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Logan stared anxiously at the photo, which was illuminated only by the phone's flashlight. Good old Minnesota... Kendall leaned confidently on his stick after the winning match, James and Carlos holding a letter of commendation together, and Logan himself embracing them, with a gleam of excitement in his eyes and a wide smile. He seemed like he was genuinely happy here. Too bad he wasn’t anymore.
He thought for a long time and finally made up his mind, but why did the doubts still plague him? Tortured from the inside with a nasty creak, a lump went from his chest to his throat.
The guys were right, after all, when they called indecision his main negative trait. As makes it clear he has many.
“Focus, one of us is gonna get kicked out of the band! “
“My money’s on Logan. “
Of course, James has always been a bit tactless. He was a little selfish about everyone in the group, but Logan was the one he looked down on. It was as if he was an extra here, and James felt superiority over him. No wonder. James has more girls, more fans, and more interviews. James is prettier (which even Kendall recognized), more artistic, and just plain better.
“Wayne-Wayne is a total fraud. He wants to kick Kendall out of the band! “
“Really? I would’ve bet on Logan. “
It's no secret that Gustavo never liked Logan. He treated him like he was expendable. He made him work above and beyond the norm. Was it really legal to treat people like dogs? James didn't care, he was willing to do a lot for fame. Kendall knew how to stand up for himself, because he didn't care about Gustavo. Carlos turned any rebuke into a joke, seemingly oblivious to the negativity. Logan was the only one who kept coming back and sobbing muffled into his pillow.
“So you got rid of Kendall. My money was on Logan, “ Griffin said.
“Why does everyone keep saying that? “
Why, why, why? Logan fell helplessly onto the bed and covered his ears as if he could drown out the swarm of thoughts.
“He's awful,“ Mr. X filtered out in disgust.
Logan had always been the worst dancer in the band, he knew. Worst singer, too. Only a fool wouldn't have noticed how Gustavo generously gave the main parts to Kendall and James, with Logan and Carlos singing the backup vocals. But while Carlos' voice clearly stood out among the guys' high notes, Logan's parts blended in with them easily. The only song where Logan actually sang instead of singing along, Intermission, was never released. Even this opportunity to show what he could do was taken away before the public could she his potential.
A pathetic dancer, singer, and just pathetic. Even though James is dumber, he's always recognized his strengths, so he didn't miss the chance to fulfill his dream. But why did they bring Logan here? To embarrass him or maybe use him to solve someone else's homework? Oh, yeah, at least he wasn't useless at that.
Rage burned in him. He wanted to prove to the world that he deserved to be treated better than a dog. But he clenched his jaw tightly so he couldn't make a sound. He couldn't, or the plan would fall apart.
He grabbed his packed suitcase with his pre-prepared paperwork and ticket to Minneapolis, it was time. He wanted to blow the door down with a resounding slam just as much as any worries, doubts, or fears. But he had to act quietly and restrain himself once again, hoping it would be the last time.
When Logan finally left the hotel grounds, he looked back and pressed his lips together. Tomorrow, there would be three restless guys running around here that only Bitters or Mrs. Knight could tame. Sure, Logan always tried to talk sense into them, but who ever listened to him? Nobody. So with his quiet escape, life here won't change a bit.
“Taxi will be here in five minutes,” it appeared on the screen. And yet how time is relative. Five minutes is so insignificant compared to the years spent in the group, but for some reason it now stretched interminably long. In their course, all aggression was tamed by the night wind. Logan took a deep, determined breath, unresponsive to the cold air. It's all right, he reiterated, no need to get himself worked up. But a slight queasy feeling in his lower abdomen let him know that everything was going wrong.
***
The surrounding space was doused with a disgusting sound.
“Just a minute more,” Carlos groaned and pulled the pillow over his head.
“Come on, it's an important rehearsal tonight,” James mumbled half asleep and reached over to his roommate's bed, trying to rock him. He usually did that when the guys were watching hockey late and Carlos was the first to fall asleep on the couch.
“Leave me alone or I'll pull your hair out.“
“Don’t touch it!” James jumped up defensively and finally turned off the stupid alarm clock. Now he could hear Carlos sniffling. Well, as energetic as his friend was during the day, he was just as immobile in his sleep. How do you wake him up? That's usually Logan's job. “Whoa. Carlos!“
James forgot about the threat and kept shaking him. Even though he was finally awake, James couldn't stop pushing.
