"There you two are!"
"Yeah, yeah..."
Before we came out the side door, Max let go of my hand. I can still feel the phantom touch left behind, but I need to mask it, because we're back in the public party eye.
"Want a second burger?" Max's Mom asks.
"Sure," Max says.
Their dad runs the grill like it's his haven. Those burgers on the fire aren't the turkey burgers Kieran's mom makes, they're real burgers, but not for me. It seems hot dogs are per request. I see a packet of them, but they're not as popular as the burgers.
"Damn. Nice shot."
Gregory's basketball game wraps with his side pulling out the win after a clutch shot that I missed.
"Chase!"
I jump into the gimmick. "Greg!"
"You guys eat yet?"
Even if it isn't my type of food, it's a nice day to grill.
"Burger? Hot dog?"
"Uh, no."
Hot dogs aren't food.
"You don't want anything?"
"I got chips," I say.
Don't give me the brows, Max. You're the one who always gives half your lunches away.
There's a bag of baked chips on the table, so I won't starve. I grab a plate from the buffet of snacks and dive in, chips, cookies. There's the cake, Krodi's Bakery, white base frosting with blue and yellow edges. The baker they bought it from wished Gregory a "Happy Birthday!" in blue cursive icing letters. As tempting as it looks, we can't touch it...
Yet.
...Kieran saved us seats at one of the two tables. I claim the corner, so nobody can sit next to me except for Max. Gregory joins us and sits next to Kieran, who picks at chips.
"Strange seeing you guys out of school," Gregory says.
Oh, good, I'm not the only one who feels like that.
"You're welcome," Max says. "I invited them."
"I told you to," Gregory says.
There they go.
YOU ARE READING
Castling: A Novel (NaNoWriMo21)
Teen FictionIt's a slice-of-life centered around "Chase the Ace," who finds himself changing schools against his will mid-year to help make the most of that brain of his. It'll be good for him, they say. He won't be so bored. He'll get to be with an old friend...
