by Nicole Nwosu
He was too close for me to think clearly about his joke. Caleb pointed at me and Sam. “You know I still can’t believe that you two went go-karting without me,” Caleb muttered and Jasmine’s eyes went to me. She’d been staying over at my house. Her voice was less raspy, and she was a little more upbeat.
“Let’s go to the mall,” Stevie proposed.
I groaned loudly. “No. Not the mall.”
Justin came out of the house and onto the porch with Christian Cahill, who spotted Stevie. “Stevie, I didn’t know you came around here,” he said.
“I didn’t know you came around here either,” she said, sounding displeased. Sam chuckled behind me at the interaction. “Anyway, who votes for shopping?” Almost everyone raised their hand.
Caleb grinned, everyone piling into cars before I had a chance to protest. Justin and Christian went back into the house and Sam grabbed my arm, pulling me over to his car. Out of all people. “No Caleb this time?” I asked.
“He has a new topic to discuss and I’m not ready to get into another debate with him about it.”
“What’s it on?” I pulled the hood of my sweater over my head as I got into his car.
“Something about food,” he muttered. As we drove away from the house he nudged my camera bag. “What? No picture? I expect at least ten pictures of myself whenever I’m with you, Hazel.”
Pulling my camera out of the bag, I turned it on, the first photo staring back at me was, of course, a picture of him. Stop. Looking. At. Him.
I cleared my throat. “Just ten?”
“A hundred, thousands, take as many as you like,” he teased, reaching over to poke me with one hand. I squirmed, pushing his hand away. “Don’t lie. You like spending time with me.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Whenever we hung out as a group outside of school it was always a good time. That was probably because the boys planned it and I went along with it. Usually, it resulted in food and my basement. When Jasmine and Stevie planned outings, it was usually the mall or a clothing store. They picked places I wasn’t ever fond of going.
“It’s just a store,” Jasmine said like always.
“I’m not setting foot in it,” I said, wishing I was anywhere but here. Even Cedric couldn’t save me. He had texted me the night before after he had come back from a rugby game about how tired he was. And when he slept, he slept like the dead. “I can’t handle the whole ‘You have to buy this,’ and ‘You have to try this on.’ I’m not a shopper.”
I mimicked her voice and she hit me lightly on the arm. “I don’t sound like that.”
Sam threw an arm around my shoulder. “Buy one thing.”
There was no way he was going to know how much he was starting to affect me. Or how overwhelmed I became at our proximity. “You guys do what you want to do, and I will go see a movie.” Jasmine was ready to protest but my hands went to her shoulders to stop her. “Remember, Jasmine, you’re you and I’m me. There’s a big difference.”
Sam pointed at one of the mannequins in summer clothing. “You’d look great in that.”
He needed to stop. The whole complimenting and flirting thing used to be funny, but now it was making my head spin. “I’ll meet up with you guys later. Have fun.”
“Macy.” Stevie and Jasmine both grabbed my arm and I sighed.
“Fine, but if the guys make a suggestion for me to try something on like last time then I’m out.”
I didn’t last three seconds.
The second we set foot into the first store, Caleb sauntered over with clothing in his hands and I rushed out, hitting him away. I walked toward the movie theaters as a last resort.
“Hazel.” Sam’s voice had me stop in my tracks as I pulled the hood off my head. “What movie are we watching?” He followed me onto the escalator. We?
“I don’t know.” I couldn’t imagine sitting next to him in a dark theater. He’d make comments like I usually did but it’d be too tense; he’d notice me acting strange.
“You’re not watching a romance.”
“No, I’m not.”
“How about a scary movie?”
“Sam.” I scowled, knowing he’d suggest that to spite me.
“Let’s go somewhere else if there’s nothing you want to see here.”
“Where to?”
“I don’t know,” he muttered. “I wasn’t planning on going to the mall but we’re here now.”
“What were you planning? Go-karting again? Or are we going to get food?” For us, food was habitual. “Or were you going to fly us all to England?”
“The gang in my hometown?” He shook his head at the thought. “Might cause a riot.”
“Bookstore?” I dashed into the bookstore in front of us.
Heading to the teen section, I let my hands skim along the bookcase and spines of books. “Macy Anderson,” a voice behind me said.
Oh. God. Michael. One of his teammates stood next to him. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s illegal to be at the mall?”
“What are you doing here?” I repeated.
“Picking a present for my sister.” How nice for someone so rude. “Are they allowing you to play in the tournament?”
“Why wouldn’t they?”
He got in my face and his friend pulled him back before he could start something with me. “It’s the male tournament.”
“And I’m on the male team,” I snapped.
“Hazel.” Sam appeared, taking note of my annoyance. His gaze grew harsh at the sight of Michael.
“You two?” Michael looked stunned. “You’re dating Cahill? You sure you want to do that?”
“Michael, go,” I demanded. He didn’t say another word, glaring at us before he and his friend walked away.
After getting my books, we went to a bakery. By the time we had paid for our food, and were sitting down, his phone started buzzing. “Your fans?” Sam chuckled but my curiosity didn’t stop. “Why don’t you actually connect with one of them? Have a relationship? There’s bound to be a girl you like, right?”
