Fallen Fourth Down
Page 28
“Oh god,” Sam groaned beside me.
Logan’s girlfriend squeaked and moved an inch behind the group. Logan was riled up. He wanted to fight. Sam saw it too and we shared a look. It was going to happen.
Nate just sighed.
Catching Logan’s gaze, I looked pointedly at his girlfriend. I wanted to talk, but not in front of her. He rolled his eyes, but got the message. “Kris?”
“Yeah?”
“You said you wanted to go to the bathroom.” With a hand behind her back, he propelled her further inside the house. “Maybe Nate can show you where it is?”
That was his signal. He didn’t want Nate to be a part of our talk. And Nate got it. His nostril’s flared, his jaw clenched, but he forced out a polite smile. “Of course. I’ll take you to my own bathroom. It’s clean and private.”
“Oh good.”
His hand replaced Logan’s on her back and he guided her forward, but shot Logan a dark look over his shoulder. Logan lifted his beer in a salute.
I snorted.
Sam began to move to the side of the patio, but I shook my head. “No.”
Gesturing to the window right next to it, Logan added, “You have no idea what they can hear.”
“Oh. Okay.”
I led the way off the patio, to a corner of the yard. A few people had gathered outside, but they weren’t paying any attention to us. I looked at my brother. “What’s got you worked up? Did you really hate Sebastian that much?” He was annoying, but damn, a bug could be squashed easily. Logan’s reaction didn’t make sense.
He shook his head. “Whatever. I’ll be nice. No worries.”
I glanced at Sam. “Something else happen that I don’t know about?”
Logan snorted. “Like she’d answer that truthfully.”
My alarms shot up and studying Sam, I caught the glare she sent his way. Her lips pressed tight, and she shook her head, turning away. She’d been present with me. I felt her. But Sam could slip away. Her mind would leave the room, thinking about other things, shutting her emotions off, but I knew it was because of Analise. Being raised by a monster like that would leave scars, deep scars, but I had felt her just now. She’d been present. She’d been real. She’d been raw.
She was gone again. Her walls were back up. I touched her elbow, tugging her to me. “Hey. What’s going on?”
She began to shake her head when Logan muttered, “Shocker.” She stopped, and her glare got colder.
I looked between the two of them. “What the hell is going on?” They were involved in a heated stand-off.
Sam crossed her arms over her chest, but one of her hands broke free. She gestured to Logan. “Ask him. We were fine this morning and now he’s ready to rip into the world. The guy was an ass, but Mason’s right. He wasn’t that bad.”
Logan rolled his eyes. “Maybe I’m just sick of the bullshit and lies going on. Something is obviously going on with you, and you won’t say a word about it to me. This,” his finger moved in a circle between the three of us, “is a joke. I’m in Fallen Crest, but it’s like I’m a stranger to you. Coming here, and—” He stopped and cursed. “Whatever. I’m fine. I’m sorry.” He sent me an apologetic look. “Sam’s been distant as hell since you left. I have to fight with my girlfriend’s sister just so I can see her. We went five rounds today. That’s why we’re late. Seeing Nate with that douchebag. What the hell, man? It’s like he doesn’t even want to be friends with you anymore. That pisses me the fuck off. I just want to punch someone.”
Sam wasn’t letting him in. I grunted in response. I could relate. There were times her wall was up to me and it hurt like hell to break through it, but I couldn’t do anything about it. As for the rest… “Nate wants to branch out and make new friends. I don’t blame him. My friends are going to be my teammates. I’m not too interested in making new friends up here.”
“Still.” Logan cursed again, then downed the rest of his beer. When it was empty, he crushed it and left to toss it in a garbage can by the house. Nate and Logan’s girlfriend came back onto the patio. Both wore uncertain expressions and Logan’s whole demeanor changed. He’d been tense and wanted to rip into someone, but as she stepped outside, his shoulders went back, his head lifted, and I knew he stuffed all that down. As she laughed at something Nate said, she went to Logan and he wrapped his arms around her legs, lifting her in the air and whirling her in a circle. She laughed, hitting at his shoulder, but Logan moved her further away from everyone.
That was on purpose. When he set her back down, he met my gaze. I knew he wanted to leave and turning, I caught the knowing look on Nate’s face again. He headed off the patio and approached us. He skimmed a look at where Logan remained, and said to me, “You’re going?”
“It’s for the best.”
“Logan’s in a mood?”
I didn’t answer. I wasn’t going to throw Logan under the bus. Nate knew I wouldn’t and he didn’t wait for a reply. He said to Sam, “It was good seeing you for a little bit. I wanted to show you the alumni room. My dad’s picture is in there.” He nodded towards me. “So is his. It’s kinda cool to see all the history.”
“Yeah.”
I grinned. I couldn’t stop it. Sam had been silent most of the time, but that one word told us all how uncomfortable she was. As my hand touched the small of her back, I felt how tense she was. Maybe I needed to push more and find out what was wrong? I knew it was bothering Logan as well.
Distracting me, Nate said, “Park wanted me to invite you to a dinner we’re doing at the end of the month. I promised him I would invite you. Some of the alumni are coming back, including my dad.”
We both knew I wouldn’t go. I didn’t even respond. “I’m sure we’ll go out for breakfast or lunch tomorrow. Did you want to come?”
“That sounds good,” Nate said.
“Okay.”
“Bye, Nate.”
“See ya, Sam.”
Logan had gone ahead for the car. When we got to the sidewalk and before we got to the car, I asked Sam, “You’ve been distant with Logan?”
She stiffened again, then jerked her shoulder up in an abrupt shrug. “It’s nothing. I mean, it’s me doing my thing, but it’s nothing.”
