"Logan, what the hell?" Bri asked, cornering me.
"That kid."
"Look, I get that you've never had to..
"It wasn't like I was disgusted!" I looked up at her.
"If he ruined your pants i know you can afford..."
"That's not it either."
"Then what Logan?" We stood in the copy room and I shook my head. "Logan, if you don't tell me, then I'll have to write this up, and then it will go down on your record. Which the judge will read, and that will determine if you've actually learned your lesson."
"I just, I don't do well with kids."
"Can you get over it?"
"Well. I have a temper problem. And the kid. Well, lets just say I had to get away."
"Logan?"
"I was gunna push him off."
"Have you ever hit someone?"
"No, not really. I mean, not anyone who hasn't hit me first."
Bri looked over at me. "Logan, I need you to tell me why you have the issue. I mean." And I could see it in her face. The same look that Duncan gave me once. The "I know, just tell me" look. I didn't tell him.
"Logan its actually really important to tell me. If you can't deal with the kids, and you have a real reason then I can work with that and explain it to Ray."
"Can you sign a confidentiality agreement or something."
Bri stood and grabbed one, we had them all over the place, agreements for photo release, for releasing information. And of course this one.
"I don't want you to leak this to the press. I mean seriously. I have to take precautions."
"I know Logan."
She signed, and dated the paper. "Ray would sign one of these as well." She nodded.
"My dad, used to. Well ya know." I'd wanted to tell people for years. But now when someone was there in front of me who wouldn't blink or pity me, it was almost impossible to vocalize what I needed to. "He used to hit me. Like bad, like if I pissed him off, he'd have me grab a belt and ya know. And I know its like passed on, that I am predisposed to it simply because I was abused."
I didn't tell her how I'd learned this. That I'd always suppressed the anger and the violent side. How ashamed I was at the lamp I'd broken when Veronica broke up with me the first time, how grateful I was that Keith had actually stopped my anger. But that reading the cold hard files, the facts of the various types of abuse. Of how it can affect you, that reading those files scared the shit out of me.
Bri's expression didn't change, her eyes a little softer. But over all, nothing. "And little kids, they scare me. So much potential, and so easy to hurt. And that kid, he grabbed me and I wanted him off. I reached down, he was so trusting, and then I almost pushed him off. I realized suddenly how close I was to being able to hurt him."
Bri nodded. "Mkay, I'll tell Emily that we'll just work back here, and explain it to Ray."
She stood up, leaving me alone for the first time since I'd entered Neptune Youth Heath Services. My Cell phone rang, and I checked the number.
"Hey Veronica"
"Logan."
"Long time no talk." I grinned "So how long is your wish list?"
"Oh, i could probably spend the royalties for your father's biggest hit."
"Yeah, send me the list."
"I miss you" She laughed. "I wanted to call and let you know, my dad is making it up to me. He's paying for me to stay another couple weeks in New York. You know because of the whole standing me up thing."
"Hmm, make sure you get a tacky touristy gimmick for me" I smiled, god Veronica is amazing. "So any mysteries to solve in New York?"
"Hmm, only the one of where to get my next meal."
"Look, Gimme a call later. I'm at my community service thing. So I gotta go."
"Love you."
"Love you too."
I hung up, mixed feelings all around.
"Hey, Logan" Bri smiled and I scrambled to stand, not sure when I had sat down. "We got filing to do."
Author's notes: Wee! I have a review per chapter! This makes me feel so amazing I love it. I heart you all. Like seriously, i wanna hug everyone that reviews this. So I love you all. Tell me what you think of this, does it move too slow? Is there too little charachter and plot development. Do you want Logan to make condom balloons? I am open to all.