Hey There,

Welcome back Quinn-Quoters and Logan-Loyalest! It's Thursday! It's time to party and this will be another swing shifting chapter. Where we are changing perspectives ALL throughout the chapter... 5 times to be exact! And like last week this chapter took on a life of its own. But it will start and end with Quinn because this was supposed to be her chapter. And it's only fair if she still gets to have her say. Sorry that this chapter too is a little later than I'd meant it to be posted. But the nearly 14,000 words of this chapter were harder to proofread than I though. SO sorry for the delay, but without further ado! Let's get started!

Special thanks to the few of you who just started following me or this story this week. And the few of you who favorited this story or me as an author. Thank you all so much, I hope you're all still reading and enjoying!

Special thanks to my dear friend Rose-Aki, for all six of her reviews! You're offically all caught up now and that was a LOT of reading. I can not tell you how much every word of them meant, how many things you mentioned I had been so worried about. I really hope that whenever this reaches you. It makes you smile and you know that you had a part in this. I never could have done ANY of this without a friend like you in my corner. You're the best! You're AMAZING! Never let anyone try to tell you differently! And the world is truly a better place because of people like you. God bless you! And again, you make the words "thank you" seem small for all you do!

Standard Disclaimers Apply - I don't own Zoey 101, Zoey 102, Nickelodeon, MTV, or any of the other trademarked things mentioned. I am merely borrowing all of these things for my own twisted plots and objectives. Most will be returned unharmed.

Enjoy!

"The Collective Trials of a Quinnventor… and Logan"

Chapter 24 - An INSANE Saturday!

(Quinn's Perspective)

5:30 am came so much quicker than I anticipated. Why had that seemed like such a good idea last night? I can't remember for the life of me right now…

Oh right! That's because my time with Logan had been interrupted when all of our friends were on to our secret. Logan had to go back to his dorm room and put out some figurative fires. The scariest part is we wouldn't have even known about it if it weren't for Chase!

I blame it on being slammed by finals preparations, even if I'm technically not required to attend. I've been exempt from all of them as of yesterday. But I usually like to take them anyway, and look forward to the challenge… Well, I blame exam prep and the persuasiveness of my boyfriend. He can get me to nearly agree to anything when he asks it during one of our stolen moments together. And all of them lately have to be stolen… with the heartstopping close call we had last night. It sounds like it's gonna be that way for a while just to recover.

When my alarm sounded at that ungodly hour this morning. Both of my roommates were throwing things, till it was off again. Both were screaming, "It's SATURDAY! NOOOOOOO!"

Like they don't have classes today too… I know they'll both be hitting yoga classes later on. Hours from now, but there's no need for violence. I would be joining them too if I had the time. But no. I not only needed to reteach material, on a number of subjects. I also had to learn the three routines with Logan before the new week began. Because he'd volunteered to help set the standard in class for ALL of the required dances next week and I only knew about two of them (And that was only in basic steps). Tango and Mambo I could do, even if my knowledge was basic theory… probably not as good as Logan's on-screen impressive teachings. But hopefully, I could keep up, till we had it all worked out. Like we had been doing with swing dancing. But I was going to have to publicly swing dance this week too and I was nowhere NEAR ready for that.

Swing dancing is kicks, flicks and tricks (which is a sneaky way of saying, get ready for lifts and insane trust exercises).

The kicks, and flicks I was good on, as well as the super speed and fun. But the thing I still worried about was the "tricks" part of it. And that seemed to be what Logan was the most excited about. Because he was really good at doing the other thing great swing dancers do best…Showing off!

I kept telling him, that's not me… but Logan assured me I had been getting better and better. The two Latin dances were a breeze and I had nothing to worry about. That he wouldn't let me look bad… but I'm a worrier by nature. Especially when my boyfriend is taking me to a pool today to practice lifts for a few hours before my peers and all out pupils start commandeering all of my free time the rest of the day. It'll probably be way worse after Prom, then I'll have no excuse to turn people down.

But I couldn't worry about that now, I had to dance. So I cleared my mind (the best I could) and grabbed the outfit I'd dug out of our shared closet last night along with my bathing suit. I'd pulled my last clean tanktop to wear over my two-piece swimwear and a pair of thin shorts (like leggins). I didn't even realize till I had nearly reached the pool, the tank top I was wearing was the same one I had worn the first time Logan kissed me on our bench. The rest of that experience had been SO humiliating. But that kiss had turned my whole world around and upside down.

But I just knew he'd never notice it or recognize it. Guys just don't pay attention to that stuff really. Mark hadn't, our guy friends didn't, my own father, uncles, and grandfathers didn't, so why would any guy I dated?

As I walked to the pool and the sun was just starting to think of rising… So it wasn't pitch dark there was a little light starting to show. I had to get a few other things straight in my mind. Like how I really needed to talk to Logan about what happened last night… How close our friends had come to blowing this secret. And how AWFUL Lola had been to him. I still couldn't-

Okay, I can believe Lola would get in Logan's face. I know she would defend me, and let nothing stop her if that's how she saw it… But the thing Lola doesn't know is that there's nothing to defend me for. Logan has been a complete GODSEND throughout this whole experience…

So much so that I've fallen completely and madly in love with him. And I know I never could have been this okay after what Mark had put me through if it weren't for Logan's care. Above all of the other support in my life. Logan has helped me the most, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

I'd planned to comfort him and talk it out last night, but he hadn't wanted to talk about it then…

I fully understand and can't blame him. But I knew (like Chase), he had to have been hurt by Lola's words. They had hurt me when Chase and Liam were repeating them. She had no idea what she was talking about, but even if she did. I doubt anyone could have prevented her from overstepping and putting both of her feet in her mouth the way she did. Lola is headstrong and opinionated like that, not to mention way overprotective of those she loves. I love her like a sister, but she has no grasp of the actual-

I had to talk to Logan, I had to… probably before we did anything else. The whole campus was nearly a ghost town. There weren't many people stirring around. Except for a few on the janitorial staff… it was a little unnerving and creepy.

But Logan was waiting for me by the door. He was leaned up against the wall, wearing a black sleeveless shirt and swim trunks that were red with black vertical stripes. He'd warned me to dress in things that I didn't mind getting wet (along with a bathing suit). Of course, all of his clothes looked brand new.

He greeted me with a "Hey beautiful," and kissed me good morning. Saying, "You're right on time, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Okay," I said because I was now, but he handed me a cup of my favorite drink from the coffee cart whenever I wanted to wake up in a hurry.

"How did you get these and how did you know?" I asked him.

"What kind of boyfriend doesn't know all of their girlfriend's favorites? And I have my ways of getting things like this, you know I do." He shrugged, before he guessed, "Ya Nervous?"

"A little," I admitted.

He said, simply. "Don't be, this'll be fun. You'll see… Is that the same top you wore that day? You know with the bench, the kiss and Michael and Zoey broke us up riding by on a horse?"

"Yeah, The first kiss." I said in pure disbelief.

He said, "The first REAL kiss. Who could forget that?"

I think I even said, "I can't believe you recognized it."

"Oh come on, it was pretty unforgettable." He pointed out.

"So was that kiss." I added, and he smiled.

"Yeah, it was." He agreed before stealing one more bold kiss from me. Even though we were still standing beside a pretty public place. Even if it was deserted right now. He also remembered, "That look wasn't really you though, was it?"

"Nope, not really." I agreed.

