The familiar warmth of Logan’s house welcomed us as we stepped inside. I hadn’t realized how cold I had been until the warmth wrapped around me, soothing the tension I hadn’t even noticed in my body. The house was quiet, the scent of coffee lingering faintly in the air. It felt like we had been gone for much longer than a single night.
Logan closed the door behind us, and I let out a long breath, feeling a sense of relief just being back in this familiar place. But I knew it was only temporary. The Eternity Book still weighed heavily in my arms, a reminder that our journey wasn’t over yet.
We moved toward the living room, and that’s when I heard a sound from the kitchen. Logan tensed beside me, and we exchanged a quick glance before heading toward the noise.
As we entered the kitchen, I saw Logan’s dad standing by the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He looked up at us, his face calm but his eyes sharp. There was a knowing look in them, as if he had been expecting us.
“You’re back,” he said, his voice steady but with an edge of curiosity. He glanced at the book in my hands, his expression unreadable.
Logan stepped forward, his posture stiff. “Yeah, we are.”
His dad’s gaze lingered on the book for a moment longer before he turned his attention to us. “I assume you found what you were looking for?”
I swallowed, feeling the weight of the book in my arms grow heavier under his scrutiny. “We did. But it’s not over yet.”
Logan’s dad nodded slowly, taking a sip of his coffee. “It rarely is with things like this.” His eyes flicked back to Logan, and for a moment, the room was filled with an unspoken tension. “You both should rest. Whatever comes next, you’ll need your strength.”
Logan’s jaw tightened, but he gave a small nod. “We will.”
His dad didn’t say anything more, just turned back to his coffee as if the conversation was over.
Logan stood there for a moment, watching his dad turn back to his coffee, the silence between them thick with unspoken words. I could tell there was more Logan wanted to ask, but he held back. I took a step forward, breaking the quiet.
“Where’s your mom?” I asked softly, looking at Logan’s dad.
He turned slightly, glancing at me with the same calm expression. “She’s upstairs, resting,” he replied, his voice neutral. “It’s been a long night for everyone.”
Logan nodded, his shoulders relaxing just a little. “Thanks,” he muttered, though I could tell his mind was still racing with everything that had happened.
Without another word, Logan motioned for me to follow him. We headed upstairs, leaving his dad in the kitchen with his coffee.
We walked upstairs, the house feeling quieter than ever. The weight of everything that had happened pressed down on me, and my body ached with exhaustion. Logan led the way, but I could tell he was just as tired as I was. We didn’t say much as we moved down the hallway.
When we reached my room, I stepped inside and dropped the Eternity Book on the small table by the bed. It felt like a heavy burden had been lifted, even if only for a moment.
Without thinking, I collapsed onto the bed, my body sinking into the soft mattress. The warmth and comfort of it were almost overwhelming. I stared up at the ceiling, trying to process everything, but my mind felt too tired to think.
Logan stood in the doorway for a second, watching me, before giving a small smile. “Get some rest,” he said gently.
I nodded, too drained to say anything. As he closed the door softly behind him, I let out a long breath. I was safe, at least for now. My eyes grew heavy, and before I knew it, sleep pulled me under.
I woke up to the soft light of morning filtering through the curtains. For a moment, I forgot everything that had happened. The warmth of the bed, the quiet of the house-it felt like a normal morning. But then, the weight of the Eternity Book and the events of the previous night rushed back into my mind.
I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes. My body still felt tired, but there was no time to rest. Today, we had to go back to school, and I had to figure out what to do next with the book.
I got out of bed and stretched, feeling the stiffness in my muscles. After a quick shower, I changed into my school clothes, trying to shake off the lingering exhaustion. I glanced at the Eternity Book on the table, its dark cover still glowing faintly. I wasn’t sure what to do with it yet, but I knew I couldn’t leave it behind.
Just as I finished getting ready, there was a soft knock on the door. I opened it to see Logan standing there, already dressed for school. He gave me a small smile, though I could see the tiredness in his eyes too.
“Ready?” he asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder.
We headed down the stairs, the sound of our footsteps echoing softly in the quiet house. As we reached the bottom, the rich aroma of breakfast wafted through the air. My stomach rumbled in response, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten since yesterday.
When we entered the kitchen, I saw my mom standing by the stove, flipping pancakes. She looked up and smiled, her expression warm and welcoming. “Good morning!” she said cheerfully.
“Good morning, Mom,” I replied, feeling a wave of relief wash over me at the sight of her.
“Good morning! How was your camp?” my mom asked as she set a stack of pancakes on the table.