“Stop it, stop it!” Carlos snapped at him, but then looked at his neighbor, who had finally stopped, and frowned. There was alarm in his eyes. “James?“
“Logan usually wakes us up, and the alarm clock should be in his room.“
It took Carlos a few seconds to comprehend the information. But once he understood, in the same instant he grabbed his helmet and ran to the next room, James followed him.
“Logan, why did you bring us an alarm clock-“ James started as he entered, but he didn't see anyone. Carlos was already vigorously looking around the bedroom. He hurried over to the missing guy's bed and lifted the blanket, empty.
“What’s that noise,” Kendall said languidly. Apparently his existence had been temporarily forgotten, for both boys turned around.
“Logan's been kidnapped! “ Carlos exclaimed.
“Calm down and sit,“ Kendall patted the mattress and everyone joined in. He stood up and looked at the boys with incomprehension. He doesn’t think this is a prank. Carlos bounced up and down nervously, causing the bed to vibrate slightly, and James's cheeks were burning red, which they usually did when he was under a lot of stress. “Did you check the bathroom and kitchen?“
“Right,“ Carlos was ready to get up and run at a moment's notice, so he rushed to find them. Since it wasn't a safe idea to trust him with Mrs. Knight and Katie's bedroom, Kendall had sneaked in himself. James smoothed his hair with his fingers and went straight to the lobby.
After a minute of thorough searching, the boys returned. No one said a word, but the expressions on their faces read the same disappointing news. While Kendall and James stood pondering, Carlos couldn't find a place to sit.
“Logan had been kidnapped after all! “ He concluded, pacing the room.
“I don't think so,“ Kendall looked questioningly. “The bed was perfectly made, and his personal belongings were missing from the table.“
“So it was also a burglar? What a horror!“
“No,“ James put his hand on Carlos' shoulder as if preparing him for the worst. The boys had always treated him like a little brother, and ruining his innocent world was a crime to them. “Logan walked out on us. “
“No way,“ Carlos shook his head negatively. “Kendall, tell me you don't mean that.“
“Sorry,“ the leader said in a muffled voice.
Standing behind him, James wrapped Carlos in a protective embrace. The naive gleam in his caramel eyes was replaced by a glint of unshed tears.
“Why did he do that? “
There was no immediate answer. Kendall sat down and rested his head on his hands, as if he were considering a serious plan. James glared at the floor, oblivious to the world around him. He only clutched Carlos tighter with his powerful hands. Whether the comforting gesture was meant to help Carlos or James himself, it wasn’t clear. Finally, Kendall sighed heavily and walked over to the boys.
“I don’t know what happened, but we're going to find out. James, open the group's email and look for any suspicious emails, I'll do the browser history. And you, Carlos,“ Kendall pulled out his keys and put them in his hands. “Start the car.“
“But Logan's the only one with a driver's license,“ James said worriedly. “Maybe a cab?“
“We don't know where we're going or where we might have to stop. It's the best choice.“
There was no time to hesitate. James nodded and went about his errand, while Carlos threw on a gray hoodie from Kendall's closet and ran to the parking lot in his pajamas.
The search seemed to go on for what seemed like an eternity, though no more than a couple minutes had passed. James shaking fingers rewound the letters lower and lower, but he found nothing of value among the spam and commercial offers. He'd scrolled through the last three days already, and he didn't know whether to continue. Should he revisit the mail he'd just studied? James was barely concentrating because of his growing anxiety, so he might well have missed something important.
The question resolved itself after Kendall's call. James ran up to him and forgot not only about the letters, but everything in the world. The monitor with the browser history immediately caught his eye.
“Logan hadn't even cleaned the history?“
“That sounds like him. Thinking through the plan to the last detail, but forgetting the important stuff... He was looking at flights for today.“
“When’s the next one?“
As the page loaded, Kendall was left-clicking so vigorously he'd probably beat any clicker. Finally, the link opened.
“At seven, about an hour from now.“
“We can still make it, let's go!“
***
Earlier
The cab was already rushing past the multicolored lights. They blended into the same incomprehensible mess as the his restless thoughts. He was dizzy from the unbearable light of the headlights and the advertising signs, as if they were competing to see whose was more flashy and would bring in more money.
The windows were closed tightly, and Logan should have felt safe in the enclosed space. But he had the uneasy feeling that everything was going wrong. Chained to the seat, he closed his eyes. The loneliness didn't come from the fear of suspicious streets after all. It came from the lack of guys.