While he admitted, "That's probably a good idea. It's gonna be WAY harder than normal to not kiss you. Dressed like this again, even if this time you look more like yourself."

I shrugged at him, "These are supposed to be the more romantic dances. And if you slip up in practice it is better to do then, instead of in front of everyone." I teased as I let him snuggle me close. Before he said, "Maybe we should head inside now."

"Yeah, right behind ya." I agreed before he opened the door for me. And we both ran into the entrance to the indoor pools. Luckily the swim team would be using the outdoor pools today. So we could practice for a while in the indoor pools. There were more than one. But Logan had called dibbs on room 2, because it had a big open area beside the pool too. So technically it was a dancefloor and a pool.

Logan explained, "I thought it would be safer practicing these things in a place where it's not so easy to be spyed on too."

"An enclosed pool, Good call! That's very smart." I complimented.

"Thanks," He smiled brighter. "I have two professional dancers coming here today and tomorrow. They're going to work with us till we get it, but their still getting here. So we've got a little time yet."

I said, "Good! Because I want to talk to you about last night."

"So do I," Logan agreed still holding my hand as we walked along the side of the pool leisurely. Both of us sipping at our paper coffee cups and perking up a little more on each sip. It was the pool we would be using for lift practice when the pros got here. He said, "I'm sorry I couldn't talk about it last night. I just needed to be with you more than talk, after being so panicked over all of our friends ruining everything. Before we're ready for any of them to know."

"No, I understand, and I'd really needed to be with you too." I told him frankly and he pulled me closer and just held me for a minute. I kissed his shoulder and his cheek. Asking him, "Are you okay?"

He smirked, "I'm fine." But even before we'd gotten so much closer. I would have seen through that grin.

I told him, "Well, im not, Lola has no clue-"

"I know, and it didn't bother me, or anything." He lied, I could tell. "What pissed me off was it wasted time I could have been with you. That was so much worse than anything else, really. Did you say you had a list of things they noticed?"

"Yes, I brought it with me too... if you want to look at it now or take it with you and look at it on your own." I offered. I had it in the bag I had slung over my shoulder. Along with all of the stuff my first cram sessions would need.

"Let me take it when you gotta go, I'll look at it then and give it back to you. The next time I see you, whenever that is." He promised.

I ballparked, "If we're lucky it'll be lunch. If not then, it'll probably be late… maybe even after dinner for you."

"I'll wait for you." He promised again.

I laughed, "You don't have to do that, if your starving after your basketball game today, just go ahead and I'll catch up later-"

"No, the difference between this Saturday and our last one (when we'd had our date on the beach)… I have a feeling I won't be starving… not for food anyway." He quirked his eyebrows at me.

While I tried to act scandalized and said, "Gosh! How can I help you with that?"

"Oh! I'm sure you can come up with something." He said softly a breath away from kissing me again. Then we were both kissing for an insurmountable amount of time.

Before I could say, "We're supposed to be using this time to talk."

"We are talking..." He'd insisted before grinning so happily. "We're talking... in between."

Then he kissed his way down the side of my neck. Whispering, "Can't help if I had a reaction to seeing you in this again." He'd said giving my top a tug.

I told him, in a laugh, "Yes, you can."

"No, believe me." He said nuzzling my nose and swearing. I couldn't have kept that in and danced with you all that times."

"Good thing they were a little late then." I'd said nuzzling his face right back.

He'd agreed, "Thank God." before pulling me back into a deeper kiss... that was embarrassingly interrupted by the two professionals appearing and clearing their throats. I started to apologize while Logan just grinned, not sorry in the least but the pros both waved off my sorryies.

Claiming, "No! This is GOOD! In Tango, you need to be either a good actor or have a genuine attraction. I think we've already seen that this will be a genuine pairing." The Female dancer with a thick and saucy Spanish accent smiled. Before offering me a hand to shake claiming, "I hate it when the pairing has no REAL chemistry. I'm thrilled that won't be the case today, You're Quinn? I already know Logan. I'm Paulina and this is my husband, Gleb, we've danced together for twelve years and been married eight."

"Wow! Nice to meet you both." I smiled as Gleb kissed my hand.

Gleb's accent was more European, claiming "The pleasure is all ours. Logan's a good friend, and great dancer. He even had to hold his own when he has a strong partner like my Paulina. He had to dance with her for a movie dance scene. And I know just how hard that can be." Then he whispered to me, "My wife, she always steals the show."

Paulina swat her husband and said, "I wouldn't need to steal the show if you didn't soak up so much of the spotlight. With all of your showboating!"

"Part of how you look so good, is when I look good too." He reasoned.

She laughed in his face and said, "Do you want a little early trip into the water?"

He warned her, "You're the one closer to the edge." Then they were both playing at tossing each other in.

She shot back, "If I go in there now, then that's another night where you sleep with the dogs and their doghouse."

Logan clapped to regain their attention, "Guys! Do we need to be here for this conversation?"

"YES!" Both professionals insisted!

Paulina explained, "It's not enough that I love him and we have three kids at home-"

Logan interrupted. "Three? THREE? When I danced with you Paulina you were hiding the fact you were pregnant with the second one."

"Yes! We have three boys now." She smiled while both parents whipped out pictures. They were the cutest little family. But no compliment could deterred Paulina from complaining. "And this crazy man is already talking about having more! Just when I finally got my old body back again."

Gleb put an arm around her and claimed, "Only because we have all boys and I want at least one little girl to keep those boys straight. Not to mention I really want a little daddy's girl."

But Paulina was already biting back, "Who says she'll like you that much?"

I don't know about you, but I was already awe-struck and convinced. These people are adorable! Logan and I were both laughing, and I was already beginning to relax a little. Even if the 'lifts' part of this practice was still giving me major anxiety. And my hands wouldn't stop shaking if think about it.

Paulina shrugged off Gleb's affection and shot him a look before getting back to her point. "Anyways, with dance, especially Latin dance, there's so much more to it. Then just the steps, music, and moves being arranged just right. It's a feeling and it's storytelling with your whole self. It is a story that will reach anyone who sees it and doesn't need words. To do that, you need what you just saw in our argument, that fire and fun. Not to mention, what we just saw in your little kissy faces when we walked in."

I blushed on cue, while Logan still just looked proud of himself. "I told you my partner this time is a natural."

Gleb nodded in full agreement with his wife claiming. "In English, there is no such word to describe it. The closest we can find is 'the Spark.' If you have that, like we do. No way your dance can fail to move any audience. Be it amateur, professionally judged, or idiots, you'll have them on their feet."

Paulina complimented, "We already know Logan is a magnificent actor, let's see what you can do Miss Q. But first things first. Take a walk with me."

She said taking hold of my shoulders and turning me to walk me back the way they'd come in. Logan started to ask Paulina what she was doing. Gleb had to hold him back, as Paulina called over her shoulder. "Don't worry, Miss Q and I are just taking a walk. Woman to woman."

While I heard Gleb explaining, "Trust me, Paulina's going to take good care of her. You won't regret whatever she do. In the meantime, you and me will stretch out, Yes?"

But that was all I heard, and Paulina wouldn't let me look back. She made me face forward and keep walking till we were back out of the doors they'd come in through. True to Gleb's warning Paulina took me aside and gave me a more latin look. She styled my hair, and wet it a little to give me a more latin look. She finished it by pinning a pretty big flower just above my left ear, before she tied off this cute wrap around my waist to mimic the tighter and shorter skirt that I should have for this dance. And she lent me professional dance shoes, for the rest of my teaching. My size was the size she'd worn before she had her babies.

