Glimpses

Chapter 42

December 17th, 2021

Rory and Logan had put away their coats in the cloakroom and were making their way along the hallway, the familiar grand harlequin floor clinking under Rory's heels. Logan was dressed a little more casually than Rory this time, wearing a wine red dress-shirt and a dark gray vest, which Rory was more used to seeing as Finn's signature look, but she was surprised how refreshing it looked on him. And she knew he would by no means be underdressed for this particular event like that. He's beard was trimmed, but still just the length she loved on him - not too scratchy but long enough for her to run her fingers through it.

Being with Logan was the same, but it wasn't. And that went beyond the surface. Rory wasn't complaining, not at all - but every once in a while she felt on edge - like she didn't know what he'd do at a given situation. And when he looked different - it was a moment when these fears were somehow elevated.

His touch was excellent at calming her though, just like right now, as he held her hand. Logan chuckled, as they made it past a line of lockers and a janitor's closet, a low hum of 'Jingle Bells' melody carrying in the background.

"What?" Rory asked, wanting to know what was that funny.

"Ever fool around in these halls?" Logan hummed to her ear, with a wide grin.

"Like in high school? I think you confuse me with some of your floozies from back then," Rory played all innocent, having gathered enough courage to teach each-other about almost anything in their pasts. These weren't secrets anymore, and they no longer hurt, hence amongst the two of them teasing each other about their past less-than-perfect behavior was allowed.

"I really should just ask Tristan...," Logan teased. He talked about a number of things with him, having met him a few times now, but Rory was not one of their regular topics beyond how she was doing.

"Back then I just made out bark benches, my living room, Doosey's, and oh yeah... once in the parking lot here," Rory recalled, tapping her index finger on her chin, as if having to put some effort into reminding her. "And...," she began, recalling her Christmas party encounter from two years ago, but hesitating. With a lot of effort she'd pushed that to the very back of her head. Teasing each-other about something from when they were in college seemed so much simpler than something a little more recent.

"And what?" Logan asked, liking the naughtiness in her tone, stopping and letting his hands wrap around her waist. He wouldn't have minded pulling her into that janitor's closet, truth be told.

"And once as an adult... in the art class," Rory whispered, her formerly sensual tone changing into simply wanting to get that across her lips as briefly as possible. Clearly she was a little embarrassed.

"Like recently?" Logan asked, eyes wide, really having not expected that.

"No," Rory replied, nearly regretting having even brought it up. She was saved by one of the teachers passing them, mumbling something about having left her phone in her coat. "Well what is recent?" she shrugged her shoulders innocently, and laughed, the look on Logan's face being priceless.

Their topic, and what was the tension that would've lead to them kissing each-other was interrupted by some older teacher opening the hall to the ceremony hall door with a loud bang, not on purpose, and the hallways filled with Johnnyswim's 'Christmas Waltz' whispering them lyrics about falling love, which made them both smile, as they continued down the hallway.

Logan wasn't oblivious about attending this party, likely being the start of a big round of gossip, but for once he didn't mind that prospect. He had no intention of telling his mother in person, and his sister should just get a picture of an engagement ring on Rory's finger, preferably by the end of the night, that his sister should expect to be Logan's style, having had no chance over how his former engagement was broadcasted.