The Boy That Stole My Heart

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

     To say that I was excited was an understatement, as I slid my bike to a halt, dropping it into the grass and bounding up the steps and through the front door. This wasn't an uncommon occurrence. We had ceased knocking a long time ago. Our families had basically become one, though at work our moms were still the worst of enemies. Igrabbed two squirts of sanitizer on the run and took the stairs two at a time, reaching the top in record time and grabbing the door handle, freezing suddenly at the sound of Logan's tinkling laughter.
     "Stop," I heard him say and there was the sound of more laughter, his and someone else's.
     My heart dropped into my belly. My first thought was that the Valerie girl was here and as petty as it was,I shoved the door open quickly in an attempt to interrupt whatever it was going on inside. It wasn't her... It was Kelter and he was leaned over Logan in a way that was much too intimate for my comfort.
     They both turned in surprise, Kelter's smiling face had been transformed into a tiger while Logan's was possibly a kitten? His nose was pink and the had whiskers that stretched over his cheeks.
     "Ellie!" Logan said, jumping up and rushing over to me. "You got your cast off! Does it smell? Can I smell it? Oh my God! Look at your arm! It's so white!"
     I pushed him back. "Cut it out you weirdo."
     Kelter smiled at me but it was more of annoyance than happiness. "What's up man?" He called with a nod.
     "Kelter and me were just painting each other's faces... Well I was. He sucks. We were going to go to the zoo this afternoon do you want to come with us?"
     Kelter's smile, even as fake as it was faltered at that and I hadn't been smiling to begin with. We eyed each other with Logan looking between the two of us.
     "Ellis is probably busy this afternoon," Kelter offered and I scowled at how openly he was at wanting to be alone with Logan.
     I opened my mouth to tell the dude to fuck off but then I noticed how flushed Logan was. Not just his cheeks were pink but his entire face and his neck too. I reached out, lifting his shirt and touching the back of my hand to his belly. His eyes widened at surprise and Kelter's narrowed in annoyance.
     "Logan, you're burning up," I said to him.
     He shook his head softly. "I'm okay El."
     "I need to call your mom," I said reaching for my phone and he grabbed my hand.
     "I'm fine!"
     "Hey, man he said he's fine," Kelter told me, standing up, interfering in something he couldn't even comprehend.
     There have always been different levels to my anger but the one I felt right then was ice cold and dangerous. I looked at him then and I think that he saw that, his eyes widening in surprise and as I stepped toward him, Logan was there, his small hands on my chest.
     "Ellie, you promised me," he said softly, bringing me back to reality and I realized I had covered half the room before he managed to stop me. Kelter stood by the bed, fists clenched, a nervous look on his face.
     "You should go," I told him.
     "Maybe you should," Kelter countered, not deterred so easily.
     Logan stopped the argument before it started, never taking his hands from my chests, never taking his eyes from mine. "Go home Kevin. Now please."
     Kelter scoffed. "Whatever," he said stalking to the door and slamming it behind him.
     I couldn't help but smile, so happy that he had taken my side, there was no stopping my lips from turning up at the corners... And then Logan slapped me across the face hard enough to make me stumble, my hand going to my stinging cheek in shock.
     "You need to grow up Ellister." He said to me. "If your so eager to leave then just do it."
     "What are you talking about?"
     He shook his head in disgust. "If you get in to trouble again they're going to take you away! Like really take you away! It's like you don't care. You think I wanna be the reason that happens? I don't need you to fight for me! I need you to be here with me."
     I looked down in embarrassment. "I'm sorry Logan... That was stupid."
     He wrapped his arms around me and I held tightly, breathing in the scent of his shampoo, the baby kind that didn't burn your eyes.
     "It was... And so are you."
     "I know," I said softly. Just say it... Just say I love you... Just say I love more than humanly possible and I don't want to share you with that girl or Kelter or the baseball team. "I'm sorry," I said instead.