Finding You by S. K. Hartley

shoulder. I nearly split in two watching Georgia kiss Logan’s face, I needed to go. I couldn’t look at Logan a moment longer. I walked away from the coffee shop without a backward glance, knowing that if I did, I would crumble.

I was in a daze as I made my way back to the dorm room, only when I reached SWC I slowly cracked, as sob escaped me as I took the stairs to the second floor, needing the enclosed space of my room. When I finally got in there I found a still-passed-out Tate sprawled across Low’s bed as I heard the shower running. Ah, the tequila zombie has awoken. Thank god, because I really needed my best friend right now.
    I quickly wiped away a stray tear that had escaped. I didn’t want Tate to see me crying, the last time he did, he kicked the crap out of some boy because he pulled my hair. I dread to think what would happen if he found out that Logan and I had kissed.
    Tate was still snoring like a damn fog horn as I made my way over to my bed. Placing the coffees on the bedside cabinet, I quietly got onto Low’s bed, crawling into the nook of his arm and placed my head on his chest. Reaching out for his hand I placed my hand in his, interlocking our fingers together. I used to love doing this with dad. He was always so warm and comforting, and right now, I needed to feel close to him, and Tate was the next best thing.
    When dad died, Tate tried his best to take over the role of man of the house. He would cook, clean and make sure mom wasn’t a quivering wreck while getting me ready for school. He did an amazing job of looking after mom and I. I loved him so much for it.
    Tate stirred and groaned in his sleep, I chuckled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, which made his eyes open quickly and look to my direction.
    “What’s wrong, baby girl?” He asked in a sleepy voice as him arm tightened around me.
    “Nothing, I’m fine … I just needed a cuddle.” I said, trying to hide the crack in my voice. But Tate must have heard it as he sat us up on the bed quickly, looking me straight in the eyes.
    “Something is wrong, you have been crying.” He said as he wiped away the moisture from underneath my eyes “Who do I have to kill?”
    “Nobody, I’m fine.”
    Lie.
    “Just cramps.”
    Another lie.
    But my answer seemed to make him smile as he moved to open Low’s bedside cabinet and pull out some pain killers, throwing them to me before giving me a kiss on my forehead. God, I love him!
    Placing my head on his shoulder, I closed my eyes for a moment, only to flick them back open again when I heard Tate groan. I quickly realized what he was groaning at when I noticed him watching Low walk out of the bathroom in nothing but a skimpy towel.
    “Why is everything so damn loud?” She asked, taking my head from Tate’s shoulder, I couldn’t help but notice my brother eye-fucking my best friend.
    Rubbing her temples, Low slowly made her way to the closet for some clothes. No amount of coffee was going to clear her hangover. But mine felt like it was slapping me right back in the face when Tate said the one name that could stop my heart instantly.
    “Anyone hear from Logan? He’s not answering my calls and Ace is blowing up my phone about the hole in his wall.” He said, looking concerned. Logan and Tate were more like brothers than best friends.
    “Nope, why did the ass punch the wall anyway?” Low asked from the closet.
    “No idea. Have you spoken to him, Neva?” Tate asked turning to face me, oh shit.
    “Erm, yeah. I saw him at the coffee shop this morning.” I said as I watched my brother stuff his face with the blueberry muffin, completely oblivious to the battle that was going on in my head. “He was with Georgia.” I added.
    Tate instantly started choking on his muffin while Low came out of the closet, looking at me wide-eyed.
    “What do you mean ‘he was with Georgia’?” Tate asked when he had finally stopped choking.
    “Exactly what I said, he was at the coffee shop with