aspectabund
(adj.) letting or being able to let expressive emotion show easily through one's face and eyes.

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LOGAN

The next morning comes with a dumb smile tampered on my face. Dang it.

I vividly recall yesterday, but no, I didn't have a dream of Cassidy. I can't.

I wish I could have dreams. . . but well, it's impossible for me. It's always been like that since I was little. . . I really should be used to it now.

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By six am, I easily find Cassidy's profile on Facebook and I send her a friend request through my laptop. I don't have a crush on her, but I admit that she is kind of cute.

I scroll through her posts easily, and I discover that we have one mutual friend online.

Teacher Claudia?

As I said, we own a preschool nearby, but mom's quit playing principal there to work at a school's textbook publishing house. Teacher Claudia was once my teacher back then. She still works there up till now, a solid nineteen years I presume.

Maybe Cassidy has a younger sibling who studies at our school? Or maybe. . . could it be that she used to study there?

I browse Cassidy's wall; limited access though, because I have to be her friend to view all her posts. There's one woman that keeps tagging Cassidy on pictures, and the captions easily tell me that it's her mom. I click the woman's photo and see Teacher Julia French?

Yep, there's no denying that it's her, she was also a teacher from my old school! How could I not connect the pieces?!

Cassidy was my classmate back then. That's why her name sounded so familiar. And we weren't just classmates; mom told me that she was one of my closest friends. Since Cassidy's mom worked there, Cass would stay up till five and I would too. Mom told me we always played with each other. True enough though, because there wouldn't be any other kids but us, and Gavin from time to time.

Teacher Julia and I have four mutual friends -- my mom, dad, Teacher Claudia, Gavin's mom, and Gavin's grandma. Heck, this is starting to become weird.

If I haven't mentioned it to you, mom is best friends with Gavin's mom, and me and Gavin have known each other since we were three. Like Cassidy, we were classmates. I reckon Gavin and Cassidy being good ol' friends as well; there were instances when Gavin stayed a little longer back when we were kids. But Cassidy doesn't seem to remember me or Gavin anyway.

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At twelve noon, I'm playing my guitar inside my room when I hear the ding of the doorbell ring throughout my house. Alyssa is quick on her feet to run down the stairs and get the door before any of the workers do. I ignore them and continue strumming, but Alyssa's screeching replaces the beautiful music.

I don't know if the guest behind the door signals something good or bad, but I start hearing a high pitched laugh by my sister, which means yes, the guest is good for Alyssa.

I walk down the steps to see. . . something I really wasn't expecting.

Teacher Julia with Cassidy.

I continue my walk and smile at Cassidy, who is extremely tense and nervous. Rooted to the spot, she has a fake smile plastered on her face and she keeps lacing her fingers together. Her eyes are randomly darting around, except when she sees me.

Well, she's acting strange compared to how annoyed she was yesterday. It's a big coincidence that I just saw Cassidy yesterday, and I discovered I was classmates with her this morning, and now there's this.

"Oh my god, Amelia, is this Logan already?" says Teacher Julia to my mom, in which I smile politely.

"Oh, they're all so grown up! It's like yesterday that they were such small little kiddos," she continues.

"You know, I always bring up the topic of how Logan is so --"

"Mommy, mommy!" Alyssa begins whining, as mom's lip straightens and she carries my sister.

"Yes pumkin, what is it?" she says, implying the visitors to have a seat on the couch, as I take the soloed La-Z-Boy nearest to Cassidy.

"Why are you home so earlyyyy?" she asks, prolonging her y and burying her head in mom's neck, as they go inside the kitchen for mom to talk to Alyssa.

Cassidy's mom has just stood up as well and is barking orders to someone on the phone, leaving me and her daughter alone in the living room. At the disappearance of her mom, she brings out her phone instantly. Like clockwork, she scoots farther away from me on the sofa like I'm some evil bad guy.

"Hey Cass," I start, a little too brighter than I intended it to be. She shakes at my voice and slowly looks at me with a confident face that eventually falls into a tense state once her eyes greet mine, and so she breaks eye contact easily.

Nervous. So easy to read.

"So you're calling me Cass now," she says very silently, much more timid than she was yesterday. The door creaks and Teacher Julia has just entered the dining room with mom.

Since Cass has moved to her right, there's a ton of space next to her, so I stand up and quickly flop down on her left before she can do anything.