James seemed selfish. And yet he was the one who'd helped guys with relationships more than once, the one who'd gotten involved in the riskiest of plans if it meant keeping his friends safe. He'd turned down Hawke's vast fortune and prospects, even though he'd only ever talked about a solo career. Outward self-confidence was only a protective shell. Beneath it was a once-wounded teenager who'd been indoctrinated to believe that looks and voice were the only things he had. Even if James had hurt Logan with harsh words, had he done it intentionally?
Kendall is the real glue of the group. There's no telling how long their friendship would have lasted if he hadn't saved them from endless conflicts that he now realized had been petty. Even though Kendall pressured Logan in stressful situations, he never insulted him. Though perhaps he was only trying to satisfy his leadership nature. Would anything have changed if any other guy had been in Logan's shoes?
Carlos is a little brash and annoying, but so naive that Logan couldn't bring himself to be angry, even if he was tired of the frivolity and consumerism. Albeit not as demeaning as in Gustavo's case. There was no excuse for that boar.
And yet something held Logan. Tied tightly with an invisible rope and strangled him with it. He just loved the band, and no logical argument could override the feeling.
“We're here,” the driver's phrase cut off the flow of thoughts. Logan opened his eyes and squeezed them shut, disoriented for a second by the glow coming through. It was no longer the usual signage, but three fateful letters, LAX. Los Angeles Airport. Against the thick night gloom, they shone like a gateway to paradise.
Logan opened the door after the automatic thank-you, and on heavy feet he moved with his luggage toward the main entrance. It was decided, too late to hesitate. He would find a job in his home state just as he would find new friends. Ironically, Logan had told the guys that himself. There's truth in every joke, even if it wasn't meant to be.
***
“Left, left!” Carlos shouted. He pulled his helmet tighter, which came in handy. James looked at his neighbor with understanding. He didn't think Carlos's habit was so stupid anymore, considering how many times the four of them had gotten hit in the head. And now it's not even a four...
“We're all going to die!” Carlos squealed over the squeal of tires. There was no telling how many more hard brakes they could take. James clung to the seat and whispered, begging them not to get into any accidents.
“Shut up, it's under control,” Kendall retorted.
“Under control of the Almighty?“ Carlos thought. But he said nothing, for even from the back seat he could see the driver's anger. His hands were clamped tightly to the steering wheel, as if ready to rip it out by the roots, and his breathing was as heavy as after a run.
There wasn't much time left, it would be dawn soon. As luck would have it, Los Angeles was already awake. The endless stream of cars was frustrating for everyone, but Kendall was pissed off. Where were they going, looking for a runaway friend? No, of course, their business was worthless. A reprimand from their boss for being late was worthless compared to Logan, who was about to board a flight to Minnesota, if he hadn't already. Kendall wanted to shout across the street how important it was for him to get through! Everyone should have recognized and yielded, but even with the best of luck, only two drivers at most would hear him.
“Fasten your seat belts.“
“Holy shit! Where are we going?“
“Right,” Kendall said, but the honking of the alarms made it hard to make out the words. Luckily, no cops yet.
“We're going on the wrong lane, we're going on the wrong lane,” Carlos kept repeating with his knees drawn up.
“Thanks for the explanation,” Kendall quipped. Their car maneuvered like a motorboat, zigzagging symmetrically around the oncoming traffic.
“Mom, I'm sorry I spent all the money on my card on an exclusive collection of creams, I won't do it again.“
“Calm down, or I'll ... I'll talk to you later!“ Kendall turned the steering wheel again in a way that the others thought he physically couldn't turn. Before the other vehicles in the traffic jam could start moving again, the BTR-mobile somehow fit into the space. “Happy? We're back in traffic, but we're safe!“
The truth is, Kendall couldn't have kept on the wrong side of the road anymore. Well, he could, but their car would likely be in an accordion in the next few minutes. And his palms were so sweaty that the leather on the steering wheel was starting to slip.
“Logan would be unconscious by now,“ James added, apparently without a second thought, but the comment only added to the already tense situation. Kendall lowered his gaze, as if in mourning.
“Why did he run away?“ Carlos persisted.
“Because he is an idiot.“
“Don't say it,“ James put his hand on Kendall's shoulder reassuringly. He didn't mean this, he was just insanely worried about Logan, the guys knew. “Maybe he had family problems?“
“Unless it's an emergency,“ Kendall confirmed without enthusiasm.
