From What I've Heard - Sanders Sides

Chapter Three

It was now the next day. Logan was sitting in his favorite seat in the school library. It was a small desk, tucked into a corner with a lamp directly above him. He was within arms reach out the Philosophy section if he was ever bored, and had his phone plugged into a nearby outlet. He was currently reading the contents of his Chemistry textbook. Again.

It was somehow calming for the student. Going over all of the formulas, chemical components, and compounds. He couldn't help but find joy in the knowledge.

Despite this, Logan could not shake the words Patton had spoken to him. 'It's about supporting the Drama students and having a good time! Have you forgotten about that?' Specifically, the last part of Patton's words. They were like daggers, slowly but surely digging into Logan's brain. Was Patton correct? Had he truly forgotten how to have fun?

That was nearly impossible. He hadn't forgotten how to have fun. Studying and reading were fun to Logan. Fun means something different to everyone, right? Surely a play wasn't everyone's definition of fun.

Logan shook the thought from his head, grabbing the coffee cup on his side and taking a sip. The student twitched a little as he set it back down. It was his 5th cup of the day. Logan was planning to spend the night reading through his textbooks. He liked being ahead in his classes. Going through his textbooks often helped with that.

As he finished the final chapter of his Chemistry book, he reached into his backpack. Just as his fingertips brushed the cover of his next textbook, someone grabbed his shoulder. The student jumped in fright, nearly falling off of his seat.

Meeting eyes with the librarian, he visibly calmed, "Oh, how can I help you?" Logan nicely asked.

"Library closing early tonight." She rasped. Confusion drowned Logan's face. He grabbed his phone, turning it on to see the time. 10:23 pm.

"It's only 10:00. You don't close until midnight normally." The student protested. The old librarian sighed, her face dropping in tiredness.

"New policy. We'll stay open till midnight during finals. But now, we close at 10:30. So, if you please, pack your things." With that, she turned as her heels clicked down the hall into the darkness.

Logan sighed, running a hand through his tired hair. As much as he didn't want to go back to his dorm and deal with a possibly high Dee, he knew he'd never get anything done if he was babysitting his roommate. However, he gave in. Grabbing his backpack, he stuffed it with everything he brought. Slipping his phone in his pocket and coffee in his hand, Logan rushed out of the library.

As he exited into the cold night air, a shiver wracked his spine. He took another sip of coffee, hoping it might help. He jittered again, feeling another rush shake his bones. As he walked the memorized journey to his dorm hall, he could hear the yelling and chattering coming from somewhere.

He couldn't tell what direction the talking was emitting from, he could tell they were students and definitely drunk. They were slurring their words, saying ridiculous things, and smashing bottles against things to make them shatter.

Logan continued walking, trying to ignore the sounds. However the more he walked, the louder the talking got. He tried to think of other ways to get to his dorm from where he was, but it was too late.

The drunk students fumbled out of the alleyway they were in. Logan slammed his feet into the ground, barely avoiding running into one of them. They were so enamored in their own conversation, they didn't even notice Logan was there. "Excuse me," Logan muttered.

They all stopped, turning their heads to notice the man standing there. Logan swallowed, nerves running down his brow. The biggest one of them emerged from the back, getting a good look at the quivering student. "Trying to get somewhere, buddy?!" He guy slurred. Alcohol puffed from each breath he took.

"Doesn't matter. I just-I need to get through." Logan argued, shoving his way past the crowd. As he made it out, he thought he got away with it. He was suddenly stopped by a forced. Someone grabbed his backpack handle, freezing him in his spot.

"Think you can just mess with us and get away with it?" The same guy asked. He turned Logan around, enjoying the fear Logan was trying to cover up with fake confidence. "You're one of the gays on this campus aren't you?" He giggled.

Logan didn't wait around. He slipped his arms out of his backpack straps, dropping his coffee and running. He didn't turn to look, but he could hear the gang of drunk people following him closely. He tried to lose them, ducking into odd gaps between building, climbing things, and jumping off ledges but nothing was working.

Again he was grabbed. This time, two people took both of his arms, stretching them out so he could hardly fight back. One of the girls came up to him, slowly and tauntingly removing his shirt. Logan struggled harder, not wanting to hurt any of them but losing his tolerance to do that.

Finally he broke free. The girl kept a grip on his shirt. Only when Logan heard a giant rip, was he able to run free again. Someone called off the group as the footsteps ceased behind him. Logan kept running until he didn't know where he was. He collapsed to his knees. His stomach was churning like butter. He felt he wasn't getting enough air in.

"Logan?" He heard someone call out. The student looked up, not being able to see the blob clearly as they walked towards him. "Logan, what happened to you?" They said again. It was only now that Logan could see the purple patched and white thread on the person's clothing.

"V-Virgil?" He gasped with shaky breathes. Said man grabbed onto Logan before he fell further to the ground. His stomach kept flipping, all the coffee in his system disagreeing with him at once.

Logan sprinted from Virgil grasp to a nearby trashcan, hurling into it everything he had consumed that day: coffee.

When he was finished, Virgil pulled him back, helping his shaking legs. "Why is your shirt all torn like this? Who attacked you?" His nervous friend panted. Logan didn't answer, too out of it to form a sentence. "Okay...um, I'm gonna take you to my dorm. Is that okay?" Logan just nodded.

Slowly, Virgil helped Logan into his dorm hall. Never had the two students been so thankful to have a ground floor dorm. Virgil didn't know how he would get his troubled friend up some stairs.

When at his dorm, Virgil knocked, not being able to reach his keys. The door opened, revealing Patton in some cozy blue pajama bottoms and a T-Shirt from his animal shelter. "Logan?" Patton questioned worriedly.

"Someone attacked him or something. When I found him, he threw up in a trashcan." Virgil told him.

"Poor thing. Come on, let's get him inside." The two rushed their friend inside, sitting him on Patton's bed. Logan immediately slummed down, not having the energy to stay up. This only raised his two friend's worries for him. Logan was never like this. Even when sick, Logan found ways to help himself.

"What should we do?" Virgil asked, obviously panicking.

"Hey, it's okay. Calm down. I'm sure he's okay. He probably just needs some rest. We can help him more in the morning." Patton soothed. Logan shut his eyes, taking a breath.

"T-Thank you." He whispered, signaling his friend's attention.

"Of course, Logan. Now get some sleep." The student did not have to be told twice. As soon as he closed his eyes again, he was asleep.