Logan

Chapter 5

The rest of the day was uneventful. He had band with Ian, the boy from lunch, but that was the only familiar face in the rest of his classes. He then had no trouble locating his bus, number 7, and took a seat at the very back for the ride.

The bus dropped Logan off right in front of 1712 Oak Trail and he thanked the driver as he disembarked. But now, walking towards the front door, he had no plan of what to do next. The ride here had reminded Logan that once he reached the door to 1712 Oak Trail, he had no way of getting in. It was no one's fault, but Kate must have forgotten to give him a key. He knew Charlie wouldn't be home until five and his watch told him that was nearly two hours away. It would be no issue. Logan didn't mind waiting on the porch, but there was one slight problem. He really needed to pee.

He decided to take a look around the house. Maybe one of the windows had been left unlatched. It was one of the nicer neighborhoods Logan had stayed in, perhaps the Nelsons didn't feel the need to secure every entry point. After checking the windows on the porch with no luck, Logan moved to the back of the house. It had been a long shot, but all the windows and door on the first floor were secure. Logan heaved a sigh and returned to the front porch to wait Charlie out. He would not pee in the bushes.

Logan pulled a pair of headphones out of his backpack. They were old and he had to hold the wires in just the right position for both ears to work, but they were what he had and there wasn't much else to do. As he listened to the music, his mind drifted.

He didn't want to miss the bus, so hadn't stopped in the office to ask about his schedule. He didn't know what to make of Ms. Johnston and her overfull classroom, but he was thankful that Gemma had spoken up for him. Logan also didn't know what to make of her. Sure, the only thing he had told her was that he was in the foster system. She didn't know about his past or why he had needed such frequent placements, yet he couldn't help but worry that someone would learn too much.

Suddenly Logan heard a gruff voice call out.

"Hey boy, what the hell you think you're doing?

Logan's head whips up, suddenly much more aware of his surroundings, and notices a police officer rounding his vehicle that's parked along the curb.

"Hey I'm talking to you. What's going on over here? What the hell do you think you're doing?" The officer asks again, even angrier this time from the perceived slight of Logan's ignore.

Logan's nervous, but he takes a deep breath and answers, "I'm sorry officer I was just waiting for someone to get home. I'm locked out."

"Well we got a call that someone suspicious was prowling around out her. They said it looked like they were trying to break in. The individual matched your description."

"I was just looking to see if the back door was open or there was a way to get in." Logan winces, he knows how that sounds, "Honestly, I really need to use the bathroom, but I don't have a key."

"If I'm supposed to believe you live here, why wouldn't you have a key?"

"I just got here a few days ago, Officer." The word officer drips with venom that takes away all respect the title would have carried.

"Have any identification?"

"I have my school schedule. That will have my name on it."

"Just because you have a name doesn't mean you live here."

Logan grits his teeth, "Officer I'm in foster care, I was just placed here two days ago. I'm seventeen, I don't have any identification with an address."

"Well isn't there anyone you can call."

"Sir I can give her a call, but I don't think she's going to pick up. She's an ER nurse."

"You better hope she does."

Logan brings his phone up to his ear, begging the universe for Kate to somehow have a break at that moment. It was to no avail.

"No answer."

"Then I guess you'll be coming with me." The officer seems almost happy she didn't pick up.

Logan is getting impatient. He's been keeping his temper in check, but is becoming frustrated. Cops are all the same. "Come on man, you're not really going to take a foster kid to jail because he doesn't have a driver's license and people with important jobs aren't answering the phone."

"That's it. Let me see your hands."

"No way."

The next thing Logan knows, he's being shoved up against the side of the house. The door frame digs into the side of his face. It'll probably bruise. Handcuffs are tightened around his wrists. The kind of tight that bites into his skin and is definitely unnecessary.

"Let go of me."

"Not a chance. Let's see what I can figure out about you back at the station."

Logan is shoved unceremoniously into the back of the squad car and taken to the precinct.