Fall (Roam Series, Book Two) (24 page)

“
Who cares about a ring if the world is ending?”

“The world is
not
ending, because we’re saving it.”

I sighed, glancing at the clock. “Yeah… we’re doing a great job.”

“Roam.” He reached for a sport jacket, black like his pants, and I lay back to better enjoy the full view of him. “Don’t do that. Right now, I want you to focus on graduating- with honors. I want you here as much as possible, with me, but we have to be careful.”

“We should be on our way to the inclined planes, trying to figure out a way to save everything.”

“And when we do?” He looked at me sternly. “If you want Yale, you have to earn it.”

“I’m doing
well in History.”

“I will fail you. I am impartial.”

I bit my bottom lip, moving to my knees to face him. “Impartial?” Wearing only a thin cami and underwear, I slid my hair to the side, scratching my shoulder softly. “I don’t think you’d ever fail me.”

His breath hitched as he watched my fingers dance over the cross-shaped birthmark on my shoulder
blade. “I’ve failed you six times. I won’t do it again.”

I dropped my hands to his waist, linking my fingers through is belt loops. “
Maybe it’s my turn to save
you
.”

His phone began to buzz on the dresser next to my map. He reached for it, his eyes still fixed on mine. “Perry.” He listened, and then raised his eyes to the window. “Thanks.”

“Were those the bad guys who work for you?” I teased, slowly removing a button on his shirt from its hole.

“That was Logan. He’s on his way to pick you up.”

I shoved the button back in the eyelet, running for the bathroom. “When?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

“Okay,” I called, hastily washing my face and brushing my teeth. In the time it took me to throw on jeans and a dark blue sweater, West had toasted me a bagel and poured a large glass of orange juice.

“I’m really not hungry,” I protested, carefully folding my map and tucking it inside my book bag.

“Eat,” he ordered, pouring himself a stainless-steel travel mug full of coffee. “No breakfast, no energy.”

I sat at the kitchen counter stool, wrapping my hair in a messy bun. “Yes, Mr. Perry.”

“Logan’s here.” He watched the window behind me, walking to the front door to unlock it. “Keep eating.”

Logan walked in the open front door, not leaving the rug.

I could tell, immediately, that he was furious.

“This is the last fucking time I’m ever doing this,” he looked at me squarely, and what little appetite I’d convinced myself I may have had disappeared.

“Logan.”

“She told you to keep your distance,” he glared at West
.

“I know.”

“Then show her an ounce of respect,” he swept my book bag into his arms, reaching for my jacket. “Cam, let’s go.”

“I came to him, Logan.”

“You’re hurting. You need time, not to be thrown right back into-…,”

“He’s hurting, too!” I covered my stomach,
wishing it would calm down. “His baby is gone, too! I don’t care about what’s right anymore… I just want to feel… something… other than this…,” I struggled to keep breathing. “This
desperate, horrible feeling.
” I tried to shove my feet into my boots.

“You’re going to fall, Roam,” his dark eyes flashed to mine.

I shivered, grabbing the stool for support

“What did you say?”

Troy’s words
crept inside, and I closed my eyes, gripping the wooden counter stool.

“I said you’
re going to
fall
.” He caught me just in time as my foot slipped out of the boot, the stool crashing to the floor. “Stop hurrying, we have plenty of time.”

“I won’t ask this of you again,” West straightened the stool, glancing at Logan. “I’m sorry you had to come today.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not your fuck-buddy taxi service, prophecy or no prophecy. I’ll be in the car.”

As the door slammed behind him, I slipped my second boot on, grabbing my coat. “Jerk.”

“He’s right.”

I lifted my eyes to West’s. He ran his fingers through
his hair, glancing at his wristwatch. “I’ll see you in a little while, baby.” His voice softened, and I reached for his kiss. “Don’t antagonize him.”

“I won’t.”

The car ride with Logan to school was excruciatingly uncomfortable. When he hit the brakes in his parking spot, he turned to me. “Violet and I are planning for the one in Johnstown. December fifteenth. With or without you and West.”

“We’ll be there, Logan,” I promised him. He ignored me, getting out and slamming the car door behind him. I
followed him into the school.

In class, West looked my way as little as possible. At one point, I raised my hand in the middle of his lecture.

“Yes, Miss Camden,” he continued writing, catching my hand from the corner of his eye.

“
You indicated that weaponry gave western Europeans the advantage, but the first guns and cannons were used more as scare tactics than actual means of destruction, given their inaccuracy.”

He considered my words for a moment, nodding at the floor. Finally, he lifted his face to mine. “Imagine standing on a ship at sea, facing a western European vessel armed with cannons. Even considering their inaccuracy, most found their target. This military advantage would carry over into the twentieth century.” He smiled at me encouragingly. “The cannons were frightening in their own right, but it took an actual hit to send the enemy running. Bravery played a large part in the expansion of our world.”

I smiled back at him, nodding. “Bravery. Got it.”

When the bell rang, he held his finger up. “
Roam, I have the letter that you requested.”

“Already?” I widened my eyes, waiting for the room to clear. “When did you write this?”

“Around three this morning, while I watched you sleep.”

I blushed, lowering my eyes. “Thank you.”

“I made a phone call on my way here this morning.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Harvard is yours, if you want it.”

Of all the words he’d ever spoken to me,
those nearly bowled me over. I gripped my book bag to keep from dropping it. “You got me in?”

