In the Classroom

Chapter Twenty Two: The Only Exception

“The town is even smaller than I imagined,” I told Sam in an undertone. He gave me a small nod. I looked down at the valley beneath us. In actuality, there was only about a hundred houses, all lined up into a ring around a small central city. I could see a couple lights from the distance in the dark of the night, but aside from that it was too tiny to call a city.

“I told you that it was small,” said Adam, starting down the road towards the town. I blanched.

“We have to walk to our hotel?” I asked him. Adam shrugged.

“It's just an hour's walk from here, Josh. Don't be a baby,” he told me. I glared at him.

“An hour's walk?!! Do you realize we could drive down there in a quarter of that time?!” I asked him incredulously.

“We're not allowed to use cars in the city—the pollution junks up the harbor,” said Adam, matter-of-factly.

“Then...how do you expect us to get around?!” I protested hotly. Adam snorted.

“On your legs? It's not a big town, so quit complaining. You're just lucky I got you a nice hotel room,” he told me. “If you don't like it, then you can jump on that plane right back to Pensacola,” he said sternly.

“Do you honestly think I can manage that while I'm in a wheelchair?” I asked him furiously, gesturing to my seating arrangements. He pursed his lips as he looked over his shoulder at me.

“I didn't expect that you would be injured when I took you on this trip,” he told me. “And you walk around fine without it. It's just a limp. Stop whining. You're not a child.”

“But you still took me with you on the trip, even after I was injured,” I snapped back at him. Adam crossed behind me and pushed me down the road with him.

“I guess this means we'll have our brother-time after all,” he told me cheerfully. I glared at him.

“You're a pain. Why would I want to stay in your presence?” I asked him furiously.

“Because you have no choice?” he tried. I couldn't find a proper response to that.

“Just hurry up and push me,” I told him, scuppering to his will. He smirked over my shoulder.

“Of course, little master,” he said teasingly. Sam followed behind us, completely oblivious.

* * *

Even being pushed the entire way, that walk was absolutely horrible. I'm not just saying that because I'm lazy! I thought, stretching out onto the bed. I rubbed my shoulders, sore from pushing myself down the road when Adam promised me I could coast the way there. I glared at a spot on the wall that I imagined to be his face. I snuggled into the cushions happily.

“Well, at least the hotel is nice, Adam was right about that,” I told myself softly. I allowed myself to pout childishly for a moment.

“Why couldn't Adam let Sam and I sleep together? He still knows that I love Sam,” I muttered to myself. I lay back into the sheets, letting myself get tangled up in the soft bedspread. I had never before experienced such a luxuriously soft blanket. The blankets at home were old and itchy, and not very pleasant to sleep in.

But...that's the question...who do I want to spend the rest of my life with? I thought to myself, sitting up. No matter how I put it, Sam was the obvious choice, but there was always Adam there in the back of my mind. It was true, you never did forget your first love.

“Ah! Just forget it! I'm not thinking about this now!!” I yelled, falling back onto the bed again. I pulled out my book, settling down and making sure nothing would disturb me as I became reimbursed once more into J.K. Rowling's world of enticing words and fulfilled promises.