She demanded to see how I have been stretching, before these dances. Then she showed me a few new one's to add and even told me why I needed to do them. What dances each stretch helped with, and things like that… I can't tell you how much I appreciated everything she did. Even before our real class had even begun.

She even told me before we walked back in there, "Okay. To get the best possible performance out of Logan. I learned from day one, he has to be provoked, it's his competitive nature. So when you walk back in here, we will only get his best performances if he is properly challenged… So when you walk in here. I want you to walk like you're the professional and you're the one who's gonna show him a thing or two. Okay?" And when I promised to try and she said. "Not good enough. I need you confident and sure. I saw the way he was holding on to you earlier. As well as the way were holding on to him. You've already got him right where you need him. All you need to do now is show him you've got him."

So I gave it my best and listened to her.

So when I walked back into the pool room with Paulina. She'd let me walk in front of her and told me to give it all the spunk and spark I had. Because she wanted to see Logan's jaw hit the floor (why was everyone always sayin-never mind, I get it).

I walked in and both men's jaws dropped, Gleb recovered faster. Chuckling over by the stereo system.

I came and took his hands and asked him, if "he was ready to begin."

First, he said, "Huh?" Then he said softly so only I could hear. "So not fair looking that good and wearing that top again."

"I never said I would make it easy for you." I teased.

"No, and you never have." He smiled too big to doubt Paulina was right. He was so distracted that when Gleb slapped him on the back, he jumped. "Mind if we get started, Casanova?"

Logan immediately straightens right up again. "Oh, yeah! Sure, let's get started.

Mambo was first thankfully.

Gleb stepped up behind Logan to get his posture just right, and Paulina straightened me out too. Once we were standing correctly, then they followed us step by step through every move the first few times. Saying where the lifts should be, but we were just getting the basic footwork down now. Then they stood back after the song had played all that way through twice.

Gleb asked us. "Now, can you two remember that and try it on your own?"

I looked up questioningly at my partner and he nodded as he said, "We'll try."

And you know, it was just like the other dances we've been doing. In the respect of if I didn't remember something he did, and if he misstepped, I had his back the same way. We were way comfortable partnering together. We got through it two more times and even picked up speed and started having fun. Starting with the Mambo turned out to be a great icebreaker, it was so much fun. Not nearly as terrifying as I had been imagining… I even started to believe we could do this.

But that Tango… even the basic footwork had me fanning myself. Especially when Logan keeps giving me that look! And Paulina and Gleb kept saying, "CLOSER!" "TIGHTER!" "SEXIER!" or "HOTTER!" Because like our victorian dance, this one builds as we go. And we had be serious through the whole thing. Even I have my leg propt on Logan's shoulder for a dip.

Even Logan was asking, "Can we jump in the pool now?"

Gleb laughed while Paulina was all serious. "Almost! First I want to see your swing routine done this same way. I want to see if we can tweak that any as well. Before we work on all of your lifts."

So we showed them what we'd figured out together. The beginning of the dance was just basics, and as the dance went on it got way more fast, fun and technical. And the more I saw the pros nodding their heads in approval. The better I felt about it all… But if that doubt started to creep up on me. Logan would look at me or say the right thing to pull me right back in it.

When it was pool time. They got in with us and broke down each lift with us. Gleb even partnered with me for all of the beginning and showed me where everything needed to go. While Logan was working with Paulina, who was showing him what to expect when he's holding me. Over and over till we both got it! So when we were partnered up with each other again. We both knew what to do. I knew just how to move and pose and he knew how to hold me and make me feel secure. I couldn't even tell you how long we worked on it. Not only did the water make any mess-up easier. Because you weren't landing on your face. But it helped your body feel and judge better where everything needed go and how you needed to move to look good.

I realized that when I'd heard the word "lift" I had been thinking the same. Over-the-head Patrick Swaysy in Dirty Dancing lift anyone else would think of. But it turns out that there are millions of mini-lifts that aren't so hard and those were the ones we were doing.

When I was back to Logan, I was was soaking wet, a little pruney and I still didn't feel fully relaxed till we messed up that first time and fell together. And all we could do was laugh about it. I'd hugged him and asked if he was okay. He said, "Yeah, you?"

"I'm fine! Can we try that again? I think I know what happened."

"Yeah!" He said as Paulina and Gleb were both saying, "Yeah!" too. I get the idea they were all concerned that I would want to give up. Or something.

Not only was I as determined to make Logan look good. I was also having too much fun to quit now!

Both Pros reminded us of how we both needed to look, pose and trust each other. So many of the Tango lifts needed us to maintain eye contact and not smile. That had been way harder for me than Logan… He had been giving me so much more than I'd been ready for and I kept having to bite my lips to stop smiling. But when it was nearly time to meet with my first study session. The pros had left promising to return tomorrow, [Paulina made sure the pool hadn't ruined my hair style too... she's so sweet!]. We were about to walk out of there together. To the fully awakened campus already in full Saturday Morning swing… I felt so much better about Monday's dance class. I really hope Logan did too, he looked like he felt a lot better than he did first thing this morning.

Both of us were sporting damp hair and pruny fingers. But it had been all worth it!

He reminded me right by the door, that I needed to lend him my notebook. The one that kept the list of things Chase and Liam had complied for us. It wasn't till later I realized that I also handed him the notebook with my study schedules written down for today, tomorrow and next week too. Luckily I had looked them over and made sure I had them memorized last night, before I went to sleep.

Before I opened the door to step out, he caught me and pulled me back to him. Laying a kiss on me that he'd been holding back that whole session. I was really afraid we were gonna set off a fire alarm with the heat of that one. But somehow the heat censors remained unaffected and I made a mental note to check them again (for real) before Summer vacation.

He said, "I just wanted one more. Before I have to let you go, and give an Oscar performance to keep my hands to myself for the rest of the day."

I let him know. "It won't be easy for me either… maybe it's good that I do have to keep so busy."

"No. When we get all of this prom stuff, exam stuff and secret stuff out of the way… we'll have to plan something we can do together. Something BIG. Just you and me."

"Like what?" I asked in wonder.

"I have no idea, but I'll work on that while you go teach the dummies." He smiled genuinely. He was always happy when he was scheming though. It's not his fault that these plans always made me nervous.

I reminded him, "Make sure to work some studying time in there too, mister. You've got a few exams you have to pass, remember."

"I know, I will… I would ask for your help too. But I know we wouldn't get any studying done." He flirted and he was too adorable. I kissed him but caught a glimpse of the clock on the wall and realized. "Oh no! I gotta go! Bye!"

He stole one last quick kiss, and I was running to make it on time.

((Zoey's Perspective))

No… uh ah! Nope, no way!

I'm a completely crazy person and I'm not still thinking about Quinn and Logan being a thing. Our meeting last night confirmed those ideas were all as boundless as they sound! No, I'm not doing that.

I'm also not thinking about Chase today… No! Not at all! NOT happening! I am with James and I am happy… I'm good…so good.

I am happy… aren't I?

I mean look at him(James). He's a total babe, girls would kill for the chance to date him. I'm almost positive some of them really have too. So much better than all of that, he's like the nicest guy on planet Earth… you know besides Chase, of course.

Chase, the clumsy, witty mess… best person I've ever had.

