I'm so sorry this took me forever to write! School and band, man. School and band. I wanted to get this out to you ASAP, so please excuse any editing mistakes!

HUUUUGE thank you to waitingFORthePERFECTsong9092. She had a big part in this whole story and she's been helping me with every chapter and giving me some hardcore feedback. :D If you get a chance, check her out, she's an awesome writer and also she practically knows the guys, so that makes her at least 5x cooler. ;D

James' POV

Logan was rifling through my refrigerator at about 9 that night. I guess I wore him out in bed- what can I say? He looked so cute in his boxers and my hoodie from my bedroom floor, his dark hair tasseled.

I slid my arms around him and hugged his back to my chest. He tensed up before melting into my embrace, his head falling to my shoulder as I kissed his temple.

"I'm starved," he said, fingertips touching my arms around his stomach.

"How about some pizza?" I suggested.

Logan's POV

Although I was starving, I was glad to wait for the pizza to be delivered because I got to cuddle with James on the couch. I lay on my side against the back of the couch, him facing me on his side.

"I don't want to leave," I whispered sadly, and it was the truth. Looking into James' hazel eyes, feeling his warm arms around me, I realized that I wanted to be with James. Not just for this week of my vacation- forever.

Sadly, I was leaving at 5 AM the next morning.

"Then don't," James whispered back mischievously.

"It doesn't-" I began, but was hushed by a sweet kiss. After the kiss was over, I was silenced for a moment before saying, "I'm gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," he said, hands rubbing up and down my sides. "We can talk on the phone and text. And Mom and I always go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I'll see you then."

"That's so far away," I pouted, snuggling into his chest.

"Why don't you just go to school here," James asked teasingly, though I heard a hint of seriousness in his voice. "We could see each other every day. Go on dates, have sleepovers, maybe even eventually get an apartment together."

I hummed in contentment, snuggling even deeper into him.

"I would love that," I murmured.

"I mean, I don't want to control the course of the rest of your life, but… I do want you," he said. "I don't know anything about the college here, or what path you're taking to be a doctor, but I'd love to have you here."

"Tell you what," I said, propping myself up on an elbow to look down at him. "I'll consider it- like, really thinking about coming here for school- it you consider chasing your own dreams."

"What dreams?" James smirked curiously.

"Making it in Hollywood."

"Ha!" James laughed sarcastically. "Loge, that doesn't actually work for people."

"It will for you. You're beautiful, I know you can sing like an angel, and you're charming beyond belief. Can't you talk to your mom about it? I'm sure she has connections."

"My mom and I won't be on good terms after tomorrow," he said with a little laugh, shaking his head.

"Why?" I asked curiously, my request about James following his dreams forgotten. He seemed to stiffen up, his hazel eyes alight on mine, yet his face showed seriousness.

"I'm gonna come out to her," he said. "Tomorrow."

I grinned down at him, knowing this was the best option for him and he would be happier having done it.

"I'll think about it," he said with finality. "Maybe I can get some headshots done or something."

"Good. I know you'll do great at anything you put your mind to," I said softly, kissing him.

I was beyond glad to spend my last night with James making sure I remembered just how he felt about me. Well, that's what I thought at the time, anyway.

His legs were wrapped around my waist, arms around my neck. Of course I had never done this before- not even with a girl- but James wanted to try it just once before I left, since he had never been in his position before.

I inhaled the scent of his neck, memorizing it. My brain was on overdrive from trying to remember everything about him, since I had no idea when I would see him next.

"Right there," James whimpered, fingers raking up my back. "Don't stop."

I kissed his jaw, then his jugular vein, feeling his pulse vibrating like that of a rabbit. He was really aroused by me, wasn't he? He was actually getting pleasure out of what I was doing to him. That made me feel beyond good about myself, and hearing his whimpers crescendo into groans just added to that and made me even more aroused.

"Don't stop!" he almost yelled. "Yes! Right there!"

I heard myself start to grunt through my quickening breaths.

I closed my eyes, just wanting to capture the moment and live it forever. If I had it my way, James would be coming home with me indefinitely. But that wouldn't happen- maybe ever- and I had to take what I could. Making love seemed like a good thing to remember him by. Especially making love that was this intense- this arousing and memorable.

He sounded like he was almost reaching his climax, which made me feel the same way.

Then, before we even got to finish, my world ended.

"Jamie?" came a girlish yell through the apartment that I knew I had heard before. My thrusts slowed to a stop, unsure if I heard anything, but James's yells of pleasure had already ceased.

There was a second where I was puzzled, and just looked down to James, seeing that his sex-blushed cheeks were now pale.

James's POV

My brain scrambled for anything to do. I knew it was Mercedes that just entered, and she was roaming the apartment looking for me.

I considered telling Logan to hide in the closet, but what good would that do? Mercedes wasn't my concern- she could find out about Logan. But Logan could never find out about Mercedes.

It looked like it was too late, because now Mercedes was entering the room.

I think that moment was like dying. When someone has cancer, they fight and fight and fight until they realize there's nothing more that can be done to heal them. Then they sit back and let it happen- they let themselves die. I had been fighting all week to keep Logan oblivious to Mercedes. But now there was no way out. I had to sit back and let it happen.

