Logan Mitchell was indeed a quiet teen. The genius of the group. Always there with a plan to help them get out from tight situations due to the craziness that would always pursue them in the Palm Woods Residence. He was never angry at heart even though things can get a little out of hand. In fact, he was the one that treasured every moment of it. Before he sleeps, he would always thank the Lord for the life he had now, the friends that he had made and the happiness in every mishap they got into. He was too grateful of it, of how it turned out, of how he was now an international pop star. However, when the sun goes down, when he was alone, a slight aching in his heart would always ensues no matter how hard he tried to suppress it. Sometimes it just happened out of nowhere, a constant reminder of the misery that almost took his life away. Kendall always had this knack of knowing when Logan felt something wrong or a bit uneasy. He had always been close to Logan. Even in high school. Logan was like a brother he never had. And the feeling was mutual. Logan had always been a cautious guy since high school. It wasn't much of a mystery given that he was the nerd at school; a person who is at a lower pedigree in the high school social system. Good things always have a catch. Bad things were a norm. That was his life. 'Hey nerd, lost your books again,' Danny, he soundly remembers this haunting name. 'Give it back, Dan,' he tried to spoke up but it was barely a squeal. 'Dan walked over to him and pushed his head against the lockers, knocking off his glasses and messing up his neatly combed hair. 'Look, I think he's going to cry again. What a queer.' Then, a taller young man stood amid the chaos with Mr Larson. It became clear that Dan was off from that school for good. It became clear that the young man whose name is Kendall would become his companion to face through high school. But it was also clear that high school was not going to change just because of one man. It became bearable when Kendall invited him to join Glee. He didn't know that singing was one of his talents. It became even more bearable when Kendall would always sit next to him in lunch, hanging out after school and doing homework together making him feel a little less alone than he really was. Kendall didn't mind the constant name calling. Kendall and Logan was just good friends who would stick to him through thick and thin. It definitely made his whole high school more bearable. Though when that reassuring face was gone, everything was where it was again. The constant bullying, 'favours' and the everlasting period when the only time you're in a relationship was when someone is going to use you, though gone, still scarred him in his sleep. Once or twice he tried to take his life away. His beliefs started to chip off every minute he still breathing. How he never expected for things to perk up when he joined Big Time Rush. He didn't expect he would another pair of friends, or the fact that they made him felt special every day. Yet, his heart still ached of the past torment. Nothing can cure this pain; not the screaming girls chasing him, not a pat on the back from the cool kids or even an apology from them now. It's a little too late for all of that. What he needed was a way to forget the memories, the pain, and the torment, all of which he had subdued and controlled. Every Tuesday night. The only day he looked forward to every week.
Logan was combing his hair, making sure he looked fine. He didn't like mirrors that much. He could easily see through all the makeovers. He sat on his bed and rubbed his chest. 'It's okay, Logan,' he spoke to himself. He looked at himself in the mirror one last time, accepting him; his past, his present and his future. Accepting the holes in his life, the downs that always accompanied the highs and generally the life he has now. Today was just like how he does his studies on Saturday morning or stargaze during Wednesday night. A routine. A routine which he kept on hiding from them. When queried about his activities, he would give the most peculiar of reasons. And it was different all the time. He wasn't ashamed of what he does on his Tuesday nights; he just preferred it to be that way. To be able to fight his own demons on his own.
He was about to leave when the door suddenly started creaking open, and Kendall. They exchanged smiles as a sign of greetings.
"Hey, Kendall but I have to go now," he said as he took his sling bag and made his way out of the door. .
"Logan, where are you going?" Logan stopped in his steps.
"Oh! The usual."
"That's the thing. I really don't know what the usual you're talking about," he replied. His voice had grown in volume to emphasize his worry though still soft enough to not cause any provocation.
"Kendall, I'm going out with an old friend. I'll be back at 10," Logan asserted himself with confidence. Calm and collective. He heard Kendall sighed. Logan knew that he knew something was not right.
"Logan, please tell me what's going out. I'm your best friend I'm your freaking best friend. And it makes me worried that... I can't be there for you if you were somehow in danger or stuff. I don't want what happened in high school to ever happened again," Kendall spoke out.
Logan tried to smile. He tried to suppress his anguish like he always did. Turn the other cheek. He tried to forget how the bullying was endlessly sickening. How the gunk took one week before it was finally off. And after getting played by Rachel, another wicked prank by the football team, his self-mutilation went at an all-time low when he collapsed inside the toilet cutting his wrist. All of which he tried to forget. A tear crept its way across his cheeks. He couldn't take it any longer. He needed to go now.
