Focus - Logicality

That was a bombshell. I've dealt with a lot of feelings before. I'm good at feelings. I can help others overcome their fears and shortcomings and play matchmaker. Roman and Virgil don't know it, but who do you think got them together? Virgil put the pieces together a few days ago. He was mad at first because I didn't tell him, but he realized what I knew from the start; it would never have happened without some behind-the-scenes work. The only feelings I can't deal with are my own. That's why I'm so surprised when Logan opens up to me so quickly. I wasn't scared or surprised when he told me that his mom died or why he didn't trust his feelings.

I was stunned when I realized how much Logan needed someone to open up to. It put everything into perspective. He thinks fate is forcing him into a friendship, but in reality, it's his subconscious. He doesn't know why he slipped up when he told me that even he needed a friend sometimes. Obviously, that was also his subconscious. I'll have to text Emile and see what he thinks. He goes to a different school now, one centered around his interests in psychology and therapy, but we've known each other since 3rd grade. He wants to be a therapist and sometimes he'll help me with my psychology homework, or even just emotional issues like these.

Fate gave me a chance; maybe it gave others that chance as well. I'm just the only one who gave it to Logan, even though I didn't yet know why he needed it. I do now. Even if I didn't, I still know that I always want to be that person for him. In fact, I want to be more. For a few precious minutes, we just stare into each other's eyes, thoughts racing.

"It sounds like you've been hurt before." He shakes his head no, but tears begin to spill down his cheeks. "Are you sure?" He shakes his head no again. "Oh, no. Can I ask what happened?" Logan nods. I pull him into a tight hug and he slowly begins to speak. He weaves a delicate story. A story of a delicate, naive sophomore hurt by the childhood death of his mother. One who distrusted emotions and avoided friendship at all costs and was bullied for it. But he didn't care. He had dreams, and those dreams didn't involve any of those closed-minded jerks. He kept silent when they taunted him and turned to astronomy, a gift from his mother, as his only solace.

But one day as the boy was keeping his head down and remaining quiet, a mysterious senior by the name of Dee stepped in front of him and refused to stay silent. The stranger defended the boy and convinced him to join him in the lunchroom. Dee was young for his grade, only 17, and the boy was 16, old for his.

The boy soon succumbed to Dee's charms. Within a matter of weeks, the pair were inseparable. Dee confessed to the boy that the reason he'd come to his aid was because of a crush he'd had on the boy since the beginning of the school year. Of course, the boy reciprocated the feelings, so he immediately said yes. He adored Dee and looked up to him like he'd never looked up to anyone except for his mother, who had died of cancer years ago.

Dee told the boy to meet him after school that day because he had something special planned. Dee led the boy through the outskirts of town to a dark, narrow alleyway. The boy was wary, but Dee said not to worry, and he'd trust Dee with his life. But in the alleyway, they weren't safe and alone as Dee had promised. There waited a familiar-looking clique of muscular upperclassman guys. The boy was strong and fast and easily dodged the attacks of his assailants, but he was badly outnumbered. For every person he fended off, two attacked him from behind and yet another took his place. He called out to Dee, but Dee just laughed. Suddenly, a loud, metallic thump shook the dumpster and a blur of purple and black fled the alleyway. Dee snapped his fingers three times and the boys stopped immediately. He pointed to the dumpster, then four of them ran off immediately in the other direction. One of the boys handed Dee something small and green that the boy couldn't quite make out because one of them had taken them and given them to Dee.