Page 37 of The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements 2)

Five percent low, ninety-five percent high.

When I finally turned my phone back on that night, I had fifteen missed text messages from Logan.

Logan: Where are you, High?

Logan: I need you.

Logan: Please. I’m falling apart. My dad just left and I’m not in a good place.

Logan: Alyssa? High?

Logan: Never mind.

Oh no. He was having a low moment. Those were the ones that scared me the most.

Me: I’m here.

He didn’t reply until three in the morning. When he called, I heard it in his voice, how he was so far away.

“I’m on your porch,” he said. When I opened the front door, I gasped. His left eye was swollen shut, his lip busted open. Black and blues took over his normally tan skin tone.

“Lo,” I breathed, reaching for his face. He cringed, stepping backward. “Your dad?”

He didn’t reply as I took him in.

I noticed the twitching first, followed by his impaired coordination. He frantically scratched at his skin and kept licking his lips.

How far into the shadows did you drive tonight, Logan?

“Can I shower or somethin’? I couldn’t go home tonight.” He sniffled as he tried to widen his left eye, but it wouldn’t budge open.

“Yeah, yeah of course. Come on.”

I led him to my bathroom as he stumbled beside me. Once we made it, I shut the door behind us. I reached for a small cloth, soaking it in warm water as he sat on top of the toilet. As I started pressing it to his face, he hissed. “It’s fine,” he argued, pulling away.

“No. It’s not. You can’t open your eye.”

“But I can still see you.” His mouth hung open slightly before he went back to licking his lips. “Were you busy earlier?”

I blinked, not looking into his one open eye. I soaked the towel more. ?

?Yeah.”

“Too busy to text?”

“Yeah, Lo. I’m sorry.” My breaths quickened as I eyed the exit. I needed a moment away.

“Hey,” he whispered, placing his finger under my chin, raising my stare to meet his one eye. “I’m okay.”

“Are you high?”

He hesitated, before laughing. “Fuck you for asking that, High. Look at my face. What do you think?”

I flinched. He never spoke to me in such a way, except for when he was almost completely down the rabbit hole. I should’ve answered his texts.

“I’m going to get some ice for your eye, okay? You can start the shower.” I stood up to leave, but he called after me.

“High?”