“She’s upstairs.”
“Well, go get her, Logan.”
I went up to get her, finding her face down on her bed in tears. I frowned, why was she crying. “Mom wants you to come down for dinner,” I said pushing her door open.
“I’ll be there in a minute, go away,” was all her muffled voice said.
What seemed like hours later, I was bored to tears while Leah finished opening her gifts, all gifts but mine. I had left it in my room and would give it to her later. While she and Anna were engrossed in looking at the flyer to the spa they were going to over the weekend, deciding what treatments to have, I got to help with dish duty instead of Leah tonight. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and grabbed it. Aaron had sent me a text letting me know he had broken up with Leah, and that if she was pissy, it was his fault.
After I put everything away, I wandered up to my room but stopped outside of her door. I could hear more crying and wondered what the hell had happened between them to make her so upset. I grabbed my gift and knocked on her door and waited. I heard a few bangs come from behind the door and then she pulled the door open a crack. She peeked out at me, “What?” I held up the wrapped box in my hand, but taking one look at her I turned around and was going to go back to my room.
“You got me something?” I heard her ask in surprise between sniffles.
“It’s nothing, really,” I said turning back around still holding the box in my hand. I should have gone with what I had decided, not to give it to her after finding out what had transpired after school. I was being more of an asshole than anything else with what was in the box. I didn’t enjoy seeing her like this, and having second thoughts, I turned to walk away again, but she pulled the door open further and invited me into her room.
“No, Logan, please,” she said. I turned around and took one look at her, her green eyes sparkling in the light.
I seriously debated just telling her it was an empty box and retreating to my room, but she stood there begging me with those sexy green eyes.
“Please, Logan.” I hesitated and then I held the box out to her. She took the box from my hands, went over to her bed and sat down and gently pulled at the purple ribbon. There was no stopping her now. She lifted the edge toward her and gently opened the box only to slam it shut again, her face going as red as her hair, tears filling her eyes.
“Leah, honey, what is it?” I turned and saw Joe and Mom standing behind me on their way to their room. I was going to be up shit’s creek now.
“It’s just a little private joke between Logan and me,” she muttered pushing me into the hall, slamming the door shut on us. I could feel the anger coming from both Mom and Joe as they stood there staring at me.
“Why the hell can you two not get along?” Joe demanded standing behind my mother.
“I’ll talk to her.” I watched Mom go to Leah’s door and open it, slipping inside. Joe stood staring at me as he waited to find out what the hell happened.
Within minutes Mom appeared, closing the door to Leah’s room quietly and looked at me with disappointment. “Logan, how could you?”
I shrugged my shoulders and headed into my room, Joe and Mom following me. Apparently, they didn’t find the purple vibrator as funny as I had, and I soon found myself grounded.
“Seriously, it was meant as a joke, nothing else,” I called as they both walked out of my room.
“You’re still grounded,” my mom replied.
“Oh, and Logan, tell that to Leah, not to us. I’ve had enough of this—whatever it is between you two. It needs to stop and now,” Joe said before he shut the door to their bedroom.
SIX
Logan
I finally had to tell Mom and Joe about school. The university had written me twice asking if I would accept. Telling my mom that I was accepted by Boston University into their architecture program was easier than I thought it would be. She and Joe paid for my whole first year with no complaint. I picked up a job bartending at the beginning of summer and had saved enough for my flight in the first couple of weeks and was now working on saving for living expenses.
Mom and I had flown to Boston to check out the dorms on campus and made all the necessary arrangements for moving in for the year. There was a mandatory two-week new student orientation, and I planned to spend the last days of summer getting to know the city and my new roommate before classes started. I seriously couldn’t be more excited to get out of here.
I spent the day getting ready for my flight to Boston on the following Monday. I was stuffing a few sweaters into my duffel bag when I heard a knock on my door. I looked up and Leah came wandering in.
“I hope you know I’m claiming this room once you leave.”
“Did someone say something?” I asked looking around the room. Leah sat on the edge of my bed, twirling her finger in her long red hair and rolled her eyes at me. Since her birthday we had been getting along, no more mean pranks.
“I will miss you.”
“Gingersnap, don’t go getting all sentimental on me, you know damn well you’re going to be happier without me around here.”
“That’s not true,” she said looking up at me.