How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski Page A

and truthfully, I’d be scared. I don’t do “alone” very well. I’m relieved when Logan says: “Who wants to find out about getting a roll-out bed?” As much as I hate to admit it, I like the way he handles things. Even though he’s bossy, I feel safe with Logan leading this trip.
    “Me and Spencer can,” Matty says.
    “Anyone else starving?” Spencer asks.
    “Why don’t Logan and I make a food run?” Did I just say that? I can’t believe I’m offering to spend time alone in the car with Logan, but I don’t feel like sticking around here and trying to wrap my brain around the fact that I’ll be spending tonight in a motel room with three guys. Boy, I sure know how to make my parents proud.
    It stinks to be back in the car so soon—literally. I didn’t notice the boys’-locker-room scent while I was immersed in it. Boys are smelly.
    “Let’s get Wendy’s. I like their salads,” Logan suggests.
    What’s up with this guy? Egg whites. Salads. Hasn’t he heard of the Baconator? I want to say, Get a penis . But I stick to the topic at hand.
    “Fine. But I’m getting a burger and fries. I may need a Frosty, too.”
    “Emotional eating will get you in trouble.”
    Now I’m angry that I didn’t insult his manhood over the salad.
    “Listen, Dr. Phil. I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten since that waffle hut, which seems like it was yesterday,” I only got, like, two Cheez-Its in my mouth before the Batman attack.
    “It’s just—you seemed pretty upset after you talked to your friend.” We’re at a red light and he turns to look at me.
    “Glad I could provide some added entertainment. What? Tired of listening to your country music station already?”
    “I wasn’t trying to listen,” he says quietly. “Forget it.”
    He sounds hurt. Maybe that’s why I decide to spill.
    “My ex is telling people that I’m, ya know, that we—”
    “Didn’t you?”
    My eyes bug and I whack him on the arm.
    “Ow. That hurt, Catalano.”
    “It works both ways. Whataya mean, ‘didn’t you?’”
    “I’m surprised, that’s all. I’ve seen Joey around school . . . and Matty said you were together awhile.”
    “So you’re surprised I’m not slutty?!” Has that been his impression of me from the start? Is it because he knows the kind of girls Joey dates?
    Logan actually looks somewhat embarrassed. His cheeks flush and he backpedals. “No. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with it, I just figured—”
    Thankfully, we’re at Wendy’s. “Right. I’m glad you’ve got me all figured out.” I open the car door, slam it hard, and leave him sitting there for a few seconds. Eventually, he catches up with me in the fast-food-line maze. I’m looking up at the menu board as if I don’t have it memorized. Logan inserts himself into my line of sight and smiles at me. Mystomach goes all spacey. I chalk it up to hunger. He’s got a small dimple on the right side. I hadn’t noticed. Probably because he hardly smiles.
    “I don’t have you figured out. I’m sorry. Really.”
    I avert my eyes from him. I want to stay pissed, but I can’t. Especially since he said he was sorry. That’s more than Joey ever did. Even when we were together and had our little spats, he was never quick to apologize. “Fine. Buy me a blended chocolate Oreo Frosty and we’ll call it even.”
    “Emotional eating,” he says.
    I get burger combo meals for me, Matty, and Spencer and then turn Logan over to the Wendy’s lady. I smile when I hear him tack my blended Frosty onto his order. He wordlessly hands it to me as we head for the car. I pop the straw in and lean it toward his mouth like I used to do for Joey.
    Logan raises one eyebrow as he leans toward me to take a sip, holding my gaze longer than expected. “Aren’t you afraid I’ve got cooties?”
    “Cooties don’t scare me.” But the way my heart speeds up when he looks at me with those honey-colored eyes? That’s a different story.

Chapter 6
    It’s two minutes