Graduation for Logan came and went. The two saw each other almost daily; Logan came in with Jacob and Scotty under the guise of seeing them as much as possible before he packed up and went off to college. When he was there he'd give Louise small smirks and long glances whenever he could steal them. Jacob and Scotty, bless their little minds, just assumed he was trying to bother the weird little kid as much as he could before he left.
XxX
Louise smirked at nothing as she bussed the table after Logan and Company vacated the premises. As she wiped down the table she saw a napkin placed on the seat, more folded than crumpled. Curious, she picked it up and smoothed it out, a smile coming to her lips at the writing she now recognized as Logan's.
'I have to leave in two days. Mom has a big going away thing planned tomorrow but I want to see you. Can we hang out before I go?" She slipped the note into the pocket of her jeans, wishing for once she was a normal teenager with access to normal things like a cellphone. She stacked the plates and wiped down the table with practiced ease, smiling up at Teddy when he walked in.
"Oh hey Louise," he said with a smile. "How goes it?"
"It's going Teddy," she responded as she moved to the counter and into the back. "Teddy's here Dad," she called to her father who was scowling down at a pile of thyme as if it offended him. "Dad?" He looked up at her and nodded.
"Hey Teddy," he called through the order window, "I'll be right there okay?"
"You got it Bob," he said in his usual jovial tone and Louise set the plates at the sink.
"You okay Dad?" she asked and he nodded.
"We're a little short on rent this month," he admitted as he started on a burger for Teddy. Louise scowled but nodded, completely used to the monetary woes of her family.
"We'll get it Dad, we always do," she said and he gave her a smirk.
"You know Louise, ever since your day with Logan you've been more positive."
"Oh please," she said quickly, using the excuse of grabbing the window cleaner to hide her blush.
"He's leaving soon isn't he?"
"In two days," she said, all mirth vanishing from her face.
"You want the rest of the day off?" he offered and she stared at her father, a little dumbstruck that he was offering.
"You'd-"
"I don't like the idea of you and him, just because he's older than your sister and you're eleven, but I'm not going to pretend that your happiness doesn't count for anything. If you can get his goons away from him, just hang out with him like you did on Valentine's."
"Thanks Dad," she said as she moved to him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.
"Well," he said as he wrapped his arms around her, "you're growing up and I can't hide from it anymore. Now go on before I change my mind." She laughed and took off, clapping a hand on Teddy's shoulder before vanishing out the door.
XxX
Logan had almost everything he was going to take with him packed up, his room now feeling even less like his than it always did. In a daze he moved out of his room and down the stairs, mind on how different it would be by this time next week. He'd be several states away from everything and everyone he'd ever known, completely alone.
A knock on the front door pulled him from his musings and he walked over to it, not expecting the sight that greeted him. "Hey Logan," Louise said with a smile and he felt his heart pound in his chest.
"Come here Four Ears," he said as he gripped her hand and pulled her across the threshold. He wrapped his arms around her, kicking the door closed with a smile. Her arms slinked around his middle and he buried his face in her bunny hat. Tears welled up in his eyes as he pulled back and just stared at the girl in his arms.
"Logan?" his mother's voice from the kitchen made him cringe. "Was that the door?"
"Nope!" he called out and slid his arms from Louise to grip her hand. "I'll be in my room, gotta pack up some more stuff."
"Okay, remember we're having dinner tonight at-"
"I know," he cut her off as he pulled Louise towards the stairs and up, not stopping until they were in his room. He shut the door with an audible click and she looked around the space curiously.
"You don't have much to go before you're ready," she commented and he nodded as he leaned against his desk.
"Yeah, aside from a few clothes that I need to wash I'm good."
"Why didn't you want your mom to know I was here?" she asked carefully and Logan tensed, not wanting her to think the wrong thing.
"I'm not ashamed of you being here Louise," he answered honestly, "she just... she-"
"Doesn't like my family."
"That and she'd see you as a reason for me to not want to go," Logan admitted as he ran a hand through his hair. "She doesn't want me to have any reasons to try to skip out on school." He pushed himself off his desk and closed the distance between them, gripping her hands in his. "It's a very tempting reason," he said and was rewarded with her blushing violently.
"Logan," she barely breathed his name, tears welling up in her eyes, "I'm really gonna miss you."
"I'm gonna miss my Four Ears," he said with a sad smile. They stood there for a long silent moment, him bending to lean his forehead against hers.
"How are we going to stay in touch? I don't have a phone-"
"We can email?" he offered and she laughed. "Every day I'll send you at least one. Deal?"
"Yeah," she said with a sigh and he smirked as she buried her face in his chest.
"Don't worry Bunnygirl, we'll figure it out."
