Chapter Three
Later that day, they did all meet up at the library. Thea and Elise made plans to go out after, so Thea dressed a little nicer. She had a reason to now, a good excuse. Elise was dressed up, too. They walked in to find Logan and Sophia already sitting at a long table.
There was space between them, Thea was glad to see. They weren’t all cuddled up and holding hands like they usually were.
She slid into the seat across from Logan and Elise sat beside her. He looked up, blinked twice, then smiled.
“Wow. You guys going out or what?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Elise dropped her bag onto the table and took out her books. “Party on Fifth. You guys should come.”
Logan glanced at Sophia, who raised a shoulder.
“Maybe,” he said.
Thea opened her book and stole a glance at Logan. He was looking at her. When their eyes met, he smiled gently and looked back down. Her phone buzzed a few minutes later.
It was a text from Logan. She played it off like it was nothing, just a notification or text from someone not sitting across from her.
“You look hot today. For real.”
She forced her face to stay straight and not react. Her heart was slamming in her chest, though. It was working. It really was. So he had had feelings for her, then. And the potion was working.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she texted back.
She picked up her pen and wrote a sentence, like nothing was going on.
“Like you have any secrets from me. I’ve seen you naked already.”
She almost chuckled. She had to clamp down on her jaw to keep from even smiling. Sure, he’d seen her naked. Many times. She’d seen him, too. It just happened when you spent so much time together and when you’d been kids together.
“Well, you haven’t seen me lately. Not with my big boobs.”
He sent back a winky face. “Feel free to show me anytime.” Then, he said, “The secret?”
“I was hoping you’d think I looked hot in this outfit.”
“How is that a secret? Boo.”
“What?! It is! I never told you that I wanted you to find me hot before.”
“Right,” he said. “Because first of all, when I have ever not found you hot, and second, what girl doesn’t want guys to think that about them anyway? I call your secret double lame with dork potion on top.”
She couldn’t help it. A small giggle escaped her lips. Elise looked over at her, then Logan and Sophia did as well.
“You have to see this stupid video on Facebook,” she said.
“Are you kidding me?” Elise said. “We are supposed to be studying, not Facebooking.”
Elise grabbed Thea’s phone and set it on the table. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Logan stiffen. Her phone was right in Sophia’s eyesight.
“Whatever.” Thea snatched back her phone and shoved it in her pocket. “See, look, I put it away.”
But it was killing her. What a time to have to stop messaging. At least he knew what was going on and why she couldn’t respond. She waited several minutes, then went to the bathroom, phone in hand, of course. As soon as she was closed away behind the stall door, she responded.
“You really find me hot? I definitely think you are.” Smiley face. “You’re the only one whose opinion I really care about, anyway.”
Then, for good measure and just for fun, she brought out one of their inside jokes from high school, like he had. “Even if you do drink dork potion every night.”
It was something the three of them had made up together. Anyone who was being lame must be drinking dork potion. It started as a goofy joke, but they’d kept it up for years, bringing it out whenever it seemed funny again.
“Pfft. I don’t know about dork potion, but I’m hoping to be drinking with you tonight. This party will be cool?”
“Will be if you’re there.”
She returned to the table. She didn’t want to just sit in the bathroom texting him and have everyone wonder where she was. But when she sat back down, it was hard to concentrate. She kept peeking glances at him and, many times, she caught him peeking back. And now this party tonight, which would have been okay, was going to be awesome if he came. And there was the added bonus that alcohol would make her love potion stronger, since he would be even less inhibited. It was all coming together nicely.
A few hours later, Elise looked at her watch. “I think it’s time to go.”
“I’m sick of studying anyway,” Thea said.
Sophia yawned. “I’m kinda tired.” Then she turned to Logan. “Can we just stay in tonight?”
“Oh, umm.” Logan looked at Thea, then back to Sophia. “I think I’m gonna hang out for a while, actually. I’ll stop by later?”
“Okay.” She gave him a small smile and stood, then waited.
He realized she was still standing there and stood to give her a brief kiss and a hug. She held up a hand to wave goodbye and walked away, looking sullen.
“Alright then,” Elise said. “We ready?”
“Yup,” Thea said.
Logan stood between them and put an arm around each of them. “Definitely.”
When they got to the party a few blocks later, Logan went off to find drinks and Elise disappeared into the crowd. Thea stood off to the side, observing the room. Logan came to her a few minutes later and handed her a cup.
“Beer,” he said, and smiled.
“I’m surprised Sophia didn’t want to come.” Thea took a long sip of her beer.
“She’s not big into parties.” His face fell.
“What?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Starting to think she’s not right for me.”
She took another long sip to hide her smile. “Why do you say that?”
He leaned closer to her so he didn’t have to shout as loud. “Maybe I just need to spend more time with someone I’ve known longer.”
Thea looked up at him, heart racing. He was so close. But he wouldn’t kiss her here in public, would he? Not while he was still with Sophia. No, he wasn’t like that.
“I need another beer,” he said. “Want a refill?”
“Sure.”
He vanished into the throng of people, but it took a very long time for him to come back. So long that Elise had come to find her to check in, and she’d gone off to find Logan and make sure he was okay.
Thea found Logan laughing in the kitchen, with several empty shot glasses in front of him, holding two beer cups. She walked over and took one of the cups.
“Oh, hey!” he exclaimed. A huge smile spread across his face. “We were just doing shots. Want to do some?”
She smiled back. Red cheeks, huge goofy grin, shiny eyes. He was drunk. She’d been drunk around him enough to know what it looked like.
“How many have you had?” she asked.
“Just two.” He handed her one and she downed it.
“Can we maybe go dance?”
“Yes!” He grabbed her hand, took a huge swig of beer before setting down his cup, then headed to the living room.
They danced together, fast at first, shaking to the music. But when a slow song came on and she looked at him, he held out a hand. She took it and he pulled her close. He wrapped his arms around her and she held him back. They swayed together and the feeling of his body pressing against hers filled her with joy and excitement. The potion was working.
After a few more songs, she turned to him. “Hey,” she whispered. “Will you walk me back to my room?”
He nodded.
“I’m just going to find Elise and tell her we’re leaving,” she said.
Thea found her making out with a guy in the next room. She tapped her shoulder and said, “Logan is walking me back. Text me when you leave.”
“Will do.” Elise hugged her and went back to kissing the guy.
Logan pulled Thea in close as they walked outside. The air had chilled, but it felt good on her skin. He walked with his arm around her and they were quiet for a long time.
The anticipation was building in her chest. She wanted to kiss him, to ask him to come into her room. Drunk and on the love potion, he just might. But was he ready to make a move like that?
By the time they reached her room, he was looking less drunk.
“Thanks for walking me back. I had a good time tonight.”
“Me too.” He grinned at her and leaned close to hug her.
“Do you want to come inside for a little while?”
Her pulse raced as she watched his face, waiting for his answer. He looked down at his hands.
“I do,” he said. “But I can’t. I have a girlfriend, you know that.”
“I know,” she said. Her heart dropped as she dropped her arms and stepped back from him. She kissed his forehead. “Go to her.”
He looked into her eyes for a long time. “Thank you for understanding.” He turned from her but then turned right back. “Thea?”
“Yes?”
“Do you ever think of me as… something more than just friends or your friend’s brother?”
She took a moment to really look at him and let her gaze settle into his. “Yes.”
His mouth pulled into half a smile and he turned to walk away.