OOM: The text that started it all

[obligatoryass]

If Logan were a braver man, he'd call Trina himself. If he were a really, properly brave man, he'd go see her.

But bravery isn't really Logan's strong point. He can't even manage an e-mail, as lame as that would be.

Instead, he sends her a text message.

"Short on cash. Can't pay rent. Please advise."

He hits send and knocks back a shot of tequila.

The bottle's not small, and it's half-empty. He opened it an hour ago. It's amazing that the text came out coherently. Muscle memory, even in a thumb, is an amazing thing.

Comments

[obligatoryass]

"I don't know," he says, and there's something just completely helpless there. "Parker and I broke up - I mean, that wasn't a big deal or anything, just sort of...one more mooring gone, I guess. And I hate school. Hate it. I'm on probation, anyway, so whatever, but it's all stupid bullshit and I don't know what the fuck I'm doing here, and all my friends are losers and...I just have no fucking idea."

[dead_hooker_2]

"Parker? The girl you went out with for, what, like two months? Over a year ago?"

Yeah, she can see where that would cause you lose the will to live.

Trina is not what you might call impressed.

"That's your explanation? That you hate school, that you broke up with yet another blonde, and that you're still stuck palling around with Dick Casablancas? That explains all of this?"

[obligatoryass]

Logan just shrugs.

The ability to explain 'all this' would take a lot more self-awareness than he's managed in his entire life. Someday, he might get there. Today is not that day.

[dead_hooker_2]

"Fine," says Trina.

"All right, here's the deal. Beverly and I have talked to your landlord. I have taken care of your back rent, and paid next month, too. You will not be evicted. But I will not do that again, Logan. You come to me before a problem gets that big, and I will try to help, but I will not bail you out again. Clear?

"You hate school, fine, drop out. But you drop out, you're going to have to find a job. You cannot just hang out in a filthy apartment and drink."

[obligatoryass]

But! Hanging out in the filthy apartment and drinking is a good time!

Oh, wait. That sucks too. Scratch that.

"A job," Logan echoes, as if it is an entirely foreign concept. Which, to be fair, it kind of is.

[dead_hooker_2]

"A job," Trina repeats. "Or you can finish college."

[obligatoryass]

"I'm taking a summer class," he says, thinking. "Starts next week."

To make up for the one he never went to, last semester. "I can pass my film class if I turn the movie in. Not...ace it, or anything, but I can pass it."

He shrugs. "I guess I'll take another stab at it. And look for a job."

Because why not do both? Why not go from being a pathetic, shitfaced loser to an overachiever in twenty minutes?

[dead_hooker_2]

"The movie your professor already loved?" Trina says, drily.

"What class are you taking?"

[obligatoryass]

"English," he says. "It's, uh, writing and comp. I never went."

She'll be shocked by that, he's sure. "If I don't make this class up, I'll definitely be kicked out."

And he doesn't want that, right? Oh, no. Then he'd have to get a job.

"That one, yeah. It was more of a...theoretical love."

[dead_hooker_2]

"Yeah, well, this can't possibly be news, little brother, but theoretical love is worth even less in the movie business than it is anywhere else."

She sighs.

"Focus on college, then, if that's what you want to do. Stop drinking your damn trust fund. And you might actually get your head on straight."

She's not optimistic, but he might surprise her.

[obligatoryass]

News, not so much. In college, however...theoretical love can get you a little further than in Hollywood. To a 'D' rather than an 'F,' for instance.

"Okay," he says. "I'll do that. Try to."

[dead_hooker_2]

"You need to do more than try, Logan."

[obligatoryass]

He shrugs again.

Because really, what can you say to that. Even Luke freaking Skywalker didn't have a good reply when Yoda told him, 'Do or do not. There is no try.'

[dead_hooker_2]

It's not what she means, anyway. What she means is, You have to actually try, Logan as opposed to You should make a show of doing what you think people want to see but without much actual effort and then going 'see, I tried' when it doesn't work.

But there's no way to say that.

"There is one other thing I need to tell you."

[obligatoryass]

No, there's not. It wouldn't make any difference, even if she figured out how.

Logan sighs, waiting for the inevitable lecture to follow: "Beverly says you called about a spot of trouble in Tijuana..." That totally wasn't a big deal. All he needed was a wire transfer to pay off that undercover cop...

"Yeah?"

[dead_hooker_2]

"I'm pregnant."

[obligatoryass]

Logan says nothing.

Surely Trina is joking. SURELY.

[dead_hooker_2]

Does Trina look like she's joking?

"I figured you'd want to hear it from me, and not Entertainment Tonight."

[obligatoryass]

"Yeah," he says, after a long moment. "Yeah, I, uh, appreciate that."

Where does he even start?

"When, uh, when does it - uh, the baby - come?"

[dead_hooker_2]

"December.

"So you have months to adjust to the idea of being an uncle, Logan."

[obligatoryass]

"An uncle."

Huh.

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

How would he know about trimesters and ultrasounds and what parts develop when?

[dead_hooker_2]

"No.

"It'll be a while yet, before they can tell any of that stuff."

[obligatoryass]

Logan nods. "'K."

"Are you excited?"

[dead_hooker_2]

"Mostly, I'm terrified," she says.

"I mean, I just broke up with my boyfriend, and then found out I was having his baby."

And it's really not like the family is teeming with good examples of how to be a parent.

[obligatoryass]

The breakup wasn't exactly loud, but Logan certainly had heard of it. The baby, on the other hand, given the tabloid's current fascination with baby celebrities, was likely to be huge.

"Yeah - yeah, I can see that. But you're keeping it? Not...adopting or anything?"

Because if she were having an abortion, she'd be done, and he'd never have known about it.