ʀᴏᴏᴋɪᴇ | ᴋᴏ ✔︎

5

It's been a few weeks now since I first met up with the team. My mom is still drinking daily but the house seems to be a lot cleaner, probably because she's home less and less so she doesn't have the opportunity to mess it up. Kevin is still Kevin, freakishly high I.Q, never misses a chance to educate me but I wouldn't change that or him for the entire world.

I pick up as many extra shifts as I can without straining myself, saving every cent as I go. I need to prove to Child Services that I can look after my brother, with or without my moms help. Most likely without it.

Mr Allen, the mid-aged man who owns the small cafe where I got my first job, works with me to sort out a schedule. I need the money and he needs the employees so it's a win-win situation.

It's almost 2PM, and I'm drawing in on the end of my eight-hour shift when the bell above the door rings, signalling another customer. I look to the door to see a small group entering, making me sigh, only now realizing how exhausted I really am.

Putting my game face on, I ready myself to serve my last few customers of the day. Hopefully.

"Hello, what can I get you?"

"Coffee. Black. And your number." The clearly over-confident girl flashes me what I can only assume is her charming smile. I ignore her poor attempt at flirting and focus on getting her order ready, until it is and I hand her the to go cup. "What about your number, gorgeous?"

"Yeah...no."

"You don't gotta be so rude, I can complain about you-" I'm thankful when she's cut off from her rant which was causing a scene.

"Fuck off and leave her alone. She doesn't have to give you her number." My savior says, who I recognize immediately as Kelley and she tells me her order.

"Working in a dump like this? She probably doesn't have a number to give out to people." The 'charming' creature snipes at Kelley but obviously aiming the insult at me. I ignore that too, chosing instead to get my own back in my own way.

"Here's your order, Kelley." I hand the cup over, making sure that the petty woman that asked for my digits can see my number clearly written on Kelley's cup.

"You probably made that number up."

"You should be careful what you say to people to make your food and drinks. Just sayin'," another customer cuts in. Kelley and I not the only ones that are tired of the unknown girl with a bad attitude. I see multiple people visibly relax when she finally leaves.

"So, did you?" Kelley asks, leaving me confused.

"Did I what?"

"Make the number up." She chuckles, letting me know she's messing with me.

"Oh, totally. Don't call it, an old man will answer and ask you out."

"Old guys aren't my type." She smirks at me, and I don't miss the insinuation, but I can't take it further. I have too much shit on my plate, I have to stay focused for Kevin, however I'm left internally screaming at myself when she asks me to hang out at the end of my shift - and I say yes.

_______

"So, why are you working here?" She asks, sipping on another cup of coffee. She should probably lay off it.

"Just to make a little extra money. Help out at home." I assume my vague answers would be enough but she only narrows her eyes at me, once again.

"What happened to your arm?"

Only now noticing that the burn on my arm from my mom and her cigarette is actually visible, I hide my arm as much as I can.

"Nothing." But she doesn't fall for it, who would though, it was a pathetic response.

"Logan, what happened?" She asks once again, taking my arm in her hand to inspect the burn. Being this close to my arm, I know she can see the other burns and scars too.

"It was an accident, don't worry about it."

I pull my arm away, even when she tightens her grip around my wrist, but not enough to hurt me. I can see that she's scared to hurt me but with what I've been through there's no way that she could. Not physically, anyway.

"I gotta get going anyway, I'm late to pick up my brother."

"I'll walk with you."

Despite my protests she does walk with me, all the way back to Mrs Holland's where I get Kevin. Kelley seems confused, and if I'm being honest, I'd rather she was confused than knowing. I knock on my neighbor's door, and wait for her to open it. When she does, my brother comes charging out of her house and into my arms.

"Logan! I missed you." He mumbles as he buries his face in my neck after I lift him up off the ground, his feet dangling.

"I missed you too, Kev."

"Who is that?" My brother whispers after I put him back on his feet and he looks at Kelley, who seems to be watching our interraction with a smile on her face.

"This is Kelley. Kelley, this little dude," I ruffle Kevin's hair. "Is my brother, Kevin."

I watch as he moves away from me, and over to Kelley, who holds her hand out for him to shake.

"It's nice to meet you, Kevin."

"It's nice to meet you too, Kelley." She looks to me in confusion when he doesn't shake her hand, but the confusion is replaced with surprise and then elation when my brother hugs her almost as tightly as he hugs me. "Are you the girl Logan talks about?"

Before Kelley can ask, I grab Kevin's hand and drag him away.

"Okay, time to go home! Bye Mrs Holland and thanks again!"

"I told you, Logan dear, I don't mind. Kevin is great company."

"Yeah, Lo. I'm great company."

I hear Kelley laugh, and it's the greatest sound I've ever heard as she walks on the other side of my brother.

"So you talk about me?" She asks. I look at her and she's smirking, a single brow raised.

"She does." Kevin cuts in again, throwing me under the bus.

"Shut up.", I pathetically mutter, playfully shoving my brother into Kelley as we see our house. I become immediately nervous, knowing our home isn't attractive looking in the slightest and I don't want Kelley to think anything bad about me but my worries about the player are quickly pushed aside for something else.

The familiar black sedan parked outside our house.