You Give Love a Bad Name

I jumped off the bed like it was on fire, tripping against my dress as the four shots of Smirnoff and one bottle of Heineken went straight to my head, making me dizzy and weak.

"Lena? Is that you?"

"Logan?" I stared into the darkness with surprise, finally recognizing the raspy voice that belonged to my friend.

Logan got up from under the covers and leaned against the headboard, the pale moonlight falling gracefully across the left side of his face. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, this is my room, so here I am," I shrugged.

Logan nodded and his gray eyes traveled from my green ones to the lone window in my bedroom. I marveled at how peaceful he looked, even though there was a party raging underneath us.

Yawning, I went to sit besides him. "So, um, what are you doing here?"

Logan looked uncomfortable. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"So you're not hiding from Gerard?" I joked, but my smile faded when he looked down in shame. I sighed and gave him a quick hug. "You should go out there and have fun. Talk to Gerard even, he doesn't bite after all."

"I feel so stupid," Logan whispered. "Like a freaking pansy. I was never like this before I moved to Jersey and met your brother. I wish this stupid crush would just go away so I can be myself."

Frank's face flashed in my mind.

I cleared my throat and stood up. "That's it, get up."

Logan looked up me with surprise. "What?"

I grabbed his arm. "You're going downstairs and talking to Gerard."

"What are you crazy?" Logan pulled away quickly. "You told me yourself that Gerard's not into guys."

"So," I rolled my eyes, putting my hands on my hips. "Go make him gay, Bi, lesbian, or whatever works for you, then. There’s only one spot for a moping individual in this house and it's already taken. By me."

Logan stared at me. "You're either completely insane or completely drunk."

"I think it's a bit of both," I admitted sadly. Then my eyes narrowed and I grabbed his hand once again. "Let's go!"

Instead of getting up, Logan pulled me in his lap with such ease, that it was like I was some rag doll instead of a living, breathing person.

"Logan," I whined, trying to get free. "This is so -"

He held up a finger to silence me and his eyes widened. "Do you feel that?"

"Uncomfortable? Yeah I do, actually." I nodded in confirmation, now definitely feeling a bit woozy after all the alcohol I consumed. "So if you don't mind, I -"

Then I felt it too. The slight vibrating sensation next to my hip.

Logan raised an eyebrow and stretched his hand to pick something up.

In his hand was my small, silver cell phone, with the words Frank flashing against the screen to indicate the incoming call. "Yours?"

I nodded and snatched it away, letting the call go straight to voicemail. "Yeah, thanks. It must have fallen out when you so rudely pulled me over here."

Logan continued to watch me with a raised eyebrow.

I stared back at him. "What?"

"Why didn't you pick up?"

I blinked and finally looked away from his intense silver gaze to focus on Puffin - my cuddly toy. "Because I don't feel like talking to him right now. It's...complicated."

"You didn't do anything wrong, you know."

I sighed and shrugged, still not looking at Logan. "I know, but still. For some reason I feel guilty. I should not have the feelings that I do for Frank. He's my best friend and he has a girlfriend."

"You seriously think that he'll still be with Manda after the scene she caused tonight? I seriously doubt it."

I looked up to see that Logan scooted closer to me. "It doesn't matter. Like I said, Frank doesn't like me like that, and even if he did, it would never work out."

Logan brushed a stray strand of hair from my eyes. "Why?"

"We're too alike and yet way too different."

All of a sudden there was a burst of cheering heard from downstairs which broke our eye contact and both of us looked towards the door. The cheering quieted down, but there were still a few drunken whoops here and there.

"You're blind."

Logan's voice startled me and I turned back to face him. "What?"

He took my hand and his and gave me a smile pure of kindness and compassion. "That is why you guys are perfect together. You're not so alike that there's no diversity, but not so different that you can't agree on one thing. You two are in the middle. You've already seen each other's bad sides, so you know exactly what you'd be getting yourself into when going into a relationship. You and Frank - you guys balance each other out."

"Logan," I started with a sigh, "there is absolutely no chance that this will happen. I'm 'little sister' material to him."

"Prove it," Logan's eyes were firm.

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you want me to do? Get a written testimony from him?"

"No," Logan scooted even closer. I didn't mind though, not with Logan. I know that he only had eyes for my eldest brother. "I have an idea. We'll pretend to date till New Year's. Maybe then you'll see how he feels about you when he gets jealous."

I seriously doubted that. "I don't think so."

"If I'm wrong, I'll never bug you about Frank," he insisted, waiting for my reaction. "Ever again. Think about it."

I shrugged. What did I stand to lose? Nothing. What had I sanded to gain? Logan leaving me alone on the whole Frank issue. It was a win-win situation. "Okay, fine. But I'm warning you right now, you're going to lose."

Logan grinned. "Whatever. That's what you say. Now give me a hug, woman."

I laughed and threw my arms around him.

Even though Logan was my newest friend, I still considered him to be one of my closest.

Plus he knew how to give amazing hugs and fashion tips.

There was a bang and the door flew open, coating my otherwise dark room in a flood of hallway light.