"Kendall as much as I appreciated it, and I do, I can't always depend on you guys to fight my battles for me all the time. I need to take care of my own problems. Because what will I do, if you guys are not there when I needed you the most," his reply was clear.
"And that is why you have to tell me what you're really up to. So I can be there for you," he stood up to meet my eyes.
"Kendall, I have to go now, I'm already late," he said solemnly and rather harsh to his best friend. How he hated that. But with that, he took his sling bag and strode off into the living room and exited the apartment, leaving Kendall standing there in Logan's room dumbfounded.
Aaron was Logan's good friend in elementary before he moved and found Kendall and the gang. He was your typical blue eyed blonde who wore a pair of spectacles. Only thing is he's European. Swedish. He had always been a serious kid even in elementary. But somehow, when with Logan, he always smiled at Logan. Every Tuesday he would always meet up with him for their weekly meetings. It was simple really. He would take a cab to the nearest bike rental, 'Sam's Bikers', and go to the back of the store where a bike, locked, was waiting for him. He would take out the key in his sling bag and unlock it while sliding an envelope with a total of 10 dollars under the door. A bit of stretching and he was off. He would then cycle across town in a different route every time for 5 miles. Usually he would go an uneven terrain. He needed to make sure his cardio was in check before he proceeded to his next agenda. After the 5-mile-cycle, he would then go to 'Desiree's Laundry' to pick up his laundry. A lady; different every time would always give his crisp uniform folded in a way so that he can easily slide it into his sling bag. A wave goodbye and 5 dollars and he was off. He would then cycle another mile to a row of shop houses. He parked and locked his bicycle near the stations provided. There was a clinic at the bottom floor. Dr Arnaud, Aaron's father owns that clinic. Once in a while, Logan would step into his clinic and get even more inspired to become a doctor. One floor up was a legal firm. It usually was closed but sometimes during his visits, he would see the lights turned on. And at the topmost was a martial arts studio. He took his shoes off and placed it outside. To his surprise, a tall lean blonde in a white gi was already there stretching on the blue mat.
"You're early Sensei Aaron," Logan said as he saw the smirk on his friend's face.
"How about you get changed in the changing room so we can finally start, Sensei Logan?"
Logan smiled. He took out the gi from his satchel and a black belt. Logan had practiced taekwondo for over two years now. And this was what that kept him from falling apart again. This was made him stronger. And this was what held the fabrics of his life together.
"Are you sure, he's up there?" Carlos asked still finding it hard to register the facts. They were following Logan all night long, in cabs, cars and motorcycles, avoiding suspicion by swapping places near corners and bends.
"Yes. Saw him locked that bike up and went up the stairs, to the top," Kendall's voice was solemn.
"No way! I mean like isn't he the type that doesn't like violence. Avoids it to be matter of fact, and you're telling me that he secretly going to this what, dojo, and get his ass kicked?" James queried this conspiracy.
"I think it's the other way around, James," Kendall replied to the rhetorical question. This got the attention of both of the guys sitting next to him.
"Kendall, that's bull. No offence but Logan is the one who rarely endorses violence. His rooms are filled with Lennon posters for god sake," Carlos tried to reason with Kendall. Kendall knew there was something more that needs to be known about his best friend. They were only scratching the surfaces of this deep mystery.
"C'mon, let's go up." Kendall said.
"Why?" both of the boys screamed.
Kendall was already making his way to the stairs. The boys were trailing Kendall's stride. Mixtures of emotions were jumbled up inside of him; anger, confused, disappointment and worrisome. 'Who are you, Logan?' Kendall still remembered how in high school, he and Logan would share secretes, thoughts and problems. Now that they're living together, Kendall realised how far apart were they and that after all this years, he still has not even get a good grasp of this man he calls him his best friend.
"Kendall! Wait up!" James tried to gather his attention. But Kendall did not even give a shit. The only thing that matters right now is the one friend up there who is in who knows what kind of trouble. And as Kendall got closer, he heard a pair of cries. It wasn't screaming for help. And soon there stood Kendall watching in awe outside the dojo where he was looking through the window of Logan in white ready with a stance, facing a young blonde about the same age as he is.
