Plan Of Seduction

25. I Really, Really, Really Like You

Edit/Rewritten: September 14, 2021

___

Logan's POV

_________

Chapter Twenty-Five: I Really, Really, Really Like You

     Thanksgiving break was ending soon, which meant two things. One, Liam would finally be able to go back to his dorm for his things. After discussing it, we had come to the conclusion that it would be easier to gather Liam's belongings when Jenn was at one of her classes. Currently, we didn't know if she was spending Thanksgiving break at their shared dorm or in her hometown, but it was also too risky to check. So waiting it was. Two, the end of Thanksgiving break also meant that Kyle would soon be boarding a plane back home.

     Tugging his hand, I make my way stealthily through the crowd, ignoring the looks. Despite having discussed his return, it was still hard. Kyle, unlike me, had already visited the therapist for the last time, he was no longer needed in the case building and because he was technically still a minor, it would be unethical for them to call him forward in the court - if the case got that far. This was especially the case when Kyle's testimony only served to prove Kai's timeline of when he was assaulted. Either way, it was unknown if my father would do anything. The case was still pending, and because he wasn't going to go to jail anyway, the possibility of him turning on Kyle again only seemed to increase.

     The scar decorating my thigh burned at the implication.

     "Logan." Kyle called, pulling me back as a crowd of girls bustled in front of me. I startled out of my trance, turning back to look at him with a sheepish smile. Oops. Our eyes met, and his sparkled with recognition, like he knew, he knows- "I told you, I'll be fine. Monroe's foster parents let me move in with them after you left."

     But only because they found out about dad's negligence towards you—

     His grip tightened around mine, our gazes clashing. Out of the two of us, Kyle took after our father. But even then, his appearance didn't scare me. It never had. Because I had never compared him to our father, there was nothing to ever compare, "I'll be fine."

     And I couldn't stop myself from believing in him.

____✩____

     "Why did you bring me here anyways?" Sweetness filled my senses as I licked my ice cream once more. We were in the food court of the mall posted about half a mile away from the university. Kyle himself was busy biting down on a large pretzel, crumbs decorating the sides of his mouth.

     "Obviously to help me buy panties." I teased, snorting when Kyle's stare narrowed at me. Like Tripp, it was unusual, and it made me relent easily. "I just wanted to hang out with you one last time before tomorrow."

     Kyle leans forward on the small table, putting his elbows on the dirty tabletop, chewing thoughtfully. "You're doing it again."

     My nose scrunches upward in confusion, "Doing what?"

     "Lying." He chews, the pretzel suddenly becoming more appealing than I originally thought. "You were never a good liar."

     Without asking, I lean forward on my seat, chomping down on the end of his pretzel before pulling back. Half because I really wanted to try it and half because I want to buy myself time before answering. Or, before admitting. It's true, there was something else to it. Deep down I know Kyle is going to be alright. This entire situation brought so much to us.

     It brought us closure in knowing that our mother had moved on, and that it wasn't truly our fault that she left us. It brought out the truth about our father and it brought us understanding. Kyle, being the stronger of the two, would go back and continue high school. And unlike before, we would be calling and texting often. He would come over for Christmas break with his boyfriend and I would go over with Tripp for his graduation. It wasn't ideal, but it worked out.