Chapter 26

Kendall stood up, brushing the dirt off his pants, staring at the boy lying on the ground. Sticky red stuff was painted on his face, and his eyes had somehow turned black and blue.

Carlos, that was his name. Kendall remembered somewhere far off in his head that Carlos wore a helmet all the time. But he didn't see it now. He remembered Carlos telling him he was… seventeen. And that he was eighteen. That was one apart from seventeen.

Carlos was one… one something apart from him; Kendall just didn't know what it was called.

He remembered the big mean boys who came up to them and started laughing. Kendall didn't know what was so funny, but it hurt when they pushed him down. The… his hand hurt. He just wanted a lollipop. Was that why they hurt him? Because he wanted candy?

Maybe Carlos hurt too. Cuz he wasn't awake, maybe he was asleep because he was tired. Maybe Kendall should go get the other two boys… Kendall and Logan, those were their names, right? No, wait. Kendall was his name. It was James and Logan. And maybe they could wake Carlos up.

Because when Kendall tried prodding Carlos with his foot, he didn't move. Kendall looked around, not knowing where to go. He didn't remember how he got there. But he turned right, since right was always right, right?

He needed to help Carlos. He was hurt.

He walked down the alley, giggling at the birds that chirped at him. Birds were so funny. But he still couldn't find Logan. Or James. He kept on forgetting that name. He heard a crack behind him… what if it was a monster?

Somewhere in his head, he remembered something about a boogie monster. It was the scariest thing on the world. Maybe the boogie monster had made that sound.

Kendall started running, and he was surprised at how fast he could go. He almost crashed into a person, but the man moved out of the way at the last second.

He stopped, out of breath. He looked around again. He saw a rock spitting out water like a river. This was the place they came from, Kendall was sure of it.

He was sure of it.

"Kendall?" Kendall heard the voice; it felt like it was coming up from the sky. But when he turned around, he saw the short one, Logan, smiling at him. Logan's eyes were red. His hair was messed up.

"Logie!" Kendall squealed. Sometimes, he felt like he couldn't control what he said. Because if he could, he wouldn't have squealed. Carlos was hurt.

"Logie, I… he needs help." Kendall blurted out, his eyes wandering around the mall, landing on a little bird on a branch.

Logan looked worried. "Who? Who needs help?" By this time, the James boy had joined them, and he looked like Logan, too. Worried.

But the bird looked really pretty, and Kendall kept on staring at it.

"Kendall? Kendall, buddy, who's hurt?"

Kendall looked back towards them. Carlos was hurt. "Carlos. He's sleeping." That was what he was doing, right? Sleeping because it hurt too much to bear when he was awake?

James widened his eyes. "Where is he?"

Kendall frowned. He'd forgotten how to get back. But then he remembered… they were going to the candy store, right? "I think… by da store with lollipops."

James pulled Kendall along as he and Logan ran towards the destination. Kendall was confused; why were they so determined to wake Carlos up so fast? If he was tired, why won't they just let him sleep?

But then he remembered: Carlos was hurt. Just like how it felt when… when Kendall got pushed over. Wait… who had pushed him over again?

Before he could think about it anymore, they'd gotten there. Kendall pointed at the alley between the store and another one, and heard James and Logan's heavy breathing.

And when James and Logan gasped in shock, Kendall knew something bad had happened.

He just didn't get what it was.

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"We'll be there in five minutes, alright sweetie? Don't worry."

"Th-thanks… please hurry up, alright?"

"We'll get there as fast as we can."

Logan hung up, his body numb with shock. How had… what… he couldn't even comprehend what was happening.

Carlos was hurt, and Logan didn't know how it happened. Well, no one did. Except for the person or thing who did it, and…

And Kendall.

James looked up from his kneeling position on the ground. "Aw, man, whoever did this beat him up real bad. I'm gonna kill them."

Kendall suddenly whimpered. James looked back, glanced at Kendall, and muttered "Sorry, Kendall". He was scaring the blonde boy, but who could blame him?

James stood up. "Kendall, who did this to him?" He demanded. Kendall shrunk back, his eyes wide.

Logan grabbed James's shoulder. "Dude, you've gotta calm down. You're scaring him. It wasn't his fault." But then Logan saw the blood on Kendall's knuckles… the blood…

That's where you bled after you punched someone in the face.