XxX
The dreaded day dawned with an anxious Louise pacing by the front door, her ears tugged down low. "Come eat breakfast sweetie," Linda coaxed gently. "He'll be here before he goes." Louise shook her head and kept pacing, her stomach too knotted with worry to even think of food.
A knock on the door made Louise jump, her eyes widening as she moved to it. "Hey Bunnygirl," Logan's voice made her smile and she threw her arms around him. His warm arms encircled her shoulders and she breathed in the smell of him like it was better than oxygen.
"Don't go," she mumbled against his shirt and his arms around her tightened.
"I don't want to," he said softly.
"Can't you just stay here in town? There's the community college and and-"
"Louise," his voice was near breaking and she buried her face in his chest more, not wanting to look up. "I can't do that. I want to, but I can't." She nodded against his warm body, shoulders beginning to shake with tears she was trying to fight. "Hey don't start crying on me," his voice was tinged with sadness of his own and she stepped back with a sniff.
"Who's crying?" she demanded grumpily as she wiped at her eyes. "Louise Belcher doesn't cry." His chuckle warmed her soul a little and she looked up at him.
"I'll be in town at Christmas time," he said with a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. "We can hang out then okay?" She nodded in response, too afraid to open her mouth. He stepped up to her again and pulled her in for another hug, Louise feeling his lips touch the top of her hat.
"I'm going to miss your stupid face," she mumbled against his shirt and he pulled back enough to brush his lips against her forehead.
"I'll miss yours Bunnygirl," he admitted and looked behind her. "Hey Mr. B.," he gave a little wave and Louise glanced back at her dad watching them silently.
"Logan," Bob nodded at him. "You have everything you need?"
"Yeah," Logan nodded. "I'll see you guys at Christmas." Louise knew a cue from her dad, and it appeared Logan did as well because he stepped back and turned to the door.
"See ya Four Ears," he said affectionately and she bit her lips together, not bothering to hide the tears leaking down her cheeks. He opened the door and stepped across the threshold, Louise feeling that what they had said wasn't enough.
"Logan!" she bounded after him and he turned, obviously caught off guard when Louise launched herself onto him. He gripped her lower back as he regained his balance and she used the moment to her advantage. Legs wrapped around his waist, arms around his neck, she brought her lips to his in a quick chaste kiss. He pulled back with shocked eyes and she slid from his stunned grip. "Now get out of here you big idiot." She turned and went back inside, ignoring the urge to look back at the young man still standing there with a stunned expression on his face.
XxX
Logan dropped his last bag on the floor of his new dorm, mind reeling from the drive away from his hometown. Louise had... had kissed him. He collapsed on the unmade bed and stared up at the ceiling in silent wonder. He had wanted to kiss her, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't, but he hadn't expected her to do it so boldly in front of her dad. The entire drive there he'd been reliving the moment, even if he couldn't quite shake how creepy he felt for it happening. She was still only eleven years old, a fact he continually needed to remind himself.
He sat up and pulled his phone from his pocket. After firing off a quick text to his mom about arriving safely he pulled up his email and started typing up a message to Louise.
XxX
'Did you know that dorms, which animals aren't allowed in, apparently smell of wet dog? Maybe it's just my oddly absent roommate. Maybe he's a werewolf? Got everything up here and setting up my new room... Thinking about how much I miss you already. Email me back Bunnygirl!'
Louise read the message at least a dozen times as she sat on the end of the couch, completely ignoring her family's current squabble over movie choices.
"Louise!" Linda's snap made her head jerk up and she glared over the lid of the laptop at her mother. "Don't you want to help pick?"
"No I need to respond to this-"
"This is family time," Linda said firmly, "put the laptop away missy."
"Email him back and then help us pick," Bob interjected quickly. She looked to her dad who just gave her a knowing smile.
"Thanks Dad," she said and began composing her response.
XxX
'Hitting the road tonight Bunnygirl! Driving all night so I'll be in town in the morning! Me, you, Wonder Wharf, and a mountain of sweets we shouldn't eat. How's that sound?'
The message made Louise squeak in shock as she leapt up from her bed. The Christmas lights on her wall twinkled warmly as she ran out into the living room. "Dad can I please please please have tomorrow off?" she begged the second she found him in the kitchen.
"Why?" he asked as he put the finishing touches on their dinner.
"Logan's driving in tonight. He asked if I wanted to hit Wonder Wharf."
