Three's A Crowd (#WattysLonglist) (COMPLETED)

It's Not Rocket Science

I knew the moment I woke up to seven missed calls, three text messages, and a voicemail from my mom that something was wrong. I had just gotten dressed and walked into the living room when a knock sounded throughout the quiet house. Adam, having been up and cooking, made it to the door before I'd even stepped foot out of the room.

The second his entire body tensed in the doorway; I knew it was my parents. He hadn't known them but had approached them and introduced himself at Jesse's funeral to give his condolences. His thought process must have been the same as mine; them being here couldn't mean anything good.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mayer." He greeted, stepping aside to give them room to come in.

I felt my stomach begin to churn the moment my mother looked from Adam to me a few feet behind him. She looked as bad as she had the night the news had been broken to us. The devastation she wore like, and article of clothing made me physically sick, and I had to grasp the back of the old couch to steady myself. Her eyes, once such a beautiful chocolate brown, were bloodshot and puffy from excessive crying, lips trembling. But something shifted in her eyes upon seeing Adam, then they suddenly darted to something behind me. Rather than follow her gaze to who I could only guess was either Logan or Collin, my eyes fell on my father.

He'd done a pretty good job of holding himself, and our family, together for the last few weeks, but even he looked as if he'd given up the little happiness and hope he'd held close to him.

"What in God's name?" My mom gasped. "You weren't lying?"

I glanced over my shoulder to find Collin, luckily wearing his usual tank top and shorts, leaning against the washer, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the scene before him in curiosity.

"What's going on?" I forced out quietly, deciding it'd be best to deal with my current living situation once I'd figured out what it was that had my parents looking as if they'd lost Jesse all over again. "Are you guys okay?"

The door creaked to my left and Logan stepped out, wearing only a pair of shorts as his eyes drifted back and forth between my parents.

"What's going on?" I could hear the worry in his voice as he straightened himself. "Mr. Mayer?"

My dad waved a hand in his direction, then waved the manila folder in his hand in the air. "I. . . we got Jesse's autopsy report back. We wanted to give it to Em in person because we didn't think it'd be a good idea for her to read it alone, but I suppose that isn't a worry, is it?"

Logan crossed the room in a few graceful strides and swiped the folder out of my father's hand. I saw the same look my mother wore etching its way on to his face, then he slammed the folder shut and handed it back to my dad with a shake of his head.

"She doesn't need to read or see this." Logan said.

I cocked my head to the side. "You don't have the right to speak for me, Logan."

"I do when what's inside will scar and devastate you." He snapped. "Just let it go, Em. Let yourself live in your little bubble and—"

It was his words that made the curiosity in me reach its peak and I joined them in front of the door. Logan grasped my forearm as soon as I was within reach, a pleading look in his eyes.

"Emily, please." He pleaded. "Don't read it."

I could feel Collin's eyes burning into the back of my head, and watched Adam's curious expression soften a little hearing the strain in his roommates voice.