Page 35 of Something Good
After her volunteer shift this evening, Mom had let it slip that she’d run into Sammy and Jimmy. I don’t think she’d meant to tell me, but she’d asked me if we’d run into each other this summer, and I’d put two and two together.
Oddly enough, the conversation had led to me coming out to her. A month ago, I’d been terrified of people finding out, but after coming out to Jason and discovering several others had figured it out, what had once been a huge obstacle to overcomewas now nothing more significant than a speed bump. Sammy was more important to me than what anyone else might have thought about it.
Mom had essentially brushed over it like it was a nonevent, focusing more on my relationship with Sammy than the fact that I was into guys. We’d talked a little bit about his situation, which was hard because I knew he wouldn’t want me telling her about his mom’s abandonment. I’d been as evasive as I could get away with, but Mom would likely have the whole story figured out by the end of the week. She’d be discreet about it, but between social media and town gossip, I figured she’d have the pieces of the puzzle assembled quickly enough. At least this way, I could claim she hadn’t gotten the information from me.
The doors slid open and closed, and I spotted Sammy’s halo of curls as he made his way across the parking lot, carrying his skateboard and heading in the direction of his house. I quickly started my car and backed out, then made my way toward him, pulling up alongside the curb where he was about to cross the street.
Startled, he pulled his earbud out and gave me a tired smile. “Hey, golden boy.”
“Hop in.”
I took it as a sign of progress that he walked around to the passenger side, tossed his skateboard in the back, and climbed in without argument.
I leaned over and kissed him right there in my Jeep in the Walmart parking lot. There weren’t a lot of people out and about at this time of night, but it still felt pretty damn good. It felt like I was claiming a piece of myself just as much as I was claiming Sammy.
“Hi,” I said.
“Hi.” He smiled, running his tongue across his lips as he pulled away.
“Do you need to go straight home, or do you have some time?”
“You’re the one with the curfew. No parents, remember?”
I knew he was trying to make light of it, but I ignored the comment, turning onto the street while he pulled out his phone. I assumed to message Jimmy. “You wanna go to the lake or head out to the overlook we went to on the Fourth?”
“Overlook.”
I turned my Jeep in that direction, grabbing his hand and pulling it into mine as I drove. It was amazing how good that bit of contact felt. A feeling of rightness, like his hand was always meant to fit in mine, like we were always meant to be connected, skin to skin, palm to palm, pulse against pulse.
On a whim, I pulled into the Taco Bell drive-thru. There weren’t any cars in the line, so we pulled right up to the speaker to order. “What do you want?” I turned to look at him.
“I’m good.”
“Sammy…”
“I’mgood. I don’t need anything,” he insisted.
“Look, I’m getting food for you with or without your input, so you might as well tell me what you want and at least get something you like.”
“When did you get to be so damn stubborn?” He glared at me, which only made me smile wider.
“I’ve always been stubborn. I’m just really nice about it.”
“Jesus. I guess get me a couple of soft tacos.”
I placed the order and pulled up to the window, ignoring him when he tried to hand me some cash.
Food secured, I pulled back onto the road, heading out of town toward the overlook. I tried to take his hand again, but he pulled it away from me and continued to stare out the window into the dark landscape.
Ten minutes later, we were parked, and I was spreading the sleeping bag out in front of the Jeep, just like I’d done the week before. Sammy got out of the car, bringing the food with him, but he was extra quiet, even for him.
We sat, and I dumped our food in front of us, separating his from mine into two piles. I began to unwrap one of my tacos so I could add sauce, but I paused when Sammy sat with his food untouched in front of him.
“What’s wrong?”
“I know what you’re doing.” His words were stiff, his jaw set.
“What are you talking about?”
