Written in the Stars

19: Moment of Truth

Kit glanced between the two boys. She picked up on the tension in the air but struggled to place it.

"She said that Gustavo gave you the green light to break up with Kit a week ago."

James blinked. He didn't bother to deny it. The glare which Logan shot through him was lethal, but it was Kit who held his attention. Her lips were rolled tightly inward and she refused to meet James's gaze. When she finally did look up at him, her eyes looked glassy and her voice sounded tight:

"Why wouldn't you tell me?"

James shrugged. He tore his eyes up from the carpet to meet Kit's.

"I don't know," he paused. "I wanted to but I just... I guess I wasn't ready for this to end. I didn't want to let you go."

Kit tilted her head. "'Let me go?' But, James, this isn't— that wasn't— real"

He hung his head. "Yeah," James said. "I know."

James took a deep breath in and squared his shoulders. He dared to look at Logan before continuing. The expression on his face was unreadable but James could recognize the hint of betrayal in his eyes. Logan shook his head. As he pressed the palms of his hands together, he flitted his gaze between Kit and James.

"The truth is, I didn't want it to end because I still have feelings for you, Kit. And I know it wasn't fair of me to drag this out and for that I'm sorry. To you, too, Logan"

Kit glanced between the two boys once more and a heavy ache weighed on her heart. She parted her lips, then closed them again. Softly, she said: "I don't know what to say."

James shrugged, tightening his grip on the towel. A faint smile spread over his lips as their eyes met. "I know we said we wouldn't fall in love but, well, I did. So, when Gustavo offered us a chance to keep the act going.... I guess I got caught up in it. In you."

Kit's eyes widened. She tensed under Logan's confused gaze. At first, James didn't notice his slip-up. Then, Logan's voice brought him to reality:

"What? What do you mean 'keep' it going?!"

Logan looked from Kit to James. The two of them shared a look that made Logan's stomach turn. It was Kit who broke eye contact to meet Logan's gaze.

"Logan," said Kit. "There's something you should know."

Hesitantly, he nodded. "Okay."

"I know we said no secrets but I didn't know how to tell you. Uh–"

James jumped to her rescue, "It started sort of as a scheme to get back at Kendall, after Camille thought that we were dating, we decided to run with it."

"So," asked Logan. "You're saying that it was all an act? The whole time?"

Logan blinked, eyes darting between the two. His brows furrowed. James shifted his weight, cheeks pinkening, and shook his head. Kit licked her lips.

"No," James denied. "Not for me."

Logan remained speechless. He struggled to process the new information. Every little kiss he saw them share, the longing way in which James looked at her, the genuine hurt in Kit's eyes the day that James and Camille kissed– every little detail of their relationship flashed through Logan's mind. It didn't look fake to him. He felt just as confused and out of his wheelhouse as he had the day that love science helped him to accept his feelings for Kit.

Slapping his hands to his thighs, Logan pushed himself up on his feet.

"Wow, okay," he said.

Kit wrung her hands together nervously. She turned to Logan. "You're not mad?"