Who loves me… and I-Stop it!

James could have dated anyone he wanted to and he still picked me. He dates me, and spends so much of his free time with me. He even arranged a special little quiet moment for just the two of us. Before we join the others for lunch today.

How SWEET is that? Any girl would be crazy to…

Who would even think - Not me, that's for sure. And another thing that DIDN'T happen last night. Was Chase did not send me his CRAZY ACCURATE esp bestie magic vibes! Telling me things no one else heard. No, he did not!

I felt like he was trying to tell me something. Like he was somehow reaching out to me through that PC flatscreen. Something he couldn't say out loud, for some reason. And what I heard, reading between the lines was even more nuts than anything he actually said.

No! That did not happen and I'm nuts for even thinking it… is CRAZY in all caps!

But I can't stop feeling like he was trying to tell me something… or warn me… and Why? Why else would he try to downplay the craziness of Logan dating Quinn? How can that possibly make sense to ANYONE?

"Zoey? Did you hear that?" James asked breaking me outta my unintentional trance.

"Hear what? I'm sorry?" I asked.

"The announcement just now over the loudspeaker? It said Logan's father's production company is recording our prom. Supposedly it's handled the archives coverage of each prom since even before Logan started attending here. Did you know that?"

"No… he never said anything about it… and if he did, I didn't hear him… Or believe him." I realized as I said it.

James reasoned, "That could be why Logan's so involved in all of the dancing stuff. It's not because he's interested in Quinn, after all. He wants his class to look the best of all."

I had to admit, "That does sound like something he would do." But I still didn't get it.

Why is everybody so obsessed with Prom? What's the big deal? I don't get it! Was it because everyone knew it was gonna be recorded like a movie? By a crew of professionals who usually make real blockbuster movies? Or was it just that everyone's mentally strange? And I'm the only mature one to see there's a lot more happening in the world besides this stupid dance?

No, that can't be it… I'm not that serious or mature. And even all of the most serious and mature people I know are just as nuts as everyone else about Prom. Apparently…Speak of the devil, Quinn came to sit with us right along with (the coffee ban guy)Drew who was carrying Quinn's books. Even though she was still telling him. That she could have managed just fine on her own.

He ignored this, pulled out her chair for her and pushed it in once she was sitting. Nice move.

Lisa, Michael, and Vince were right behind them too. They all were carrying their lunches in trays. Quinn took the seat beside me and before I even knew what I was doing. My hand was in Quinn's hair before she was even sitting fully down, and I was telling her. "I love your hairstyle! Did you do it yourself? What flower is that?"

Drew said, "Isn't it gorgeous… and the flower too?"

Quinn continued even if she didn't look like she quite knew how to take the compliment. "No, I didn't do it myself but thanks… I wish I knew the name of this flower. Paulina fixed it for me." Quinn said, only leaving me with more questions.

"Paulina? Should I know who that is?" I asked, still wracking my brain for a face to match the name.

"No, she was the professional dancer teaching Logan and me this morning," Quinn said, as Lola sat on the other side of her.

Drew implemented, "Not that this lady needs a teacher for ANYTHING."

Lola asked Quinn, "Where have you been all day? I've seen Zoey, but I never ran into you till now. You weren't even around this morning. You were already gone."

"I know," Drew complained. "I think my great uncle Ted had an easier time finding a kidney donor than I've had finding this lady today. And we haven't even gotten to our study session yet. Who knew endless knowledge was such a hot commodity?"

Lisa said, "Who indeed?"

"Remember that 5:30 alarm going off this morning?" Quinn asked me and Lola.

I looked at Lola and both of us squinted our eyes at each other and said together slowly. "Noooo." Because I honestly didn't recall it, I don't think.

"I don't blame you, it was very early." Quinn shrugged. "Anyways, that was me getting up-"

Lola interrupted to say, "Please tell me that wasn't when your tutoring sessions started."

"It wasn't, I'm not that far gone-" Quinn tried to say again.

But James pointed out, "Logan got up at 5:30 this morning too, were you guys meeting up for dance practice?"

"Yep! And it was more fun than I was expecting. Logan brought in a couple of pros to help us learn quickly." Quinn said, looking a whole lot more relaxed than she was the last few days.

Lola said, "Good! Can you let us look at the professionals too?"

"At least the male one? If nothing else?" Lisa asked as she stole the seat on the other side of Lola.

Michael complained, "Lisa!"

"What? If he's a pro, I wouldn't mind him teaching me a thing or two." Lisa said, shocking us all so much that we all lost it laughing for a second. While Michael looked horrified as Vince who had just sat beside James.

Before Quinn could say anything, Logan walked up and said, "No way! Me and Quinn already knew the basics for each dance. The pros are just helping us fine-tune a routine we can teach all of you jerks. They don't have time to teach all of you from scratch."

"Oh come on Logan!" Lola whined. "Let us have an edge on the rest of the school too!"

"Umm…" He pretended to think about it while he was still standing. "How about no! You can learn with everyone else. Besides, why should I help you at all after you got in my face last night over NOTHING?"

"What's this now?" Quinn asked before taking a sip of her Blix.

Logan didn't sugarcoat it, he told Quinn matter-a-factly, "I caught all of these jerks having a meeting in my dorm room last night."

"A meeting? About what?" Quinn asked me and Lola. Even though Lola was glowering at an unphased Logan.

Logan told her, "They thought we were dating again."

Quinn looked around the table at everyone and complained, "SERIOUSLY? YOU GUYS?"

Drew said, "In my defense, I wasn't there and I never thought that."

Logan said flatly, "Good for you." But there was a venom in the way he said it. That left me with the impression he really wanted to say a lot more. Again I have no idea why.

I felt the need to explain, "Well, you guys have been spending a lot of time together lately, and we've all kinda noticed some things. New things, you know?"

Michael admitted, "That all look pretty stupid when Drew's carrying Quinn's books for her. And all Logan's carrying around is that healthy chip on his shoulder."

Quinn said, "No, he wasn't carrying my books for me. I almost fell and dropped my lunch because I was carrying my books too and Drew saw me struggling and helped me get here safely. That's all."

"Sure, of course." Lola said doubtfully.

Quinn shook her head and looked at everyone, "Please! I already told you all I'm not dating ANY one. Not for a while, anyways. Because I'm still very much recovering from the backlash of my last relationship. Which didn't just crash and burn, but it razed my self-worth and world view. I didn't just say that to hear myself talk, I meant it. Right now, when would I have the time with my schedule anyway? It wouldn't be fair to any guy, if I was dating one. Logan just as much as any other guy."

Michael laughed, "HA! Yeah, right!"

Quinn insisted, "I'm being serious, Michael!"

"Uh-huh! So you plan on attending Prom stag?" Michael asked back.

Quinn admitted, "I don't know, I would honestly be fine with that."

Michael told her, "No, you wouldn't, because even you are too cool to do that. And you've been teaching everyone how to dance with Logan. Everybody knows you got moves, if you two can't get dates, who can?"

Quinn told him, "Well, for one, boys who aren't intimidated by my intellect. Are deathly afraid of me when I can out dance them. That doesn't leave a whole lot of options does it?"

Drew quoted, "One man's loss is another's gain."

I (Zoey) didn't like the way no one was listening to Quinn so I admitted, "I know, Quinn. I'm sorry we didn't seem to take you very seriously! We were being dumb." I apologized to both Quinn and Logan. The others all apologized with me except for Lola who was determined to be stubborn. But I wasn't giving up on getting her to do the same.

