Ned Gets Stood Up

Chapter Ten

SAM

Outside the school parking lot, Sam leaned against Indie's car, totally dumbfounded. He kept looking at The Gregor and it continued to exist. His sunglasses covered eyes staring into Sam Hayes's soul. Sam could reach out and touch it and it would still be there. His finger couldn't faze through it.

The fact Margaret was yelling at them didn't even bother Sam. It just grounded this whole affair back to earth.

"You're like a stick of dynamite, Ned Flowers," Margaret berated Ned as if she was as big, as strong, and intimidating as mountain, even though she was pint sized and Ned was a gallon of a man. She snapped, "Something bad always happens when you're around!"

"How can this be a bad thing, Maggie?" Ned asked and motioned to The Gregor in Lena's arms. "I got The Gregor! He's famous for being a good thing!"

"I told you, it's Margaret and it's bad because you ruined my night."

Ned grabbed Margaret's elbow, pulling her towards him. He whispered, "And we ruined his night, so cool it."

Not that Griffin would've been the best first date in the world, obviously because assholes don't make good dates, but that wasn't something Sam should've had to figured out. A small fire ignited in Sam's stomach. Sam had to figure it out the hard way, the way he'd like Ned to never figure out. Imagining Ned kissing someone else made that small fire burst and burn his eyes.

"We should go," Lena suggested and handed The Gregor back to Ned. "I'm freezing and really hungry. All I've had today was Christmas cookies and I couldn't even finish those."

"Sure," Indie said. "Maggie, wanna go to Waffle House?"

"With you, sure. With him—" She pointed at Ned. "Not a chance. We'll end up spinning out and crashing through the window if he's around."

"We get it, Maggie," Sam said.

She kept going, walking herself to one of the many metal benches in front of the school and plopping down. She was legendary at throwing tantrums with a pout known far and wide as the most impressive. "I don't doubt Ned has already caused five tragedies on the way here. It's amazing you're all still standing. Where did you even get The Gregor? Did he just fall into your lap?"

Ned flushed. "Well, uh no. I was scrolling through Instagram and saw one of the Creekside cheerleaders had him and I just—"

"Stole it." Margaret scoffed, rolling her eyes and deepening her slouch. "Our parents are right." She looked at Sam when she said it. "The Flowers are nothing but a bunch of thieves."

"Ignore her, Ned," Sam said, noticing his head dip. "Let's just go to Waffle House."

Margaret held out her hands. "You're just gonna go and leave me here? What about our parents? They're on their way and they're gonna expect you to be here."

She was right. 

That would be the first question out of his mother's mouth, "Where's Sam?"

In part, his mother's anger could curdle Sam's stomach acids, but on the other hand... surprising his parents for once might be everything Sam wanted and more. Sam usually did exactly what they expected. Took the classes they wanted. Applied for all the college prep courses they advised. He never even told them he wanted to working in publishing. His dream of being an Editor might give his mother the aneurism she always threatened him with. 

Glancing at The Gregor, Sam plucked up his courage. He smiled his brightest, most sparkly smartass grin. "You're the one who told me to rebel!"

Tuning his sister out, Sam climbed into the backseat of the car with Lena and Indie sitting in the front. Ned crawled in too and their hands bumped each other. "Oh," Ned said, still blushing. He was so red, from the top of his ears and past the collar of his sweatshirt. "Sorry."