Chapter 4: Logan’s Secret, Autumn’s Answer

Extra: Logan’s POV

Freshman year, I transferred from Louisiana to Maple Heights High with my parents.

The humid, stifling southern climate drove me crazy. I was ready to snap at any moment, not caring about making friends.

I heard people call me cold and distant.

Honestly? I just wanted to blow the place up.

Until one evening, before study hall, I was dozing at my desk.

Half-awake, I heard a sweet, clear female voice over the PA:

“Summer breezes blow away anxious heat, orange twilight embraces the minty dawn…”

Magically, all my irritation vanished.

For the first time, I asked my chatty deskmate, Marcus, about someone.

“Who’s that?”

“Huh?”

“The girl doing the announcements.”

“Oh, her? Class beauty from Class 1, Autumn Carter.”

So that was her name.

Suddenly, Maple Heights’ summer didn’t seem so unbearable.

After that, I found excuses to hang around her classroom.

She stood out—always wore her blue and white uniform properly, quietly working amid the noise.

She was just… so pretty.

The way she frowned at hard problems, the way she sipped water during breaks—everything.

I liked her. Really, really liked her.

She was my type. Every way.

For the first time in my life, I acted like a lovesick idiot, obsessively asking about her.

Then, in our sophomore year, we ended up in the same class.

Not that it changed much—just meant I was closer to her.

Why didn’t I make a move sooner?

Simple—she was way too distant.

Tall, short, handsome, ugly—none of it mattered to her.

My looks got me nowhere. She only cared about studying!

Whatever. Hardly anyone here was as good-looking as me (modest, I know).

If she ignored me, no one else had a chance either (smile).

So… I decided to wait till graduation. Maybe I’d be braver then.

But then the class president from second period started getting close to her, prepping for competitions together. They seemed to be getting closer.

One time, I even saw her smile at him.

I panicked.

I’d liked her since freshman year, waited all through sophomore year, and now she was getting close to someone else.

Couldn’t take it anymore.

Had to find a way to get her attention.

When I learned her birthday was coming up, I started planning a gift.

I decided to draw her portrait—my mom’s a famous artist, and I inherited some talent.

I wanted her to know I wasn’t just a pretty face—I had depth.

But nothing I drew was good enough; I scrapped draft after draft.

Stayed up late drawing, zoned out in class.

Who knew Principal Carter would notice, and not only have her teach me stretches, but make her my desk mate.

Talk about a win.

No wonder I wanted to call him Dad at first sight.

Later, some not-so-great things happened, but in the end, it all worked out.

After the SATs, she confessed to me.

She told me—straight up—I was her boyfriend.

Yeah, she likes me too.

I got to hold her hand, walk her home, even kissed her outside her building—

And got caught by Principal Carter, who’d come down to take out the trash.

That night was so gentle.

Autumn’s anxious voice was music to my ears.

Even Principal Carter’s fists didn’t hurt that much.

Best. Ending. Ever.