The Boy in the Jersey ✔️

15

I hear him chuckle before he continues.

"Ki also told me about the baby bird she saved, it had fallen out of the nest and mom let her take care of it. She has it in a box and she made it all sorts of stuff."

I feel the pain leave my body the more he spoke.

"Tell me something else." I beg him

"I have everything ready for my birthday party except the cake. I'm debating on if I should buy it from a bakery or just make it myself."

"You bake?"

"Yeah, and I can cook pretty well too." He says with a chuckle.

I feel a smile make its way across my face. I didn't know why he had this effect on me, but he always made me forget everything.

"I'm not great at cooking. One time grandma Sandy tried to teach me how to make a baked ziti, and I ended up burning the top, while the bottom hadn't been cooked at all. After I messed it up I felt so bad, but she told me about her first time cooking. She actually set her kitchen on fire."

Josh and I both laugh and then fall into a content silence.

"I wish there was something I could do for you babe" he tells me after a while.

"Don't worry about me Josh I'll be fine eventually."

"I'll always worry about you Kelly. You're amazing and I can't stand to see you hurt."

"I promise I'll be fine. I just need a chance to figure out what I'm going to do now."

He lets out a puff of air.

"Can I come see you again tonight?"

I smile

"Yeah, of course."

"Meet me outside by the lamppost around ten?"

"I'll be there"

"Awesome"

I open my mouth to say something else when a knock sounds from my door.

"Kel? Can I come in?" Logan asks

"Hey I have to go." I whisper into my phone.

"Are you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah I'll be fine"

"Okay. I'll see you tonight"

"Definitely"

We say our goodbyes and hang up before I tell Logan to come in.

He slowly opens the door and walks in, before sitting on my bed.

His hair was ruffled and his clothes were rumpled. His eyes were bright red and puffy. I knew he was taking it just as bad as I was.

I slide over next to him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know what to do Kel." He whispers

"Me either."

He grabs my hand and squeezes it.

"I wish we could do something. I don't wanna lose her."

"I know Logan. I don't either. But she would want us to remember her and the good times we've had, not the bad times. Not when she was scared and suffering. She wouldn't want us to see her in pain. She wants us to remember her when she was at her best."

Logan's eyes brim with tears. I lay my head on his shoulder.

"Do you remember that time when we were living in the cabin, that her and grandpa brought those water balloons to the bbq? And we snuck up on dad and got him real good while he was cooking the burgers?"

"Or that time that we all went camping at the lake and grandma got that lizard that she put in grandpas pillow? He freaked out at midnight."

Logan and I both chuckle.

"God I'm gonna miss her" he tells me.

"I am too."

"Promise me we'll be okay."

My insides clench and twist. There was no way I could promise that. If he knew that I was sneaking around with Josh, there is no way he would ever forgive me.

"Kelly?" He says nudging me with his arm.

"Hm?"

"Can you promise me that after grandma dies we'll always have each other? Promise me we'll always be ok."

I hated lying to him. I didn't want to break the promise to him, and I knew I would be. But right now he needed the reassurance. He needed to know that I'd always be around.

"I promise Logan"