Unexpected

Chapter 2: The Bane of His Existence

CADE

I grab my coffee from the counter and turn on my heels, eager to get the hell out of this coffee shop. It used to be my favorite place on campus until she started working there.

Logan Jaxen is the bane of my existence. I first met her when she came crashing into my apartment making out with my roommate, sophomore year. He and I were randomly paired and it was the worst year of my life.

Logan is gorgeous, any guy that lays eyes on her knows that. Even she knows that and that’s part of the problem. I don’t feel like I’m a hard guy to get along with. I work hard in my classes and contrary to belief, I like to attend parties every now and again. Hell, I’ll even suck back a few beers while I’m there. See, easy going.

It takes a lot to get my feathers ruffled, unless your name is Logan Jaxen. I’m not sure when our cordial greetings turned into eye rolls and death stares. I honestly try my hardest not to look her in the eyes. Logan is everything that I hate in a woman. She knows she’s attractive and uses that to her advantage. She slides by on everything because she is a cheerleader. She probably can’t even keep a conversation going unless it revolves around hair, clothes, cheerleading, or guys.

I try my best to steer clear of her but for some reason we are always thrown together in the same places. She’s the girl I love to hate. It doesn’t help that she gets just as riled up when I’m near her. It’s almost a game for me at this point. What can I say or do to piss her off..and honestly, it doesn’t take much.

LOGAN

It closing time and I’m so ready to get back to my dorm. I have so much studying to do that I probably shouldn’t sleep tonight.

However, if my bed has any say I will probably pass out after a few hours of reading. I catch the bus back to Owen Hall and take the stairs up to the 3rd floor. As I turn the key to get into my dorm I notice it’s pitch black. “Kris?” I call out to see if she’s here. No response. I’m guessing she went to the “get together” at Ethans. As badly as I wanted to go

I know my time is better served here under the crushing weight of life’s responsibilities. Dramatic, I know

After a few hours of studying I hear my phone ring. I look down and see my moms face. I answer

Logan: Hey mama

Mom: Hey baby, how’re you?

Logan: I’m alright, just busy. How are you and dad?

Mom: We are good. I’ve got some news though

My stomach starts to churn with fear.

Logan: Okay..what’s up?

Mom: Well, they are going to move grandma Kay to the nursing home. She’s going to be at the North Hills in Raleigh.

Logan: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that..

Mom: Me too, baby. We just wanted to tell you incase you wanted to stop in and visit her once she’s there.

‘stop in and visit her’.. my mom said those words like it was something I’d be interested in doing. Don’t get me wrong, I love my grandparents but they’re the ones who chose not to be part of our lives.

When my parents were young, 15 and 16 to be exact, my mom got pregnant with Hayes. She wanted to keep her child but my dads parents, Ed and Kay tried their hardest to get my mom to terminate the pregnancy. When she refused, my dad stood by her side and his parents disowned him. At the tender age of 16 my dad filed for emancipation from his parents. Thankfully my moms parents (Mimi and Pap) took my dad in.

It wasn’t until I was 9 that grandpa Ed and grandma Kay decided to make amends with their son. Needless to say, I didn’t really know them too well. Grandpa Ed passed away when I was a freshman in high school. Grandma Kay would visit a few times a year for a few short hours but that was the extent of our relationship.

I can’t say she was horrible. She’s always been incredibly sweet but it’s hard for me to wrap my head around what kind of people could abandon their own child. Worse, what kind of people would abandon their only child.

Mom: Logan? You still there?

Logan: Wha..yeah! Sorry mom. Uhm, I’ll think about it. Thanks for letting me know.

After that conversation I decided to call it quits and retire to my slumber.

…

Friday morning. I did my normal morning shuffle. Work at 5am with barely enough time to trek across campus for calculus. I slide into my seat, slightly out of breath. I don’t even dare look at the brooding blonde hair in the front. I don’t have time for his shitty looks today.

I open my notebook and start taking notes as Dr. Mathew’s starts in on yet another extremely boring lecture. He was the kind of professor who liked to make jokes that no one really understood. His most recent one being, “what is the first derivative of a cow? ..prime rib”. I’m not joking when I say you could’ve heard a pin drop in the middle of the silence that followed that joke, well except for when the master kiss ass laughed. Cade is such a suck up and it makes me sick.

“Just a reminder that Cade will be leading a study session today at 4. Test on Monday. Have a good weekend” Dr. Mathew’s says.

Kristen grabs my arm, “I’m going to go to that study session today” she says.

“But why? Do you intentionally want to ruin the start of your weekend?” My face scrunches with disgust.

“If I don’t I’m probably going to fail that test Monday, I need the extra study sesh” she says.

Before I can shoot her one of my snappy comebacks she adds, “will you please come with me?”.

I start laughing, “that’s hilarious, kris. I needed a good laugh”.

“I’m dead serious! Please Logan. Please please please. I don’t want to go by myself” she pleads, her bottom lip coming out.

“Kristen, for f**k sake..don’t do that to me” I say. I hate the pouty lip. She lays it on thicker and I crack under the pressure.

“Fine, I’ll go but you owe me so big for this!” I say wincing at my decision.

“But I swear, if Cade so much as looks in my direction I will smack that smug arrogant look off of his face” I tell her, the blood boiling already.

She chuckles, “man, is it bad that I kind of hope he looks at you?”.

I shoot her a glare before continuing on to my next class.