When the conversations surrounding the table went back to normal… and no one was looking through. I noticed the way Logan was looking at Quinn. He looked like his heart was breaking for her, after hearing what she'd said… LOGAN! Has he ever looked like that when ANYone else was hurting? At any one of us when we were hurting? I can't say I've ever seen that expression before. Not on his face.

Then Quinn was about to ruin her hairstyle by putting it up and all three of us girls (Me, Lola and Lisa) Insisted on taking pictures of it before she did that. Because we want to see if we can do that sometime. But when all of us had good pictures of it. And we were showing Quinn what it looked like on our phones from the back. She'd turned back around to look at what we were showing her. When I distinctly heard another phone camera shutter sound besides ours.

Lisa thought she heard it from another table, nearby, but AGAIN it was totally Logan. He'd totally snapped a picture of her hair too. On the sly! I seemed to be the only one who noticed. But he'd even waited for her to look down at what we were showing her. So he got the full length of it down her back… Like I had just made her do for my snapshots too.

WHAT was that ABOUT?

Then Lola and me were helping her take it down so she could put it up the way she wanted. And finally, get it all out of her way.

She even made a complaint, "It's the moments like this that make me wonder if I shouldn't just cut it all off for another new start."

Lisa told her, "It would be a lot cooler for summer. But if you do that, do it for you, girl. Not because of any boy who hurt you or anything else."

"Yeah, you're right." Quinn agreed. When it was down she tied it back her way. And Drew was looking at her leaning on a fist. But what I didn't expect. At all was that he wasn't the only one staring at her.

Her eyes were closed and her arms were up above her head and I happened to catch Logan staring at her AGAIN! With that look again! That same one that I'd just seen minutes ago and NEVER before that… You'd almost think-

NO! He can't be! Can he?

Has he EVER looked at ANYONE like that before?

That was when the words Chase couldn't say but I had somehow STILL heard came to mind again. When Chase had been vocalizing, "Oh, come on guys! This is Quinn and Logan we're talking about. How many times have ALL of us had to jump between them BEFORE they kill one another?"

I know I heard, "Yes! They are in a relationship, but I can't tell you that. Because they're terrified to let anyone else know."

When he'd really said, "Even if this did prove true… Would that really be all so terrible?"

I heard, "Don't be jerks to them, you have no idea what I've seen them go through together."

HOW! How had I heard ALL of that! I don't know!

But I did!

How is that even possible?

But I heard it and now I can't un-hear it. Looking at Logan right now, as he watches Quinn talk herself down like she's doing. And simply tying her hair back…I have to side with Vince! Either they're in a relationship and hiding it like I heard through Chase's esp. Or Logan just REALLY wants to be with Quinn, and Quinn probably has no idea. Her feelings are still too hurt and raw from Mark.

And I just want to go kill Mark again! Okay, maybe not kill but just hurt him really bad, which isn't possible because the man has no FEELINGS! And expects the world around him to be the same. GRRRR!

Either way, this couldn't go on unchecked anymore. But first thing was first, I spoke for the ENTIRE group when I said…

"Lola, maybe Logan will feel more compelled to help you look good. If you apologize-"

"NO! ZO-EY!" Lola complained, so mature.

Quinn locked eyes with me, having no clue what I meant. So I waved it off promising. "I'll explain later, just know that Lola stepped over the line and Logan is our friend. We do not treat our friends that way… any of them."

"Do I have to?" Lola still whined.

Logan shrugged, "Do you want my help or not? It's your call, Martinez."

She thought about it briefly before finally saying, "Alright! I'm sorry Logan, I was just trying to look out for Quinn and I guess I got carried away."

I (Zoey) pushed, "Guess?"

"Okay! Okay! I totally overreacted, I'm sorry!" Lola panicked.

"I know." He shrugged, "We're cool. But if you want an edge on the competition, show up at the indoor pool room 2 tomorrow morning 9 am. We'll show you what we're planning and the pros may help too. I'll talk to them about it tomorrow." We were all celebrating so much I almost missed how he singled out Quinn and pointedly told her, "You still need to show up at 6 though, Pensky. To lock it all down one more time."

"I'm well aware," Quinn affirmed, with a shrug of one shoulder. And Logan handed her back some of her notes he'd borrowed too.

James asked, "If we're dancing isn't it kind of dangerous doing that in a wet and slippery place?"

Logan informed my boyfriend, "Sure, but the pool helps a lot when you need to practice lifts like Quinn and me are."

"Lifts?!" Everybody started freaking out in different ways. The boys were apprehensive about the strength it took, while we girls were all remembering the lifts we've seen in movies and panicked about falling or getting thrown around.

While I turned to Quinn and repeated, "You are letting him lift you?"

She admitted, "I was completely freaked out about it, until after practice this morning. And it wasn't anything over our heads. It's just little lifts, but the water helps us trust how it should feel."

I had to ask, "What made you relax?"

She looked at me like she was trying to gauge my reaction. Then she admitted, "Honestly, I didn't relax till we fell the first time together. Then I was okay the rest of the time. We were even able to do some lifts out of the water too."

Logan was nodding at Quinn with this look, that screamed, "I told you so." Even if he didn't say it.

And Quinn admitted, "Okay, okay, you were right and I was panicking over nothing. Happy, now?"

He told her, "I'll be happier tomorrow when we kill this thing for real."

"And we will!" Quinn said with a little bit of confidence. That's new! But almost as soon as everyone's here. Quinn was rushing off to her next tutoring session across campus, so she had to move now if she was gonna be on time. I was finished too and really wanted to talk to her a little more. So I jumped up and walked with her… But even I had noticed the way Logan's face fell when she jumped up.

Have I really been this blind? How long has this been going on? And what on EARTH does Chase know that I don't? Like…Really? I was gonna have to either call or video chat him soon about that.

I called after Quinn, "Hey! Wait up! I'll walk with you."

"You sure?" She asked, warning. "I'm gonna be power walking most of this. If not running."

"Sure," I said knowing I could keep up. And not even lying when I admitted. "I've been feeling all day like I needed to get up and move more."

Quinn said, "Well, okay. Talk."

(Lola's Perspective)

As soon as Quinn was gone, so was Drew's reason for sitting here. Not that I minded, but he also realized that he had yet to get any food for himself. So he ran off to get some lunch, and sat in another area after that.

But how cute is that?

I gushed to Lisa, "I bet he's gonna ask Quinn out or to prom during that study thing. He made a point of taking up the last slot she had and being the longest time she'll spend with anyone-"

Michael asked, "But isn't Quinn working out of the Library? How romantic can that really be in such an old, stuffy, and odd-smelling place?"

I told him, "Michael he isn't asking you! This is Quinn we're talking about. QUUUUUINN! She's a total sucker for romance when it's tailor-made to her brilliance like that."

"Sure, silly me." Michael said not sounding convinced. As he elbowed Vince an asked. "Could you make a setup like that romantic?"

Vince had to admit, "It would be a challenge for me too. BUT maybe Drew can pull it off. He has been asking a lot of questions about things she likes."

I happily clapped and shared, "Oww! I wish I could put money on it. But I'm broke so, I'm just gonna happy dance with her when she tells us the great news. I hope it happens tonight!"

