Burn Out (ONC 2021) ✔

Chapter 3.5

15th April 1995

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Logan glanced at his algebra test paper as soon as the teacher had slammed it on his desk with a look of disapproval. That was when he knew that his situation was worse than he thought.

94 percent.

94 percent?

This was the first time in five years that he'd got anything short of a perfect score and he didn't even want to think of what had happened to him then when he was only two marks short.

This was terrible news. His mother was going to skin him alive and feed his bones to the dogs or worse still torture him with her hurtful words.

Ever since Logan's father had died when he was only five years old, his mother had grown cold and distant. It was a difficult situation watching her beloved husband suffer and die because he needed a heart transplant and they could not afford it.

Mrs. Richards had vowed that their status would change. She was hardworking and desperate to break free from the chains of poverty but no matter how hard she strived, the fact that she was uneducated was always a limiting factor. That was why she swore that her only child would get the best education possible.

Logan was not allowed to do anything asides study and excel in his academics. His mother would never allow anything less than perfection. The only friend he was allowed to keep was James because his family had been of immense support during the times of their trial.

The great thing was that Logan knew all the rules and had strictly abided by them. He'd never thought of his life as a mere prison yard and his mother a warden until he'd met the beautiful, tall, slender girl named Cassie.

Now, all he longed for was to be free to love and protect her. But it was hard, he was scared and he was doing the best thing for both of them, staying away. 

As his luck would have it, his day could only get worse as he'd stepped outside his school building and noticed James' car parked out front.

Damn! There was no way to escape. The ever so cheerful boy was already approaching him.

"Why have you been so difficult to run into these days, bro?" James asked with a bright smile as he extended his hands for their usual handshake, which was an embarrassing product of two five-year-olds ' imagination.

"Been busy with school," Logan said dismissively.

"Are you busy right now?" He asked enthusiastically.

Logan would've said yes and done everything to avoid his best friend because he hated to lie to him or betray his trust, then again, going home to face his mother was not exactly something he was looking forward to.

"No actually."

"Great! Guess what?" James asked and before he could make an attempt, he continued. "Today is Cassie's birthday. I am throwing her a surprise party at my place. How amazing is that?"

Logan forced a smile. This would without doubt be the worst day of his life.

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It was a great party. James had carefully planned out everything. The idea was to give Cassie the best day she'd ever experienced in her life because he was heartbroken to learn that she'd never celebrated her birthday before.