"Take Me To Church" - Hosier

Chapter Seven

Why did I agree to this? Travis questioned as he waited at the front gate. He lied to his dad and said he was going to some study group.

He felt his hands becoming more and more clammy. He was really considering running. That was until he saw Sal's bouncy pig tails. Sal agressively waved. He said his goodbye to Larry and made his way toward Travis.

"Hey." Sal said, his eyes crinkling. "I hope you don't mind walking, I mean Larry offered a ride but I didn't think you'd be comfortable with that."

Travis nodded. "Yea I'd much rather walk." He mumbled, making Sal laugh.

"I would drive us but I'm not legally allowed to drive." Sal said. Travis tilted his head. "I have a glass eye, something about not being safe enough to drive on the road or ya da."

Travis stopped walking. "You have a glass eye?" Sal nodded. "Wait that's so cool." He gently grabbed Sals face.

Sal looked up at Travis. "Um dude." Sal said awkwardly. Travis dropped his face and stepped back.

"Uh my bad." Travis laughed awkwardly.

Sal laughed. "It's nothing." It was definitely something. "Let's go." Travis nodded.

For a good while there was a thick awkward silence between them and Sal hated it. He didn't like the silent at all. "Trav come on there's no point in being all awkward." Travis glared at him.

"Whatever." Travis bit.

Sal laughed and skipped forward. He was excited. You could tell from a mile away. "You've seriously never been rollar skating?"

"Nope." Travis sighed. "is it really that fun?"

Sal nodded. "Yes, I can teach you so you don't spend the time awkwardly figuring out how. I love it so much. I had so much fun last time." Minus almost dying from the inability to breathe.

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"Travis. Please come on." Sal said.

Travis shook his head. "I'm gonna die." He squawked. Sal couldn't help but laugh. "Don't laugh at me! How are you doing that?" 

Sal laughed and did a little circle. "Well first you have to get off the carpet."

Travis shook his head again. "Oh hell no."

"Come on. I'll hold you." Sal reached his arms our and pulled Travis onto the rink. Travis latched onto Sal's arms. "I'm not gonna let go."

Travis whined. "I will kill you if I die."

"How?" Sal laughed pulling him more on to the rink. "I mean if you're already dead-"

"Sal shut the fuck up." Travis said shaking.

Sal laughed and slowky skating around. He moved his grip from Travis' arms to his hands. "See not so bad." Sal said playfully.

Travis nodded. "Not the worst." He dismissed. He was to focused on the hands that were holding his. They were rough and riddled with calluses. He ran his thumb over Sal's knuckles. "Your hands are really damn rough."

Sal felt his face get flustered. He has to be doing this on purpose. Sal told himself trying to calm his face down. "I play the guitar so that make sense."

"You play the guitar?" Travis asked.

Sal nodded. "I'll show you one day."

"Maybe next time my dad is being a dick, I'll come over and listen." Travis half joked.

Sal nodded agressively. "Feel free to that." Travis laughed. "Actually though. Feel free to come over whenever my dad won't care." Sal spend up his skating. "Can I let you go now?"

Travis chewed on his lip. "Yea." He said slipping his hands out of Sal's. He nearly tripped over his own two feet catching himself on Sals shoulder. "Holy fuck." Sal burst out laughing. "Shut up."

"Sorry, sorry." Sal said in-between laughs. "Alright now watch my feet." Sal slightly tilted his right foot away and went forward with his left, kicking off with his right. Travis carefully mimicked his motions and successfully moved forward. "Hey good job!"

Travis nodded. "Thanks."

It didn't take long for Travis to catch on which didn't surprise Sal. Travis was always a fast learner and Sal knew that. Still he was genuinely proud of Travis for getting the hang of it.

"Hey I'm gonna do a couple quick laps is that okay?" Sal asked.

Travis nodded. "Go ahead."

Sal smiled and spend ahead. He quickly lapped Travis not once but twice. When Sal was coming around the 3rd time he slowed down.

"Hey." He said panting.

Travis looked at him. "Damn you can go fast." He said, gently putting his hand on Sal's back.

Sal laughed, unbuckling the bottom strap of his mask. "Not even gonna lie I was just showing off."

Travis shook his head. "Of course you were." Sal laughed.

He finally got his breath and skates a little ahead of Travis. He whipped around and started going backward. "You're a fucking show off." Travis joked. Sal laughed, flipping him off.