I feel her shudder as my shoulder brushes hers. I hope I'm not shuddering either.

"You're acting odd," I say coolly, positioning myself to be able to face her pretty gray eyes.

"I see you're still the same," she replies, fingers typing away on her phone.

"Yesterday you were here at my place. I didn't think you'd want to come back for more," I joke her, and Cassidy takes a moment to come up with something to stay.

She's still refusing to face me.

"Whatever Logan, we're here because mom bumped into your mom and apparently she's. . . interested in transferring me to your school this year," she says shakily with a gulp.

Is that for real?

"Really?" I ask. "Do you know that we've been classmates in the past?"

"What are you talking about?" she asks in a jumpy laugh. But before I can reply, she's already cut me off.

"Oh wait, yeah I remember! You know. . .since I just heard your mom and my mom talking about that earlier and all and you know and. . ." she says quickly.

Yep, it really makes her cuter.

"You sure about that?" I ask.

"Yeah. . . I-I'm pretty sure," she says, as my hand finds the will to touch her small ones, in which I suddenly feel so damn strange. Well, this is new.

She finally permits the grays to look into the blues, but she's so afraid of letting our eyes stay glued to each other for too long and breaks the connection quickly. It's like something scary will happen if she stares too long, or I don't know, she's being shy? But why? She seemed so annoyed at me yesterday, her behavior now doesn't make any sense.

"You okay?" I ask, managing a laugh and not minding to get lost in her eyes. Her black hair falls perfectly and covers her ears, but good enough to not cover her face. She purses her lips and everything is so silent. Silent in a good way -- in a way that I like.

"Duh!" she replies, slapping my shoulder softly.

Was I just gawking at Cassidy?

I react quickly, only to throw her off guard and catch her facial expressions; she tries hiding everything. I don't know why, but I can strongly sense it.

But that moment is eventually shattered by the time Alyssa comes back from her unpleasant conversation of whines with mom, her head covered in icky blue and violet frosting.

"Woah, what happened to you?" I utter, inching away from the tiny she devil.

"Mommy. . . gave me yummy cupcakes," she replies, noisily slurping the frosting.

"Go wash your mouth, you look ugly," I say, pushing the small human away. But this makes her mad. And when Alyssa gets mad, she does not act like the typical preschoolers that will make a tantrum and cry. Evil, I tell you. Instead, she sits on my lap and hugs my neck.

Expect the unexpected.

"You know Logan, you're the best big brother ever!" she exclaims sweetly, but wiping her cheeks on my face making all the violet and blue smudge near my mouth and above my eyes.

"ALYSSA! Get off, that's gross," I tell her, unlocking the tiny fingers around me. I hear Cassidy look up from her phone and laugh at me. I scowl as my sister climbs down and approaches her slowly.

"Go Alyssa, smear some cupcake frosting on her too!" I cheer, standing up to wipe the icky frosting. But instead of her sticking her blue and violet cheek on Cassidy, she stares at her phone case in amusement. I get why she's looking -- Cassidy's phone is a white unicorn with pink and blue hair.

Seriously, why is my sister nice to everyone but me?

"Who are you?" Alyssa queries, sitting on the couch.

"A magical unicorn that gives good dreams," Cassidy jokes, much more confident compared to when she was talking to me.

"Really?" asks Alyssa stupidly as I snicker, making her take a glare at me.

"Did you just laugh, Logan? I'm not dumb, I know that her name is Cassidy because I heard mommy say it while talking with the Julia woman!" she screams at me as Cassidy giggles freely.

See?! Mastermind queen of wickedness! She may look innocent and cute, but she has a lot more on her sleeves for a five year old.

"Hey be nice will you? I'm older here," I scold. She ignores me and continues her conversation with Cassidy.

"Where did you get your phone case?" she asks.

"My best friend bought it for me as a present," replies Cassidy.

"Ow, I wish someone would buy me a unicorn phone case!" she whines, eyeing me. No way I'm buying her anything after how she acted and humilliated me in front of Cassidy.

"I could get you one if you like," Alyssa's eyes widen in complete happiness.

"Really? You'd do that?" she squeaks happily in front of Cass.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll be able to find one. I can give it to you next time," Alyssa now sits on Cassidy's lap and hugs her as she grins.

"Wait, how old are you exactly? You have a phone already?" she says.

