To Adam With Love--A Gray Zone Novel

Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11

Adam plopped down on the bench, and Jamie tossed him a water from the Coleman. He held it to his forehead for a minute before popping the top and sucking half of it back. Brian sat down beside him.

"Bad news."

Adam arched an eyebrow, sloshed the mouthful of water over his teeth, and swallowed. "What?"

Brian tipped his bottle of Crystal Springs in the direction of the basketball court while simultaneously mopping his brow with his T-shirt. "I think we lost."

"Newsflash, Brian, we always lose." They grinned at each other around their bottled water. On the other bench, Craige and Jamie rehashed their best moves. Adam listened for a minute. Jesus, the way they were going on, a person would think they were playing for the NBA or some crap.

Brian's knee bumped against Adam's. "So, are you going to go?"

Go? Oh, yeah, Brian's birthday party. "I don't know."

"C'mon Adam, it'll be great."

"My mom will never let me."

Brian rolled his eyes. "Our subdivision is less than three blocks outside the Fringe."

Adam shook his head.

"Then don't tell her."

Adam looked at him then. "You can't be serious." Not tell his mom?

"Jesus, Adam, haven't you ever snuck out of the house?"

Sure, lots, but never outside the Zone and never without Ean. He couldn't. It was dangerous for him. "She'll say no, and you know why."

Brian's gaze went from Adam's face to the scars on his stomach. "Damn." He looked at his hands. "I'm sorry... I didn't think."

"Don't worry about it."

"No, that was...." Brian shrugged. There was real hurt in his expression, real shame. Adam put his hand over Brian's and bumped their shoulders together. "I'll make a deal with you." Chocolate-colored eyes came up. "I'll ask her."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. But don't be surprised if she says no. But if she says yes, I promise you, I'll be there."

From the other bench, Craige and Jamie laughed. When Adam looked, Craige tossed his chin in the direction of the pignut tree at the edge of the blacktop where Ean sat crouched in the shadows on the other side of the fence.

Craige said, "Hey, Schroeder, looks like your boyfriend's back."

"Shit... what's he doing here?" And was that jealousy in Brian's tone? Adam was willing to bet his last buck twenty-five that it was.

Craig cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Hey, fucktard, haven't you ever heard of something called stalking?"

Adam sat forward on the bench. "Jesus, Craige, leave him alone."

Brian said, "I thought you didn't hang out with him anymore?"

Now why would any of them think that? Granted, Adam hadn't been hanging out with Ean as much as he used to, but he still saw him sometimes, mostly at night when Ean snuck in through Adam's window.

But Adam had to admit, a lot of things had changed over the past few months. He had taken the braids out of his hair, not to mention he was wearing shoes. And Adam never used to wear shoes.