“Nope,” he answered, popping his “p”. “But I wouldn’t mind you—”
“Thanks,” I answered quickly, slamming the door to the outside and slowly walking up the hall towards the main area of the bar.
Feeling like a fool.
I was just out of the hallway when I ran smack into a broad chest. Looking up, I saw a guy with similar colored hair to Hendrix.
Most likely the man I’d just been chasing.
“Excuse me,” I murmured dejectedly, heading back towards the table and wondering how weird it would be if I just left. I’d thought I was getting better, recovering from whatever this obsession was with them. But that—that was just pathetic.
Logan looked weirdly relieved when I arrived at the table, and Kelly asked loudly where I’d run off too, but everyone resumed talking after the awkward excuse I gave about seeing a girl who was flaking out on a group project.
“Let’s start over,” Logan suddenly offered as soon as I sat down. I picked up the drink that was waiting for me on the table and took a big gulp as I glanced at him quizzically.
“I know I’m sucking at this date thing, but I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for weeks. Kelly talks about you all the time, and you’re really pretty, and…it’s been a while since I’ve been on a date,” he rambled anxiously, kind of looking adorable without the smugness he’d been demonstrating before my fool’s errand to run after a stranger.
“That sounds good,” I smiled, inwardly yelling at my brain that I should give him a chance.
He held out a hand. “Hi, I’m Logan. Average student, expert chocolate eater, and an all-around awkward guy. What’s your name?”
I snorted and shook my head, my smile becoming genuine for the first time tonight.
“Hi, Logan. I’m Emersyn—Syn. I’m also an average student, expert chocolate eater, and an all-around awkward girl. It’s nice to meet you.”
He grinned and we were able to talk more normally, digging into the food that the waitress set in front of us, and joining in the conversation with the others.
It should have been fun.
It should have been a new beginning.
But all I felt was fucked up.
* * *
It was one a.m. when I finally felt like I could tear myself away. I was a little drunk, so I didn’t say no when Logan asked if he could walk me home. Waving goodbye to an extremely drunk Kelly, who tried to kiss me on the cheek before she left and instead kissed me on the lips, we set off down the sidewalk, back to the campus apartments just down the street.
There was a slight nip in the air and I could smell the ocean air coming in from the coast.
Neither of us said much as we strolled…I was honestly just trying to walk in a straight line. Finally, we made it to the front of my apartment.
“Can I see you again?” he blurted, reaching out and playing with some of my hair that had fallen from my ponytail.
“Oh,” I drawled, honestly surprised he wanted to after experiencing me the whole night. “Sure.”
“Awesome,” he murmured, before leaning forward.
Fuck. He was going to kiss me.
At the last second, I turned my cheek, not sure why I couldn’t let him kiss me, but knowing it at least wasn’t happening tonight.
The deepening wrinkle between his brows made it plain to see his disappointment when he pulled away from my skin, but he still asked for my number and said he would call before striding into the night.
I’d made it to my front door and had just opened it when I heard thundering footsteps coming up the stairs towards my landing. Logan appeared.
I frowned. “Hey, everything okay—”
Without warning, he grabbed me and pushed us inside, slamming the door behind him. I was up against the wall, his lips smashed against mine, and his stale cheese tongue invaded my mouth as his hands assaulted my body.
I pushed against him frantically. “Logan, w-hat, the f—”
Suddenly he was ripped away and thrown almost across the room by a furious looking…
Hendrix?
I collapsed against the wall, watching in disbelief as Hendrix snapped Logan’s neck with ease and threw him to the floor, not bothering with another glance at him as he stepped over him towards me.
His chest was heaving as we stared at each other.
I was a trembling mess, trying to figure out if I’d finally lost my mind and this was all a figment of my imagination.
Please say it wasn’t.
“Hendrix?” I whispered, my hands balled into fists in front of my chest as I devoured the image of him.
He was larger somehow, more bulked up…something I hadn’t thought was possible. His hair was longer, his waves touching his shoulders and falling in his face. There was a long scar on his cheek now, which only added to the perfection of the package, and I could see some shiny pink skin peeking out from underneath his collar.
A burn mark.