Young Volcanos

July 6

I woke up and rubbed my face against what SHOULD have been my pillow. The feeling of a boy's bare chest and ten in the morning (if it's the right boy...) is actually pretty comforting. After you panic and don't know where you are.

I sat up quickly and looked down at Logan. He was still asleep and he looked adorable. I smiled and lay back down on my pillow and not his chest.

"Riiiley. Come back!" He whined, half asleep.

"I'm still here. Just not right next to you."

He sighed, exasperated. "Well that just defeats the whole purpose doesn't it?"

"You're half asleep. I'll talk to you when you make sense."

"Fine! I'll just figure out a way to make my unpleasant situation work."

"Someone's not a morning person." I mumbled; turning away from him.

The next thing I knew, I had his arms wrapped around my waist and his face on my shoulder. "Logan get off of-" I heard someone stop walking in front if his door and I reacted. I slid out of the comforter and over by the closet.

I heard the door open and then from the crack in the closet door, I saw a strawberry blonde woman in a tight pencil skirt and black heels; business attire.

"Logan?" She asked while adjusting her perfect bun on her head.

"Logan, it's time to get up. I'm going to a meeting but I really would like it if you could plan tomorrow night's evening...."

Logan shot up, "What? Riley-er, Mom, that's not my scene."

I held my breath, hoping that she didn't hear his mistake.

"Sure it is! It is your birthday ball, after all. And no, Ryan isn't here. Do you even know anyone named Ryan?"

I exhaled, she thought he had said Ryan.

"Ugh. Mommmm."

"So you'll do it? Thanks darling! Be back soon! Love you!"

Her heels clicked out the door. Logan sat up and rubbed his face. He scanned his room and when he saw me he smiled as if he were genuinely happy that I was still there. He stared at me for a second as if he just enjoyed the way I looked and then began the conversation.

"So how'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good. I noticed that we ended up on your bed."

"Yeah, I took it upon my humble self to do the job."

"My hero," I said flatly, "So what birthday party?"

Logan sighed, " Ball and my mother wants me to-"

I interrupted him, "I was here for that."

"Okay, got it. It's fancy, formal, lavish, and really proper."

"That totally sounds like your thing."

He chuckled and then he stood up.

He came over to me and helped me up. I walked over to the door of his room and he sighed, "Where are you going?"

"To fix the smell... or mine at least." I winked and walked out the front door. Before I could get anywhere, Logan hopped out of the front door and followed me down the front steps of his house, "I'm at least driving you."

I scanned him and immediately saw his toned muscles, "Forgetting something? Like a shirt perhaps?"

He stepped towards me and put his arm against the car so I was trapped, "Please Winston, I know you like the view." He leaned in and I ducked out of his arms,

"Please, I am the view." I stated and hopped in the perfectly cleaned Lexus.

While we drove the short drive to my house, I let Logan know to drop me off around the corner. Whether I was mad at him or not, I didn't want Rick to think that Logan had done more than just given me a place to stay.

We pulled up around the corner and I jumped out. "I'll wait for you, K?" He let me know.

"Nah, you can go and get dressed and like, brush your teeth or something."

"I brushed my teeth before I ran after you at home. And if I'm going to be holding a party later, then um... no. I'm not getting dressed."

I looked at his gray sweatpants and lack of a shirt and sighed, "Fine. I'll see you in a little bit."

I started to climb out of the car but felt him grab my wrist, "Be careful Riley."

I put a hand on my chest, "Are you... concerned about me?" I asked him jokingly.

"Always." The answer had surprised me and I stared at him. I gripped him in a hug and then climbed out of the car.

I walked over to my house and breathed in; this could go three ways: 1) We give everyone else in the house the silent treatment so it's completely quiet.

2) They approach me calmly and collectedly tell me that they're sorry.

3) All hell was about to break loose.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I walked in and was surprised to find no one there. I walked upstairs and into Daphine and Rick's bedroom. I looked around and saw the most empty room ever, There was just a bed and a fireplace. Plus the two closets. I walked over to the one with a tie in front of it, I guessed that this was Rick's.

I opened it and tears were brought to my eyes. There were pictures of Mom and I everywhere. Pictures of my family, even ones of the three if us together. In the bottom right if the closet I saw the pictures I had drawn him when I was eight. I saw that he kept the school pictures from the past three years that he hasn't lived with us. Then I saw what killed me most; Jingle's bed time tales and a box.

That had been the book we had read together every night. He had kept it.

In the box were a pair of small, child sized snow board boots. My first pair.

The tears came out, "You still care. You always have." And I had been a jerk I thought to myself.

I ran to my room and got ready, I had a Dad again.