Page 118 of The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements 2)

“Um, what’s up is the fact that you’re staying with Mom? You know what, never mind. Go get your things. It’s time to go.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Remember yo

ur life? Your fiancé? Yeah. It’s time for you to go home. Kellan—”

“Doesn’t want me. He doesn’t want me there, Alyssa.”

“He needs you.”

Mom appeared in the doorway, her eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about? Erika finally has come to her senses. She’s getting her life back before she made a huge mistake. I’m so proud of her for realizing this.”

“Mom, can you do something for me?” I asked.

“What?”

“Just mind your own damn business. Just for once in your life, mind your business.”

She huffed, but before she could reply, I yanked Erika out of the house and closed the door behind her. Erika frowned. “Listen, Alyssa. I tried with Kellan. I really tried. But he made it loud and clear that he didn’t want me there, so I’m not.”

“Come home, Erika. Right now.”

“No.”

“Fine.” I opened my box and arched an eyebrow. “But I tried to warn you.”

Her eyes widened when she saw her plate collection in the box. “What are you doing, Alyssa?” I started tipping the box over, and she jumped as they all crashed to the ground. “Oh my gosh!”

“Logan! Come here.” I called him over, and he hopped out of the car with a box in his hands. “Tell Erika to come home.”

Erika was shaking, biting her bottom lip. Logan walked over to her, stared her in the eyes, and smiled. “You’re my sister.”

“Stop. I’m not.”

“You scream at me. You hate my guts. You treat me like shit. You call me stupid. You’re my sister, Erika. And screw Kellan right now. Right now I need you to come home. I can’t help him without you.”

“I can’t,” she said. “I can’t do this.”

Logan nodded, opening the box with Erika’s favorite glassware. “Come home.”

“I am home.”

“Okay.” He started tipping the box over, and she cringed.

“No, Logan! I just bought—” Crash! Glass pieces went scattering across the ground. “Oh my God! What is wrong with you two?!”

“We want you to come home, that’s all,” I explained.

“I can’t keep doing this. I can’t do dysfunctional anymore.”

I gestured toward the windows to the house, where Mom watched our every move, pounding on the glass, yelling for Erika to go back inside. “And you think that’s normal?”

“Go away, you two. Please. Kellan doesn’t need me.”

“Yes I do.” We all turned to see Kellan walking toward us with a box of his own. He stood at the edge of the driveway, and locked eyes with Erika. “I miss you. I want you. I need you, Erika.” He dumped all of the items in his box to the ground, and released the box.

“Come home.”