Nerds With Tattoos

Chapter 18 - Apologies

It had been over a week since I had spoken or seen Logan, and over a week since I had been ignoring Nolan.

'Riley?' Eliza asks, I look up at her coming out of my daze,

'Sorry what?' I ask,

'I was asking if you wanted to finish early? It would appear someone's hoping to talk to you,' she tells me, I look to where she's looking and see Logan standing outside the door on his phone. I look back at her,

'You're saying it's okay for me to skip the rest of therapy, and skip class, despite the fact that I haven't had any sessions with you in a fair few weeks?' I ask her. She gives me a small smile,

'I wont cover for you if you get caught,' she tells me. I smile at her and grab my bag. Using the one crutch I'm still using I hobble over to the door. I open the door and fling bag at Logan grabbing his attention.

'About time you come chat.' I mutter to him. He looks up at me and gives a small smile.

'Had a lot on my mind.' He replies. I gesture for him to start walking and I follow.

'How are you doing?' He asks,

'I'm okay. Pissed off at a lot of people but nothing too different.' I tell him. 'Still in pain but my ribs are healing.'

He sighs in relief,

'Sorry I've been a asshole.' He mutters.

'Nolan was the asshole,' I tell him.

'About that. I owe you an explanation.' He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He pushes open the door to the entrance of school and sits on the step. After an awkward few minutes I sat beside him.

'Probably. I heard the story but I'm not going to believe it unless I hear it from you and you don't have to tell me, you don't hear me telling my story.' I tell him. He looks at his feet and smiles, and we sit in silence for a few minutes.

'I didn't kill him.' He says after awhile. 'The situation was messy, she used me, she used him'

We go back into silence for a short while,

'My brothers used to use me. No one expects a small girl to be into anything dangerous.' I tell him. We go back into another silence.

'Have I completely ruined everything between us.' He asks,

'No.' I say, 'I'm pissed off but not really at you.' I tell him. He looks up at me,

'I'm sorry.' He tells me, 'I just- Nolan gets on my nerves. He doesn't know what he's talking about half the time, and I know you and him where friends first and you knew each other' he sighs. Shuffling over I pull him into a hug.

'Logan.' I murmur,he wraps his arms tightly around me, I keep silent at the pain it causes. 'We could skip if you want?' I tell him. He laughs into my shoulder,

'I've already skipped a few days,' he tells me. I pull back and look at his face,

'So what's one more?' I ask him. He looks at me and we study each other's faces. Slowly I move my arms around his neck and pull him again but this time our lips meet. He seems shocked at first but responds, the kiss feels a bit more urgent than the others we shared. He moves his arms to my waist and pulls me closer so I'm practically on top of him, but the pain it causes in my ribs causes me to let out a cry. Instantly he moves away sorry written on his face and he loosens his arms.

'Shit I'm sorry!' He says, his eyes trailing down to where his arms gently rest. I wave my hands in a don't worry gesture as I breath through the pain. The sounds of the bell going for next lesson gets our attention,

'If we are gonna skip gotta do it now.' I mutter, my voice strained with the pain. He grabs my bag and stands up offering me a hand, I take it and use my crutch as well to help myself up. We make our way to his car slowly. He opens the door to help me in and I grab my bag from him. He quickly makes his way to the drivers side and we make our way out of the car park. We sit in silence, trusting Logan to know somewhere to go. When we stop I see we are at his house,

'Are we actually going in today?' I ask him, he laughs,

'I'm sorry about last time, I didn't realise my dad would be home.' He says. I smile at him,

'Still can't get over that you're a rich boy.' I mutter to him, to which he lets out a small laugh,

'I'm not rich, my mum just married someone who is.'   He tells me,

'And that person you call dad.' I answer back with a raised eyebrow. He rolls his eyes at me, and stops the car. He gets out and quickly makes it to my side to help me out. I chuck him my bag, and we make our way inside.

'Hello?!' Logan shouts, when he gets no reply he looks at me and gives me a small smile. I take a seat at one of the bar stalls in his kitchen, and he goes to the fridge.

'So...' he says awkwardly, and I smirk.

'So?' I ask,

'How's Iana?' He asks,

'She's okay. We sorted out what happened fairly quickly and she keeps asking when I'll speak to you.' I tell him and smile, 'I quote - you two are cute.'

He gives me and full smile for once and I can't help but copy him.

'You know you have the perfect smile for a player!' I tell him and give a wink. He lets out a small laugh.

'You and I both know that's not what I want.' He winks back,

'What do you want?'

He takes a few minutes to think of an answer,

'Someone who doesn't care about what people think of them. Doesn't care what people think of me.' He answers. I smirk,

'Oh I care plenty on what people think of me.'

'Who said I was talking about you?' His tone is cheeky and I can't help but laugh. He walks to the fridge and grabs some cheesecake cutting a slice for me and sliding the plate over. He cuts himself a slice and then stands staring at it for a short while.

'Her name was Jo, she was great.' He starts, 'she was also manipulative. She wanted me to be something I wasn't, she had grand plans and I had a lot of anger towards my real dad and everything that was happening at home. She wanted me to join her plans my emotions would mean I was falling behind, I didn't make friends easily, and she got tired of waiting for me, she never helped either. She found another guy, tried to use him to see if I would start getting my act together, but she never broke up with me and my anger then got directed to her and jealousy,' he tells me. He picks up his plate and comes to the bar stall next to me and takes a seat. Out of instinct I grab his hand and rub my thumb in a soothing manner over his knuckles.

'She told me to meet her at a restaurant, and when I got there he was there with his dodgy mates, Bryant's brothers where some of them, and he had his hands all over her and she thought that was the perfect time to break up with me. I was so angry I remember just wanting to punch the shit out of him until there was nothing left and I would've, except Jo had a gun, and she was trying to aim for me I think but she got him.' He sighs deeply and goes to move his hand away but I cling to it, not wanting him to feel he's alone, 'she covered my ass by saying it was self defence, and covered hers by saying I did it, I was so shocked and hurt by the situation I never denied it.'

I wrap my arm around his shoulder and pull him into a hug.

'I'm not a bad person Riley. I don't want you to think that. You're one of the few people who haven't judged me since being here on my past,'