Page 100 of The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements 2)

“Excuse me?” he asked. He ran his fingers in Sadie’s hair and pulled her even closer, tighter. “You don’t want to go with me?”

She didn’t say anything. Dad continued. “I do so much for you, Sadie, and this is how you repay me? I love you. Don’t you know that?” He bent down and kissed her, the same way he used to kiss Mom when he fed her his lies of control. She kissed him back, too, just like Mom used to kiss him. I knew right then that Sadie wasn’t going to leave. She was too far tangled into his web.

“We’ll catch up later, Logan,” he said to me. It sounded more like a threat than a happy get-together.

I wasn’t shocked, though. My father knew nothing about happiness, but he was a professional at disasters.

When they left, I felt disgusted. I remained silent, snapping the band on my wrist. Alyssa walked over to me. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head.

“We can go outside for air if you want.”

“Yeah, okay.” I needed more than air, though. I needed my father to disappear, allowing everyone who ever crossed his path to finally be freed from his chains.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Alyssa

As Logan and I walked outside, he clenched his fists, reddening from the annoyance of his father. I didn’t know the history that Logan and Sadie had, but I knew he was afraid for her wellbeing, as he should’ve been. Being around Logan’s father was terrifying. I couldn’t imagine being Sadie, unable to escape his chains.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Just need a moment.” He placed his hands behind his neck and started pacing around the parking lot. There were cars parked on the large plot, and people were outside in the nice weather, socializing and laughing, while Logan was doing the complete opposite. He was dealing with those demons that liked to haunt him. He deserved a break.

I leaned against the side of the building, waiting for him to calm down. He kicked the tall strands of grass with his shoes, back and forth.

“Are you thinking about using?” I asked.

“Yup,” he muttered, shutting his eyes and walking in circles.

Poor guy.

“You know what would make this moment better?” I asked, placing my hands on my hips as my left foot rested against the side of the building.

“What’s that?”

“You know what we should do to really make you feel better?”

“Uh, no. But I’m guessing you have an idea?”

“Oh do I ever!” I locked eyes with him. “Are you listening?”

“Yes.”

“No, I mean, are you really, really listening?”

He laughed. Good. I was so happy he was laughing. I laughed, too, because he was so handsome. I laughed because he was my friend again. I laughed because my heart knew that would’ve never been good enough for me.

“Yes, I’m listening.”

I stood up tall, pushed out my chest, and said, “Karaoke.”

“Oh God, no.”

“What? Come on! Don’t you remember when we went out for karaoke when we were younger?! And you did Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean with all the pelvis humping and all?” I reenacted his hip movements from the past.

He snickered. “Yeah. I also remember being coked up when I did the pelvis humping.”