Capítulo 258: Logandra - Just Because :P
"Max… what the hell are you doing?"
The SUV officially arrived at Freccia Preparatory Academy. Since they arrived during the last class, the parking lot was already packed. Most chauffeurs had come to occupy the remaining spaces. They gained an assigned spot over time. It helped their young masters and young misses locate their vehicles.
As such, Jae figured it would be safe to stay on the main road. The vehicle gave them a height boost so they could spot the cousins easily from the crowd.
"I'm making a sign!" Max replied, knitting his eyebrows. He had taken a spare mat from the back. He used notebook sheets to cover one side. "You know, in case we get ushered away because this isn't an official parking space. This way Alex can find us."
Carla pulled out an earbud. She glanced over her shoulder. Max had crouched on the floor and used the seat as a table. "What do you think this place is? An airport?"
"Ssshhh. I am concentrating."
She rolled her eyes and went back to her streaming app. They still had some time left. The episode also reached a small climax of the storyline. She couldn't wait to see how it would be settled.
Logan gripped his phone. He suppressed the urge to call. Throughout the ride, he wondered what would be the best way to surprise Alex. Emily had assured Jae that her cousin had no idea at all about their plan. He had been thinking since then.
What would he even do when he sees her?
Hug her?
Kiss her?
Bite her?
Wait, that last one wasn't allowed.
Colin checked on their gas. They still had enough but it might be good to refill the tank before they give the SUV back. He turned his head to his right. Lauren had her eyes on the school. He peeked out of her window. The medieval castle did have its charms.
Lauren spotted his reflection. "It's beautiful and intimidating."
He shrugged. "Well, I surely feel it's another level from our own school."
"You'd think with a more expensive education, all of these students know good manners."
Colin flickered his gaze towards her. "Are you talking about Alex's stories about her class?"
"Yeah," she sighed, turning around to meet his eyes. "At least, she's not alone. I wonder what kind of people Kate and Xiera are."
"Oh, hey! They're coming out!" Max suddenly exclaimed.
"What?" Jae scowled. He checked the time from his tablet's toolbar, pausing from reading. "There's still 15 minutes before the last bell."
His best friend didn't seem to hear him. Max scrambled out his spot, climbing over the backrest between him and the front seat. Logan and Jae leaned away from his leg. A series of profanities escaped their lips.
Max ignored them. He reached for the sunroof and opened its lock.
"Max, what are you—" Lauren began to say. She stopped short as Max stuck out his upper body through the sunroof. He raised his hands, holding up the sign. He didn't have any marker so he scraped a pen several times in order to bold the letters.
Unfortunately, he didn't finish on time so some of them were thin.
```A L E X ' S PICKUP CREW```
His eyes focused on the girl with charcoal straight hair. He watched her squint her eyes on the sign. Her lips moved as she mouthed the words on his sign. Bubbly energy swelled in his chest.
His plan was working!
Jae frowned, also staring at the girl. "She must be so confused."
"Max's brain is hard to understand." Logan shook his head. He peeked out the window as well. Like his twin said, the gate was still closed. The girl probably had special permission to leave early—like the school nurse instructing her to.
Then, an amazing thing happened.
They watched her gasp, blinking several times. Her head snapped towards her right. Cars blocked their view. They couldn't see where she looked. They heard a faint shout. She glanced at the sign once more before shifting her attention again.
This time, her voice sounded clearer.
"Oh my gods," Lauren breathed out. She opened the door, stepping out. "SHE'S CALLING ALEX!"
She ran for it. Her golden hair flew with the wind. She pumped her legs like her life depended on it. A figure slowly emerged from behind the cars. Honey brown hair fell onto dainty shoulders. Slim legs headed for the girl they saw.
Pink lips parted open to say something.
Tears pooled behind Lauren's eyes. "Alex!"
Alex snapped her head at the sound of her name. Her stunning gray eyes widened as her jaw slackened. She couldn't believe what she saw.
"Lauren?!"
Her friend tackled her into a hug, squeezing tight. "Ohmygods, I missed you!"
Lauren shut her eyes. She didn't want to cry. Not a day had gone by without them messaging each other. No matter how many times they had done so, it didn't compare to conversing face to face.
Alex had always assured her that things were okay but she had a hard time believing it to be true. She still remembered the speech her friend made before. She remembered how much Alex cried over her life in high society.
When Lauren spotted the school, the urge to punch broke through her veins.
"What are you doing here?" Alex laughed breathily. Her brain continued to process the situation. The gears turned slowly as she returned the embrace. The dream-like haze faded.
Reality came back to her.
"You mean, 'What are we doing here?'"
