Toxic: Logan's Story (Torn #4)(61)

“I just needed to get away. I thought I’d stop by.”

We stood across from each other, both of us clearly uncomfortable.

What was I supposed to say to someone I’d barely spoken to over the last few years? Apart from a phone call here and there, we weren’t even in each other’s lives.

“Do you want something to drink or eat?” my mom asked finally.

“Nah, I’m good. I was hoping I could crash here for the night though, if it’s okay with you.”

“Of course. Your room is still exactly how you left it. I wasn’t sure if you’d come back, but I didn’t want to change it in case you did.”

That surprised me. I’d assumed that she boxed up everything I’d left behind the minute I walked out the front door to go to college.

“Thanks.”

“Is everything okay, Logan? I mean, I’m glad to see you, but you don’t normally visit.”

“I just needed to get away for a few days.”

“All right then, I’ll leave you to get settled in. I just got home from work a few minutes ago. I’m working on dinner now.”

“Cool, thanks,” I said as I turned to walk back to my car.

After grabbing my bag from the car, I carried it into the house and back to my room. Opening my bedroom door was like walking into my past. My mom hadn’t been kidding when she said she’d left it exactly how it was when I moved out. I dropped my bag onto my old twin-sized bed and looked around. I smiled when I saw the photo album sitting on my nightstand. I’d forgotten it when I left.

I picked it up and sat down on my bed next to my bag. I flipped through the first few pages, looking but not really paying attention. All these photos were from before I’d moved to West Virginia. I wasn’t even sure why I’d kept them. It sucked to look at the faces of people I’d called my friends, only to leave them a few months later and start all over.

Once I hit my high school pictures, I slowed down and actually looked. Page after page was filled with Amber, Chloe, and me. They’d taken me in the day I started at their school, and we’d been inseparable ever since. I laughed at some of their ridiculous poses in a few of the photos.

A few photos made me wince. I could see bruises on Chloe. Most of those were from our freshman and sophomore years. After that, her mother had pretty much disappeared, and Chloe had unofficially moved in with Amber and her parents. She looked so much happier after her mom had left. I hated that I’d let things go without telling someone, but the past was the past, and I couldn’t do a thing to change it.

“How are they?” my mom asked from my doorway.

I looked up to see her watching me. “They?”

She motioned toward the photo album. “Chloe and Amber. Are you guys still attached at the hip?”

I shook my head. My mom knew nothing about what had happened between Chloe and me.

“Not really. Amber and I live together off-campus, but Chloe is in California now. She’s married, too.”

My mom’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Since when?”

“Last year. He’s in a band. A label signed them, and he moved out there, so Chloe followed him.”

She frowned. “I always thought you two would end up together.”

“So did I, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

“I’m sorry. I know how much she meant to you.”

I shrugged. “It’s fine. She’s happy with Drake, and we’re still friends. That’s all that matters.”

“I guess. So, are you and Amber—”

I laughed. “No, definitely not. We would kill each other. We’re still just friends.”

“Oh, I thought since you were living with her that something might be going on.”

“Nope.”

My mom hesitated for a second. “So, are you with anyone?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Is this the part where you ask me if I’m having sex, and when I tell you yes, you hand me a box of condoms?”

Her face instantly turned red, and she let out a shaky laugh. “No. Just no. I don’t want to know if you’re…you know. I was just wondering if you were with anyone. I don’t really know how you’ve been doing since you left for college.”

“College has been…different. I’ve changed a lot since I moved to Morgantown. As for whether or not I have a girlfriend, it’s complicated.”

“And that’s my cue to shut up, isn’t it? I can take a hint.” She smiled at me. “I won’t pry, I promise.”

“Thanks, Mom. My life is kind of messed-up right now. I’m not sure how I could explain it even if I wanted to.”

“Gotcha. Well, if you do decide to talk about it, I’ll listen. I know we’re not exactly close, but you can always talk to me.”

I opened my mouth to tell her no but thanks, and then I stopped myself. Maybe talking to her would help. She wasn’t loyal to any of my friends or the band. She wouldn’t sugarcoat anything or try to convince me to give Jade the benefit of the doubt—unless my mom thought Jade deserved it.

“When I went to college, I started dating this girl. I loved her more than anything. I really thought that I would end up with her, but she cheated on me. She came clean and told me the truth, but the damage was done. I turned bitter and started acting like an *. I was hurt, so I took it out on everyone but her. Then, this other girl started coming around. For years, she was just my friend. She made me realize what a dick I was being. Nothing happened between us until recently. She finally kind of admitted that she had feelings for me. It made me see that I cared about her, too, so we went for it. Things were perfect for two months. I could talk to her about what the other girl had done to me, and she’d listen. She also had problems of her own, and I helped her deal with them. Then, I walked in on her and her ex one night. They were kissing. I took off before she could say anything, but some of our mutual friends have told me that he forced himself on her and that she’s really upset. After what happened before, I don’t know whether to believe them or not. It’s all so f*cked-up at this point.”