Logan didn't show up for three whole days. I had called him several times and texted him, but there was no reply. He hadn't even been online for three days and now it was switched off. Grandpa was furious and was already planning to sack him while I tried to make up excuses.

"I'm going out for a while, sorry to bother you Shaun, but that foolish mutt isn't there," Grandpa grumbled, referencing Logan and Shaun just nodded. "And JJ, keep these papers in the back drawer. They're very important."

"What is it?" I asked while taking the papers and glancing at them. "Are you buying anything?"

"Yeah, it's the old apartment behind the church, in the market lane. It'll be a good investment," he said nonchalantly and my heartbeats quickened as I searched for the building name and the flat number.

This. Thing. Had. To. Be. Kidding. Me.

It was the same flat where Logan lived currently and was expected to move out!

"Anything wrong, eh?" Grandpa raised his bushy eyebrows and I shook my head.

"I'll go keep this, bye grandpa," I said feigning cheerfulness, but inside, I was bursting in anxiety.

I could help Logan! His problem of finding an apartment was solved because my grandpa had bought it! I couldn't believe it, but this was real.

However, I was worried sick about Logan considering his battles with depression and suicide. I was trying to convince myself that he was alright, but the nagging, little voice in my head said otherwise. What if he was already dead in some ditch or in the corner of the ocean where no one could find him?

The bells dinged and my breath hitched, expecting to see Logan, but in came Eliza with a rueful smile.

"Hey, Liz, what's up?" I asked, pretending that everything was cool between us, but I could see her strained expression.

"JJ, can we talk?" She walked closer to me and I could see her eyes which were red-rimmed. "Please . . . "

"Yeah-yeah, sure, totally," I murmured and took a glimpse of Shaun who was scrolling through his phone. He hadn't been doing anything these days and just waiting for his internship, so grandpa asked for his help in the absence of Logan. Shaun and I didn't share a close relationship like me and Gemma, but he was always there for both of us, protecting his sisters. "Shaun?"

"Hmm?" He looked up from his phone and flashed a polite smile at Eliza, who forced a smile back at him.

"I erm . . . need to talk to Liz, so is it okay if I leave now?" I held Eliza's arm while dragging her towards the door and Shaun simply nodded. "I'll be gone just for a little time."

"Okay, no problem." He shrugged and continued smiling as we left the shop.

"Your brother's charming, remind me to ask for his number," Eliza said playfully and I felt a little relieved that there was no tension floating in the air.

"He'll be gone for an internship in a couple of weeks and besides, I think he's seeing someone. He doesn't talk about his relationships with us. The last he brought a girl home for introducing would be when he was around seventeen."

"So only flings, huh?"

"I don't know, he's secretive that way. I guess he isn't comfortable talking about his relationships with his family, especially to his little sisters. He doesn't want us to get into relationships till we're adults, like proper adults," I said with silly giggle and Eliza adjusted her beanie. She didn't wear any wig today and I could notice that her hair was slowly growing back, although not much. "If you want to date my brother, do that once I'm buried. Can't stand my friend dating my brother, would be too cliché and messy."

"It would be," she mused in and prolonged silence followed after that.

We had walked down the lane and almost reached the serene ocean as we could see the water glistening under the sunlight.

"Liz, we haven't come here to discuss my brother, have we?" I spoke gingerly and her lips pursed into a thin line. We sat on rock-strewn part of the beach, over the black rocks which were nearer to the protruding strip of land in the ocean that lead to the isolated lighthouse. This part of the beach was more remote because our town people preferred to sit on the sand. However, in the afternoon, nobody would normally visit the beach since everyone would be busy with their work or lazy naps, so it was more secluded than ever. "I'm sorry about what happened the other day. I should have just said yes to come back to the support group. I can't abandon you guys like that--- "

"No, JJ," she cut me off sternly and her face looked grim. "I'm sorry for pestering you like that. It's your choice and I understand why you didn't want to come back. It's just that-that I was having a really bad day and I know it's wrong to lash out on you and I'm sorry, but I didn't feel like myself. I'm sorry, I'm . . . "

"Hey, it's okay. I forgive you," I said softly while placing my hand on her thigh. "There's nothing you need to apologise for, I know what you feel."

There was another long silence for a few minutes until I heard her sniffing suddenly. "Am I ugly?"

"What?"

"Am I ugly, JJ?" she reiterated, her eyes glassy and a mist of sadness clouding her vision. "People give attention only when you're pretty or dying and before it was the former, but now it's the latter. Before I used to pick up on little flaws like the birthmark on my neck, but now I have to cover up my bald head. My ex-boyfriend wants me back only because he's guilty of breaking up with me when I was going through shit, not because he wants to be genuinely there for me. I have gotten so ugly that I agreed to get back together with him, afraid that nobody else would fall in love with this face. I can't even look at myself in the mirror!"