He raised an eyebrow. “We’re really having this conversation? Okay, let’s pretend that I’m dating you.”
“Excuse me?” My heart skipped a beat.
“Only pretending.” There was a smirk on his face. “You’re nervous.” My fidgeting fingers proved him correct. “You’re scared what would happen if my cousin wasn’t in the picture? As if none of the girls on my phone existed?”
I avoided his green eyes. “I’m not scared of that.”
“I don’t deserve to have a girl who would waste her time with me. She could do much better than be with a guy who consistently gets in trouble. Who doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing. When all he wants to do is go to the past and change things but he can’t. The same way you can’t prevent your mum from getting into that accident and the same way he couldn’t stop the accident that killed his sister.”
Sam glanced at my camera hanging around my neck in its sling. “Because we live in the present and your camera holds memories we can go back to when we can’t go back to that moment anymore.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I recoiled in surprise, blinking frantically. I put a hand over my bouncing knee as I read a text from Jasmine telling us to meet them in the food court in a couple of minutes. Sam’s attention went to his phone as if our conversation never took place. Did he say that because he sensed that I felt something for him?
Draining my lemonade in record time, I reached into the mini donuts Sam and I were sharing and touched his hand. My hand moved his away, “Give it to me. It’s the last one.”
“No.” He pushed my hand away. He yelped as I pinched his muscled arm.
Sam looked behind me. “What the hell is Andrew doing?” I turned to look but Andrew wasn’t there—only some people in line to
get coffee.
A victorious Sam chewed on the last donut. “You’re a jerk,” I uttered, stealing his lemonade.
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
18
Flying Lemurs
Sam barely spoke to me during practice or school. On Wednesday, Caleb said Sam was at home. I had a feeling the conversation at the mall had something to do with it.
After school, Cedric and I headed over to his house, and now we were in the music room as he showed off his talent on drums, his feet tapping along with the beat.
“Why weren’t you in band?” I asked from where I sat on the ottoman.
“I wanted to play my own thing on the side. We all play a bit of something in the family, I guess.” I stood up as he handed the drumsticks to me, as if I could get in touch with some nonexistent musical abilities.
At the side was the guitar I had seen Sam with one day, along with an electric one on its stand. The other side of the room was an open space with a drum set, a bass guitar hanging on the wall, and a keyboard standing in the corner. By the time Cedric had agreed that drums were most definitely not my thing, I told him I was heading to the bathroom. I went upstairs but my feet took me to the door that, like Cedric’s door, had the occupant’s name on a plaque.
The door flung open after I knocked, revealing a shirtless and confused Sam. He was sweaty, breathing irregularly with a skipping rope in his hands. My eyes dropped to his abdomen as a smirk played on his lips. “If I’d known I could get that reaction, I’d have shown up to school like this.”
“I need to talk to you.”
His relaxed posture irritated me. “We’re talking.”
I pushed past him. Soccer posters and a few musical artists in smaller photos hung on the wall. Trophies he had accumulated over the years were placed upon a bookshelf that also held several books and video game cases. His room wasn’t clean, his big bed wasn’t made, and the couch parallel to the mounted TV had a bunch of clothes on it.
“Why are you ignoring me?”
He went over to his dresser and pulled out a shirt. “I’m just giving you some space.”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “Why?”
“With my reputation around school and stuff, I didn’t want to influence you.”
Huh? “You think this now? After all that time you spent on becoming my friend? Was this because of our talk at the mall?” Of course it was.
“Hazel, I didn’t mean to give you the impression that I was ignoring you. I just needed to think things through.”
“Why weren’t you at school?”
“I was in a bit of pain and my aunt suggested I stay home. At least this black eye is leaving.” He pointed to the fading discoloration around his eye.
“Noted,” I murmured. If I stayed in his room any longer, near him looking like that—I didn’t know what to think. “I’ll leave you to whatever you were doing before I came.”
“You want to see me working out? You can see me shirtless all you want.” I gave him a lighthearted shove. “I’m joking. A couple minutes of talking and you’re already mad at me?” Couple minutes? No. Sam has been estimating the minutes we’ve been talking since I stepped in the room.
“You don’t influence me in a negative way.” Sam’s humorous mood faded at my serious tone. “Nor do you cause trouble around me. We are friends. No matter the reputation you have.”
“I know.”
I stepped back, allowing him to close the door. My shoulders slumped at the wooden barrier between us. Just as I reached the top of the stairs, a head of red hair came bobbing up: Ivan’s fiancé.
“Hey, Natasha.”
“Hey.” Her eyes slid to Sam’s door. “Ivan says you and Sam call yourselves friends.”
“Yes, friends.”
Natasha leaned against the railing, crossing her arms. “Ivan also has this weird idea that Sam’s in love with you.”
A snort escaped my lips and I headed down the stairs. “He’s not.”
Cedric appeared in the corridor at the bottom, a confused look on his face. He was no doubt wondering what I’d been doing upstairs.