“So much so that he didn't have time to wake us up, but he did have time to pack?“ The boys looked at Carlos, who was usually the optimist on the team, with surprise. Well, today he preferred common sense. “We've been friends for over a decade, but Logan didn't try to solve the problem with us. He didn't even say anything, he just walked away. So we're not really friends.“
In his depressed state, Carlos sometimes said clever things that no one even knew how to answer. Kendall pulled away briefly to drive forward, but his thoughts were still far from the road.
“Have you noticed anything suspicious in the last few days?“ He asked.
James shrugged uncertainly and looked out the window.
“This week has been so busy with rehearsals that I haven't noticed anything at all.“
Oh, we're in trouble,“ Carlos said suddenly. “We didn't even tell Gustavo.“
“I don't even care about him,“ Kendall honked in an attempt to either relieve stress or speed up. “All he knows how to do is yell and work us half to death. No wonder Logan ran away.“
“And I gave him my school projects after rehearsal. This is my fault!“ Carlos panicked.
“At least you didn't kiss his girlfriend,“ James countered. He crossed his arms and slid down in the seat. Even though they had resolved the issue, it was only now that James felt such a pang of guilt that he wanted to fall through the ground. It was foolish to think Logan would forgive him so easily and forget everything.
“Enough,“ Kendall said sharply, not taking his eyes off the road. “Accusations won't help Logan or us. We're almost there, so think of something to say.“
Carlos didn't object, though his lip trembled once, and James nodded weakly. The rest of the trip was spent in silence. Every second felt unsettling and echoed in their heads like the ticking of a time bomb. Only now Kendall thought: what if Minnesota wasn't the end point? What if Logan was only going there to pick up his things, and then he'd drive off in an unknown direction. And no one else would be able to hear an explanation, or apologize, or talk one last time-
“Kendall, go!“ Came from the back seat, Kendall didn't even notice who it was from. He just jammed on the pedal and realized that the stream of idiot cars had dissipated and they were almost there. It didn't take any energizers to get the adrenaline in his blood to kick in and he tore into the airport parking lot at unimaginable speeds. The guys didn't even try to slow Kendall down, apparently they too realized how important it was not to waste a moment.
No one remembered the moment from the parking lot to the airport. It was fast and choppy. Turn, brake, run. The ability to think only returned when the guys got to the check in line. “Shit,“ Kendall didn't have time to catch his breath before he noticed the number of people. Okay, it was silly to expect otherwise at the busiest airport in Los Angeles. But when Kendall leveled out, he saw Carlos already pushing past, and then he heard it. “I only ask,“ and “a thousand apologies“, and some other phrases that were drowned out by the outcry of the crowd. Wait, where's James? Kendall glanced around nervously and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him near the guard. He was probably explaining himself for Carlos's antics or asking if he'd seen Logan.
“Come here!“ Carlos shouted, and Kendall immediately began to make his way through the line. Fortunately, many people stepped aside understandingly.
“Don't panic,“ the employee emphasized, and then Carlos smirked apologetically. “Who are you looking for?“
“Logan Henderson, flying to Minneapolis. Has he taken a seat yet?“
“Time?“
“Seven,“ Kendall said without thinking and looked at his watch. He didn't even know if he and the boys had made it by seven or if they'd made a big fuss about it for nothing. 6:48, perfect. Kendall breathed a sigh of relief, there were still twelve minutes left.
“He's not in the database.“
What?
“He must be!“ James was the first to speak up, Kendall even flinched in surprise. “He should be in the database, he'd bought tickets to Minnesota, he had, he'd opened the website-“
“Hurry up there!“ The man behind him shoved a nervously mumbling James. Kendall's hands clenched protectively into fists that made him want to punch the asshole in the jaw. If it hadn't been for Carlos fearfully grabbing his sleeve, there was no telling how the situation would have ended.
“You have to say the right time,“ the receptionist said, keeping her eyes on the monitor. “Logan Henderson, ticket for four in the morning. Logically, he had already left a long time ago.“
The queue did not hide their indignation, Kendall even heard complaints against him. But because of the shock he couldn't get a word out, he was paralyzed. Four, God... They hadn't even looked to see if there were any earlier tickets to Minnesota, and they'd come here with such hope. Logan is no longer with them, and probably never will be again. They're terrible friends, and Kendall is a terrible leader. The only person he wanted to hit now was himself.
