Logan pulled down three plates from his cupboard and passed them out. James and Camille piled pizza on their plates while Logan took two pieces, peeling the pineapple off as he sat down to watch Grey's Anatomy.
James sat next to Logan and Logan curled into him, balancing his plate on his legs. James held him close, frowning slightly at the T.V.
"Grey's Anatomy?" he asked.
"It's my favorite show," Logan said defensively.
"I can't stand the sight of blood," James said, looking away from the bloody mess that was a patient on the operating table. "Why do you like it so much?"
"I want to be a doctor. Like my dad." Camille went silent, but James was clueless.
"Your dad? Where is he? Did he skip town?" Logan pulled away quickly.
"No!"
"Oh. I'm sorry. What happened to him?" Logan shook his head, getting up and walking over to the sink, setting his plate down and putting his head in his hands.
Camille scooted closer to James, whispering in his ear. "Logan's dad died. Some stupid drunk driver killed him."
James's eyes widened, shoving his plate away, walking over to Logan. He wrapped his arms around him, resting his chin on Logan's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Logan. I didn't mean to insult your dad, I honestly didn't know." Logan sniffled. James took a deep breath. "My dad skipped town."
"What?" Logan said, turning around. He pressed his face into James's chest and pulled him closer. James's cheek rested against Logan's hair. "Is that true?"
"Yeah. When I was younger, everything seemed fine, like we had the perfect family. Then, one day, he just left, and the only thing he left behind were the papers for a divorce, which he'd already signed. The only time I've heard from him at all was two years ago when he sent a Christmas card of him and some younger girl with a baby."
"Oh, James, that's terrible."
"Yeah. My mom never really got over it. She threw herself into her work and hasn't come out since."
"James, I'm sorry."
"I bet you could make it better."
"Really? How?"
"Kiss me." Logan nodded and stood on his toes, pressing his lips into James.
"What do you want to be?" Logan asked.
"Why?"
"You know what I'd like to be. I want to know what your dream job is. Are you gonna be a big hockey star? Or a basketball star? Wait, you're gonna do both, aren't you?" James laughed, pulling Logan back to the couch.
"Uh, no. I'd like to be a singer, or an actor, maybe."
"Have you done theatre?"
"No."
"Are you in choir?"
"No." Logan turned and looked at James.
"Well then how do you plan on doing anything?" James laughed again.
"Getting lucky. It's a natural talent of mine."
"James, you're going to have to do something. You can't just sit back and hope for the best. If you want to be a singer then go sing in the streets until someone hears you. If you want to be an actor, then try out for a play or a musical. You have to do something."
"Alright, alright. Calm down, I'll go sing in the streets right now." James made as if to get up and Logan grabbed his waist, pulling him back.
"Har har. You're staying here tonight."
"Really?"
"Only if you'd like to continue to go out with me." Logan watched Camille flip through channels, making a noise of protest when she went past an episode of Friends.
"Are you kidding me?" she asked. "Friends?"
"This just happens to be one of my favorite shows."
"It's so old!"
"It's so good!" Camille rolled her eyes and went back, just in time to hear Joey make himself sound stupid. Despite herself, she cracked a smile.
It turned out to be a marathon. Logan started drifting off when Camille's phone rang. She snatched it up and groaned, hanging up abruptly.
"Gotta go. The momster calls." Camille's adoptive mother was less than enthusiastic about having a child who acted out so much. Logan was the only one who knew it was a secret plea for attention, not something Camille did just for fun. Like when she crashed into the police car, or when she spray painted rather foul words on the school wall and signed it, or when she kicked in their neighbor's door and took a vase, of all things.
"See you tomorrow, Camille?" he asked.
"No, I'm working off Ms. Matton's door," she said. Logan frowned slightly when her eyes betrayed the sadness hidden behind a smile. A smile she'd had plastered to her face since second grade, when her "mom" had a child of her own and Camille got shoved to the side. It was a smile she practiced in front of the mirror. It was a smile she was afraid of letting slip, afraid to let people see how much she was hurting. Afraid to push them away.
And Logan was afraid that she wouldn't ever let it slip, wouldn't ever let anyone get close to her. Because the one person who'd ever gotten close to her was starting to slip from her grasp, slowly but surely. Because that one person was him, and he knew that if he let himself get wrapped up in James, Camille would be getting shoved to side again, and he knew she couldn't stand it for a second time.
"Camille?" he said, right before she left. She turned towards him as he detached himself from James. He went over and hugged her.
"What are you doing, Logan?" she asked.
"Camille, you've always got me. No matter what, alright?"
"Did we fall into an after school special without me knowing?" she said, turning to go. She put her hand on the doorjamb and turned slightly.
"Thanks, Logan. That means a lot to me." Logan smiled at her again before she left, then walked back over to James and lying back into his arms again.
He wished he could stay there forever.