Logan’s girlfriend squeaked and moved an inch behind the group. Logan was riled up. He wanted to fight. Sam saw it too and we shared a look. It was going to happen.
Nate just sighed.
Catching Logan’s gaze, I looked pointedly at his girlfriend. I wanted to talk, but not in front of her. He rolled his eyes, but got the message. “Kris?”
“Yeah?”
“You said you wanted to go to the bathroom.” With a hand behind her back, he propelled her further inside the house. “Maybe Nate can show you where it is?”
That was his signal. He didn’t want Nate to be a part of our talk. And Nate got it. His nostril’s flared, his jaw clenched, but he forced out a polite smile. “Of course. I’ll take you to my own bathroom. It’s clean and private.”
“Oh good.”
His hand replaced Logan’s on her back and he guided her forward, but shot Logan a dark look over his shoulder. Logan lifted his beer in a salute.
I snorted.
Sam began to move to the side of the patio, but I shook my head. “No.”
Gesturing to the window right next to it, Logan added, “You have no idea what they can hear.”
“Oh. Okay.”
I led the way off the patio, to a corner of the yard. A few people had gathered outside, but they weren’t paying any attention to us. I looked at my brother. “What’s got you worked up? Did you really hate Sebastian that much?” He was annoying, but damn, a bug could be squashed easily. Logan’s reaction didn’t make sense.
He shook his head. “Whatever. I’ll be nice. No worries.”
I glanced at Sam. “Something else happen that I don’t know about?”
Logan snorted. “Like she’d answer that truthfully.”
My alarms shot up and studying Sam, I caught the glare she sent his way. Her lips pressed tight, and she shook her head, turning away. She’d been present with me. I felt her. But Sam could slip away. Her mind would leave the room, thinking about other things, shutting her emotions off, but I knew it was because of Analise. Being raised by a monster like that would leave scars, deep scars, but I had felt her just now. She’d been present. She’d been real. She’d been raw.
She was gone again. Her walls were back up. I touched her elbow, tugging her to me. “Hey. What’s going on?”
She began to shake her head when Logan muttered, “Shocker.” She stopped, and her glare got colder.
I looked between the two of them. “What the hell is going on?” They were involved in a heated stand-off.
Sam crossed her arms over her chest, but one of her hands broke free. She gestured to Logan. “Ask him. We were fine this morning and now he’s ready to rip into the world. The guy was an ass, but Mason’s right. He wasn’t that bad.”
Logan rolled his eyes. “Maybe I’m just sick of the bullshit and lies going on. Something is obviously going on with you, and you won’t say a word about it to me. This,” his finger moved in a circle between the three of us, “is a joke. I’m in Fallen Crest, but it’s like I’m a stranger to you. Coming here, and—” He stopped and cursed. “Whatever. I’m fine. I’m sorry.” He sent me an apologetic look. “Sam’s been distant as hell since you left. I have to fight with my girlfriend’s sister just so I can see her. We went five rounds today. That’s why we’re late. Seeing Nate with that douchebag. What the hell, man? It’s like he doesn’t even want to be friends with you anymore. That pisses me the fuck off. I just want to punch someone.”
Sam wasn’t letting him in. I grunted in response. I could relate. There were times her wall was up to me and it hurt like hell to break through it, but I couldn’t do anything about it. As for the rest… “Nate wants to branch out and make new friends. I don’t blame him. My friends are going to be my teammates. I’m not too interested in making new friends up here.”
“Still.” Logan cursed again, then downed the rest of his beer. When it was empty, he crushed it and left to toss it in a garbage can by the house. Nate and Logan’s girlfriend came back onto the patio. Both wore uncertain expressions and Logan’s whole demeanor changed. He’d been tense and wanted to rip into someone, but as she stepped outside, his shoulders went back, his head lifted, and I knew he stuffed all that down. As she laughed at something Nate said, she went to Logan and he wrapped his arms around her legs, lifting her in the air and whirling her in a circle. She laughed, hitting at his shoulder, but Logan moved her further away from everyone.
That was on purpose. When he set her back down, he met my gaze. I knew he wanted to leave and turning, I caught the knowing look on Nate’s face again. He headed off the patio and approached us. He skimmed a look at where Logan remained, and said to me, “You’re going?”
“It’s for the best.”
“Logan’s in a mood?”
I didn’t answer. I wasn’t going to throw Logan under the bus. Nate knew I wouldn’t and he didn’t wait for a reply. He said to Sam, “It was good seeing you for a little bit. I wanted to show you the alumni room. My dad’s picture is in there.” He nodded towards me. “So is his. It’s kinda cool to see all the history.”
“Yeah.”
I grinned. I couldn’t stop it. Sam had been silent most of the time, but that one word told us all how uncomfortable she was. As my hand touched the small of her back, I felt how tense she was. Maybe I needed to push more and find out what was wrong? I knew it was bothering Logan as well.
Distracting me, Nate said, “Park wanted me to invite you to a dinner we’re doing at the end of the month. I promised him I would invite you. Some of the alumni are coming back, including my dad.”
We both knew I wouldn’t go. I didn’t even respond. “I’m sure we’ll go out for breakfast or lunch tomorrow. Did you want to come?”
“That sounds good,” Nate said.
“Okay.”
“Bye, Nate.”
“See ya, Sam.”
Logan had gone ahead for the car. When we got to the sidewalk and before we got to the car, I asked Sam, “You’ve been distant with Logan?”
She stiffened again, then jerked her shoulder up in an abrupt shrug. “It’s nothing. I mean, it’s me doing my thing, but it’s nothing.”
