Act Natural

The loud noise of students chatting and laughing filled Harper's ears as she sat on the low stone bench near the edge of the school courtyard, her textbook open on her lap, but her eyes barely skimming the pages.

She had come here to just revise some bulky topics she had been learning lately, but she just couldn't focus.

Her mind wasn't on schoolwork.

Not after this morning.

Not after Damian and his infuriating… everything.

She sighed dramatically, closing the book with a frustrated thud.

Who did he think he was?

"Ugh! He just gets on my last nerve!" she murmured, her brows forming a knot on her forehead.

"Deep in thought?" A familiar sonorous voice drew her back to reality. Harper looked up to see Logan Hayes, towering over her, his grassland green eyes gazing down at her.

Hands slipped into the pockets of his sea-blue baggy jeans, strands of his hair covering one of his eyes as usual.

She felt her heart flutter. He was just perfect. She couldn't help but stare.

"Take a picture, Princess, it would last longer," he joked, causing Harper Reed to avert her gaze quickly, a rosy hue forming on her cheeks.

"Don't make my day even worse, Logan," she said, purposely changing the topic.

Raising his hands in surrender, Logan Hayes spoke,

"Sorry, but is there something I can do to help my Princess?"

A surge of emotions spread within her. She knew those words weren't genuine, but she couldn't help but be flattered by his words.

His?

He snapped his fingers in her face, and she looked up at him, clearing her throat.

"Please, students on campus don't record our conversation," she spoke, putting on a façade of indifference.

Logan Hayes chuckled softly.

"Well, Princess, I'm actually here to talk to you about that."

"What?" she said quietly. Then Logan casually dropped down beside her like he belonged there. His cologne hit her first—clean, sharp, intoxicating—and then came that signature smirk on his lips.

Harper narrowed her eyes.

"What do you want?"

Logan tilted his head, feigning innocence.

"Relax. I'm here for quality couple time," he teased, nudging her shoulder with his.

She rolled her eyes, correcting him.

"Fake couple."

"Yeah, yeah. Details." He waved her off.

Relaxing on the bench, Logan let out an exaggerated sigh, causing Harper Reed to roll her eyes again.

"This is actually very comfortable, you know. I can come and play my games here sometimes," he commented, adjusting himself even more.

Harper scoffed.

"Or you could study," she muttered.

"No, no, Princess." He sat up,

"Gaming is much better," Logan said in a singsong manner, causing Harper to giggle with her eyes narrowed at him.

"Keep fooling yourself," she said.

"Keep being hard on yourself," he snapped back jokingly, only to realize her face dropped.

Shit. He wasn't supposed to say that.

He inhaled deeply.

"Wanna know why I came here?" he asked, turning so he was fully facing her now.

"To disturb me?" she turned to him.

"No... I'll do that later," he said, causing her to chuckle.

"We're supposed to be convincing, remember?" he proceeded, "And you…?" giving her a pointed look.

"I what?"

"You suck at acting natural."

Harper scoffed.

"I do not!"

Logan leaned in, lowering his voice just enough to make her stomach flip.

"Then why do you get all stiff every time I sit near you?"

Her cheeks heated instantly.

"I… I don't!"

"And I'm really good at acting natural. I just don't show it," she bluffed, folding her arms.

"Oh really?" Logan's grin widened like he caught her red-handed.

Before she could fire back with another protest, his hand lifted—slow… lazy… confident.

"React naturally… to this."

His fingers brushed lightly against her cheek, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Harper froze.

Her breath hitched in her throat. Her skin tingled under his touch like it had no business reacting like that.

His thumb lingered… just a second longer than necessary.

Her heart was pounding too fast. Way too fast.

Logan noticed, of course. His grin turned softer… slower… like he liked how flustered she got around him.

Then he proceeded with his next move. This time, it wasn't because he was teasing her—it was because he really wanted to do it.

His face dipped closer—close enough that she could see the golden flecks in his green eyes, close enough that the air between them grew thick and warm.

Then he moved closer, grabbing her cheeks in a tender manner that made every hair on her skin stand up.

Lips parted. It often did when she was nervous, and anytime it did that, it always drove Logan crazy.

His green eyes flickered from her amber eyes to her heavy upper lips, and she shivered under his gaze.

For one crazy second, she actually wondered…

Was he about to kiss her?

Harper swallowed hard, not daring to move.

He actually wanted to—but he wouldn't. He shouldn't. At least, not now.

But just before anything could happen—

Logan pulled back with a cocky smile, standing up like nothing happened.

"See? That's how you act natural, Reed."

And with that, he walked off—leaving her stunned, breathless, and embarrassingly aware of her own racing pulse.

Unbeknownst to either of them…

Across the courtyard… standing near one of the large oak trees, hidden just enough to stay unnoticed…

Damian stood watching.

Expression unreadable. Hands shoved deep into his pockets.

His gaze stayed locked on Harper… and the lingering smile on Logan's face as he walked away.

His jaw tightened slightly.

Not that it mattered.

At least… that's what he told himself.

And he knew that all that mattered now was to break them and take Logan back to where he belonged.