Free Lonely Souls by Karice Bolton

delicacies, and the hunger that was almost making its way back, vanished again completely.
    “So back to the cooler incident,” Jenny began.
    Rats! I wished I hadn’t started down that path. I didn’t feel like talking about it any longer.
    “It was just a little freaky. The cooler really did lock on me, and I had to call my aunt to get me,” I finished quickly.
    Angela was eyeing me suspiciously. They both knew there was more, but I obviously wasn’t going to tell them, and I was thanking the heavens that Logan interrupted my first attempt with the snacks.
    “Yeah, so I really don’t know what I’m going to do about the Logan thing. I mean even if I don’t live here, it can’t hurt that he does,” I sighed.
    “I know you’re going through a lot and are dealing with things I can’t even pretend to imagine,” Jenny said, “but don’t start closing yourself off. It will only hurt you. Logan seems to be pretty supportive for someone you haven’t physically seen for years. He wants to be there for you. I’d take him up on the offer.”
    “It would make me feel a lot better leaving town, knowing you’ll let yourself be watched over a little,” Angela agreed, nodding as she built another apple tower.
    “By the way, you two, my aunt and his mom don’t know that I know that was the plan so please don’t bring it up. Now’s not the time,” I said smiling and reaching for some of the fruit Logan had so thoughtfully prepared for us.
    There was so much I wanted to tell Jenny and Angela, but what was the point? They were leaving town, and I didn’t want to burden them. There’s nothing they could do. I hoped we would all stay in touch forever, and become those old ladies who would sit on rockers and tell tales of our childhood, maybe like the Golden Girls , only in Washington instead of Florida. But life, so far, had thrown a few curveballs my direction, and I decided it would be best to make their visit as normal as possible in case life took hold once more, and this was our last real time together.
     

 
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
     
    The morning came before I knew it. We had gorged on popcorn and Tim Burton movies, or Johnny Depp movies, however one might want to look at. I looked around the room and saw that Jenny and Angela must have woken up and gone downstairs already. I was still exhausted, or maybe sad. I was getting those emotions confused as of late.
    I knew they would be leaving in only a few hours and forced myself up. I had a pair of light pink sweatpants on and a T-shirt. My hair was still piled on top of my head in a tangled ponytail, and I was sure I’d be making a memorable entrance.
    Going down the stairs, I faintly heard Logan’s voice, and I panicked remembering what I really did look like, but it was too late. They could hear me puttering down the wooden stairs, and there was no turning back. I heard Jenny thanking him, and I wondered what the heck they were talking about because once they heard me coming, their voices stopped.
    I rounded the corner near the kitchen and saw Jenny and Angela eating cereal, sitting at the table. I quickly turned to my left and saw Logan. He wasn’t facing me. He was looking out the kitchen window. He was wearing grey cotton pajama bottoms, and they were hanging a little lower than I expected, which made me look away quickly. Jenny smiled as she caught my reaction, and I did my best to stare her down to make sure she stayed quiet.
    “Good morning,” I announced into the kitchen.
    Logan spun around, and I immediately wished I had stayed upstairs. Having him here was really adding a complication to the already intense current of emotions that were running through me, but at least he was on my side in this mess. And anyone who was willing to listen to my theory was a godsend. A smile spread across his face, and he quickly glanced at Jenny and Angela and shrugged his shoulders, his eyes dancing with mischief.
    “What?” I asked.
    “We’ve decided that