Lisa agreed, "Yes, they do seem to be very cute together. It would be so nice if Quinn had a date. Or even just a date for Prom. It's been a while since she saw anyone like that."

Even though I apologized to Logan AGAINST my will. He started throwing little monkey wrenches at my plans. Saying, "Did none of you hear Quinn at all? She said she had no interest in dating right now. Why are all of you hoping so much for something she CLEARLY doesn't want."

"Oh please!" I told him. "You bought that?"

When Logan's blank expression confirmed this, I told him. "She's only saying all of those things because no one has asked her yet. And she didn't want to put any more pressure on the guy she wants to ask her. Because he was sitting right here at this table with us. It's as clear as the nose on my face."

Logan pointed out sounding ugly, "You're right that there's no missing that honker. But you're wrong about Quinn-"

I told, Lisa to, "kindly spell it out for him the way you did Michael." But I whispered behind my hand, "But maybe use smaller words, like he's a child, because he is."

"I can hear you!" Logan complained, "Why even bother saying it behind your hand?"

"Get him Lisa." I prompted.

Lisa said way nicer than I would have, "Some times when someone is hurt the way Quinn has been it messes them all up. They don't even know what they want or need, themselves. It can get you so turned around you can miss the answer even if it's standing right in front of you. And that boy has been mooning over Quinn for nearly a whole week now. Who's to say he won't help her? By showing her something she needed even if she didn't realize it at first."

Logan (for reason's still unknown) insisted. "But why this guy. None of us really know this guy. Who's to say he won't hurt her more than Mark. Or mess her up more than all of this already has?"

James admitted, "Hmm, that's a good point there, buddy. An excellent point even, but I think the growing question amongst all of us is why do you suddenly care so much?"

"What?" He asked back.

But Vince nodded, "Good one James, that's an awful lot of worry. From someone who doesn't like her like that."

Logan's face got all red, "Th-THIS isn't ABOUT ME! This is about Quinn, and she just said-"

"We know!" I assured him. "We were all here, but we'll be happy for her when she comes to dinner tonight. And probably brings Drew with her again. If you were serious about wanting to be a better friend to her, Like you told Zoey last night. Can you please PLEASE be that better friend just a little longer and not wreck this for her? Just be happy for her, when it happens?"

Micheal said, "And if you can't, can you at least try to ACT happy for the girl. She has been your dance partner for weeks and weeks. It's the least you can do."

Totally cornered Logan came out swinging. "I'll only be happy if I see it's what she really wants. That's all I can promise."

I knew it! He doesn't care at all, those were all just words he said to Zoey last night. And I was glad I'd seen right through them. As Logan left and stomped away throwing his tray in trash so hard that it sent something shooting out of the garbage can into the air and hit people sitting at the table beside it.

Zoey had made me apologize, but I knew he didn't deserve it. He'd just proved that with his latest brat attack. I told Lisa, "See! He's terrible, absolutely terrible."

But for the first time Lisa was shooting me a look that wasn't too sure as she said, "I don't know, Lola."

I turned to face her completely and asked, "What do you mean you don't know? What's there not to know? You saw how he threw that whole diva fit just now. Refusing to be happy for her."

My boyfriend was wearing a similar smile as he said, "I think what Lisa's trying to say. Is was that little fit really like you said. Logan just being terrible. OR… he could have also been extremely jealous too."

I gasped and said, "LI-SA! NOOOOO! Don't go to the darkside!" I begged her as all of my friends laughed. "They say there's cookies over there, but it's all a lie! Come back to the lightside! Where Logan's a terrible person and not a jealous boy aiming for girls TOTALLY out of his league!"

Lisa pat my hand gripping her arm too tightly and said. "Sorry girl, but he looked like he was going crazy anytime that Drew guy spoke up. And like he would break something if it was directed at Quinn (and all of it was), I don't think he ate a thing on his tray and he played in Michael's basketball game earlier. No way any growing boy like these would play that hard to turn around and not eat like that. I gotta have to side with Vince."

So now that my boyfriend has even more of our group wondering. I hope more than ever the he's WRONG! And Quinn comes back with a date tonight… or for Prom! I'm not picky! Just ANYTHING to prove Vince completely TRUTHLESS in this matter.

He can be right about ANYTHING ELSE! Just not this! PLEASE! Not this!

((Back to Zoey's Perspective))

Recap:

I called after Quinn, "Hey! Wait up! I'll walk with you."

"You sure?" She asked, warning. "I'm gonna be power walking most of this. If not running."

"Sure," I said knowing I could keep up. And not even lying when I admitted. "I've been feeling all day like I needed to get up and move more."

Quinn said, "Well, okay. Talk."

(Real beginning) So I told her all that Lola had said and Quinn was sputtering angerly. "She has no idea what she's saying… Logan, he… He didn't deserve any of that. Not one word of it."

"I know," I agreed "That's another reason why I made her apologize. I know it had to have hurt him, even if he is really good at hiding it. You two have been getting closer lately too."

Quinn admitted, "No one's more shocked than me, but he's really become one of my BEST friends throughout all of this. He's helped me get back to 'okay,' more than anyone else. If I'm completely honest… including Lola."

"I've noticed, and I'm so glad that he could do that. But I think there's something else you've gotta know too." I tried to cue up what I was about to say. Because I was still in shock myself about it.

"What?" Quinn asked cautiously coming to a complete stop for the first time since we stood up.

I let her know, "Even if we were all wrong about you two dating… I don't think we were wrong about Logan. I think he really may like you-"

"Say what, now?" Quinn freaked. Before she got a grip on the bench beside her. And something about that bench made her jump away like it had burned her (YES! Because it was THE bench readers! Wink-wink!)

I explained, "You're not the only one who has been affected or acting differently...lately. Logan has been just as altered as you. And I'm starting to think that it could be because he may like you. May even love you. Who knows?"

"Zoey! Th-" She laughed and started walking away fast as before.

"What? What!"I demanded as she was still laughing.

"I don't know where this is coming from, but this is Logan Reese we're talking about. Popular guy, Hollywood, He's gotten more Prom proposals than ANY other guy on campus. Just ask him and it's not even because he's helping everyone dance well. It was already like that before so much of this dance stuff took over his and my life. Do you honestly think that a dweeb like me could ever compete with all of that?" Quinn asked.

I didn't hesitate to tell her, "YES! I think you CAN! Quinn! You have to know you're so much more to all of us than just a brain. You're spectacular, truly! You're beautiful, you take care of everybody the best that you can and care more than anyone else I know. Any guy would be damn lucky to get a second glance from you. But I think that our friend may want more than just that second glance."

She asked me, "Do you know how crazy you sound right, now?"

"Yes! But I really believe he's interested, and I don't think it's all acting like before. Even if that's how it all started. Just be careful, in case, I'm right. I don't want to see either of you get hurt, him or you! I couldn't stand to watch another one of my friends get hurt this year. We've all had enough of that to last a lifetime."

We stopped again and I could tell, we were where Quinn had planned to meet someone. She turned to me and said, "Zo… are you okay?"

I was honest with her, "I don't know… But I will be, now you get on to your study session. And I'll see ya at dinner." I had leaned on the nearest thing and waved her on. She reluctantly waved back and walked away, still worrying if I was okay. I saw it on her face even as she went outta sight.

Even if I had been truly okay in that moment, when she disappeared. I wasn't when I realized where I was standing. It was right next to Chase's favorite fountain, the one where so many moments have happened with him… and for some reason, tear trials just rolled down my face. I still don't know why, even hours later.

