The War Against The World

Chapter nine

It didn't take long for Otis and Adam to finish their meals, so soon they were collecting the check and preparing leave.

Much to Otis's dismay, Adam insisted on paying for the both of them, and after a playful argument got them nowhere Otis finally let him.

"Ok, where to next?" Adam asked happily, giving Otis his full attention. "Um, I'm not sure." Otis responded with an awkward laugh. "How about you decide?"

Adam just looked at him with a soft smile, just admiring the boy in front of him. "You're the one who wanted to come to the mall in the first place." He took a small pause.

"And you don't know where you want to go?" Adam asked playfully. 

"Well i didn't exactly have a plan, I just wanted to get out of the house." Otis chuckled. He took a look around at his surroundings, trying to find an interesting spot to check out.

"Let's just start at the shoe store and move on from there." He decided on finally.

"Sounds good to me!" Adam replied enthusiastically, grabbing Otis's hand in his and pulling him over to the store that had a large glowing sign in a shape of a tennis shoe in the front.

And that's what they did, for hours, they moved store to store, just looking around. Every once in a while they would buy something, but most of the time they were just looking around and admiring the pricy stuff.

That went on entirely too long, at this point they were just prolonging going home, trying to make the most out of their time, not wanting to cut their hang out short.

But the sun was slowly setting and the day was just about over, the mall was closing and they sadly had to leave.

Otis was actually enjoying himself, he was happy to spend this time with Adam. He couldn't think of anything better than doing this.

They were currently sitting in the car with the music on full blast singing the lyrics, well it was more like screaming them but that's not important. Otis smile had never been so wide, he was laughing at Adam's poor attempt at karaoke.

Adam soon slowed the car as he pulled into Otis's driveway. He reached his arm over, turning the nob quieting the music as he looked over at the boy in the passenger seat.

Otis undid he's seatbelt and moved his hand to hover over the door handle, but before he opened it he looked over at Adam with a small smile on his face.

"I had fun today." Was all he said. It was short, simple, and sweet but there was so much more meaning behind his words, some Otis himself didn't even understand.

"Me to. We need to hang out more often." Adam replied softly, maintaining the eye contact like his life depended on it. There was something lingering in the stare, something about it was so intense.

"I'd like that." Otis said keeping the same tone. He felt a warmth spread through his body, starting at his chest and spreading. Adam's eyes lit a fire in his soul that felt like it would never burn out, it felt so powerful.

Otis sat there for what felt like a little too long, he couldn't look away, he felt entranced.

He soon realized what he was doing though and snapped himself out of it. "Oh, I should get going." He said with a flustered laugh.

He quickly shuffled out of the car, moving over to the back seat grabbing his bags with swift movements.

But before he closed the door he spoke up. "Text me when you get home?"

"Yeah, definitely" Adam responded with the same flustered expression. The blush prominent on his cheeks. Otis couldn't say much about it as he assumed his face was the same, that thought making his face light up even more.

With that Otis made his way inside, trying to escape the cold snapping winds.

Although he didn't miss the fact that Adam didn't pull away until Otis fully made it in the door, he found that so simple gesture sweet.

As soon as he walked in the door, he was stopped. His mom standing in front of him with a knowing look. And before he knew it he was being confronted with a million questions spewing out faster than the speed of light.

"Who was that boy?" She started with. "Why was he in our driveway so long? " Why were you gone so long?"

She then gasped. "Is he your boyfriend? Is there something I should know about?" She interrogated.

"Mom slow down!" Otis said getting even more flustered. "There is nothing going on, and definitely nothing like that!" Otis defended.

"We were just at the mall and lost track of time, it's really nothing serious." All she replied with was a distrusting look.

"Well if there is anything going on, I want you to know that you can tell me anything and I won't ever judge." She said with a caring smile, adding an inferences on the ever.

Otis felt comforted by that, enough to bring the smile back onto his face, but it was quickly wiped off when his mom asked another question. "Are you sure there isn't anything?" 

"Mom!" He shouted embarrassed.

"Fine, I'll drop it." she said, followed by a laugh.

She then hugged him taking a cupule bags out of his hands. "So what'd you all get." She said peering into the contents of the bags. "You want me to show you?" Otis asked excitedly.

"Of course I do!"

For the next hour or so, Otis spent his time showing off all the stuff he bought to his mom happily. Her being just as enthusiastic to see the extravagant things her son likes.

The night ended perfectly, Otis couldn't have asked for a better day. It was everything and more

For once Otis went to bed with a smile on his face, he had a happiness in his heart that hadn't been there in a long time. It made him feel hope.

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