On Every Road

Life As We Know It

"The traffic is horrible, what is this!" I point to the traffic ahead of us and scoff.

"I know, right? Santa Monica isn't even that far from Beverly Hills but it'll take us three hours to get there at the pace of this traffic. It's a holiday, why is everyone out?" Logan rests his head on the steering wheel and pulls the handbrake.

"You got your answer, genius." I roll my eyes and he nudges me. "It's a holiday and everyone is out to celebrate." I put on my sunglasses. It was 10AM and the traffic is so bad, it's barely moving. Looks like everybody wants to get out of here.

Logan gets his phone from the dashboard and disconnects the auxiliary cord, cutting off Patrick Stump's amazing voice. "Mom? ... Yeah, we left already but it's too traffic. ... The unbearable kind of traffic, mom. ... Barely. ... We just have to endure and survive." Logan chuckles. "I'll see you when I see you, mom. Probably later on in the afternoon or tonight. I love you. ... Bye." He hangs up and looks at me. "Looks like we'll be here for awhile."

I purse my lips and sigh. "Well, at least you're not alone."

"You make things better." He looks at the road as he removes the handbrake and we trudge slowly out of Beverly Hills.

There goes the butterflies in my stomach.

I didn't realize I fell asleep, but I wake up with a jolt. I look around and Logan parked the car in front a big, peach house with a huge porch, big windows, and endless balconies. "Welcome home." He looks at me and gets out of the car. It was around 1PM when we got there. I get out and fix my shorts and shirt. I re-tie my shoelaces and I get my bag from the trunk.

"Big house." I say as we walk to the porch and he rings the doorbell.

He chuckles and someone opens the door. "Logan, my sweety!" A woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes hugs Logan and kisses his cheeks. "It's so nice to see you, sweety." She smiles at him.

"It's nice to see you too, mom." He smiles at her. They look alike. His mom was short, probably the same height as myself, and she had a radiant smile and glowing skin. In fact, she looked young as well. "Mom, this is Diandra Johnson. She's new at Beverly and she lives in Ohana as well." He puts his hand at the small of back.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Lerman." I smile at her and she hugs me.

"It's nice to see you, darling. Logan's been telling me quite a lot about you." She brings me inside the house, Logan closely following behind.

"Yeah?" I chuckle and she nods.

"You're quite the topic when Logan calls me during his free time when he's not spending time with you." She sits down in the living room, it looked like something out of a Victorian palace.

"Mom." Logan says and he was turning red. "Stop, okay?" He closes his eyes and inhales.

She laughs. "I'm Lisa, Diandra. Don't call me Mrs. Lerman, I feel so old."

Logan leaves us in the living room and goes up stairs. Their house was white and peach inside and had a hint of inspiration from either French or Victorian designs. It was beautiful, need I say more? If I lived in a house like this, I would not leave. "Your house is beautiful." I look at Mrs. Lerman and she smiles.

"It's my past-time, decorating the house. Since my husband is always at that shop of his, I'm here decorating." She chuckles.

Logan walks in the room. "Dad, this is Diandra Johnson."

I get up and shake Mr. Lerman's hand. He was tall, taller than Logan, and had brown hair and brown eyes. "Good afternoon, Mr. Lerman."

"Hello there, so you're the lady my son's been babbling about." He laughs. "A pretty one, ain't she, Lisa?" He sits beside his wife and she nods approvingly.

I feel my cheeks heat up and Logan's is doing the same. "Thank you." I sit down and Logan takes a seat beside me.

We talk over a cup of coffee or tea, and I got the chance to become, somewhat, closer to Logan's family. I feel so welcomed, it was an overwhelming feeling. After spending countless hours chatting and laughing about Logan's childhood and looking at his baby pictures, Mrs. Lerman leads me to my room. We head up the spiral staircase in silence and we go down a hallway that seemed endless and we stop in front a brown, mahogany door. She turns the gold knob and a room probably half or so bigger than my own apartment welcomes me.

"Wow." I quietly say.

"Feel at home, darling." She looks at me and smiles, she looks so much like Logan.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lerman." I smile at her and she leaves the room.

I look through my clothes for something to wear for dinner. Simple. Something simple. I pick out dark jeans and a simple flowy top. My favorite kind. I slip on sandals and look at myself in the mirror. I wash my face and put on mascara and lipstick.

I stare at myself through the reflection and exhale. I like him so much. Why does life have to be so weird? I look up to the ceiling for an answer and close my eyes. Things can't go the way I want them to go. We're friends and I think that's how things should be. I leave the room and head downstairs where the Lerman's are waiting for me and another girl with strawberry blonde hair sits beside Logan. She smiles at me with those perfectly shined teeth. I felt small and intimidated all of a sudden. I take my seat beside Logan.

He coughs. "Uhh.. Diandra, this is Jenny. My childhood best friend. Jenny, this is Diandra, my friend in school." I smile at her and shake her hands.

She had long, strawberry blonde hair which curled well, the body of a swimmer, green eyes and... she is perfect. I purse my lips. I guess I'm just a friend of Logan's. I eat my mashed potatoes in silence as they chatted away at the table. After dinner, they gathered around the couch for some dessert.

I decided to excuse myself. I walk to the backyard and sit down on the swing. This was probably a bad idea. Coming here was a bad idea. I was such a fool thinking he could like me back. I roll my eyes and exhale. I hear someone open the door and look for whoever it was.

"Hey." My eyes meet with Logan's eyes.

"Hey." I look down.

"Why aren't you inside?"

"I was full from all the delicious food your mom made." I pat my belly and he chuckles. This was true. "And also, I just wanted to get some air and think."

"About?" He cocked his head to the side.

"Just the play. It just stresses me out." This was a lie.

He puts his arm around me. "We'll do fine, D. Come on, let's go in." He gets up.

"I'll follow in a bit." I smile at him and he leaves.

I don't know how long I have been outside, but I went from sitting on the swing to lying down on the bench looking at the night sky. Logan's parents went to bed and Jenny was still here. I yawn and get up.

It was dark in the living room, but I can see the silhouette of two people on the couch. I come closer to see who it is and I see Logan lying on the couch with Jenny beside him, her arms around his waist and his arm wrapped around her shoulder. I feel my stomach fall.

Yeah, he really doesn't like you.