"I'm five, 'course I do! I'm just not allowed on Facebrain or Instagrew thingies because mommy won't let me, but I can read letters already!" she responds.

I find myself beaming at Cass. She's a lot prettier than she already is when she smiles. She doesn't notice me, but the baby sister does.

"Logan? Are you smiling?!" Alyssa gasps, and I gulp as a sign that I know where this will lead. I don't reply and only stare at her blankly, but as soon as she's hopped down from Cassidy's lap, I catch her eyes at me and I can't help but smile a little.

"You are smiling!" she announces, pointing at me. She whispers something into Cassy's ear, that surely makes her laugh. No doubt it's something to break my reputation and image.

"Alyssa!" I warn her, which doesn't take effect.

"Okay, okay, just tell me when!" Teacher Julia's voice rings as she and mom come out from the dining room, stopping Alyssa to declare that I could, oh I don't know, have a crush on Cassidy or like her.

"Cassidy, you're transferring schools!" her mom says cheerfully, as Cassidy looks like she's to throw up in any second.

"Yes, you and Logan are going to become classmates again!" mom chirps with the same happy atmosphere.

So. . . me and Cassidy are gonna be classmates again?

"Mom. . . but I thought we had enrolled for senior year at River Vally High?" asks Cassidy.
"Yes dear, but Meadows High School has a greater inclination towards reading and writing, which you love! I don't know why I didn't even let you study there in the first place, it will really help you out as a writer!"

Cassidy bites her lips and is drop dead speechless.

"Thank you, Amelia, we appreciate this so much," says Mrs. French to mom as mom accompanies them out the door.

"Bye, Cassidy!" I call out before they leave, but she's entirely absorbed in her own thoughts. So damn easy to read.

☆ ☆ ☆

To be frank with you, I can't believe how my past three days have gone. I don't believe in magic at all, but this is one hell of a coincidence that I'm starting to believe is more than just a series of events with no connection.

I get an iPad from a random girl I literally saw in the streets, spend a short time with her at the mall, and now I discover that she's been my childhood classmate and our moms know each other? And now we're suddenly going to school with each other after all those little occurrences? The world is totally going mad.

When dinner time comes, the topic in the table is about Cassidy and all the transferring happening. The plates are as usual, filled with tons of food that we don't really finish.

"Mommy, did you see Logan earlier? He was making googly eyes at Cassidy!" says Alyssa. I laugh and eat my dessert.

"Really? Were you looking at Cassidy, son?" mom asks.

"Yes, but not 'googly eyes'" I reply, but mom doesn't believe me. Great, she's on the side of the little monster.

"Logan. . . " begins mom, putting down her spoon and fork.

"What?"

"Do you like Cassidy?" she asks quickly, obviously excited.

"Like, as in the friend thingy? Sure." mom eyes me quizically.

"You're smiling right now and avoiding to look at me."

"So?"

"You like Cassidy and you don't know it."

"What? Mom I met her two days ago after we were classmates at the age of --"

"LOGAN AND CASSIDY SITTING ON A TREE K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Alyssa starts her singing.

"Oh, shut up, little monster,"

"FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MARRIAGE, THEN COMES CASSIDY WITH A BABY CARRIAGE!" well, I didn't know that there was an extended version to the song.

"AND AT THE END, LOGAN LEAVES FALL!" Alyssa cheers out of tune as mom pats her hair affectionately.

"What do you mean? Fall isn't even my girlfriend," I say.

"Yes, but you've been with her for so long! Cassidy is so much prettier, and she doesn't fight me like Fall and you do! She's going to make my phone become a pretty unicorn and --"

"Alyssa, stop teasing your brother!" mom finally says. Yeah right, like she's not enjoying any second of it either.

"Fall and Cassidy are Logan's friends," she adds. I do nothing but finish my food and let them make assumptions and predictions about my own life.

Looks like I'm in for much more with Cassidy French than I had thought.

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Herro herro! I just discovered that. . .writing in Logan's POV is actually kinda hard. I thought it wasn't that challenging since the earlier chapter was easy, but it's more difficult than expected. I can relate more with Cassidy since she's a girl and there's like a little percentage of my personality in her, whereas Logan is a boy, and I do not know what boys usually think about.

I hope you liked this chapter, and don't forget to vote, comment, and follow me, because it would really mean the world!