Alex - Am I a Stalker Now?

"Congratulations! You placed first on the leaderboard!"

Alex felt her cheeks grow hot, remembering where they were. She scrambled out of Logan's grip and landed on her feet. Eyes out the display window, her hand flew to her mouth. Not from the kiss but from what she almost said.

Surprised confusion engulfed her mind.

Logan let her be. He figured she wanted a bit of privacy. Instead, he diverted the store representative's attention away and asked, "We did?"

"That is correct!" She replied, taking out a whiteboard and marker. "Please write your team name here. All participants are photographed after their turn. These are the signboards for those that managed to escape."

Alex focused on her breathing. They still had a few more hours together. It would be best if she ignored the incident for now. Otherwise, she wouldn't barely survive. Her head slowly turned to the side.

She peeked at Logan from the corner of her eye.

He chatted with the store representative. His hand wrote on the whiteboard. A smile stretched across his lips. The daylight from the windows glowed on his skin.

As if he could sense her, his head snapped in her direction.

He offered her a smile.

Alex closed her parted lips. Her heart almost leaped out of her chest. Those three words echoed in her head. She felt them to her core. They were at the tip of her tongue—but she couldn't say them.

What held her back.

"Alex!" Logan yelled. He walked to her side and checked on her. He put the back of his hand against her forehead. "Are you okay? I've been calling you for five times now. Do you feel sick? Faint? Do you need water? Air?"

Blinking out of her daze, Alex grabbed the hand and locked their fingers. She didn't let go as she placed their hands between them. "I'm okay. What team name did you write?"

She held the board in his other hand and lifted it up. Messy handwriting filled the entire space. Each letter stretched from top to bottom and from left to write. Somehow they managed to fit inside the tight space.

"Logandra." Logan beamed proudly. He wanted to doodle some designs but figured the name was more important. The store representative shared her positive opinion and that was more than enough to convince him.

"..."

Alex scowled at the whiteboard. "Why is your name first?"

"It sounds better that way." Logan snorted. He had expected this reaction. "Alogan is not appealing. Other variations are the same. It doesn't matter anyway as long we're together."

She looked up at him. Suspicion projected out of her eyes. "Did you eat cheese this morning?"

"Yes." He nodded. Then, he smirked and winked. "For extra cheesy affection."

Alex was about to hit him with the board when the store representative interrupted them.

"When you're ready, please step this way!"

Pulling her hand in his, Logan led Alex to the counter. The other signboards stayed unused. None of them appealed to him. Alex eventually agreed after she saw them. Her hype for winning had already died down. She held the whiteboard at one side while Logan held the other.

They smiled at the camera, facing out the window display.

"Say extra cheesy!" The store representative teased as she pushed the shutter button.

Alex tried her best not to cringe.

"Okay!" The store representative announced. "Your photo will be up for this month's leaderboard. You can also get a copy of this when we post it on the website. Hope you come back!"

Soon, the pair left the premises. They headed back to the car. They walked in silence, swinging their joint hands. Alex gazed at the stores again. The bookstore from before had more customers. A group of girls looked over the accessory section.

Logan followed her line of sight. "Do you want to check out anything?"

She twisted her neck back towards the corridor. "Maybe another time."

It would have been better if it was less crowded. The noise would distract her. It would also be harder to browse around.

"So we'll have another date?" Logan teased.

Alex smirked, meeting his gaze from the corner of her eye. "If you'll get another permission from my father."

Logan flinched from her words. He barely made out the last one—the only one he had so far. It seemed like for future dates, they had to be at her family's house. At least, if they wanted guaranteed ones.

The two of them descended down the stairs.

"Are there really bodyguards around here?" He suddenly asked. The enclosed space limited views from the outside. Unless they were also on these stairs, they'd fail to watch over him and Alex. He had expected them to actually stay near.

So far, he found no hint of their presence.

"Yep, we just can't see them." Alex chuckled. They stepped down to the first floor, walking towards the parking lot. "There are always around. I just found it uncomfortable when they're too close."

Logan pressed his lips together. "Then, did they… you know, see us…?"

Alex turned her head away, hiding her blush. She knew exactly what he meant. "Don't worry. Mom told them not to share more than the basics."

She also liked to pretend that they didn't know about private moments—even if they happened publicly. She didn't see clearly but that shop only had its store representative, right? There weren't others?

She didn't know what happened. It just did. The impulse came like an arrow that pierced right through her. Yet, she didn't hold any regret.

It would be a memory she treasured for a long time.

"I even tried to find them while we were on the road," Logan admitted.

His statement brought her back to reality. Gods, was she off today. She was never this bad before! How did people deal with this? "You wouldn't see them until you know what you're looking for."

He opened her side of the car and escorted her inside.

Alex checked the backseat, grabbing the vase of flowers. Sea water and mint floated up her nose. She took a quick whiff while Logan wasn't around. The smell brought a smile to her face. It wouldn't last long once she got home.

Maybe she should look for the cologne.

'What the—' Alex shook her head violently. Her wide eyes started at nothing. What was she thinking just then? It sounded creepy. Did she become a stalker now?

Why would she buy his cologne and keep it?

Logan joined her on the driver's seat. He buckled her seatbelt and his. Then, he turned on the engine and drove out of the lot. He was completely unaware of anything that happened for the past 30 seconds.

Alex cleared her throat. "Where are we going now?"

The roads led them back to bustling parts of Woodlands. After the Escape Room, she didn't think anything would be just as fun. Hell, she'd like it more if they played board games. She was already tired of the outside world.

Where was her warm bed?

She turned on the sound system on impulse. A soft melody filled the car. She swayed along with the music. It matched her mood.

"Well, I cooked a picnic but I was hoping that was for dinner," Logan revealed. The stoplight became red. Part of the intersection could lead to the park. His eyes flickered towards her. "Do you want it now?"

Alex felt her stomach rumble. Almost 40 minutes of puzzle solving exhausted her. Thinking of food, she noticed her parched throat. The only water she found was from the vase.

It probably wasn't a good idea to drink it.

"A picnic? Am I going to try your infamous cream of mushroom soup?" She teased. She had tasted it in several restaurants. She wondered how his version would compare.

Logan bumped her nose with his finger. "No, that is not a picnic dish. You'll have it another day."

She pouted. Then, she realized what he just said. "You'll cook for me again?"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I can cook for you anytime you want."

Alex pressed her lips together. She actually had no retort for that. It made her remember the porridge he made when she was sick. He didn't have a mother who pushed him to do it. He did it completely on his own. The memory squeezed her chest.

It was strange.

She was strange.

Was it only yesterday when they constantly fought? Everything seemed brighter now. She never felt more free. Not only that but she felt much stronger—like she could face anything.

As long as he stayed by her side, the sky was the limit.

The stop light turned green. Logan shifted the gear and stepped on the gas pedal, making a left turn. At the end of the long street, they could almost see a large park.

He blew out a breath and added, "That is if you keep making me that sexy macaroni soup, of course."

Alex smacked his shoulder.

"Hey! No hitting the driver!"