A Little Bit Of Joy | ✔

Chapter Sixteen : The Boy's Healing

"Look there," Jamal pointed at the small balcony and we both stepped out. "Shit, Logan might have tried to break the grill."

I noticed the bent grill at the corner, but I shook away Jamal's assumptions. The grill was too strong and I didn't want to think of the possibilities that Logan could break it. I didn't want to think that he could jump right from here without anybody noticing or helping him. I didn't want to.

"It's pretty high up here. This apartment has fourteen floors, right? We need to talk to the landlord or security guard and see if the terrace door's locked. We need to keep him safe," Jamal whispered to me and I nodded in agreement.

"Is Logan still showering?"

"Yeah I checked up on him a few minutes ago and he was shaving," he replied and shoved his hand in his pocket. He retrieved rolls of newspaper and thrust it against my chest. "I found these in the mess, look."

"What is it?" My forehead creased as I unfurled one of the papers. My eyes darted between the paper and Jamal who had his arms crossed against his chest. There was a picture of the ruins of a car and my heart hammered against my chest. I scanned the paper and a lump lodged in my throat when I read Logan's last name- Kellerman. Not once, but thrice.

There were three names, one of a woman aged forty, a man aged forty-two and a boy aged ten. This was almost three years ago and all of them passed away in the horrifying accident at the highway. All, but Logan.

"He lost his entire family, JJ. All of them wiped out in this fucking accident," Jamal hissed and I could see the anxiety and worry looming in his eyes. "Now he's on his own. This is really fucked up. He's in knee-deep shit and we need to take him out of it."

I remembered when he had stolen flowers from the shop- four specific roses. I wondered whether it was the true reason for stealing was what he said or whether it had a deeper meaning. Whatever it was, I wanted to help him.

"JJ? Hey, Blondie, are you alright?"

"Er-yeah, yeah. I'm just a bit shook." I snapped out of my thoughts and tried to not cry. I used to think about Logan's family and maybe, I did have an idea, but it felt surreal. I used to console myself that his parents were uncaring and therefore left Logan on his own or Logan ran away from his home because of some disputes.

He was still seventeen and I wondered who his legal guardian was?

Suddenly, we heard the bathroom door close. We hurriedly stuffed the newspapers in our pockets and stepped in the room. We were trying to act unfazed and Logan didn't suspect anything. He was wearing black jeans and his regular full-sleeved, sky blue shirt. He looked much better and cleaner after showering.

I walked to him and asked, "How do you feel now? Lighter?"

He nodded and I felt at ease. However, I knew that he hadn't recovered yet. The road to recovery was long and rocky. He still needed help and from an adult- preferably a counsellor. Also, he needed to be more around people- be more social. That could help him, but I didn't know how to convince him.

He was glaring at Jamal who was texting in his phone. "I don't want him here."

"We'll leave then--- "

"No, not you. I don't want him here. Tell him to get the fuck out of my apartment," he said flippantly, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Oh-okay," I replied and stalked towards Jamal.

There were consequences to Jamal's harsh words and Jamal knew that he had hurt Logan too. So, when I asked him to leave, he didn't object. He gave a pat on my shoulder, an apologetic glance towards Logan and left.