Chapter 51

I tried to focus on the song, but my thoughts kept going back to Logan.
Out of the corner of my eye, offstage, something caught my eye. Gargantuan was still there. This surprised me, but what shocked me even more is that Craig slipped him something discreetly as a broad grin spread across his face. Gargantuan nodded to me, and then left. For a moment, I wondered if Craig had just paid him off for doing that to me, or if he was paying him for the gig. I pushed the thought aside and faced the crowd, finishing the song. "Thanks for being such a wonderful audience! Goodnight!"
I stormed off the stage as the crowd roared. But this time, I didn't care how loudly they screamed. I was going after Logan. I walked right over to Craig as my eyes flared. "What the hell was that?"
"What?" Craig asked innocently.
"You paid off Gargantuan?" I asked, not giving an inch. "You knew that Logan was here, didn't you?"
Craig let out a deep breath as he rubbed my shoulders, but I shrugged him off. "Calm down. I don't know what you're talking about."
"The money!" I yelled over the crowd. "You gave that guy who kissed me some money! Did you pay him to do that? To kiss me?"
Craig's eyebrows pulled together, confused. "Kitten, you're imaging things. I was paying him for the gig."
"Yeah, right!" I shrugged out of his grasp. As I walked off, the guys in my band watched, giving Craig dirty looks. Then, I turned around and yelled, "And don't you ever call me kitten again!"
I shrugged out of my guitar and handed it to Noah, who was now standing by the door. "Take care of this for me?"
"I got it! Go after him!" he yelled.
I placed my hand gently on the side of his face. "Thanks."
Then, I rushed down the stairs. Strangers patted me on the back as I pushed my way through the crowd toward the door. I ran to my car and slid into the driver's seat as quickly as I could, clicked the seatbelt, and turned the key in the ignition as my VW Bug roared to life.
The tires squealed as I pulled out of the parking lot, nearly crashing into another car, wondering where Logan would have gone. I decided to try my apartment first. Quicker than I would have thought possible, I pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later.
After I pulled the car to a stop, I quickly shut off the engine and ran toward my apartment, not bothering to lock the car doors. I fumbled with the key in the door, and flung the door open a second later. "Logan?" I yelled into the apartment, but I instantly knew that he wasn't there. "Logan? Where are you?" I ran straight back toward the bedroom, but the bed was still made. Panicked, I quickly flung open the closet door. His clothes were gone. "Logan!" I screamed into the empty apartment as I laced my fingers through my hair, grabbing the sides of my head, unable to believe what was happening. How could everything have been so right just last night, and had gone so wrong today? "Logan!"
I ran into the kitchen, but stopped short when I saw his key lying on the counter. There was no note. Nothing. Just Logan's key.
I ran quickly out the door and across the lawn, past the swing sets, headed toward Logan's apartment. I ran quickly up the stairs, and stopped at his door. Bright lights shone from inside, but there was no music. Not this time.
I pounded on the door with my fist, not caring who I woke up in the process. "Logan! I know you're in there!" I yelled as I banged on the door. "We need to talk!"
Moments later, the door opened and Mason and Lathe stood in the doorway.
I tried to look past them, but they blocked my way. "Is Logan here?" I asked, trying to look around them.
"Now's not a good time," Mason said coldly as he folded his arms across his broad chest.
"I'll handle this," Lathe said to Mason.
Mason let out a breath and shook his head as he turned and walked away.
Lathe stepped out onto the landing, closing the door behind him, and then turned to face me. "Allie, look. He's hurt. Just give him time "
"It was a misunderstanding!" I yelled as I placed my hands on the side of my head and then pulled them abruptly away. "Some random guy grabbed me and kissed me before I could stop him as soon as I stepped off stage! He caught me off guard "
"That wasn't just some guy."
"Yes; it was!" I yelled. "I swear I've never seen him before in my life!"
His eyebrows knit together. "Are you sure about that?"
I took a step back. "What the hell are you saying?"
Lathe let out a deep breath. "That was Bryant Hall from the old band Starstruck."
I took a step back in disbelief. "No way!" I used to listen to his songs when I was in high school. "But he opened for me tonight."
Lathe shrugged as he shook his head. "He got into drugs a while back, and is making a comeback with a new band, I imagine. Anyway, you can see what Logan thought."
Anger suddenly filled my body. "Look: if Logan's not man enough to come out here and discuss it face to face, then he knows where to find me when he is. It was all just a big misunderstanding."
He nodded. "Allie, I'm so sorry about this."
I shrugged. "It's not your fault, but thanks." I tried to look over his shoulder for Logan one last time, but he stepped in front of me, blocking my way. I nodded, understanding. Then, I turned to walk away without looking back.
I held back the tears as I walked, broken, back to my apartment until I was a safe distance away. As I headed toward the swing sets, memories of Logan rushed into my mind of watching the sunrise. Unable to hold them back any more, tears stung my eyes and my chest felt as if it was about to cave in. Tears rushed down my cheeks as my shoulders shook. My body wracked with sobs as I fell to my knees. Memories of Logan rushed into my mind in the candlelight-in the moonlight. I wrapped my arms tightly around my waist in an attempt to hold myself together, remembering the feel of Logan's arms around me, looking at me through his eyelashes.
I rocked slowly back and forth as I knelt on the ground, alone with my memories, until the sun began to rise, signaling the beginning of a new day-a new life without Logan.