Connection

After drying off, Tyler quickly threw on a pair of dark jeans, a plain black t-shirt, and slipped a hoodie over it. He laced up his favorite sneakers, grabbed his school bag, and checked his phone. 5:47 PM. He groaned under his breath.

Grabbing everything he needed for the project, he headed downstairs, his mind occupied with thoughts of Logan. Just as he reached the bottom step, he noticed his sister, Taylor, walking through the front door. She looked a little disheveled, coming home from school, her face twisted with worry.

"Taylor, you're just getting home?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Taylor didn't respond right away. Instead, she marched up to him, her expression shifting into one of frustration. "Tyler," she said firmly, stopping him in his tracks.

"What?" he replied, gripping the strap of his bag tighter.

She frowned. "You walked out of the cafeteria, I called after you but you didn't listen, —after Ben told us what happened to Logan. I mean, you barely said anything. Are you .. okay?"

Tyler sighed, leaning against the wall as he set his bag down. He knew Taylor wasn't going to let him leave without an explanation.

"I'm fine, Taylor," he said after a moment, though his tone was far from convincing. "It's just .. what Ben said, it got to me, alright? Logan fainted. He had bruises. His nose was red. And apparently, he was limping like someone hurt him." Tyler's voice wavered slightly. "I don't know who did it or why, but it's messed up."

Taylor crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "You care a lot more about this than you're letting on, Ty."

"Of course, I care!" Tyler snapped, his frustration bubbling to the surface. He immediately regretted raising his voice and softened his tone. "Sorry .. I t's just .. Logan's our friend. I don't know, Taylor. Something about this doesn't sit right with me. And it pisses me off that Ashlynn won't tell us anything."

Taylor's eyes softened as she studied him. "Look, I get it. I'm worried too. But don't get yourself worked up over something you can't control. Logan's tough. He'll get through it. But if you want to help him, just .. be there for him."

Tyler nodded, though his jaw remained clenched. "I am. I'm heading over to his place now for the project."

Taylor looked surprised. "You are? Does he even want company after everything?"

Tyler shrugged. "Ashlyn said he's okay with it. I don't know if he actually is, but I'm going. Maybe I can figure out what's really going on."

Taylor nodded slowly. "Alright, just .. don't push him too hard. He'll tell us when he's ready."

Tyler grabbed his bag again, pausing for a moment to glance back at his sister. "I know. Thanks, Tay."

Before he could head out the door, Taylor called after him with a grin. "Oh, and tell your boyfriend I hope he's feeling better soon!"

Tyler froze, a blush creeping up his neck. He shot her a glare, but she just laughed.

Their mom, overhearing the exchange from the kitchen, called out. "Ay, Tyler, Cuándo voy a oír hablar de este novio tuyo?" she joked

Tyler felt his face burn even more, muttering an embarrassed "ma! Solo somos amigos, Taylor está diciendo tonterías!" He said, before quickly grabbing his things and rushing out the door awkwardly.

Tyler got into his car after that embarrassing moment, tossing his bag into the passenger seat, and started the engine. He was cutting it close, yet he was determined to make it to Logan's house on time. As he pulled out of the driveway, a sense of urgency mixed with anticipation buzzed in his chest. He couldn't quite explain it, but something about seeing Logan again felt .. important.
_______

On the drive there, Tyler couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened. He sighed, trying to push the worry out of his mind as he finally pulled up to Logan's house.

He parked on the side of the street, grabbed his bag, and headed toward the front door. As he reached the walkway, Ashlyn stepped out, looking a bit exhausted but with a small, reassuring smile. When she saw Tyler, her gaze softened.

"Hey," Tyler greeted her, his voice low, laced with concern.

Ashlyn took in his appearance, her brows furrowing slightly. "Hey, You look .. a bit rough. Like you were in a rush or something."

Tyler ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "Yeah, I kind of was. I didn't want to waste any time getting over here."

Ashlyn nodded, understanding. "I get it. I know you're worried." She crossed her arms. "Logan's still in pain, but he's doing a little better. I think he'll be alright. He's just ..really tired."

Tyler gave a small nod, feeling a bit of relief wash over him, but the worry still lingered. "I'm glad. Is he still okay with me being over? you know, after what happened earlier in the day between us?"

Ashlyn gave him a soft look, nodding again, "Yeah, he probably already forgot about it. He's just been resting a lot, but he's glad you're here. Honestly, he doesn't want to talk about it much right now, but I know he's been thinking about you."

Tyler hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I won't press him too much. I just want to make sure he's alright."

Ashlyn gave a small smile. "You're a good friend, Tyler. He's lucky to have you."

Tyler smiled back, but the anxiety still bubbled up inside. "Thanks, Ashlyn." He shifted his weight, glancing at the door. "I guess I'll go in and see him."

"Yeah," Ashlyn agreed, stepping aside to let him pass. "He's in his room. Just .. be gentle with him."

"I will," Tyler promised, his tone softening. "Thanks, Ashlyn." He repeated.
With that, he walked up to the door and knocked gently, pushing any remaining doubts aside.

Tyler softly knocked at the door, his heart pounding a little faster. The door creaked open, and Logan's grandpa stood there, looking at him with a warm but curious expression.

"Hello, Sir." Tyler said, trying to sound casual but feeling awkward. "Is Logan home?"

Logan's grandpa smiled, stepping aside to let him in. "Of course, come on in. Logan's resting in his room."

Tyler hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. He remembered how he had stormed off after Logan had chosen to be with Ashlyn. He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him, What if Logan was still mad? What if he was upset with me for acting like that?

He pushed the thought aside as he entered, trying to act normal, but the guilt lingered. He glanced around, seeing the quiet calm of the house, and it only made his nerves worse.

Logan's grandpa gestured toward the hallway. "You can head on back to his room, I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."

Tyler nodded, but as he walked toward Logan's door, something in him made him stop. Without thinking, he turned back to James and blurted out, "I'm really sorry about what happened .. when I stormed off, I didn't mean to be like that."

James looked at him for a moment, then nodded with a gentle smile. "It's completely fine, Tyler. Logan knows you didn't mean anything by it. He's not mad, don't worry."

Tyler let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Thanks," he said softly, feeling a weight lift off his chest. He smiled awkwardly before finally making his way to Logan's room, feeling a bit more at ease but still nervous about how Logan might react.