Logan - Getting Permission
"Well… why would you refuse, sir?" The words came out of Logan's mouth before he could process them. He paled like a ghost. His eyes widened gradually until his vision blurred. He shouldn't have said that. He really shouldn't have said that.
Not unless he wanted to die.
"Are you saying you shouldn't ask my permission?" Ethan taunted.
"No! Of course not, sir," Logan quickly defended. Even if the other party couldn't see it, he raised his hand to shake it. Then, he placed it over his chest. "What kind of man would I be if I'm not confident? I must have a strong mindset or I'd fail to be a suitable boyfriend for your daughter."
'What kind of bullshit did I just say?' He thought. Although, it was partially true. He knew what kind of world high society was. He had prepared himself for the worst of it. He wouldn't let it stop from being with the girl he loved.
"Alright, I'll give you that, boy," he heard from the other line. A soft sigh followed it. "Tell me what this grand plan that you have?"
Logan's heart soared. He had overcome the first obstacle. He crossed his fingers that the rest would go well. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was it. This was the crucial moment.
He shook off his nerves. He had nothing to worry about. He had created a detailed plan.
'Here goes nothing,' he encouraged himself. Clearing his throat, Logan straightened his back. He spoke as if he presented in a business meeting. His voice amplified for a good resonance. He paced around the living room.
The constant movement helped with his thought process.
"When I asked myself what kind of place Alex would enjoy, I came up with several ideas," he began to say, "Of course, home was on top of that list."
"Why not have your date here then?"
Logan halted in his steps. "I would, sir. Someday. I know your daughter preferred the indoors. For a first date, I hoped to show her a good time outside. I want people to see us. I want them to know that this is the girl I chose to hopefully spend my life."
He paused, gazing up the ceiling. His tone dropped to a softer one. "I want them to know before someone else would try to take her away from me."
He needed people to know their current dating status. As old-fashioned as it seemed, he didn't want to do it through social media. Alex would also dislike it—even if he never told her about it. The only option remaining was to date in public. He'd use the entire day to utilize it if he had to.
Was it bad to wanna show off their status?
"Cut to the chase, boy." Ethan huffed. "Where exactly are you planning to take my daughter?"
Logan bowed his head, realizing that must have said too much. "Well, there is this place…"
He proceeded to reveal the plan. He had memorized the estimated time table. He narrated the events in order. From the time he'd pick her up to their first stop, to their second and so on. He listed out the gifts he'd bring. He didn't leave a detail unturned.
"... and then, they would handcuff—"
"You would have my daughter handcuffed?! What intention do you have with her?!"
"No, absolutely not, sir!" Logan clarified. His heart jumped out of his chest. "One person is handcuffed while the other is put behind bars."
"So you would imprison her?!" Ethan exclaimed. A growl rumbled in his chest. "What kind of date is this, Logan? I thought you wanted to take care of my daughter? Why does this sound like a recipe of torture?"
"It's a game, Mr. Greenwood! We have to solve the puzzle if we want to be set free," Logan explained. The idea sparked during his conversation with Alex. It was perfect. It used intellect while being interactive. It wouldn't be boring for either of them.
It also encouraged people to work together.
"And how do I know if this is safe?"
"There's a security camera in the room. If anything happens, the staff would come in and intervene. This is a family friendly place so you have nothing to worry about. You can look it up yourself if you don't believe me. They post pictures of every player that comes in."
He thoroughly checked the company. They had several branches over the country. The one at Woodlands was only a few months old. He had seen it a few times while driving. It wasn't widely popular yet so...
… it wasn't hard to make a reservation.
"What did you call it again?" Ethan asked.
"An Escape Room." Logan beamed. He really looked forward to it. Excitement fuelled his blood. He couldn't wait to try it out. He also wanted to beat the high score. He felt confident that they could do it.
Their names would be shown in the leaderboard.
...
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…
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…
The line became silent.
Logan pressed his lips together. He waited for the verdict. His heart hammered in his chest. He shuffled his feet, passing his weight from one foot to another. The quiet rang in his ears. It boomed louder than a drum. It spoke volumes as it dragged on.
Would Ethan demand for a different plan? He hadn't thought of a backup. The movie theater like he first thought about? It was a place where lights were dimmed. That was worse than a monitored escape room. At least, the latter had surveillance.
The staff had to be ready in case players asked for their free clue.
What else then? A picnic? They couldn't possibly be in the park for hours. He wanted to spend an entire day together. Who knew when they'd see each other again? With the holidays coming, Alex mentioned that it would be a busy time.
He…
He…
He really really wanted this date to be worth it.
...
…
…
…
…
"I do not approve."
The blood drained off his face.
"Ethan!" Another voice yelled from the background.
Angie had taken the phone from her husband's hand. She distanced herself from him, walking for a few meters. She took over the conversation. "He's kidding, Logan. Come and pick up Alex at school later. We already packed her bags."
"Thank you, Aunt Angie!" Logan screamed. He fist pumped the air and spun around. His feet tapped on the floor. He had too much energy in his system. He let it out in any way possible.
Alex's mother giggled. "Have fun now!"
"Wait! Dear! What do you mean by he'd pick her up—"
Then, the call ended.
Logan was more than happy not to hear the rest. He thanked Angie again in his head. He showered her with praises. He skipped on his way back to the kitchen. This time, he didn't care if his family saw his dance moves.
He was too happy to care!
Tim covered her mouth.
Her soon-to-be stepson entered the kitchen. He had his back bent forward. He also walked backwards. The first they saw was his bottom. It swayed from side to side. His feet also moved to an unheard rhythm. His hands were in the air, waving and following his hip movements.
She couldn't take it anymore.
She laughed out loud.
Jae choked on his cereal. He began to cough. He pressed a fist against his lips and reached for some water. The full glass was drained in one go. His throat felt hoarse. He thumped his chest, hoping to remove the rest.
Tim rubbed his back. She only managed light taps. She was still laughing. It came to the point where her voice disappeared. Her stomach ached from the excessive laughter.
Logan managed to reach his seat. He had walked backwards all the way. Once he reached his destination, he jumped and spun around. He presented the phone to his father.
Then, he slammed it on the counter.
Steve glared at him.
"Oof. I'm sorry," Logan checked on the phone. It was still in good condition. He handed it over properly. His father snatched it off his fingers.
"You got the permission?"
"HELL YEAH, I DID!" He cheered, clapping his hands. He bit his bottom lip and did the butterfly dance. He dropped one knee inward. He dropped the other. After that, his legs pressed his knees together and pulled them apart.
Jae shook his head. "Please don't ever do that again."
His chest still felt sore but he already recovered. He and his brother attended dance lessons. Yet, any of the modern moves fitted Logan. Every time he saw it, he had the urge to cringe. He also informed his brother about it.
It. Did. Not. Look. Cool.
Logan stopped.
He squinted his eyes at his twin.
Their staredown lasted for about two seconds.
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…
…
Logan went back to his butterfly dance.
Before Jae could protest again, he switched to a classic move. He pulled his left leg back and held it by the ankle. His right hand went to the side of his head. He moved both his right elbow and his left knee, trying to make them meet in the middle.
He managed five attempts before he fell to the floor.
Jae rolled his eyes and rose to his feet.
"This is why I told you to stop," he said, shaking his head once more, "But did you listen to me? No. Come on, we still have school before we leave for Freccia Prep. Stop being a hazard to yourself."