“It was good!” I replied, trying to sound enthusiastic. I glanced at Logan, who was pouring syrup on his pancakes. He looked up, and I could see the corner of his mouth twitch into a smile. It was probably the lie they told her while Logan and I were away.
“Did you enjoy it?” she pressed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
“It was fine,” I said, forcing a smile, hoping it would suffice. “You know, just a typical camp experience.”
Logan nodded, his expression casual but his eyes flicking to me in a way that suggested he understood the subtext of my words. I could feel the guilt creeping in again, knowing how much we had kept from her.
“Just fine?” my mom teased, a playful tone in her voice. “I expected more excitement from you two.”
“Yeah, we kept busy,” Logan chimed in, his voice light. “Didn’t have much time for anything else.”
As I glanced at him, I caught a hint of something in his expression-a mixture of amusement and exhaustion. It was clear he felt the weight of the deception, but he wore it well.
“Glad to hear it,” my mom replied, though I sensed a lingering curiosity. “You both look a little tired, though. I hope you got enough sleep.”
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I was glad she hadn’t pressed too hard. “We did,” I lied smoothly, trying to maintain the facade.
“Good,” she said, beaming. “Now, eat up! You need your energy for school.”
I took a seat at the table and served myself some pancakes, the delicious smell wafting through the air making my stomach rumble even louder. As I bit into the fluffy pancakes, I found comfort in the familiarity of the moment, even as the knowledge of our adventure lingered in the back of my mind.
After a few more bites, I glanced at Logan, who was already finished with his breakfast. “We should get going,” I said, looking at the clock.
“Yeah, we can’t be late for school,” Logan replied, standing up and sliding his plate away.
“Okay, but make sure to eat something before you go!” my mom insisted, her motherly instincts kicking in.
I grabbed a piece of fruit and stuffed it into my bag, determined to not waste any more time. Logan did the same, and soon we were ready to head out.
“Thanks for breakfast, Mom!” I called out as we made our way to the door.
“Have a great day, you two!” she replied cheerfully, waving us off.
As I stepped outside, the crisp morning air hit me like a splash of cold water, waking me up completely. The drive to school felt quick, filled with a comfortable silence, but my stomach churned with anticipation of what awaited me there.
As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed several students milling about, but something felt different. Their laughter seemed forced, and there was an undercurrent of whispering that made me feel uneasy. As I parked and stepped out of the car, I felt the weight of their stares.
“Why is everyone looking at me?” I mumbled to myself, feeling my cheeks heat up under their gaze.
The students whispered amongst themselves, casting sideways glances my way. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, trying to shake off the feeling, but it lingered like a shadow.
As I walked toward the entrance, I spotted Tanya and Mal leaning against the wall, their expressions curious yet conspiratorial. They exchanged glances before striding over, their eyes alight with excitement.
“Hey, Audrey!” Tanya called out, her voice teasing. “So, is it true? Are you dating Logan?”
My heart raced, and I stopped in my tracks. “What? No! We’re not-”
Mal cut me off, smirking. “And not only that, but he’s your stepbrother too? Wow, that’s quite the plot twist!”
My heart pounded in my chest. “Who told you that?” I demanded, panic rising in my throat.
As I stood there, my heart racing, I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Tanya’s expression shifted from playful to angry, her eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms tightly across her chest.
“You know, I thought you were my friend,” she spat, her voice low but filled with hurt. “I didn’t think you would betray me like this.”
“What are you talking about?” I said, confusion washing over me. “I didn’t mean to betray anyone.”
“Oh, come on, Audrey! Logan is literally the one guy everyone wants to date,” Tanya continued, her frustration boiling over. “And you just swoop in and take him for yourself? It’s like you didn’t even think about how I would feel.”
“I didn’t take him! We didn’t plan this,” I insisted, my voice rising slightly. “It just… happened!”
Tanya rolled her eyes, her frustration palpable. “Happened? Really? You think that makes it any better? You’re dating your stepbrother, and it’s disgusting! What do you think people are going to say about that? It’s just wrong.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the words died on my lips. The reality of what we were doing hit me harder than ever. I had thought I could ignore the judgment, but now Tanya’s words were cutting deep.
“Honestly, it’s even worse because I heard your mom is pregnant with his dad’s baby,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain. “That makes this whole situation even more twisted. You’re basically related now!”
My mind reeled at the revelation. “How did you-”
“Word travels fast in this school,” Tanya interrupted, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of triumph and anger. “I can’t believe you didn’t think this through. You’ve made a mess of everything.”
I stared at her, my heart pounding in my chest. “Tanya, wait! How did you know all of this?” I felt a sudden surge of panic. Was our secret really out? Had our lives become the subject of gossip already?