The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements #2)(84)

Two weeks passed since the incident with Logan’s parents. Julie entered rehab, and had been there for days, struggling, but fighting for her life. Sadie was getting clean too, finding her footing.

Everything was getting back to normal. Except for the fact that Erika was still staying with our mom, which was far from normal. It was actually a bit terrifying. On Saturday afternoon, I headed over to Mom’s house, with a box in my hands, and pounded on the front door.

When it opened, Erika cocked an eyebrow. “Hey, Aly. What’s up?”

“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 your 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.”

Erika laughed, and then we all started laughing with her. Mom opened the front door, came rushing out, and ordered Erika to come back inside, but she refused to listen.

We all walked back to the cars, leaving our pain in the broken pieces of glass on the ground, and starting over again—together. Kellan rode home with Erika in her car, and Logan drove mine.

“Hey, I was thinking… Want to have some crazy, wild sexual escapades before the event at Jacob’s restaurant tonight?”

I shrugged, unamused. “I guess. Or, we can watch the new documentary on Michael Jackson that I bought yesterday and eat leftover pizza and raspberry Oreos.”

His eyes widened. “Oh my God. I love it when you talk filthy to me.”

He kissed me, and I knew that our forever was beginning that very minute.

***

“Okay, so here’s the plan. I go to Jacob’s restaurant and help set up all the final details. You go to Kellan and Erika’s place, pick them up, and talk them into coming out for drinks, which Kellan will agree to, Erika will refuse going out, and then somehow still end up coming because she loves Kellan and will do anything to make him happy,” Logan explained, standing up to leave after we watched the documentary.

“Right.”

“God. I’m nervous and the party isn’t even for me,” he grinned. I gave him a kiss as he hurried out of the house.

“Are you sure you don’t want a ride to Jacob’s?”

“No, I’m fine. It’s nice out. I’ll see you soon!”

After he left, I headed straight over to my sister’s place, where she did exactly as Logan thought she would, refused to come.

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea to go out for drinks, Alyssa. We’re both pretty tired,” Erika frowned. “Maybe next week.”