This is what I got for being a cheating, lying bastard.

I looked up at Logan solemnly, just praying that somehow after all this he could forgive me and give me a kiss goodbye before he went home.

Before I could say anything, Mercedes screamed. I mean, screamed like she witnessed a murder or something.

Logan practically jumped out of his skin, darting away from me and covering himself beneath the blankets, staring at Mercedes in horror.

Then I just sat and watched as my world went crashing down.

Logan's POV

I was beyond mortified. Sex was a private thing, done behind locked doors with a person you care about and trust. I knew James felt the same way, and though the bedroom door was open, I knew he locked the apartment door, because I noticed that he always does.

I guessed it was normal that Mercedes had a key to the apartment. They had dated for a long time- he probably just didn't get around to collecting the key back.

I looked to James to find that his eyes were absent on the end of the bed.

"GET OUT!" Mercedes screamed, and I realized it was directed to me. "GET. OUT!"

I didn't move, knowing she had no right to kick me out. My heart was pounding with adrenaline, my cheeks burning in mortification.

"I WILL DRAG YOU OUT BY YOUR HAIR!" she continued, her heals clopping toward me. I tensed up and into James, and finally his head rose to her.

"Don't touch him," he said strongly, getting up. Mercedes' eyes were wide, scanning his body in shock, and I remembered that he said he had never had sex with her, therefore she had never seen him this way.

He pulled up his flannel PJ pants and his hands landed on her shoulders, but she ripped herself away.

"What the hell are you doing?" she squeaked angrily, eyes flashing from him to me and back again. "Are you cheating on me? With a guy?"

Cheating? When would this girl get it in her head that they were broken up? When would she understand that James was mine now, and she screwed up her chance with him?

"Mercedes, let me-"

"No, James, I understand what was going on!" she interrupted, a manicured hand bowing out to him. "Don't you love me?"

"No," he snapped. Her jaw dropped in disbelief, hand lying on her chest. He then turned to me, looking intense, but sorrowful. "Logan, Mercedes is my fiancé. I'm supposed to be getting married to her in a few months and I'm sorry."

I stared at James in disbelief, not knowing how to even process the information. Everything seemed to go into slow-motion, my brain droning out the voices arguing, as I was lost in my own world.

Mercedes started talking angrily, probably directed to me, but I just sat in the bed, staring at the blankets. Was this serious? This wasn't a dream, right? I hoped it was a dream- at least then I would wake up and all would be well…

Then my eye caught a ring on Mercedes's manicured hand. A huge diamond on her ring finger. And I knew it was true…

I got up, pulling my clothes on. I looked back to James, noticing that now Mercedes was in his face and they were yelling at one another. What they said, I don't know. I was feeling lost now, and was deafened by my heartbeat and the tornado of emotions in my head.

They didn't seem to notice me leaving, and I snapped out of my trance as the warm, salty California air rushed into my lungs as I left. I hurried down the apartment stairs, my heart rushing with angry thoughts.

Who does he think he is? He can't just lie to me all week as I threaten to fall desperately in love with him, then on our last night together tell me he's engaged! How could I EVER feel so deeply about such an ASS? I should have seen this coming- nobody THAT gorgeous and perfect would ever feel anything for someone like me.

I reached the bottom of the outdoor apartment complex and stomped to the sidewalk. I had no mode of transportation home, but I didn't care. I could walk the five miles back to the hotel. I hadn't got ten feet away before I heard my name be called from the balcony of the apartment building. I walked faster, not wanting to even see James right now, and pretended not the hear.

But he was faster than I anticipated, and his hand appeared at my shoulder, sending me into a frenzy.

"Don't!" I snapped, whirling around and staring at him, eyes fiery.

James's POV

My mouth dropped open as I stared into Logan's eyes. Though he just screamed at me not to touch him or even talk to him, his eyes told me that he was heartbroken.

"Let me explain," I said softly, though I had nothing to explain. For a second his features seemed to soften and I was sure he would let me speak, but then his face hardened and he whirled around. His fists were clenched as he stormed down the sidewalk, and I followed close behind. "Look at me, Loge! I'm chasing you down the sidewalk in my fucking underwear! That alone should tell you just how much you mean to me!"

Logan didn't respond, and I felt my throat start to close up in realization that tonight was our last together, and it all came crashing down because of Mercedes. I was about to lose Logan forever, and I knew I deserved it.

"Logan, please!" I pleaded, tears rushing to my eyes, but not spilling. "I've never felt this way for anyone before, and I feel like absolute shit that it turned out like this!"

Logan's hand rose to his face and the back of his hand furiously wiped at something, and my heart shattered at the realization that he was crying.

"I'm breaking it off ASAP!" I insisted, rushing to stop him by standing before him. "I was going to choose you over making my mom happy by marrying Mercedes. That's all it was. I don't love her, and I never will. I was just marrying her for Mom."

Logan's dark eyes met mine for a moment, seemingly melting, and I was sure he was going to calm down and talk to me about this.

"You saved me, Logan. From a miserable life," I whispered. "You can't leave me now."

