Riri Williams.
980 Words
The next afternoon, Logan was already waiting in the library when Briana arrived.
He was sitting at their usual table, spinning a pen between his fingers while staring at the textbook in front of him like it had personally offended him.
Briana dropped her bag onto the chair.
“You look miserable.”
Logan looked up. “I am miserable.”
“You've been studying for two minutes.”
“Exactly. Two whole f*****g minutes.”
She laughed as she sat down. “You're hopeless.”
“I prefer academically misunderstood.”
“That's not even a thing.”
“It is now.”
Briana shook her head and pulled out her notebook.
For the next hour, she helped him work through the questions he'd gotten wrong in class. Logan complained about almost every one of them, but surprisingly, he actually listened.
Mostly.
“So,” he said, tapping his pencil against the desk, “why do you actually like this stuff?”
“Science?”
“Yeah.”
Briana shrugged. “I don't know. I like understanding how things work.”
“That's boring.”
“You asked.”
“I know. I'm regretting it.”
She rolled her eyes.
He grinned.
“You're really serious about this, huh?”
“About school?”
“About everything.”
Briana looked at him. “Someone has to be.”
“Damn.”
“What?”
“Nothing. You're just…”
He paused.
“Different.”
She frowned. “Is that supposed to be an insult?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Logan leaned back in his chair.
“Can I call you something else?”
“What?”
“Because Briana sounds too formal.”
She raised an eyebrow. “My name is Briana.”
“I know.”
“So?”
“Riri.”
She blinked.
“Riri?”
“Yeah.”
“That doesn't even make sense.”
“It doesn't have to.”
Briana tried not to smile.
She failed.
Logan pointed at her. “See? You like it.”
“I do not.”
“You smiled.”
“I smile when people say stupid things.”
“Then you're going to be smiling a whole f*****g lot around me.”
She laughed under her breath.
“Fine,” she said. “Whatever.”
“Cool, Riri.”
Something about hearing the nickname made her chest feel strangely warm.
Nobody had ever called her that before.
They packed up when the library announcement warned students it was closing.
As they walked toward the exit, Logan glanced at her.
“You coming tomorrow?”
“Obviously.”
“Good.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets.
“I need you.”
Briana looked at him suspiciously.
“For studying,” he added quickly.
“Uh-huh.”
“Don't make it weird.”
“You're the one who said you need me.”
“Because you're smart.”
She smiled.
For once, she didn't feel like the smart girl people tolerated because she was useful.
She felt wanted.
Even if it was just for homework.
The next morning, Maya was waiting beside Briana's locker.
“You're smiling.”
Briana immediately stopped.
“No, I'm not.”
“You absolutely are.”
“I'm just in a good mood.”
Maya narrowed her eyes.
“Why?”
“Nothing happened.”
“That's not an answer.”
Briana opened her locker.
“Logan called me Riri.”
Maya stared at her.
“That's it?”
“Yeah.”
“And you're smiling like an i***t because he gave you a nickname?”
Briana shut her locker.
“Shut up.”
Maya laughed.
“I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
Maya's smile faded slightly.
“Bri, just be careful.”
“With what?”
“With him.”
Briana sighed. “Maya, he's just my friend.”
“Is he?”
“Yes.”
“You've known him for, like, a week.”
“I know.”
“And suddenly he's giving you nicknames?”
“It's not a crime.”
“I didn't say it was.”
Briana smiled.
“You're jealous.”
“Of Logan Parker?”
“Maybe.”
Maya scoffed. “Please. I'd rather eat cafeteria meatloaf.”
Briana burst out laughing.
“That's disgusting.”
“Exactly.”
They started walking toward class.
Maya bumped her shoulder against Briana's.
“Just don't let him mess with you, okay?”
Briana looked at her best friend.
“I won't.”
She meant it.
At least, she thought she did.
By the end of the week, studying with Logan had become routine.
He complained.
She threatened to leave.
He begged her to stay.
She stayed anyway.
And somehow, between equations and essays and Logan's constant complaints, they started talking about things that had nothing to do with school.
He told her about basketball.
She told him about the books she liked.
He made fun of her music taste.
She made fun of his terrible handwriting.
Sometimes they laughed so loudly the librarian threatened to separate them.
For the first time in years, Briana found herself looking forward to school.
On Friday afternoon, Logan packed his things and stood.
“Same time Monday, Riri?”
She smiled.
“Yeah.”
He nodded and walked away.
Briana watched him leave, a small smile still on her face.
She didn't notice the group of students waiting near the doors.
She didn't notice the way Logan's expression changed when he reached them.
And she definitely didn't hear one of his friends ask,
“Since when are you hanging out with her?”
Logan glanced back.
Just for a second.
Then he looked away.
“It's nothing dude.”
And Briana, still smiling behind him, had no idea she'd heard the most important words of the entire week.
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