Logan shook his head. Kendall couldn't have done this. Maybe the people who had done stuff to Carlos also did it to Kendall. Just not as much.

Logan decided never to mention what he'd just thought.

James signed. "I… I know. I'm sorry, Kendall. But do you know who… who hurt Carlos?" Kendall looked confused for a moment, and then something seemed to come back to him.

"I… I know." Kendal whispered.

James shared a glance with Logan. "Yeah? Who was it?"

But Kendall just breathed harder. "I know… I know, I know, I know!" He said loudly, tears in his eyes.

James grabbed Kendall and shook him gently by the shoulders. "Kendall, buddy, please. Tell us who did this to Carlos."

Kendall's eyes seemed to zone back to the world. "Boys. Big, mean boys. They were eating candy."

Logan looked up at James, who had gone a little pale. "I… thanks, Kendall. Here, why don't we get you some candy after… after…"

"After Carlos gets taken away to the hospital, alright?" Logan piped in. Kendall looked confused.

"Hospital? Wh-why does Carlos needa hospital?" He asked innocently.

"He… he's hurt, Kendall. But don't worry, the doctors are going to get him better." Kendall nodded, probably not understanding everything.

Once the ambulance came, Logan turned to James. "Can you stay and buy Kendall candy? We… I'll meet you at the hospital. The one near Palm Woods, alright?"

James nodded, trying to smile. "Yeah, I'll see ya."

Kendall's eyes brightened when he saw the candy shop. "Yay! Candy!" He practically squealed. James was almost comforted by how happy Kendall was. It was strange, actually, Kendall being so happy. Kendall wasn't usually so full of emotion… and James wasn't really used to this.

Well, he wasn't used to any of this.

But when he opened the door to the candy shop, hearing the jingle of the bells, he knew he had to stay strong for Kendall.

After all, who didn't like candy?

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Logan cringed as he read the horribly long list of Carlos's injured the doctor had handed him along with the medical bills. Three broken ribs, a broken nose, a broken cheekbone, and a broken shoulder.

It was a good thing Gustavo had the money to pay their health bills.

Kendall had said boys had done this to Carlos. And Logan knew he wasn't at all threatening, or even the least bit intimidating, but he was willing to go up to those boys and punch some sense into them.

And why was it that Kendall barely had a scratch on him, except for the blood on his hands? It made Kendall sound guilty of hurting Carlos, but Logan wouldn't believe that. He couldn't. Kendall couldn't have done that.

Kendall wouldn't have.

Carlos stirred a little in the stretcher, and one of the paramedics leaning over and whispered something in his ear. Carlos whimpered a little and fell back into unconsciousness.

Logan lost his trail of thought, instead choosing to look out the small window of the ambulance. Everything went by so fast, and Logan was getting a little nauseous riding in this ambulance that was driving by so fast.

Everything was just coming and going so fast, weren't they?

How was James doing with Kendall? Logan had been so quick to put James in charge of Kendall because…

Because he didn't want to have to do it.

Every time Kendall giggled in a way teenage boys like Kendall should never giggle, and whenever he zoned out and never understood a thing, made Logan all the more aware of how broken their friend had become.

It seemed like millions of years ago when Kendall had ignored Logan when he advised him so carefully to not take it too hard out on the ice. He'd gone and did exactly what Logan had warned him not to do.

Why didn't Kendall ever listen to him?

Why, for once, couldn't Kendall just stop and think about what he was doing? Why couldn't he be less stubborn?

If he'd listened, none of this would be happening.

Logan wouldn't be sitting here worrying his butt off for his friends, and Carlos wouldn't be lying on a stretcher, almost on the verge of death itself.

Everything would be okay. Everything would be normal.

Logan sighed as the ambulance pulled to a stop. As the paramedics loaded Carlos off and into the hospital and Logan followed suit, he realized something.

This was normal now.

A/N- So… yeah… not such an action filled chapter, but ya know… Spring Break for me starts this Friday, so I may update faster!

And I'm SO excited for the Kid's Choice Awards! I can't wait! Who's watching it? I wouldn't miss it for anything (almost anything). ;)

Well, anyways, review please? If it sucked, you can tell me. I'm a big girl, I can take it now. (btw, has anyone listened to "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie? IN LOVE.

Peace, Love, and Giraffes,

Anonymous Skrtle