Logan tried to push past me, angry again, and my hands snapped out to constrain him- my last attempt.

"GET OFF OF ME!" he yelled, shoving me away with strength I didn't know he had. Shocked, I watched him hurry away.

He was about ten feet away before he looked over his shoulder, his eyes full of tears as a few already streaked his face. That final look he gave me burned into my brain, ready to show itself when I closed my eyes at night, to make me forever remember when I hurt such an innocent soul.

Logan's POV

I stormed into the hotel room after a short cab-ride, finding that Kendall and Carlos were there- Carlos on my bed, Kendall on his own, and they were talking like schoolgirls.

The chatter cut off as I threw open the drawers and started to toss things into my suitcase in an unkempt manner.

"Logie?" Kendall asked apprehensively, and a hand lay on my shoulder. I jumped and whirled around, completely tense and ready to fight.

"Don't touch me!" I exploded. Kendall's hand retracted and he stared at me in surprise.

"What's going on?" he asked slowly.

My eyes darted to Carlos, who was staring at me in confusion, to Kendall.

"Was it… James?" Carlos finally asked softly.

"I hate him!" I ranted, turning back to the drawer and continuing packing. "FUCKING HATE HIM!"

"Loge! What did he do to you?" Kendall demanded, turning me around roughly to look at him. "Did he hurt you?"

"Yeah! He hurt me real fucking bad!"

"Logan… I'm so sorry," Carlos said, getting up. "I need to go to him… I'm sure he's upset."

I rolled my eyes angrily, shaking my head. I didn't watch as Carlos left but as soon as the door was closed, Kendall's eyes were firm on mine.

"What did he do?" he demanded. "I'll kill him."

I shook my head, not wanting to talk about it, and his hand roughly forced my face to look at him.

"What did he do?"

I looked up at him and felt my heart crumble.

"He's getting married," I said softly.

Kendall pulled me into him, rubbing my back soothingly, but I could feel the anger radiating off of him. I knew he wanted me to tell him the whole story, but he knew now that I was crying too hard to speak.

James's POV

It felt like Logan tore out my heart and carried it out with him, leaving me bleeding and helpless without him. It hurt so bad, simply because I knew he was destroyed. I saw it in his eyes, past the intense anger.

I entered my apartment to find that Mercedes was still there, mumbling angrily to herself, mascara running down her face with her tears. Okay, now I felt even worse. No matter how much I hated Mercedes, somehow I knew the tears were real and she was actually hurt by all this.

"What are you doing?" I asked tiredly, watching Mercedes twist at her ring in the kitchen. I noticed that there was a tub of butter on the counter beside her.

"Taking this ring off," she said, her voice shaky. I got closer, and my heart sort of broke a little more seeing that she was crying. This was real, for once in her life. She wasn't doing it for attention. She was genuinely hurt.

"I'm sorry that you had to see that, Mercedes," I said softly.

"Me, too."

The ring finally came over her knuckle and she put it on the counter, not looking at me.

"James, I'm sorry, but I can't marry you," she said. Of course I wasn't sad about it- I was a little relieved that I didn't have to hurt her feelings any more by breaking up with her.

"I can't marry you, either."

Mercedes soon left without much to say, for once in her life, and emotions hit me like a Mac truck.

Mercedes just walked in on the best sex I ever had with the best man I've ever met. Then I was forced to tell that man, Logan, that I was engaged. He left, and I don't know when or even if I'll ever see him again. Then Mercedes ended up being pretty hurt that I was cheating on her and broke up with me before leaving in tears. Now I was left with nothing but my own broken heart.

I felt like I was gonna puke.

I hurried to the bathroom, but nothing happened, so I leaned against the sink.

I looked at myself in the mirror, seeing some disgusting, lying, cheating scumbag.

Carlos's POV

I opened James's door and called for him, worried that he ran away or was hanging by a belt in his closet.

"JAY?" I called, closing the door. The apartment looked normal- nothing was awry.

"In the bathroom!"

I hurried to the bathroom, afraid that he would be lying in a tub of his own blood or there would be an empty medicine bottle lying on the floor beside him. I don't know why I thought he was going to kill himself. He didn't have a history of suicide attempts or even depression. Maybe it was because I knew Logan meant so much to him. Logan was the man who was going to save him from a life of Hell. Logan was the person that James might very well have fallen in love with in just a few days. Now he was just gone.

But James wasn't trying to kill himself in the bathroom. He was just staring at himself, looking exhausted and mortified.

"Hey," I said softly. "I heard."

"I'm not having a very good day," James said pitifully. "Well, it started out great. I had sex twice today. Then fucking Mercedes decided to just come over unannounced… And destroyed everything."

Then he turned to me, and we looked into each other's eyes and simply moved in for an embrace.

"I fucked up, and I don't know how to fix it," he said softly, and I knew he was trying to conceal tears. I had never really seen him cry, because we weren't the type of friends that Kendall and Logan were, but I got a feeling we would be by the end of this.

I took James to his bedroom and we lay in his bed. I knew he and Logan previously had sex in it, which grossed me out, but that wasn't important. What was important was taking care of my best friend.