"Oh no, no, no . . . " I pulled her into a side hug and she rested her head on my shoulder. "You aren't ugly, you're far from ugly, Liz. I know that it's difficult with all the physical changes you're going through due to cancer, I went through those too. It's more than just outward appearance, it's what you have in there, in your heart. I know your heart is beautiful, Liz, I know it."

"But I don't want to have only a good heart!" she cried out and I felt her body shaking beside me as I wrapped my arms tighter. "This is a cruel, cruel world, JJ. You're too kind to notice the callousness of this world. The harsh reality is-is that nobody will give you a chance to know the real you if you aren't pretty in the outside. You need an appealing face to attract people enough that they would want to know what's inside you. There's no use being beautiful in the inside if nobody gives you a chance."

"You're right, Liz, you're right," I whispered as we both quietly watched the seagulls flying low to catch the fishes in the ocean. "But it's always us against the world, it had always been like that even before you were diagnosed with cancer. The people who don't give a chance to know the real you aren't really worth it and this isn't some nonsense quote you'd find on the internet. This is the truth. Once the layers are peeled off Liz, people all yearn for someone who's compassionate and altruistic, rather than the one with the picture-perfect face."

"Yeah, maybe," she croaked while lifting up her head to wipe her tears.

"Look at you! You aren't the one who's supposed to worry about appearance, you're still so gorgeous!" I cheered her and she skittishly shoved me with a small laugh.

"Thanks," she mumbled and I grinned at her, but I still could see the reluctance in her gestures.

"Is there something else bothering you? You can tell me, I'm there for you," I said sincerely and she bit her bottom lip.

"Yeah, my 'big' operation is coming up and I don't know whether to go for it or not." She stared ahead forlornly and her face looked blotchy today because of all the crying. "What would you have done if you were in my place, JJ?"

"Me? I would go for it, yeah," I said with determination and nodded when she quirked an eyebrow in question. "There's still some fight left in me Liz and even though I stopped my treatments a few weeks ago because I knew there was less than five per cent chance for it to work, but if I get a shot again . . . If I'm told that there's at least twenty-five per cent for me to get cured, I would go for it. It's tempting to grab any chance to survive as long as it's worth it, but it's your choice in the end that matters."

"Thank you." She beamed at me, her tear-stained face finally gleaming in happiness and I smiled.

"Although, you need to know what's good for you. When I stopped my treatments, I knew it was the best decision for me. It wasn't because I had given up, it was because I wanted to lead a peaceful life--- "

"I know, you don't need to justify yourself," she said earnestly and paused. "Anyway, where's the other boy who works at the shop? The boy with whom you have this-this little summer affair going on."

I tried not to blush at her teasing and raised my hand. "First, there's nothing going on between us and second, I don't know where he is. I'm really worried about him, that boy has his own set of issues and he hasn't shown up in three days. I'm praying for his safety."

"You should go to his home and see if he's doing well," Eliza opined and I gawked at her. "There's only one way to find out, go to his place and check if he's alright."

There was uncertainty overcasting my decisions, but Eliza's advice seemed reasonable.

"Yeah, you're right," I concluded and I got up clumsily, dusting the sand from my pants. "I'll go check up on him."

"You go, girl!" She winked mischievously and I snorted. "Bye, JJ, thanks for today."

"Of course, and good luck for your big day. I'll call you," I promised as I sprinted towards the road. "Bye, take care, Liz!"

I watched Eliza wave at me as I waved back- resembling little kids. I felt a bit nervous and hopeful as I retrieved my phone from my pocket. I had Logan's address saved in my phone, but I didn't want to go alone since it would be awkward, so I called Jamal.

"Hey, Jamie! What are you doing right now?" I asked and I could hear some noises coming from the background.

"My morning shift got over so about to head home. What are you doin' Blondie?"

"Perfect, stay right there at Pat's, I'll come and get you," I instructed, Pat's being a restaurant where he worked. "I need to check on Logan and I want you to come with me, is it alright?"

"Just come and get me, baby," he said flirtatiously and I immediately cut the call, cringing inwardly.

'Don't do anything stupid Logan,' I thought and jogged towards Pat's.

* * *

Important A/N :

I want to tell you all again that this novel will be a bit slow-paced in terms of plot because I want to make this one as realistic as possible [in terms of building friendship and love] There are many problems that each character is facing and they can't get solved within a day, it takes time and I want to capture that. Whatever you read so far (grandpa buying Logan's house, Eliza's story, mum and gemma's strained relationship and even Fred) are all contributing to the plot which you won't know now, but as the story progresses, you'll realize.

Please have patience since Logan and Joy have a long way to go and they need your support! So do vote, comment and share xoxo.