What is wrong with me? Why do I feel like my heart is being torn in two when I know I should be one of the happiest people on Earth? I don't know, but I sure hope I find the answers soon. Before this awful feeling ruins anything else besides my face for the day. Luckily I was able to pull myself together and get back to the group of friends still gathered around that lunch table. James took my hand and told me he'd missed me the moment I was back.

No one else needed to get hurt… Especially not him.

(Quinn's Perspective)

That little chat with Zoey, really did a number on me. Not only was I worried because she was still wondering if something was happening between me and Logan obviously. But now I was worried if she was alright. She didn't seem like herself, she almost seemed heartbroken… but her and James had just been smiling together at lunch… what was going on there?

I was concerned about her, about the status of our secret and what Zoey had been saying about Logan liking me, or wanting more than friendship…

WHAT was THAT about EXACTLY?

I don't know, but the whole thing left me so puzzled I was a space cadet for most of my study sessions. Just paying attention enough to get the work done. And that wasn't me! Thankfully none of my students or peers noticed.

Until my study partner was Drew who had said, "EARTH to QUINN!" To snap me back to reality.

When I asked him, "Yes?"

He asked me how, "So how was Neptune and Pluto?" Which made me check the papers in front of me to confirm we were working on math and I wasn't going crazy. Drew then teased, "Because something carried you off to the deep reaches of space. You weren't here anymore."

"Sorry, I promise you, I am back now and you have my 100 percent attention again." But this answer wasn't enough for Drew.

He asked me, "Wanna talk about it."

But I was honest, when I'd said. "I'd really rather not. It's nothing really, just girl stuff, between me and roommates really."

"Oh good!" He said, before realizing how that could be misconstrued and amended. "Not that they're worrying you or anything. Just I was imagining much worse circumstances. Or maybe you'd just studied too far beyond your limit today. If you wanna call it a day we could grab dinner… you know, together, maybe."

"No, no. I'm fine, really." I said, side stepping the third possible date opportunity since I got here. "Let's get back to these equations and figuires. You've almost got the full hang of it now. And with Math that's the only way to get it, practice."

He did pick up his pen, but he ended up putting it right back down before he'd written a single digit. Saying. "Can I ask you something?"

I don't think I need to clarify how much this question scared me. But I did say meekly, "Sure… I guess."

Then he asked me, "Without turning and totally giving us away. Do you happen to notice that person wearing the annoyingly bright pink raincoat over there by the book drop-off area?"

And when he first said this, I didn't notice anyone. But then I realized, this pink blob had been just beyond the realm of my glasses. So I did have to turn my head just slightly to even see anything beside this big bubblegum colored blob. It was a person in a slick and shiny rain coat carrying a matching umbrella.

So I admitted to Drew, "Umm, Yeah… yeah, I see it? But I don't remember any mention of rain on the forecast today… do you?"

But when I looked at Drew's face, I could tell this wasn't the concern he'd had in mind. So I asked him instead, "Do you happen to know her?"

"Sure, that's Trisha my best friend… or at least she was my best friend till she stopped talking to me." He elaborated.

I asked him, "How long ago was this?"

"Nearly one full week ago." He revealed.

I deduced, "Oh. That's as long as you've known me."

"Yeah, I guess it is." He realized too. "I told her when you guys first started selling coffee. Did you ever serve her?"

I looked at her harder and realized, "I didn't but one of my roommates may have." But he wasn't listening to me anymore, his head couldn't seem to stop following the big pink shape. As it circled us clearly spying like a vulture targeting it's prey. I had to ask, "You don't think that you spending so much time in our coffee set up. Could have had any bearing on the subject, do you? That you've been hanging out with me and my friends as long as she's stopped talking too you?"

"No… I don't think so." He said, and he was serious. But when I locked eyes with the face of doom attached to the waterproofed pepto bismal bottle still circling the room. I KNEW that his friend who happened to be a girl had been hoping for more than friendship from Drew. Any woman scorn before knows that face forever more, once it has glared back at them through a mirror. And I could tell that Drew felt the same since I was no longer alive to him.

So I did the right thing. I ended our session, clued Drew in and told him to ask Trisha out to dinner. That I was meeting my friends at Sushi Rox tonight anyway. That he should spend the rest of the night catching up with Trisha. Then I packed up my things and headed out the doors. Just in time to watch Drew walk out ahead of me with Trisha and into a huge Prom Ask Moment. Trisha had planned with the rest of their friends, it was so impressive it was reported by Jeremiah Trottman and everything.

And Drew, of course said YES.

I was happy for him, really I was. But then I heard the end of Jeremiah's report. Where he reported and I quote. "Since Drew has been following around Quinn Pensky all week like a lost puppy. And our campus has been buzzing with excitement over the possibility of him asking Pensky to the Prom. I bet she's pretty surprised by these turn of events, wherever she is. Better luck next time, Pensky. That's all for tonight's news. Co-Courage-Oww! CUT!"

I don't know who could have thrown that ball at Jeremiah's head. It wasn't me! But I kinda wanted to hug them! I just called it Karma and tried to slip off unnoticed. But someone snuck up behind me before I could disappear and scaried me to death when they asked, "Rough night?"

It was Mark! Of COURSE! He was here and probably wrote most of that report Jeremiah had just read. He was the LAST person I wanted to see right now. So when my heartrate returned to some symbaliance of normal. I did say, "Mark… you scared the living crap outta me!"

"Sorry, sorry." He repeated, before saying, "I was just checking on you. Are you alright?"

I looked around realizing this was the first time in ages I'd seen him without Brooke's little troop of trollops. But I still told him, "Why start worrying now? You never did before?"

"Yes, I did." He tried to argue, but I knew he wouldn't have been able to remember a single time. If I'd pressed the issue so I just started walking.

But Mark followed, saying. "Sorry you had to see that. You seemed to really like him."

I said very clearly, "Who I like or don't like are no longer any of your business or concern. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to meet up with my friends for dinner. And you should run along before Brooke starts accusing you of cheating again. Good night, Mark."

I realize that came out a bit short, but I'm proud of myself for not cursing or spatting the words. Because I had REALLY wanted to. He ignored my venom and asked, "You sure you don't wanna talk about it. It might make you feel better?"

Sure, and give him more material for Jeremiah's morning report. Screw That! So I told Mark honstly, "No you're right Mark, it might help me to talk to someone. But that some one is not you right now, so really… Good night."

But then Mark asked me the question, "Are we ever going to be able to be friends again?"

I just knew my ears had to be playing tricks on me. I stopped turned to tell him, "I know I heard that wrong."

"No! You didn't!" Mark maintained, before asking. "Is there ever going to be a time where we can be friends again? Or do you just plan on hating me forever now?"

I had to tell him the truth, which was that. "I don't hate you Mark, okay. I don't, and I get it that you fell in love with Brooke. That you never loved or liked me and it was all one sided. But I am deeply hurt by the way you treated me the entire time we were together. Even if the way YOU ended things was BY FAR the worst! So it's gonna still take some time before any of this is okay again. ESPECIALLY when you continue to keep twisting the knife like this."

"Like what," he played innocent. "What have I done to hurt you lately."

