Something About Sam

Chapter 8

 After the carnival and burgers, we got bored and Sam suggested we see a movie. We got more food and ice cream after that, despite Sarah's pleas for the two of us to come home and keep her company.

"Thank god," she was being dramatic. Pulling the two of us in through the doorway to our kitchen, she shoved a Coors light in each of our hands. "We thought you two love birds would never come home."

We, as it turned out, was Marley, Keith, Troy, and Lottie. While Sam laughed, I felt myself get red.

"Where are mom and dad?" I asked, ignoring her and taking in the scene in front of us. It was almost 10, and the kitchen table was littered with alcohol and red solo cups. Keith and Troy were playing each other in a game of pong; pop music was blaring from Sarah's speaker on the counter. I shoved the beer back at Sarah's chest. "And you know I don't drink."

She rolled her eyes, shoving it back at me. "14-year-old Taite would disagree," I took a deep breath, mumbling a quiet "here we go" as she turned towards Sam. "Back in the day, your sweet innocent Taitey Jefferson could finish a twelve pack without mama noticing he was even slightly tipsy. Couldn't you, baby brother?"

"Yeah, well," I paused, pulling out a chair to sit down. "Things change."

Sam was raising his eyebrows as he took the seat next to me. "A twelve? At 14?"

I rolled my eyes. "I got into it with a bad crowd when I got to high school. Had the whole 'I hate my dad the governor' phase. I'm over it," I paused, pushing the unopened beer can in front of me. "And I don't drink anymore."

Sam grabbed it, smiling at me. "More for me, then." I noticed the can Sarah had originally handed Sam was sitting on the edge of the table, empty.

Two hours later, he was plastered.

Lottie, who also wasn't drinking, sat next to me. I had an arm slung around the back of her chair as the two of us watched Sam and my sister dancing on top of the kitchen table to a provocative Bruno Mars song. The four of us were the only ones who were still awake. Marley and Keith had passed out on the couch, while Troy didn't even make it out of the kitchen. With his head tilted back, his mouth wide open, he was conked out on a stool in the corner.

Lottie leaned in towards my ear. "Want to go somewhere?"

I didn't take my eyes off the two on the table. Sam was grinning widely, spinning my sister in mesmerizing circles.

"Hmm?"

"Somewhere quiet?"

A laugh escaped my lips. Sam had tried to dip Sarah backward, but the two of them lost their footing. Sam steadied Sarah, his hands on her hips. They were both still laughing.

"Taite?"

My neck snapped towards Lottie. I forgot she had been talking to me. "Sorry, what?"

Sarah paused the music just as I was finishing my sentence. Lottie went quiet. Sam stepped down from the table following Sarah's lead. My eyes followed his moving form until they couldn't anymore. He had disappeared behind me; his hands were on the back of my shoulders, gripping me tightly. He leaned forward to whisper in my ear, but he was off balance and drunk, so when he spoke, the wetness from his lips traced over my ear. "Wanna go up to the attic?"

I felt myself nod absentmindedly, allowing Sam to grab my hand and pull me up and away from the table. Sarah caught my eyes as Sam dragged me out of the kitchen. She was leaning against the wall next to the sleeping Troy, her fingers winding through his long brown hair. She winked at me. I tried not to think about what that meant.