Illicit

Chapter Eighteen- Maternal Issues

Logan pushed himself into the hall of the apartment before looking at them with confusion.

"Hey son-"

"Dad....don't...."

"Come on...it's...it's been such a long time and we want to see-"

"She's not here."

"Are you two fighting."

"Why do you care now?"

"Don't talk to your mother that way!"

"I'm not sixteen anymore. If you want to be parents, adopt a kid or something...I'm done...and you know it."

"Logan-"

"No."

Naomi grew curious of Logan and moved towards the door, peaking her head out, not expecting anyone to be lingering.

"I'm sorry-"

"This is why she isn't here....you're shacking up with someone else..."

"Any part of my life is none of your concern now. Stop acting like it is."

"You're my baby-"

"You didn't care while you shooting up. Or you while you were drinking. And especially not when I was crying before you both begging you to stop for my sake and now because you feel like being parents, I'm supposed to accept you?"

"I gave birth to you-"

"It's just a title...."

"We need help Logan....your father is sick-"

"From the drinking...I bet...Leave me and my girlfriend the hell alone." And with that, he turned quick from them and moved back into the apartment with a racing pulse and raised blood pressure.

"Do you want to talk about it-"

"No..."

"You need to...you look like you are going to explode...."

"Maybe I am...do you really think pushing me is gonna help?"

"I'm not going to let you shut me out. You've turned me away enough!"

"What do you want to know?"

"Who were they?"

"My parents..."

"Foster parents?" He sighed at her question before he took a seat on the couch, running his hands through his hair. He fidgeted in his seat before looking back at her.

"I lied to you."

"Why? About what?"

"I was in and out of the system from age eight to sixteen. I lived with my parents on and off but they were busted with drugs or DUIs and I was stuck sixteen, the emo kid with nothing but a reputation of my family."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" He stayed quiet. "I can tell it still bothers you..."

"Of course it does! My parents cared more about getting high then their own son. So when I became eighteen, I bolted. I came here and didn't think twice. I met my ex and thought I was happy...but when she..."

"You don't have to explain that..."

"I felt like I needed to get close to you and explaining everything in my past would just cause heartache for both of us..."

"Why?"

"There was an instance when I was sixteen...I had just moved in with them for real. They looked like the picket fence family. My mom was wearing actual makeup, not smeared from the night before and my dad smelled of something other than vomit and alcohol. They were trying and I thought it could work. But my dad lost his job and drank until she shot up and the neighbors called the police on the dispute as they yelled at the highest octaves they could. They blamed me for the heroine. I was put in juvy for six months. I missed my sophmore year and had to take summer school to make it up. I was known as "that" kid to buy from. I was bullied and-that's why I felt I connected with you. You too understood what it was like to be misunderstood. But you were-are my student..."

She rose from the couch and moved towards him.

"What if I wasn't?"

"What? No. You love photography-"

"I mean...what if I wasn't just your student?"

"Like...I don't understand..."

"You keep telling me that it's ruining you to have to stay away from me. Each second burdens you and you feel as if you're going to break..." He nodded. "What if we just gave into it? If we stopped refusing it. Continued living this secret sin until I'm eighteen and if you don't want anyone to know I don't care. I just want to be with you. To not have to wait five minutes to hold your hand or kiss you or take a picture with you..."

"It's not moral-"

"What is anymore? Would you rather me date someone my own age? Who will statistically knock me up and leave me for the cheerleader? Or one who beats me up? How about-"

"I get it....Naomi..."

He found himself lost in her eyes-unable to resist her gaze. Logan brought his hand to her cheek before placing a hair behind her ear.

"You drive me crazy and it's no secret to anybody. But we are reckless in this...every time we smile at each other-we are a target to Kirsten, my boss-your principal."

"And it's more dangerous when we can't."

"I don't follow..."

"Each second we are together...it's like a drug...each hit, we're okay...apart...it's reckless-the glances-"

"So you're saying if we are together we aren't so desperate to be together and it's not so reckless and naive."

She nodded.

"I keep wanting to deny it...But..."

"But what?"

"I can't anymore." He pulled her wrists closer to him as he rested his forehead on hers before her head curved to his and they shared a pure kiss. Not one full of lust and the need to touch the other, just a pure, "finally" honest kiss.