“Let's go,“ Carlos patted Kendall on the back in consolation. Unbeknownst to him, Kendall forced his legs to move. Right now he had to think about how he would explain himself to Gustavo, Kelly, and his mother. He should have, but he couldn't find anything better than an apology that wouldn't save the situation anyway. Had they really wronged Logan so much that he'd decided to just run away? Kendall really felt guilty, but he had no idea what could have so offended the man he considered one of his younger brothers. He was as protective of Logan as of Carlos or James, and he'd come to LA for them in the first place. If his friends' well-being had been tied to Minnesota, he would have returned there without a second thought. On the other hand, did Logan even want to go to Hollywood in the first place. Kendall had never even asked his opinion, which he only realized now that there was nothing to take back.
“Is everything okay? You look a little pale,“ he heard the question slurred, as if underwater. “Okay, let's sit down.“
James took Kendall's hand and led him to the seats. He didn't even resist, just paced until James slowed abruptly. Kendall looked up to see what was wrong, but he couldn't believe his eyes. He had to blink to clear his doubts. Really? Definitely not a hallucination.
“Logan!“ For the first time today, Carlos was back to his usual state, but no, even more enthusiastic. He clutched the friend he'd found on the bench tightly in his arms and looked ready to jump for joy, but Kendall didn't even smile. Unlike the naive Carlos, he knew that even if they were lucky now, the problem wasn't solved. Logan's indifferent, dead blank stare alone made it clear that the main difficulties were yet to come.
***
Yes, Logan couldn't leave. He was angry that he'd deliberately derailed his own plan, but he couldn't do otherwise. He could talk about the guys' faults all he wanted, if it made any sense. These three knuckleheads meant too much to Logan – that’s all.
Logan looked at Carlos in despair. Perhaps he should have felt joy, for he had been found and not forgotten. But even if they did bring Logan back now, he knew nothing would change. James had gone on the search because he couldn't replace a band member so quickly, and he didn’t want to lose his concert fame. Kendall wanted to show everyone that he was a leader and how good he was. Carlos still had unfinished school projects, though he was clinging so tightly and suffocatingly to Logan that he wondered if anyone would be able to complete them at this rate.
“Did you really want to run away from us?“ Carlos finally spoke and let Logan go. Okay, maybe there was some sincerity in it. But what did it matter if he would soon continue to be seen as nothing. He nodded slowly.
“You know, when Kendall drove us to the airport, I thought we'd never see each other again,“ James began uncertainly. “At least because if we didn't get here, someone would have driven us to the police station or the hospital.“
“Hey, I tried my best. This is a stressful situation,“ Kendall said indignantly, and Logan felt uneasy. If something happened to the guys, he'd blame himself. Usually Logan had some control over the situation and limited their shenanigans, but now he pictured Kendall in a rage behind the wheel, without a driver's license, and he shuddered.
“We're sorry,“ Carlos lowered his head guiltily, and Kendall and James moved closer, apparently joining in the apology. “We really didn't mean to lose you. I promise I won't bother you again when you're busy.“
“And I'll give you the number of any girl in Palm Woods, just forgive me for Camille,“ James added and Logan blinked in realization. He didn't really want to bring up the situation, but he was glad that James realized his mistake. At least one of them.
“But if you want to go back to Minnesota and become a doctor,“ Logan felt Kendall's unaccustomedly weak touch. “We're not holding you back. Just give us time to say goodbye.“
Everyone looked guilty and hopeful. Did anyone really need Logan or was this just good acting? If the guys wanted Logan for personal gain, they probably wouldn't have let him go. Right now, though, he couldn't tell if he wanted to go back to his old dream. Again he was haunted by misunderstanding with a series of endless questions. Where was the clue, where was the right path that would give Logan peace of mind? He rested his heavy head on his wrists, eternal doubts dueling in his mind.
One of the guys sat down next to him.
“It's okay, we'll accept whatever choice you make.“
Finally, Logan calmed down enough to speak.
“I know, it's just too hard. I like Hollywood, the band, and I like you guys, too... But I feel like I can't do it. You're better at dancing and singing and having relationships. No matter how hard I try, I'll be redundant. And I'm not even sure if you need a friend like that for anything other than homework.“
At the revelation, Carlos and James looked at each other with incomprehension.
“You're not sure if we need you after everything that's happened?“ The rage in Kendall lit up faster than a match, and he buried one of his hands in his blond locks. “I drove on the wrong side of the road just so I wouldn't be late, Carlos didn't even change out of his pajamas, and James has a nest on his head, James!“ The mentioned boy pulled his hood up tighter, but Kendall was only paying attention to Logan sitting across from him. “Since third grade, I hadn't imagined other people I wanted to be around. I turned down money, fame, and Hollywood girls when Gustavo wouldn't take you along with me, and you say I don't want you.“
Logan lowered his eyes shamefully.
