Chapter 3

We're standing in the hallway in front of the clubroom. There are students passing, their gazes understandably curious since I've got Logan sort of cornered up against the wall, standing as close to him as necessary to prevent Logan from running away. Which definitely does look tempting to him, considering he's eyeing me with a half intimidated, half mad expression.

"Since when are you a member of this event crew?" I ask and my voice sound way more accusing than I intended.

It still feels so very weird, since Logan's favorite topics are himself, himself and more importantly himself, and I surely would've remembered him stating he's doing any extra-curricular work besides skateboarding and lazing around. Especially considering he's been doing all the talking in our relationship since the day we met.

"What's your problem?" Logan says and crosses his arms all defensive, "I really need the extra credits, okay? Skateboarding eats up a lot of my schedule, so I had to attend extracurricular stuff for all the classes I'm missing."

He sounds annoyed, like he really doesn't get why I'm so surprised, but also a little uncomfortable. It doesn't sit well with the uneasy feeling in my stomach. Logan of course is keen on confirming that feeling, taking a step away from the wall and staring at me with an apologetic expression.

"June," he says really slowly, "This is, um, actually a great opportunity for us to talk. Which I really want to do."

"Yeah? Definitely didn't look like it."

Logan looks vaguely embarrassed.

"Um. I guess so. Anyway – you, uh, surely noticed that things aren't going well between us ever since summer break ended, right?"

Considering it's the first day of school and things were perfectly fine just last weekend, no, I didn't. I have no idea why Logan's talking like we've been in a clinch at least for a whole month, but the uneasy feeling gets really, really bad and I somehow know exactly where this is going. Covering my ears and running away is such a tempting idea, but instead I take a single step back and gesture him go to go on.

"I mean," Logan pauses again and coughs awkwardly, "What I'm trying to say is – maybe we should end this? It's just, whatever this was between us isn't going to work on the long run anyway, you know?"

I blink and wait for him to add something more, but Logan only makes a weird gesture with his hands and apparently, that's it. That's the way Logan Hayman breaks up with me. In a hallway, with a vague as hell explanation and a smile that looks completely unbothered. Amazing.

I don't smile back. Instead, I give his backpack a kick with the heel of my shoe.

"It wasn't that serious anyway, was it?" Logan continues his blabbers, "We got along well, we had fun, but this whole relationship thing – I guess none of us planned to really continue it during senior year, right? After all, dating over summer is just ..."

He trails off, waving his hands again in a way that apparently tells me summer is summer and Grease is not real. I feel like someone punched me and I want to throw up. In Logan's face.

"Thank you for telling me," I say finally, "I guess I'll, uh, see you around?"

It's all I can manage without losing face, since my throat feels incredibly tight and my knees start shaking.

"June," Logan says and puts on this puppy-eyes expression I can't even look at, "I'm really only breaking up with you because I want us to be friends, you know that right? This is not going to end with us never talking again, okay?"

"Um," I say slowly, "You know what? I really don't think so."

I'm proud of myself, proud for not crying (yet) and sounding mostly unaffected. I know it's not going to last, so I quickly throw my hair back, turn around as rapidly as my shoes allow and stalk away before Logan can say another word. Not like he seems to try it.

So this is it, I think, while the noise of my heels clicking on the hallway floor rings in my ears. This is my first break up. Logan is my first in so many aspects – first real kiss (the one in freshman year with Blake Chester definitely didn't count), first real date, first real boyfriend and now, would you look at this, first devastating break up. I can already tick off so many points on my dating experience list, and I'm only seventeen.

Lucky.

The break down comes when Kaia takes my hand and gives me a look – not a pitiful one, since she's careful with those around me, but it's definitely a sad one. We're sitting on the couch in my living room, after Kaia patiently waited for me in the parking lot during the Logan drama.

I held out until we reached my home to finally spill what happened, because I knew it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Oh June," Kaia says and clings onto my hand, "I'm so, so sorry. Logan is an asshole – we hate him. Do you think there's another girl? You know how boys are in relationships that last longer than a couple of weeks, they get bored and bam, new girlfriend."

I shake my head. Tears are running down my cheeks.

"Where would he even find a new girl? We spent the whole summer together, remember?"

"I know June, this is so awful," Kaia gives my hand a squeeze, "But if this helps – you were too good for him anyway."

I wonder what being too good for someone even means. Does this make the breakup any better, like thank god I got rid of him? At the moment, it totally doesn't feel like it.

"Should we get revenge?" Kaia says with a sparkle in her eyes, "Should we make him pay for it? Maybe stuff his locker with trash, or leave raw eggs in his shoes?"

"Are we twelve?"

Kaia smiles her Kaia-smile – the corners of her mouth trying to reach her cheekbones, her eyes almost disappearing in adorable crow feet and dimples appearing on her cheeks – and probably feels very intimidating doing so.

"I'm sure it'll annoy him. And it's what he deserves for dumping my best friend."

Her voice is so sweet it sounds more cute than anything. I'm crying again.

"Let's just watch tons of rom-coms. At least I finally have a good reason to do so."

"There's always a good reason to watch rom-coms," Kaia says wisely, "Especially with handsome actors involved. You'll see, one evening with Channing Tatum and you won't even remember whatever Logan did."

"In how many rom-coms is Channing Tatum anyway?"

"Not enough."

We settle for really cheesy rom-coms, the kind with a story line so paper thin you really only watch it for the actors' chemistry, low carb ice cream and milk tea, and even though it doesn't help a lot, it's nice. Nice enough to make me laugh at the stupid jokes, but not enough to distract me from the things still bothering me. And one of those is the fact Kaia actually got me into a bigger mess than expected.

"Kaia," I start while I'm about to decide whether to watch The Lucky One or Safe Haven next. Or neither of both, "I need to quit this event council thing."

"What?" Kaia stares at me with wide eyes, an enormous spoon of peanut butter chocolate chip ice cream frozen halfway to her mouth, "Why June, we only attended one meeting. And I thought you liked it!"

I can't remember saying anything remotely similar. Though it's really not the point right now.

"Um, but remember, Logan?" I say and wave my spoon in front of her face, "Sorry, but I definitely don't want to spend any more time than necessary with him."

It's not like I'm running away. Really not. I just can't stand to see Logan Hayman's ugly face right now, or ever again.

"Yeah but," Kaia bites her lower lip and reaches out to hold my hand, "You can't do this to me, June! Please, the event council is so great, you absolutely cannot quit!"

Unsurprisingly, Kaia loves the event council. On our way home, all she was talking about was how perfect it is, how nice the people are and how exciting it surely will be. Considering the fact this is still a high school organization and most events will probably consist of awkward bonding experiences for freshmen, I can't really come up with the same enthusiasm.

And it's not like I'm in a need to be surrounded by any more people. I'm perfectly fine with exposing my nonexistent social skills to as little people as possible. But Kaia's different. She wrote Talking to People as her favorite hobby on the personalized profiles we had to submit for the yearbook. I submitted Netflix and Sleeping.

"Why not?" I say and swing our hands, "I already told Logan I don't want anything to do with him from now on. Continuing with this club would totally ruin it. My reputation would be in shambles."

"But Junnne," now Kaia's clinging onto my arm, "Best friends bonding time, remember? I only want to be in the club if you're there, too! If not for rubbing into Logan's face how happy you are without him – a genius plan, if I may add, we could hook you up with one of the cute club members –"

"Please just tell me what your point is."

"My point is," Kaia pauses and takes a deep breath, "You're my best friend. And friends do each other favors. So, stay in the club. For me."

I make a face, but I know I can't win against Kaia. I would do anything for her and she knows it.