BETTER OFF

15

LOGAN

"C'mon, you've got this," James encourages me while he stands above me making sure I don't drop the weight on myself. It's midnight on a Friday and we're at the gym because the hockey season starts in a month so it's prep time.

The weights bounce as I set the bar down on the rack.

"Fuck," I groan slowly sitting up on the bench. I bend over to reach for my water bottle.

"One more then we can go," I look over at James before lifting the water bottle to my lips.

"You said that before the last one," he looks at me skeptically.

"One more." I just need one more minute of no thinking.

"You need to take a break, Logan."

"Oh shut up, I'm fine," I set my water bottle on the floor at the same time my phone starts ringing.

I pick it up from the floor, when I flip it over her name is sitting at the top of the screen. We haven't talked since that night she abruptly left the bar and basically told me to fuck off. But I don't hesitate, I quickly stand up and walk away from James answering the call.

"Hello?"

"Can you," she pauses trying to catch her breath, she's crying, "Can you uhm come pick me up? Please."

"Where are you?" I ask turning back to grab my stuff from by the bench.

"Who is that?" James whispers.

"I gotta go," I tell him as Kenzie tries to describe where she is but none of it is helpful.

Luckily James and I met here after he got off work so we drove separately so I'm not leaving him stranded but I sure am leaving him confused.

"Send me your location, I'll be there soon," I tell her.

"Don't hang up," her voice catches in her throat as she says it, "Please."

So I don't. I just rush to my car and put her on speaker phone while I map to the location she sent me.

It's only a twenty minute drive and since it's so late no one's on the roads I speed down the highway to her. We don't talk the whole time but I hear her sniffle and cry the whole time.

And twenty minutes later I pull into a parking lot of a gas station to find Kenzie sitting on the curb with her phone in her hand, her arms are wrapped around herself. I quickly park and get out of the car.

"Kenz?" I say as I approach her.

"Logan," she looks up at me almost surprised I actually showed up. I can see the tears on her face, she doesn't look well at all. I can't tell if she's drunk or high or both.

"I'm sorry," she starts crying again, "I didn't know who else to call."

I bend down in front of her, "It's okay, Kenz."

She just shakes her head, "I'm sorry, I probably ruined your night."

She's definitely overly intoxicated. 

"You didn't but how about we get you home?" I say going to reach for her hand but she flinches.

What the hell happened?

She very slowly stands up, "I can do it myself."

Yep, that's the Kenzie I know.

I watch her stand up, trying to find her balance. She almost trips and I reach out for her, holding her shoulders.