Growing Pains

Chapter 19

The next morning finds Sam in a perpetually grumpy state. I fill him in with the details of (most of) the night and he quickly calls Alana, asking her to keep his secret under lock and key. She promises not to talk about it but I'm still worried. There were a lot of people there that night, a lot of people all capable of talking. It wouldn't be the end of the world if Sam's sexuality were to come out, but he wouldn't be comfortable with it either.

I left the house for my English lecture an hour ago, promising Sam that I would return with food and I idly wonder what I should bring him.

My thoughts are interrupted by a piece of scrunched paper, which lands on my portion of the desk quite neatly. I look behind me briefly, not immediately recognising anyone so I pick it up and toss it into the bin beside me.

I continue taking notes diligently until I'm interrupted by another piece of paper, this time folded and passed to me by my neighbour. I frown at it and open it carefully, reading the words messily written across the page.

Meet me behind the English block at midday or your best friend's secret won't be such a secret anymore.

I roll my eyes, my temper flaring momentarily as I scrunch the paper within my fist. What kind of lack of humanity? I stuff the paper into my bag, concentrating purely on my notes until our professor dismisses us. My face is contorted into a thunderous expression and it's no surprise to me that everyone avoids me like the plague, parting like the red sea to let me pass.

There's no doubt in my mind about what I'm going to do. I'm going to go and see Sam. There's no way in hell that I'm going to be manipulated into a possibly dangerous situation just so someone can blackmail me. So, I'm going to go and tell Sam. At least this way he can prepare himself.

I storm away from the campus, my thoughts clouding my rationality. I glance up to cross the road but something catches my eye and I freeze. I had been so caught up in what I could possibly do to help him, to make this inevitable change easier to adapt to and the answer is seemingly right in front of me.

I enter the shop in front of me and rifle through the different sizes until I find one that I think might fit. I hold it up, grinning to myself at how horrendously ostentatious it is. It's perfect.

I take it to the cashier, who gives me an amused look but says nothing, which I'm grateful for. I pay for the shirt and tuck it into my bag gently, grinning to myself all the while. I walk back to our flat, my posture and gait completely changed to how it was only moments previously. I feel lighter and happier; I have a plan.

I unlock the door and wander in, only now realising that I had forgotten Sam's snacks.

"Elias?" He calls from upstairs and I sigh, trudging up them reluctantly. I poke my head into his room but he's not there. I roll my eyes and move into my room, not paying any notice to the giggling lump beneath my duvet. I fling my bag down and collapse on top of the lump, laughing to myself as he cries out from the impact.

"My bed feels so lumpy today, I wonder why?" I ponder aloud and Sam groans from beneath me.

"Get off me! When did you get so fat Elias?!" He says, although his voice is muffled. I let my arms and legs fall haphazardly, still not moving to get up.

"What is that strange noise?" I ask myself, smirking as I feel a meagre punch to my right shoulder.

"Eliiiiiii!" He shouts, nudging me off him and I slide gently off the bed and onto my feet. I rip the covers away from Sam, who looks puffed and red but is still smiling widely, enjoying my playfulness.

"Oh, were you there the whole time? Why didn't you say something?" I ask and he sighs exasperatedly.

I smile faintly, not feeling good about having to break bad news to him.