"Fishoeder closed it down for much needed repairs on the roller coaster remember?" Bob responded as he slid two chicken breasts on Gene's plate. "Why not have him come here after you get out of school and while you're working he can loiter like all of Tina's friends have taken up doing." Louise felt her blood boil at the mention of Tina's friends. Tammy, Jocelyn, and a few other mindless teens had joined the group of oddities that Tina seemed to attract like flies to honey and Louise knew they'd fawn over Logan like the idiots they were. "Uh oh," Bob said with a smirk as he set out the plates. "There's a jealous face. Look Louise I need your help tomorrow and besides," he turned to his daughter and gave her a warm smile, "Logan has been away at college for a whole semester. The two of you have been emailing practically every single day since he's been gone. If he was interested in other girls flirting with him, that would have stopped a long time ago." Louise smiled up at her dad, her jealously sliding.
"Thanks Dad," she said and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
XxX
Logan put the car in park and killed the engine with a nervous sigh. He was back in town, not even thinking before he turned down the road to a certain burger joint. Careful steps brought him to the door leading to the apartment, his nerves on high alert as he raised a hand to knock.
Before he could lower his hand the door opened to reveal a pajama clad Louise, a smile on her lips. "Hey Bunnygirl," he said with a chuckle and she threw her arms around him. He laughed as he wrapped his arms around her slender figure, not ever wanting to let go.
"Come inside you two," Bob's voice made Logan cringe and Louise slowly pried her arms from him. With a coy smile she grabbed his hand and together they walked up the stairs. "Hey Logan," Bob greeted, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.
"Good morning sir," Logan responded quickly, feeling slightly awkward standing there in the living room of the Belcher household with Louise's hand in his.
"Coffee?" Bob offered and Logan nodded.
"Sounds great."
"Oh you offer him coffee," Louise sneered and Bob sighed.
"Louise the last time I let you have coffee you ran into a wall."
"You ran into a wall?" Logan asked with a chuckle and she blushed. "Literally ran into a wall?"
"At full speed," Bob commented with a chuckle. "So how's college going?" Bob asked as he poured another cup of coffee in a chipped mug.
"It's going great," Logan said with a laugh still lingering in his voice. "I got almost all A's in my first semester, my roommate is thankfully moving out... All in all the first semester wasn't bad." He glanced at Louise to see her slightly down expression and decided to add on a little flourish so she'd smile. "I do miss actually knowing people around town and it would be nice if I could bump into a few people every so often," he bumped his arm against hers and she gave him a quick smile. Bob turned and handed over a black coffee, the smell heavenly to Logan's exhausted senses. He took the offered cup with a mumbled thanks, feeling Louise tug his arm to pull him out of the kitchen.
"Wonder Wharf is closed right now," she said as they sat on the couch and Logan shrugged.
"We'll do something else then," he said and raised the cup to his lips. He took a sip, wincing at the bitter strong taste, then lowered the cup.
"Dad won't give me the day off," she said with a scowl and he shrugged.
"We'll hang out before I go back-"
"Would you want to sit at the restaurant? We could talk and stuff between customers," she seemed hesitant to ask and Logan smiled over at her, putting his hand on hers.
"Yeah, I'd like that," he told her with a squeeze of her fingers.
XxX
Louise strolled down the sidewalk after school, a spring in her step at the thought of semi spending time with Logan after class. She walked along, not a care in the world until she came face to face with Cynthia Bush. "Oh crap," she grumbled before putting on a smile. "Hi Mrs. Bush-"
"You," the woman pointed at her, making Louise raise an eyebrow. "I don't know who you think you are but my son deserves better than you."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh just look at you," Cynthia snapped. "You're nothing but a little kid, my son is a full grown man. I knew he had a little crush on you when he stole that ugly thing from you, actually letting you follow him..." she trailed off and shook her head. "The point is this: you will stop seeing my son. Stop talking to him, stop communicating with him, or I will be forced to take drastic measures."
"Like what?" Louise demanded, her anger boiling in her gut.
"I'll disown him. Without his family he's nothing, no money, no job prospects, no college, nothing. Then, and only then, would he be even close to your level." She moved past Louise and paused in her steps, turning to the fuming girl with a fake sad smile. "If you really care about him, you'll know the right thing to do." With that she was gone, leaving Louise to stand there, her mind reeling from the threat.
XxX
Logan chuckled along with Teddy's never ending story, looking to Bob through the order window as the man droned on. Bob mouthed a 'sorry' and Logan gave a little shrug before tuning back into the one sided conversation. "...never before in my life," Teddy said as he shook his head and picked up his drink. Logan shook his head and turned his eyes back to his plate of fries, mentally kicking himself for not going to pick up Louise and her siblings from school. Truthfully he'd been in the restaurant almost all day after just stopping by his parent's house to make an appearance. He'd helped Bob during the lunch rush, doling out orders and even hopping on the grill when Bob had to step away for a bathroom break.
His mother had been livid when he said he was going back to the restaurant, she had really laid on the 'I missed my boy and he doesn't even want to see me' crap which led to Logan more or less telling her that he wanted to spend time with Louise while he was in town. He'd firmly told her it was just on friendly terms, saying he really missed the verbal abuse she so willingly dished out.
