Logan walked up to his locker the next day and set his backpack down.
"Stupid James," he muttered, twisting his lock. He dragged his sleeve across his eyes, wiping away a trail of tears before pulling his locker open.
A flood of roses poured out and scattered across the floor. Logan jumped back in surprise, slipping on some of the petals. He bent down and saw a card that was nearly invisible because of its scarlet color. He picked it up and opened it.
I'm sorry. I'd really like to make it up to you. Let me take you to dinner, or maybe a movie. The zoo would be fine, too. Pretty, pretty please?
James
Logan crumpled the letter in his fist and kicked the roses at his feet.
"Stupid James," he said again.
"I was really hoping that'd at least get your attention." Logan jumped at the voice and spun around. James was right behind him, smiling slightly.
"What do you want, James?" Logan asked.
"I would really like to take you on a date, Logan. Please? Pretty please? Pretty, pretty please?"
"I don't date third graders," Logan snapped, slamming his locker and storming away.
"And why would James care?" Kendall asked, appearing out of nowhere just in time to block Logan.
"Get out of my way," Logan said.
"I think I asked you a question, Mitchell. Isn't that right, James?"
"Leave him alone," James said. He flashed Logan a smile, but Logan was pointedly looking the other way.
"What's going on with you, James?' Kendall asked. "You better not be going gay on me." Kendall laughed, not noticing that James wasn't. "Let's get to class. I want to talk to that Jo girl. Wanna tap that." He guffawed as he dragged James behind him.
"You're disgusting," Logan said. He wasn't very loud, but the whole hall had gone silent and Kendall could hear him just fine.
Kendall froze, his grip on James's arm turning the usually bronze skin pale white. He turned, a sneer on his face.
"What'd you say, Mitchell?" Logan took a deep breath and then took a step forward.
"You're disgusting," he repeated. "You're disgusting and you're vile and you're a terrible person. I can't even look at you and not want to vomit. And honestly, I'd much rather be way down here at the bottom of the food chain as a nerd, than ever be like you. You make me sick."
Logan didn't see who started, it, but suddenly behind him, there came the sounds of applause. He blushed and ducked his head. Kendall looked past him and was surprised to see some of his own "friends" were cheering Logan. His gaze shifted back to Logan.
"Whatever, Bitch-ell."
"Ooh, creative," Logan said. "Maybe next time you can shove me in a locker like every other textbook bully."
"Are you making fun of me?"
"Are you lacking the necessary I.Q. points to see the obvious?"
"Shut up!"
"Good one. That always works."
"I said shut up!"
"Keep 'em coming, Knight. I love watching people make asses of themselves."
"You're dead, Mitchell!"
"Funny, you'd think I'd have stopped talking." Logan knew what Kendall was going to do an instant before he did. He ducked under the fist and Kendall's hand slammed into a locker.
"Fuck!" he yelled, shaking his hand.
"Mr. Knight!" Logan turned and saw Principal Turner coming down the hall. "I won't tolerate that sort of language."
"But, Mr. Turner!"
"My office. Now." Kendall glared at Logan before following Mr. Turner, clutching his hand to his chest.
"That was great, Logan!" Logan felt someone slap him on the back and cringed. He turned and saw Carlos Garcia behind him.
"Hi, Carlos," he said. Carlos was on the hockey team with James and Kendall, but he was a lot nicer. He was also extremely childish, and Logan didn't think he'd ever seen Carlos without a helmet on, except maybe during the Pledge of Allegiance.
"Hey, Carlos," James said, moving up behind Logan and slinging an arm around him. Logan quickly shrugged it off.
"Hi, James," Carlos said, smiling. "Great game last night."
"Thanks, Carlos. You too. You were great."
"Oh, not really. I was only in for five minutes."
"And that's all it took for you to get two shots in. That was great." Carlos blushed and grinned, twiddling his thumbs. Logan stared at James, thinking. James met Logan's gaze, looking a little confused.
"Later, I got to get to class before the bell rings," Carlos said, taking off.
"What?" James asked.
"What?" said Logan.
"You're staring at me like I just grew an extra head. What's up?"
"That was just… really nice of you to say to Carlos. I didn't know you were like that."
"Well, I'm not really a jerk, that's just when…" James trailed off, looking down. Logan felt his spirits sink.
"When you and Kendall are talking to me. Right."
"Logan!" James said, grabbing his arm before Logan could get away.
"James, the bell is in two minutes, and Honors Chemistry is across the universe. Let go."
"I know you don't want to go on a date with me, but do you at least want to hang out later? It's Friday, come on."
"I don't think your definition of hanging out is quite the same as mine, James. I don't go to parties. I haven't even been invited to one since I was twelve."
"Well, we could do what you wanted to do. What do you usually do after school?"
Logan simply stared at James and said, "Homework."
Seven and a half hours later, James followed Logan off the bus and up to his house. Logan dug out his keys and walked inside.
"You sure your mom is okay with this?" James asked.
"Yeah, what about yours?"
"Oh, well… she won't even notice," James said, looking past Logan.
"Wait, did you call her?" Logan asked.
"No. Trust me, Logan, it doesn't matter. She doesn't care."
"Call her," Logan said.
"Logan, it's-"
"James, call her." James sighed and pulled out his phone and punching in his mother's number. It rang six times before Brooke Diamond picked up.
"Who is it and what do you want?" she said, sounding bored.
"It's James," James said, looking away from Logan. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Logan stare at him, amazed.
"James!" Brooke said, "Who are you and what do you want?"
"It's James," James repeated, "as in your son. I was calling to tell you that I'm at a friend's house."
"That's great, honey, I have to go." James pulled his phone away, the call ended. He sighed and turned back towards Logan.
Logan was biting his lip, looking away from James. "I'm sorry," he said. "I… I didn't know."
"It's alright," James said, cupping Logan's cheek. "You couldn't have known." Logan looked down at James's hands, heat rising to his face when he realized just how much he liked the feel of James's hand.
Slowly, James leaned forward and kissed Logan. Logan leaned into it, sliding his arms around James. James pulled back and pressed their foreheads together.
"Will you please go out with me, Logan Mitchell." Logan looked into James's eyes and smiled.
"I'd love to, James Diamond."