“Kendall didn't mean to be so harsh, it's just that we were really worried,“ Carlos softened the situation. “It's our fault for making you feel useless.“
“And then there's the rehearsals. I'm just now noticing how tired you look,“ James added as he examined Logan under the bright artificial light.
“What can we change? Gustavo's not going to stop yelling and stressing us out, especially me. And I can understand him, I'm not much of a singer or a dancer.“
“Don't be silly,“ Kendall said indignantly. “You're a great singer, and even if you're not great at dancing, you're better than us at other things.“
“We complement each other, you know, like corn dogs, cheese and ketchup,“ Logan grinned after Carlos' analogy. Seriously, only he could come up with that. “Well you're finally smiling!“
“Anyway, I will call Kelly and tell her we need a vacation. And then we discuss Gustavo's attitude towards you, and if he wants Big Time Rush, he'll listen.“
“Kendall, are you crazy? Griffin will kill us.“
“He wouldn't dare, it's not profitable,“ the leader grinned, but the dimples fell suspiciously quickly from his cheeks. “Listen, Logan.“
“Yeah?“
“Why didn't you tell us you were having a hard time before?“
He shrugged.
“I guess I didn't think it would make a difference. Or maybe I just didn't want to be a bigger loser in your eyes.“
“A loser?“ Carlos kicked Logan in the shoulder. “You're awesome! I've always admired your intelligence.“
“And you're a real fast learner, too, not just in terms of lessons. Once you could seduce half of Palm Woods, almost cost me the title of most attractive guy in the group. But even though you're handsome, Logan, I'm still hotter,“ James finished and reached for his pocket mirror.
Logan was even amused by this. Hearing a compliment from James, even one like that, was worth a lot.
“You know, I'm so glad it's all worked out.“
“Yeah,“ Kendall confirmed, and there was an awkward silence. Carlos was fiddling with the zipper of his jacket, and James was leisurely adjusting his hair. Though the conversation seemed so necessary, it was just as unfamiliar: without a lot of jokes, sarcasm, or goofy antics. But Logan realized that sometimes vulnerability was as much a variation of the norm as fun. Sometimes it was the only way to become truly stronger and return to true joy.
The silence was broken by someone's vibrating cell phone. Kendall pulled it out of his pocket and immediately dropped the call.
“Gustavo, he'll have to do without us.“
Everyone agreed, and James yawned languidly. Usually at times like this they were cheered up by vigorous dance moves and indignation from Mr. X, but not today.
“You know, my morning nap can't be saved anymore, but coffee can still help keep me awake right here.“
“And I haven't even had breakfast yet,“ Carlos added dejectedly, rubbing his stomach to confirm his words. Logan was surprised at how long his perpetually hungry friend had gone without food. Only now did he fully realize the sacrifices the boys had made for him. Early morning, hastily dressed and without a license, they hadn't even hesitated to keep up the search.
"There's a vending machine nearby, we can get some snacks and coffee and some fresh air,“ Kendall suggested.
The boys nodded, and Logan thought that Kendall was their informal leader for a reason. He was in his place. Now he and James were going to the coffee machine to get a double espresso, hoping it would make up for their lack of sleep.
“Carlos, this is a bad idea!“ Logan was outraged when he saw his friend buying a third pack of caramel candy from the machine. He glared back and, like a suddenly caught thief, slowly put the snacks in his bag. “If you eat all that, don't complain to me about tooth decay and pain.“
And yet Logan was also in his place. Mrs. Knight was a great guardian, but she couldn't control the boys outside the house, and he was doing a pretty good job of it. In a way, he'd already realized his medical potential, for he was a 24-hour medic for three somewhat reckless teens.
Outside, with slow sips of coffee Logan's head finally cleared. He felt something he hadn't felt in a long time – lightness, a sense of self-importance, and the realization that he had found his way, at least for the time being. Carlos hugged his left, Kendall right, and James wasn't far away. Even if Gustavo reprimanded them tomorrow, or Logan decided to go to medical school a year from now, it didn't bother him at all. As long as he felt supported by true friends, the problems seemed as insignificant as the stars that disappeared from the sky with the first rays of sunlight. Logan's last thoughts vanished with them, and he just clung tighter to the guys, just like in the hockey tournament picture, and watched the sunrise for the first time in his life. And nothing even matters.