"We?" She scowled and blinked off the last of her daze.
Chuckling, Lauren took a step back and pointed over her shoulder. Alex followed it. She spotted the SUV and the group. She had to look twice, making sure that she wasn't imagining it. Hands waved in her direction. She waved back in reflex.
Alex coughed out a laugh. "What—Is that everyone? And what the hell is Max holding?"
"Oh, so he has a name." Xiera said. Her hunch turned out to be right. She squealed and grabbed Alex's arm, checking out the rest of the group. "Which one is Logan?"
Alex scowled, assessing all the faces. She shook her head slowly.
"None of them."
A pair of warm arms captured her from behind. They wrapped around her waist and lifted her in the air. They spun her around. She yelped out in surprise and bent her knees, keeping tucked in so they won't hover in the air.
"Logan! Put me down!" Alex yelled. She raised her arm, targeting her elbow to his side.
He let her go.
She aimed for a kick on the leg.
He sidestepped.
She attempted a punch.
He caught it in his hand.
Logan smirked, his lips grinning too wide. His emerald eyes shined like newly polished gemstones. She hadn't changed at all. That fact both delighted and relieved him.
He could barely contain it.
"I missed you too."
Alex went red in the face. She yanked her fist back and fixed her appearance, willing her heart to calm down. It had been a while since she saw his face. Her memory did not help her remember it clearly. Otherwise, she wouldn't react in this way.
Bluntly ignoring his words, Alex pointed her chin towards the SUV. "Is this your idea?"
"Nope! It was mine!" Max answered her.
He strolled through the parking lot. His hand held his DIY name sign. He tossed it in the air and caught it, repeating as he came closer.
"None of them have as much brilliance as I do," he boasted. His shoulders shrugged it in nonchalance. "No need to thank me. I know I am awesome."
Alex took a step forward, narrowing her eyes. She wore a skeptical expression. Her lips smacked together.
"Can I take a look at that sign?"
Max lit up like a disco ball. "You like it? I made it a few minutes ago."
"I see." She nodded, taking it off his hands. She pulled her arm back and smacked the mat against him.
"Hey!"
She hit him again, adding more force.
"Now, I like it." She chuckled and rolled up the mat. She made sure the sign was inside where no one would see them.
Lauren laughed. She crossed her arms over her chest, turning to Alex. "You're out earlier than we expected. What's the reason?"
She received a shrug in reply. "Coach said we could go home once we finished the written quiz."
"Must have been a short quiz," Logan commented, raising his eyebrows.
Xiera snorted. "More like, your girlfriend was the first one to turn in her paper. Naturally, she put pressure on everyone else to finish."
"I did no such thing."
"Sounds like my girl alright."
Alex tilted her head up. Another glare formed in her eyes. Logan towered over her from behind. Unlike her displeased expression, he wore a cheeky grin.
"It does seem like something you'd do," Logan explained. She was usually the first one to finish. Not because the tests were easy but because she simply knew the answers.
At least, that was what she'd say.
Max rolled his eyes. "If you two had taken it together, I bet it would have been a race on who finished first."
Alex shifted her attention in his direction. She shrugged her shoulders. "There's no need to imagine it. I would have won."
Logan scoffed. "Not if I ran. You wouldn't be able to beat my long legs to the table."
Spinning around, Alex held up the car mat. She swung it as if she had a baseball bat instead. Logan dodged every swing. Every time he would step away, she'd follow. It almost resembled a choreographed dance as they moved all over the open space—with Logan laughing as he raised his hand for a shield.
Kate observed them. A small smile curved her lips. "I think this is the first time I saw Alex uncomposed."
Lauren chuckled at her words. She moved to the girl's, also watching the two. "Logan does have that effect."
Xiera joined them, shaking her head.
"I think that's just Alex showing Logan how much she missed him."
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
CailinMatthews
CailinMatthews ANNOUNCEMENT below:
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As a few nosy—I mean—kind readers may have noticed, I published a new romance novel. It's an adult romance that is entered under Webnove's Spirity Awards. It is entitled,
"DateTheCEO.com"
I have started this in the hopes that I'd have it contracted in the coming months. When that happens, "Trust and Believe in Love" will remain completely free. I would appreciate any support to make this happen.
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I had considered to contract TBiL but I cannot give it up. I find the Author-Reader Relationship here too vaulable compared to a contract which could disrupt it. I want to keep it the way it is.
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With that said, I do need a source of income so I ate my own words and wrote another romance novel. Hehe. I hope to see some of you there as well.
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Thank you for being a part of my writing journey.
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Have an awesome day, lovelies!
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