Here's the next chapter! And I want to say thank you to all of you who are respecting my decision. And to those of you who are sad to see me go, I'm sorry.

But here's chapter 24 (: I hope you guys enjoy it.

o*o*o*o*o
Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.
-Albert Camus
o*o*o*o*o

17 Years Old

Kendall sighs, flipping listlessly through the many TV channels as he tries to distract himself. He's tried, yet again, to get Logan to hang out with him. And, yet again, the genius has declined. This time he'd bowed out from going to see a movie because he had a book to read. A book! Kendall knows that his brunette best friend likes to read, but he's never found reading more important than spending time with his friends, especially Kendall. In fact, for the longest time, reading was something they would do together (that was before Logan got interested in books about medicine and physics and Stephen Hawking though).

He hates that Logan is pulling away from him. He wants to fix it, because the bookworm is the best friend he's ever had, but he just doesn't know how. How is he supposed to fix it when he doesn't even know what he's done wrong? He's not even sure if he's done something wrong, because, when the four of the hang out together, Logan acts like nothing has changed. Like they're still best friends.

It's just when Kendall wants to spend some time with just the genius that it becomes obvious how different things really are.

And the blonde can't shake the feeling that something is missing. That he has to fix this. He can't not have Logan in his life. He's always known that, especially since the winter when they were fifteen and he'd nearly lost the brunette to hypothermia. He can't exactly explain it, but not having Logan in his life is simply not an option.

With another sigh, Kendall gets up from the couch and turns the TV off. Clearly, this whole thing isn't okay and he's going to fix it. Right now.

He makes his way to the bedroom he shares with Logan, knowing that that's where the other boy had retreated to read his newest book. When he opens the door he finds Logan sitting on his bed, book open on his lap, but he's eyes aren't moving, so Kendall doubts he's actually reading. This just confuses him more.

"What's your deal?" He asks, not bothering to beat around the bush.

Logan looks up, blinking in surprise at the other boy. "What?"

"You. You've been refusing to hang out with me since…" he trails off, trying to figure out exactly when this whole thing started, "well, for a while now. You blew me off again today to read a book, which you aren't even reading!"

Logan eyes narrow, knowing that if he wants to push Kendall away he's going to have to pull out the big guns. Even if he doesn't really mean it. "Yeah. Well you weren't exactly looking to spend that much time with me when Jo was here. I know it's not a girl," he lifts up his book, "but maybe I'd rather spend my time with it than with you. If you're allowed to do that then so am I!"

Kendall blinks in shock, a little confused, but still angry at the tone of the other boy's voice. "Huh? What the hell does that even mean?"

"I'm not going to be a replacement for Jo!" Logan snaps, shutting his book for emphasis.

"I'm not asking you to be!" Kendall cries out in desperation. He's not sure where Logan got this idea from, but he needs to make sure the bookworm understands that it's not true at all.

"I just want you to be Logan. And I'll be Kendall. And I just want us to go back to being…" He pauses, searching for the right word. "Kogan." He finishes.

Logan visibly deflates, all the anger escaping him like air from a balloon. Kendall's anger goes with it because if the brunette thinks he's just a replacement for Jo, then Kendall hasn't been doing a very good at being his best friend.

"Listen," he walks forwards, dropping down beside Logan on the bed, "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like I just wanted to hang out with you again because Jo's gone. You're my best friend, Logie. No matter who or what happens in my life, I'm always going to want you to be around."

"Do you ever think maybe it's not okay that we're so close?" Logan asks, finally voicing what's been on his mind since they were fourteen. "I mean…we're not this close with James and Carlos and the four of us are supposed to all be best friends. Totally equal as far as who likes who and how much. But," The genius bites his lip, clearly nervous about what he's going to say next, "I'd be lying if I said you weren't my best friend. In a way that neither James or Carlos are or ever were."

Kendall tries to shrug nonchalantly and keep the happy smile off of his face. "Why is that a big deal?" He loses the struggle and his whole face lights up as he grins at the genius. "Especially since I feel the same way?"

"Kendall…"

"And I just really hate that it feels like I'm loosing my best friend. And I'm going to do whatever I have to to fix this. I swear."

Logan sighs, finally seeing exactly how much this is hurting the blonde. He feels the tug in chest and knows he's not going to be able to ignore it. He's going to have to at least make it a little better. Because the whole point of pulling away from Kendall was to not cause the blonde any trouble. And clearly, he's pulled away too much, which is just causing the blonde more trouble.

"You don't have to worry, Kendall." He's able to give the blonde a reassuring smile because he believes his next words wholeheartedly. "You aren't ever going to lose me. I promise."

The taller boy immediately brightens up at the genius' words. He reaches forward, pulling Logan into a hug and pulling the two of them down to lie on the bed. "So," he asks, ruffling his hand in Logan's hair, "what's been happening in my best friend's life."

And they stay like that, legs tangled together and laughing and joking until Logan notices that Kendall's breathing has evened out and that the taller boy is fast asleep. Logan smiles affectionately at the blonde. He knows he's going to keep maintaining his distance from Kendall. But maybe it doesn't have to be as bad as before. At least until Kendall finds someone else to be with.

He allows himself this one last nap though, wrapped safely in the taller boy's arms. He knows he's said things like that before. And he's sure he's going to slip up again. But he can't help it. Kendall is his best friend and he loves him.

Even if he shouldn't.