight smile, stepping into the apartment. "Not far off."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to read between the lines, but didn't press further. He didn't need to.

"You can crash on the couch. I'm heading out for a bit later tonight, so it's all yours."

I nodded, not really knowing what to say.

Logan turned, gesturing toward the living room. "Make yourself at home. Or, you know, don't. It's up to you."

I sat down on the couch, unzipping my bag, still feeling that weird tension hanging in the air.

I didn't know what to expect from this. Logan wasn't exactly the guy you went to for emotional support. Hell, he wasn't the guy anyone went to for anything serious. But here I was, sitting on his couch like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Logan disappeared into another room, and I tried to distract myself by scrolling through my phone, but it didn't help. The minutes felt like hours.

He finally came back in, his hoodie now off and his sleeves rolled up, looking effortlessly casual in a way that shouldn't have been as attractive as it was.

"Not much on TV. Want to watch a movie or something?" he asked, flopping down next to me on the couch.

I hesitated. "I didn't come here for entertainment, Logan."

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into that familiar, infuriating smirk. "Yeah? Well, you're here now. Might as well enjoy it."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "You really know how to make someone feel at home."

"Hey, I'm doing my best," he replied with a shrug, still too close.

I shifted, suddenly feeling more aware of the space between us.

It was way too close. Too intimate. Too... confusing.

I grabbed the remote, fumbling with it for a moment to avoid looking at him. "I'll just put something on. Don't worry."

Logan didn't say anything, but I could feel his eyes on me. And even though I tried to ignore it, the warmth of his gaze pressed down on me, like I was being pulled in without any control.

When I glanced over, his lips were slightly parted, eyes locked onto me.

It was like something in the room shifted.

"Logan..."

Before I could finish the sentence, his hand was on my jaw, and then his lips were crashing against mine.

I froze, not sure if I should push him away or melt into it. But before I could decide, he deepened the kiss, his fingers brushing against the back of my neck, pulling me closer.

My heart was racing. My brain was completely useless.

I didn't know how it happened-how we went from awkward small talk to this- but the kiss was nothing like I'd expected. It wasn't rushed. It wasn't a game.

It was messy. It was desperate.

And the worst part?

I didn't want it to stop.

But then, just as quickly as it started, he pulled away, breathing heavily.

"God, you have no idea what you do to me," Logan muttered, his forehead resting against mine.

I blinked, still trying to catch my breath. "What was that?"

He chuckled softly. "I think you know what it was."

I pulled back, feeling like I had just been caught in a storm. "You... you can't just do that."

"I didn't hear you complaining," he said with a grin, clearly proud of himself.

"Yeah, well, that's because I didn't know what else to do," I shot back, pulling away from him, the space between us now feeling impossibly large.

Logan leaned back, his eyes a little darker than usual. "Ava, you know you're not just here because of the couch, right?"

I looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

He smirked again. "You're here because you're more than just the nerdy tutor. And we both know it."

I swallowed, not sure where this was heading. "I don't know what you're talking about, Logan".

Logan's gaze was heavy. "Yeah, you do."

I didn't have a response. Instead, I just looked away, trying to steady my breathing, my racing heart.

What had just happened?

And more importantly... what the hell was I supposed to do now?