Logan's leg was bent, ready to move when the time comes. His hands were tightly gripped and balled up in a fist, poised to strike his opponent at any moment. Kendall saw the fierceness in Logan's dark brown eyes. This wasn't the Logan that needs to make sure that everyone is okay or the Logan that would just chill watching television with him. This was a different side of him. Logan started hopping about, changing his footing continuously, waiting for his opponent to make his first move. Three seconds have gone and the tension between them had only skyrocketed. In the room, Logan can feel his adrenaline rising, his heartbeat racing. His chest was rhythmically moving inwards and upwards. They shared a lot of things. They shared almost the same physique. They shared the same expression. And little did the other three boys standing outside know, they shared enough experience to physically maim their counterparts. And with a loud yell, Logan made the first move by releasing a fury of front kicks to his opponents. His opponent then blocked the kicks and retreated to the back. A microsecond was all Aaron needed to retaliate with a double roundhouse kick which missed Logan by only half an inch. That kick could have put him in a comma. Logan kept his distance, allowing him to gain his composure from a near fatal strike. Logan then made his way in, ducking under that flying back kick. He let down a few punches, which provided Aaron the opportunity to grabbed Logan's arm for a takedown. As Aaron used his right hand to grabbed Logan's gi, Logan was then thrown to the mat on the back. Logan then strike back by kicking Aaron in the face that left him in a short daze. Logan the spun his legs 360° slowing down his opponent from getting closer and picked himself up. Pain shot through his veins as his brain finally interpreted the pain from that takedown. However, his eyes only got fiercer. His gi had become undone. He removed his top and tightened his black belt on his waist. Aaron just smiled and did the same thing. Both the fighters encircled each other, anticipating each other's move. Aaron then went full force by barraging him with a fury of punches. Logan weaved his hand against the punches, moving about to avoid the blows. The velocity and the frequency kept on increasing but Logan managed to block every single one of them. Little did he know that Aaron had force him to a wall. Logan managed to grab hold his left wrist form making its way to his face, but Aaron landed a solid punch using his right fist, jamming it right into Logan's abdomen which caused Logan to flinch forward. Aaron was now kneeing Logan. Logan tried to grab hold of Aaron. Even though Aaron was slightly bigger than Logan, Logan managed to bring him up and throw him on the floor. Logan could feel himself slightly asphyxiated from the takedown. Sweat was gleaming down his face. He was tired, but he knew that this fight was far from over. Aaron managed to jump on to his feet. Their spirits never did die out. Each wanted victory in their grasp. Logan winced at his aching muscles. He could feel a burning sensation of the lactic acid that ran through his blood. He focused on his breathing, allowing more oxygen to diffuse in. They both smiled at each other, both of them not wanting to give up the match. Logan wiped the sweat on his forehead and combed back his hair before getting in a ready position. Faster than a blink of the eye, Logan struck Aaron with a series of punches and kicks. It became harder for Aaron to block as more and more blows hit him across his body. Logan did a sweep kick to throw him off followed by a back kick onto Aaron's chest. He staggered backward. But none of them are willing to give up the match yet. Logan continued to strike another blow with his fist when suddenly his opponent had grab of his one arm and started twisting it. His opponent is going in for the knockout by throwing him on the mat. If he falls flat, he won't have enough energy to fight on. And with a loud cry, Logan managed to use his other hand to cartwheel himself up again and used his last bit of energy to elbow Aaron in the gut. It only took a split of a second for Logan to grab Aaron's neck and throw him on the mat.
"Ai-ya!" he screamed, hands ready if an attack ensues.
Logan had won the round. He started to relax his muscles. His body was filled with blue patches.
"After getting one's ass kicked a lot, you think you can handle the pain," his opponent just smiled as he rub his chest continuously.
"Hey, I had a good Sensei who taught me how to land a killer roundhouse kick," Logan replied, grinning while giving his opponent/friend a hand.
"Sadly, I got a Sensei that would never let me win."
"Hey, you almost got me there," Logan said as he made his way to the other side of the mat. He grabbed both of the top.
"Almost," he replied while giving him a smile as he caught one of the top that Logan threw. They fixed their gi again before bowing to each other and made their way to the locker room to wash up.
"You think your dad can spare some painkillers for the week," Logan asked jokingly.
"Judging by the bruises we got for tonight, I don't think we'll be coming next week," Aaron replied. They just laughed.
After a quick shower and a visit with Mr Arnaud, a medical check-up and a long lecture on taking care of himself, Mr Arnaud would then send Logan to Palm Wood. This was what he did every Tuesday night. After this, he would then fall onto his bed and sleep. Little did he know what the boys were planning up in his room after the sudden revelation of how Logan is a black belt in martial arts.