Connection

After dinner, Tyler felt lighter than he had all day. Sitting at the table with his mom and Taylor, he'd been reminded of how much his family cared for him, even if his mom was still clearly upset about the suspension. The conversation had been filled with warmth, jokes, and Taylor's exaggerated stories about her day at school, which had made his mom laugh despite her frustration.

As they cleaned up, his mom gave him a stern look, reminding him he was still grounded. But her words softened as she ruffled his hair, saying, "Te quiero mucho, hijo. Pero no me des más problemas, ¿ok?"

Tyler had nodded with a sheepish smile, and by the time he climbed upstairs to his room, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest.

He kicked off his slippers and flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. Grabbing his phone off the nightstand, he turned it on, expecting to see nothing but missed Snap notifications or group chats from his baseball team. But as soon as the screen lit up, his heart skipped a beat.

There it was.

Logan had texted him back.

For a moment, Tyler just stared at the notification, his hand frozen mid-air. His pulse quickened, and he felt a mix of excitement and fear bubbling in his chest. What did Logan say? Did he forgive him? Was he angry?

Taking a deep breath, Tyler unlocked his phone and opened the message
_____

Logan:
Hey, I'm sorry for not replying sooner. I've just been overwhelmed. Thanks for standing up for me, Tyler. You're a good friend.

Tyler read the message once, then again, and a third time just to be sure. Relief washed over him like a wave. Logan wasn't mad at him—at least, that's how it sounded. The knots in his stomach untangled just a bit, and without hesitating, he typed a response.

You:
It's okay. I get it. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You didn't deserve what Barron said or did. I'll always have your back, Logan.

Tyler hit send before overthinking it and tossed his phone on the bed. But as he lay there, staring at the message thread, something made him pause.

He picked up his phone again, rereading Logan's message, specifically that one word.

"Friend."

It sat there on the screen, glaring back at him, turning his earlier relief into something heavier. The word sank like a stone in his chest, pressing against his ribs.

Friend.

Logan saw him as a friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

Tyler sighed, trying to convince himself it didn't bother him. At least he texted back, right? At least he wasn't angry. But deep down, he couldn't ignore the truth gnawing at him.

He didn't want to be Logan's friend.

He wanted to be more.

The thought hit him with startling clarity, and his grip tightened around his phone. He ran a hand through his damp hair, trying to shake it off, but it lingered, undeniable and overwhelming.

Tyler buried his face in his pillow, muttering to himself, "Get it together, Hernandez." But no matter how hard he tried, one thought kept creeping back into his mind.

He wanted to tell Logan. He wanted Logan to know.
But the words wouldn't come out.

After a while, Tyler's phone buzzed, making him sit up. His heart raced as he saw Logan's name pop up on the screen.

Logan:
If you don't mind me asking, what exactly did Barrón say about me?

Tyler froze. The question caught him off guard. He stared at the screen, debating how to respond. He wanted to protect Logan from the worst of it, but Logan deserved the truth. Taking a deep breath, he began typing.

Tyler hesitated for a moment before adding another message.

He hit send and leaned back against his headboard, feeling a mix of anger and protectiveness all over again. Barrón's words replayed in his mind, fueling the fire in his chest. Tyler just hoped Logan wouldn't take it too hard.