Werifesteria

• || four || •

"Where are we going?" Logan asked when Penny took a left when she should've taken a right to drop Kasey off.

"Somewhere special," Penny replied, attempting but failing to hide her knowing smile.

Logan crossed his arms. "I hate surprises."

"I mean, if you don't wanna go, that's fine too," Penny said, shooting him a small grin. "Hell, we can drop you off, and then just Kase and I can head over to—"

"—Where we're going," Kasey interrupted, giving Penny the You almost spoiled it look that the two shared a lot. The couple liked to keep secrets from Logan, only to surprise him with something fantastic later on.

Penny rolled her eyes, mouthing to Kasey, Thanks babe. She reached over and squeezed her hand, and they both chuckled when Logan groaned.

"Romance is not necessary when I'm being held against my will and forced to go somewhere against my will." Logan raised his eyebrow as both  of the girls burst into laughter at his statement. "Basically, everything is against my will and that's illegal." His eyes sparkled when he said it, though.

"You're illegal," Kasey shot back in that annoying tone of voice that every stereotypical teen used, and Logan joined in when Penny started giggling.

They laughed the whole way to their destination.

Which was Tuxon's, by the way. It was Logan's favorite place to be. When he was younger and Penny had to babysit him (even though he wasn't stupid and didn't really need someone to watch him 24/7), she'd take him on her dates with Kasey, and the two would fawn over his knowledge and fling raspberry truffle at him.

But, as Penny said, raspberry truffle was so three years ago. Now, the three shared a giant cup of mint chocolate chip, with Logan practically wolfing it down and Kasey sometimes snatching his spoon right out of his hands, only to swallow the scoop on his spoon herself.

When she did it today, Logan slapped her hand away, but she already got ahold of the spoon and had gulped down the spoonful of ice cream.

"Dammit, Kasey, can you not?" he snapped, grabbing it back and sighing. "I'm a growing boy. I need to eat a lot so I can be big and strong."

Kasey jabbed him in between his ribs, and he jumped, squeaking, in surprise. "Yeah, Teacup, and when you do, call me." She smirked. "My parents say I need a nice strong man to support me. Think you can live up to my standards?"

Logan glanced between his sister and her date. "If your standards start at Penny's level, I don't think I can ever reach them," he said, winking at his sister.

Every time they went to Tuxon's, Logan forgot. He forgot about all of his problems, and Penny's problems, and their parents' problems. He forgot about the horrors waiting for him when he'd get home, and about how badly Penny and Kasey were treated by their parents, and how he just wanted to use his brain to do something in the world. To make a difference.

He forgot, and it was good.

The sun had already started to sink low in the sky, casting a shadow on the trio as they started their second scoop of mint chocolate chip. Penny's phone buzzed, and she stepped away for a second to answer it.

"Hey, Mom," she said with faked cheerfulness, and both Logan and Kasey winced at how pained her face looks. Her face transformed into one of total terror. "What? Oh, shit, oh my God, shit, Mom, I'm sorry, I forgot, I didn't realize—"

Even Logan, sitting across the table from her, could hear his mother screaming through the phone. Penny leaned away from it, her eyes screwed shut tightly as she tried to block out the screeching in her ear.