“No. I may be able to bomb a fountain, but you have to have brains to get into Harvard. I just showed them the facts… and cut through the red tape.”
He tipped my chin lightly. “I know it’s not your first choice, but Princeton and Yale will have to deal without you.”

“You don’t know what this means to me,” I felt the tears well in my eyes, and I struggled to catch each one before it slid down my cheek.

“Roam,” he
swallowed hard. “I do know what this means to you. That’s why we have to keep trying…
we have to keep going, baby, it can’t be all for nothing.
”

“
I love you,
” I chanced the breathy whisper, standing in the front of the empty classroom.

“
Ditto
,” he whispered softly. I thought of his favorite movie, grinning before hurrying to second period.

In Statistics, I unfolded his letter, and after two words of his handwritten note, I knew the paper was never intended for a college application.

INTELLIGENCE IS NOT MEASURED BY THE MIND’S ABILITY TO COMPUTE, BUT BY THE HEART’S WILL TO CONTRIVE.

N
ot recognizing the quote, I caught him in his classroom before lunch. He was bent over his desk. Knocking softly, I stood in the doorway.

“Whose quote
is this?”

He sat back in his chair, staring at me from across the empty classroom. “You asked me for an original.”

I remembered our conversation on the plane to Rome, my lips curving into a knowing smile. “I may have found a new favorite philosopher.”

“Eat lunch,” he ordered, grinning.

I turned, smiling as I walked to the cafeteria.

That afternoon, Logan pulled into my driveway, surpr
ising me as he turned the ignition off on his car.

“You’re coming in?”

The sky was already growing dim, rain picking up again. “Can we talk?”

“Sure.”

I followed him to the front door, reading Morgan’s text on my phone as it slid through.

Out with Jason… Dad swears he’ll be home tonight. Call if he isn’t. Love you.

“I’m sorry about this morning.” He closed the door behind us, securing the deadbolt.

“You reacted to my behavior,” I conceded, sighing and dropping my book bag to the ground. “I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“Well, as long as we’re both sorry, let’s watch a movie while we do our homework.”

I laughed, shaking my head, defeated. “O-kay.”

After flipping through the channels, he settled on
Titanic
. I ignored the television, struggling with my French assignment. His voice interrupted my thoughts. “What are you doing tonight?”

Hesitantly, I continued staring at my paper. “It depends on my dad.”

“What, if he’s home, you can’t sneak off to West’s?”

I stiffened, not answering.

He sat at the coffee table, his back against the couch as mine was. “Thanks for telling Morgan, by the way. I think she’s afraid of me.”

Lifting my eyes, I shook my head. “No, Logan… she’s not at all, she’s just coming to terms with this. She wants to help us.”

“Did you tell her what I’ve done to you in the past?”

“Logan,” I
dropped my pencil, holding my head. “I’m sick of this. Just… watch the freaking movie.”

“Okay.” He sat back sarcastically, tossing his pen at the table. “Oh, no, I can’t marry you, you rich and oppressive ass. I much prefer screwing the homeless in the cargo hold.”

“That’s it.” I slammed my French textbook closed, glaring at him. “Take your attitude home.”

“
Just watching the movie.”

“Keep your comments to yourself.”

“You know, he gives her a giant diamond, but all she really wants is a kinky sketch on the couch.”

“Get out.” I stood,
pointing at the front door.

He stood to face me. “Is Troy just a permanent fixture in his basement now? You know, work, cook dinner, feed the
dog, feed the immortal prisoner…,”

“No! We’re trying to end this, and
West is convinced we can do it without a baby!”

“Really.
Looks like you’re playing house.”

“We’re going to cross over to
this other… realm… and end this. Somehow,” I finished lamely, anger tightening every muscle in my body.

The living room was almost completely dark. I reached for the lamp, but he caught my hand. I scowled at him
.

“You need to be away from this,” he gripped my wrist. “We can do this without you.
I can’t imagine if you were just…
gone
… from my life.”

I met his eyes in the darkness
, shaking off his grip. “I’m going through.”

He sat on the couch, and I sighed de
eply, sitting next to him.

“Violet told me about the day her mother disappeared.”
He stared blankly ahead. “There was no funeral, no body. No closure. Just paperwork and foster family after foster family. She’s on family number four.”

I turned to
him. His silhouetted profile was as familiar as my own in the shadowy living room. Memories rose like smoke from a dying fire… hand in hand at the lake, climbing trees, riding roller coasters, playing Guitar Hero… summers filled with smiles that only Logan could win from me when my mother was gone.

Gentling my voice, I spoke tentatively.
“I know that you… care… about her.” When he said nothing, I chanced taking his hand in mine. He turned to me in the darkness, resting his head against the back of the couch.

“I care about her… a lot.”

Lowering my head to his shoulder, I curled against him. He said nothing, just grasped me tighter to him.

“Logan,
” my eyes burned with the impending words, but they had to be said. “I will always love you… I will love you like I love wading in the lake… or riding the Ferris wheel, or…,” my chest convulsed with the tears I fought back. “
Or being with my mom.
You are the other half of me.”

He said nothing, but only held my hand, lacing his fingers through mine tightly.

“But… I can never be… with you, the way you need me to.
I can never be your wife,
” my voice broke, but he squeezed my hand, encouraging me. “Logan…I’m already
… gone.
”