"Well the last line of Jeremiah's report just now, for one. He doesn't really know I'm alive so I know that was your words he was reading on the teleaprompter. And I remember copy editor being one of your jobs for the audio-visiual club. You've stolen from my labs, snooped through the same lab. Laughed at me every chance, even if the worst was publicly during that nightmare at the kiss auction. And that's just naming a few. If you want me to forgive you? Just leave me alone and let me heal! Get your help for finals with the Sci-Club. You're all such close friends these days, they'll help you out for sure."

He complained, "But you're right about them. They only know the theory, they don't know a lot else."

I leveled with him, "Well, you should have thought of all of that before you threw me away. I hope we can be friends someday too. But right now, right this minute, I'm not gonna pretend it's okay… find help someplace else."

Then I got the hell out of there. I hadn't gotten far at all before I felt a hand grab mine and pull me into a hiding place we almost never use. But it was closest to the library. The second that hand had taken mine. I knew who it was. And I let him pull me under the cover of the trees. I'd barely made it inside, and his arms encircled me and held me tight.

Before anything else the first thing Logan asked me was, "Are you alright?"

I told him truthfully, "I am now." Then he kissed me for a little while.

Then when he'd stopped and leaned his forehead against mine. He asked me, "Did you mean to show me your study schedual today? Or did that just happen by accident?"

"That was a total accident." I said before pulling him back for another kiss.

He hadn't been expecting that, so when I pulled away he was sort of dazed. I couldn't help but laugh, he'd forgotten what he was about to say. So I told him, "Drew isn't gonna be hanging around anymore-"

"Yeah, I know." He remembered, that was what he had been about to say.

"Did you catch it on the news?" I wondered as I leaned against the trees concealing us behind me.

Logan surprised me by saying, "No, not exactly. I was in the library for most of your session with Drew-"

"What? Why?" I sputtered.

"Well, what kind of boyfriend would I be? If I didn't keep an eye on the blockhead that was out to steal my girlfriend from me?" He asked, before adding, "And don't tell me he wasn't interested in you either. Because you sidestepped three dates with him in that library before that pepto-princess showed up. I heard him... why didn't you just tell him no?"

"Well, I didn't want to hurt the guy." I tried to explain, "I just really didn't want to date him either and all of our friends had been saying how sad I've been. They didn't really leave me a leg to stand on, I didn't know what else to do."

"Say no." Logan stressed playfully.

I had to ask, "Are you sure you weren't watching us in the library because you don't trust me?"

"I trust you, I do." He said even kissing me and trailing those kisses down the right side of my throat. "I do trust you… It was that assbag I didn't trust." He clarified.

I could live with that, but as I was getting lost in this makeup makeout. Which usually doesn't happen till after dinner. I hinted, "Should we… ma-maybe be heading for… Sushi Rox?"

"No, we're way early. We've got time, I saw your schedule so I reserved our group table with Kazu for late. Nobody'll be there till real late." So we were both lost for a little while after that, to the point that we were almost late.

But before we had to go back to pretending. I did ask Logan, "If he'd seen Jeremiah get hit with the that ball?"

And he told me, "Who do you think threw it?"

I covered my mouth and laughed so hard, "Logan! You didn't!"

"What? It was just a volleyball, those aren't all that hard." He tried to cover before admitting, he'd been feeling for the hardest one in the bin the moment he heard my name mentioned.

Then it was late-night dinner at Sushi Rox with all of our friends. My friends who were all so worried I would be heartbroken all over again. Even when I told them all a million times that I was fine. I hadn't been the least bit hurt by Drew. I was happy for him…

But Logan knew I wasn't telling the whole truth and he HAD to cheer me up. I had noticed him kinda whispering off to the sides with our friends. But I had no idea what he had in mind. Until dinner was over and no one was rushing off to spend the rest of the night with their significant others. They were all still hanging around like this Saturday Night wasn't over.

When I finally had to ask, "Okay? What's going on?"

Logan asked me, "Would you mind following me? I want to show you something I just found out about tonight. After my basketball game, something I bet you don't know about."

He had me curious and I would have gone anywhere with him. But I had to sound suspicious and even reluctant when I agreed to keep up appearances. When we stood up, all of our friends walked with us and it turns out there was a mini dance thing happening in one of the big open areas. I asked Logan, "What is all of that?"

He said, "Do you remember that little group of sophmores who were talking to us in gym the other day. All gushing about how well we danced together?"

"Yeaaaaah," I nodded, still no clue where he was going with this.

He explained, "Well, it turns out they were so inspired by our performances and class that they've started a club that meets here on the weekends and dances. Any PCA student in any grade can join and we're both credited as co-founders. Along with that pack of girls."

Zoey asked, "Isn't that great!"

Lola said, "You're an inspiration in more ways than just science and brillance!"

Lisa even added, "It couldn't have happened without you two."

Vince added, "So why don't you two go make those girls' night and join in, already?"

Logan put out his hand to me like he did that first day in class and asked, "What do ya say, Pensky? Can you handle one more dance today?"

"Weeeeeeell." I drew out while all of our friends were chanting my name. Because they all wanted to dance too. Then I took his hand and said, "Sure! But none of the new stuff, I want one more practice with the new moves before they go public."

"Sure, sure." Logan agreed before I pulled over to this new dance floor and the surrounding dancers all stopped to greet us. Like celebrates or something. But this didn't feel like class, it didn't feel like work. This had been just like dancing with him on the beach last week. Where I really felt like my feet didn't even touch the ground again.

I know we had to be more careful, I know we probably didn't help squash any more suspicions tonight. Especially since Logan didn't dance much with other people and neither did I. He slipped up too many times to count and I hadn't been much better. But so much of our ways of keeping sane while keeping this secret has become tied to these dances. I tried my best not to think to much about it. I just had fun and I couldn't believe how much better I felt.

When the last song was playing and Logan pulled me way close I warned him. "You better watch it. There's no pool to jump into out here."

Logan laughed and said, "If I get desperate enough I'll jump in one of the fountains."

"Don't tell Chase if you do." I warned, "He has a thing about one fountain in particular."

"I'll just stay away from that one." He said before he asked, "Feel any better, you look a lot better now."

"I do, but we better head back to our dorms soon. We've got another very early morning tomorrow morning." I warned him.

He said, "We've got a little time yet. Can we just finish this last song?"

"Sure," I smiled. And that was how this rough day ended. Dancing under the stars with the person I wish I didn't have to hide my feelings for. I think I wished on every star in the sky for the courage to tell him so. If not for the chance that he could feel the same. That Zoey could be right and this isn't an unrequited love. The only way this day hadn't ended in tears over Mark's intrusion was all because of Logan. Because he wouldn't let it end that way.

How could I not love someone that determined to not let me cry? To not let me dwell or even frown? As I crawled into bed, and I could still hear Lola and Zoey sharing cute stories about what cute things they'd gotten to do with their boyfriends. I texted mine, "Can't wait to see you tomorrow and make you wanna jump in pools or fontains again. Night Baby."

I thought for sure he would be asleep already, and see it tomorrow morning. But then my phone's little light started flashing and the last thing I read before I fell asleep was his answering text that read.

"Missing you too much already, tomorrow can't get here soon enough. Sweet dreams, Baby."

That's all for this chapter!

But don't worry guys! I will be back next Thursday with another chapter if not sooner! We are getting so close to that release date and I can't wait to see what new things we'll learn from it. If you can please write a review, I would love to hear from you. Hope this is reaching you all with plenty of sunshine and you're having a great day! Take Care and Much Love!

~DarcyBeDippy85