“Everything all right?”
I nodded, saying good-bye to Natasha as I followed Cedric back to the music room.
Sam was worried he was influencing me, and I needed to convince him that he didn’t have to pull away now. Not when I didn’t want him to.
When I entered the cafeteria the following day, I could see that Caleb was the first at our table. “Happy birthday!” I was wrapped in a strong hug as the rest of my friends filed in, taking their seats. When Caleb let go, I bent over to catch my breath but his energy added to my cheery. “Don’t be dramatic. It wasn’t that strong of a hug.”
“At least you didn’t attempt to punch me like my brother and Andrew did this morning,” I said, rethinking my birthday traditions with those two.
“That doesn’t sound promising,” Cedric said behind me as he pulled me into a gentler hug. “I’ll see you after school, yeah?”
“It’s a date,” Caleb responded on my behalf, knowing that it was just meant to be a good time with him and my friends at my house.
Cedric shot me a grin and headed over to his friends. As my friends discussed tonight’s plans, Sam tapped me on the shoulder. He nodded for me to follow him out the doors.
“Get your sweater.” He didn’t allow me to say another word as we exited the cafeteria. “You’ll be back for third period, I promise. Meet me at the front.”
Tightening the strings on my hoodie, I exited the school doors. The sun hidden behind the clouds on this March day would’ve saddened my mood if Sam hadn’t held two helmets in his hands. He was excited, judging by his restless nature, while I was confused by his state. He grabbed a hold of my hand, pulled me farther down the front of the school, and there it was, parked by the curb. “Told you it exists.”
“No way.” I was in awe, and reached out to touch his motorcycle. The material was smooth against my skin as my hand glided over the seat before moving to the handles.
Sam handed me one of the helmets. “Want to go for a ride?”
“You’re joking with me?” I put it on as he grinned at my excitement. “Holy—”
“—flying lemurs?” he suggested.
“Does it have a name?”
“BS.” And like Benjamin Ian the Great, I realized what BS stood for. Sam put his helmet on, getting on the bike. I followed, my hands on his shoulders. Grabbing my hands, he pulled them around his waist, making sure I was hugging him tightly from behind. “Don’t let go.”
A scream left me when we moved—I held on to Sam as he gripped the handlebars. The scenery whipped by us as we rode through the less busy suburban streets. The gust of cold hair was constant as it went through my sweater, only egging me to hold on to Sam tighter each time he made a turn. He was focused on handling the vehicle yet I felt exhilarated every time he accelerated the motorcycle, leaning in with the motion. My eyes fell shut for a moment, and I didn’t want this to end. Then we stopped suddenly. He patted my arms around him and I opened my eyes. “You okay?”
“That was sick.” I took off my helmet and got off when I realized he had circled us back to the school area, down the street from the diner. “Dude, bring it around tonight. Wait, you’re coming over, right?”
“I’ll be there.” He took his helmet off and got off the bike.
“Cedric’s coming too,” I reminded him.
“I know. Don’t worry. Nothing will ruin your day,” he promised. Sam opened the storage compartment of his motorcycle. A wrapped medium-sized box was thrust in my direction. “Happy birthday.”
I took off the wrapping paper and opened the lid of the cardboard box. Inside was a camera. A very new camera. The box dropped as I took it out, staring at it with awe. “I know you like forest green and I got it customized. You d
on’t have to like it—I mean . . . there’s a receipt.”
The tight embrace I give him released a shaky laugh from his lips and he reciprocated, wrapping his arms around me. “This wasn’t that big of a deal, Hazel.”
“Are you kidding me? Thank you.”
He let go of me, rubbing the back of his neck. “I have something else.”
He reached into his pocket and drew out a velvet box. A silver necklace was inside, the pendant a glittery soccer ball. The white and black parts were held together tightly by beads. It was a similar pendant to the one my mom wore in every picture I had with her in it.
“You said you never found the necklace after your mum died. I thought you would like to have your own, or at least a necklace that was similar.”
No words could express my gratitude for his generosity. He knew that when he removed the necklace and turned me around. Placing the cool metal against my collarbone, he clicked the clasp, pushing my hair over my shoulders to expose the necklace, the action itself making my head hazy and hands clammy.
I turned around, fully aware of his hands on my arms. His eyes looked conflicted, flickering down then back up. He moved closer. Or I moved closer.
I didn’t know what would’ve happened if a group of people hadn’t suddenly come out of the diner. My heart seemed to thud harder as I stepped away from him, picking up the camera box and putting the velvet case inside. Tucking the box under my arm, I said, “Want to grab food to bring to the group?”
Sam looked confused but nevertheless, he agreed. Even as we made our way inside the diner, a part of me hoped that he knew he wasn’t the only one who regretted the interruption.
My friends and brother crowded my basement later that evening. Dad was prepared for me to have “the best night ever” and we stood at the foot of the basement stairs listening to my friends argue over what movie we were going to watch. Stevie groaned, stopping Caleb and Jacob from trying to control the laptop connected to the TV.