The small bell to the door chimed and Logan turned, his smile quickly falling from his lips as Louise just brushed past him. "Bunnygirl?" he hopped off the stool and followed her into the kitchen, worry furrowing his brow. "Hey Louise I-" he reached out a hand to her arm and she whirled on him, slapping it away.
"You need to go," she said firmly.
"What?" Logan asked, dumbstruck by the harsh tone.
"You. Need. To. Leave," she said each word with venom and he took a half step back.
"Why?" he asked, completely taken aback.
"Because this whole thing is stupid and weird and I..." she took a deep breath and said with more conviction than he knew possible, "I don't like you." The words hit him like a freight train, so hard he took two steps back.
"You don't?"
"No," she said firmly, turning around to the sink filled with dishes.
"Louise I-"
"Get out Logan," she said firmly and he glanced at a very awkward looking Bob standing at the grill trying to not be obvious.
"O...okay," he said, his hurt coming through in his tone. "If that's how you really feel... I'll go," he turned on his heel and went back out into the restaurant. He scooped up his jacket but didn't bother to put it on as he stormed out of the restaurant.
XxX
"Why did you do that?" Bob asked the second the door closed behind Logan's back.
"Because it's for the best," she said firmly, staring down at the floating remains of a bun dissolving in the water.
"Louise he's been here all day helping me. He listened to Teddy ramble on about nothing for an hour, he helped your mom move some of the Christmas decorations, he-"
"He's too old for me Dad," she said, whipping her head to stare down her father who flinched at the unshed tears in her eyes.
"What did his mother say?" Bob asked after a moment and Louise tensed.
"How'd you-"
"Louise, I unfortunately know her. She's about as wicked as a person can be. He came in from stopping by his parents house in a bad mood and vaguely mentioned her... doesn't take a genius to put two and two together. What did she say?"
"That if I continue to see him she'll cut him off," Louise admitted softly. "That I'm not good enough for him-"
"Well that's the biggest load of..." he trailed off shaking his head. "Louise, I know this isn't what you want to hear but maybe this is for the best. He is a lot older than you and for you two to actually date you'd have to be eighteen which is a lot of time lost to waiting on both of you... Besides that people change and-"
"I get it Dad," she cut off his attempt at comfort. "Thanks."
XxX
Logan refused to leave his room at his parent's house. Dinner with some important so and so be damned, he refused to leave his room. He sat on his bed with his knees to his chest, his heart shattered beyond the point of tears. Louise, his Bunnygirl, his Four Ears, his... Not his.
"Logan Barry Bush!" his mother's voice boomed outside his door and she flung open the door, already dressed in her dinner clothes. "Get dressed! We have dinner with the Fishoeder brothers in twenty minutes-"
"I'm not going," he said and she scoffed.
"You are going. There's no argument to this young man."
"No I'm not going," he said firmly as he leapt to his feet. He now stood taller than his mother, secretly loving the height advantage over her. "You and Dad have fun pretending in front of them that you're still happily married. I'll stay here and listen for the yelling that signals you're both home."
"Logan, Calvin Fishoeder owns half of this town! We are having dinner at his home tonight and you will be in attendance. Is that understood?" She took a deep breath and Logan let his lips sneer a smile. "Really Logan, all this over that silly little girl! How ridiculous can you be?"
"What silly little girl Mom?" he asked, his heart sinking in his chest.
"Now honey," she cooed, immediately too sweet to be believed, "I just assumed-"
"You said 'that silly little girl'... You did this? You told her to stop seeing me, didn't you? Oh my god," Logan sank back on his bed, "I knew you were heartless but this is a new low, even for you mom."
"Logan! The Belchers are low class people! That woman Linda is trash, Bob is-"
"Don't insult them!" Logan snapped, lurching to his feet once more. "You're just pissed because Bob and Linda actually love each other! Because they have the one thing all the money in the world couldn't buy you..." He shook his head in disgust and stalked to the door.
"If you leave this house you can never come back!" she shrieked at him and he scoffed a laugh.
"Fine by me," he growled before going down the stairs.
"I'll cut you off!"
"Go ahead! I don't want your money!" He reached the bottom of the stairs and grabbed the only possession he felt close enough with to understand Louise with her hat. Skateboard in hand he flung open the door, gave his stunned mother a one finger salute, and slammed it loud enough to rattle the front windows.
XXX
Chapter three! Drama ensues! Whaddya think? Special thanks to all of those who have followed, favorited, and reviewed! The alerts make my soul sing and make me churn out chapters faster. Anyway, let me know what you think! Much love, Leigh
