"Anita, sweetie, what brings you my way?" he replies, shooting me a casual glance. "I'm trying to locate books, of course. Which isn't exactly an easy thing to do when I'm kept here talking." He stands, and strolls away to the bookshelves.
Feeling a bit ignored, I curl up with my iPod. It was too quiet in here, I didn't like it. It's not too long before Josh, Logan's twin, wanders dazedly into the library. He's wearing faded and scuffed jeans, a faded graphic T, and a baseball cap is pulled down over his eyes. He disappears quickly into the Horror section of the library, and I stand to go and locate Logan.
He's in the Poetry section. Paging through a few books, kneeling in front of the shelves. "Hello, Anita," he says without looking up, "What brings you here? I thought you weren't a reader."
"I'm not, I'm just...bored, out walking, and I figured I'd see if there was a good book here." I stammer, knowing it's a bad lie, but unwilling to say that I'd come here only because I'd been following him since school let out, trying to talk to him.
Logan gives me a patronizing smile, and his dark black eyes give off a cold glint. He brushes back his red and black hair, and his full lips part to reveal white teeth. My knees turn to butter. He slowly lifts himself to his feet, stepping closer to me as he does so, and he leans in. I pull back, feeling afraid, but he whispers, "Anita, sweet girl, trust me please. Let me kiss you."
I let him.
His kiss almost knocks me off my feet.
It lasts forever. We eventually come up for breath, and I lean against the shelves, gasping for breath. Smiling, he runs a swift finger across my cheek. I blush and smile. "Anita, sweet and beautiful Anita.....What lovely eyes you have, like gems. Such soft lips."
I blush even more, and turn away. He laughs, and I stammer an excuse, "I, uh, have to...to go home. I just remembered my...mom wants me to walk the dog."
I'm out of there in seconds.
A few days later, Logan and I are officially a couple. Life couldn't be better.
Except for Josh.
He keeps shooting me strange dark looks whenever he sees me, like he's trying to warn me of something. I just think he's weird, and ignore him. But, whenever Logan and I go, there he is! Sitting at the next booth, at the end of the row in the movie theater, a few stores behind us at the mall.
Always watching us.
I ask Logan about it, and he just told me that Josh felt that I was taking Logan away from him, and Josh was just trying to get more time with his twin. I start feeling sorry for Josh automatically, and try to include him a bit more.
But the day comes that Josh explains his interest: "He isn't good for you to be around."
I whirl, not expecting him to talk to me. I had been walking home from the park, and I hadn't even noticed that I had company until Josh spoke.
"Why?" I ask. "Why were you following me? Why are you ALWAYS following us?"
"I'm trying to keep you safe! Logan isn't good for you. You'll end up dead if you don't get out now."
"Dead? He wouldn't kill me! You're a liar! And a fool." I turn around, and skedaddle home, not looking back.
I don't mention it to Logan. In a few weeks of heaven, I forget about it, and eventually Josh stops hanging around. But the feelings remain--a bit of mistrust, a bit of wariness.
And then one day he invites me on a six-day camping trip.
I go.
It's amazing.
Especially the nights, which we spend in one sleeping bag, our clothes elsewhere.
Josh doesn't come.
I only find out later that he's mysteriously disappeared.
No trace of him is ever found.
One summer night, I'm walking the streets, unable to sleep, and I hear a soft call.
I follow it, intrigued. It's Logan's voice.
Smiling, I follow his voice into the dark of the night.
I never see the light of day again.
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