Knight

29

Mason Maloney

My neck was sore when I woke up the next morning. I had slept practically sitting up on the two-seat couch with Sam leaning his head on my shoulder. Pete passed out on the larger couch while Ross slept on the recliner. I cracked my eyes open, squinting at the bright sunlight coming in through the blinds and let out a groan. Sam shifted beside me, moving his head from my shoulder to the arm of the couch.

When I looked over at him, that was when it hit me. Nathan was going to be coming home today and I had no idea when, but we Sam couldn't be here for it.

"Sam," I hissed, shaking him. "Wake up."

Sam groaned and mumbled incoherent words, his voice muffled by the couch. I shook him more harshly until he sat up, looking at me with a sleepy expression.

"What?" he asked in a tired, annoyed tone.

"We can't be here when Nathan gets back," I told him, choosing to ignore his rude tone.

"Well, when is he coming back?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm not risking it."

Sam nodded, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. I stood up from the couch, tugging Sam up with me before shoving Pete in the shoulder. Pete let out a loud groan and sat up with an angry look on his face.

"Let me sleep!" Pete exclaimed, waking Ross up in the process.

"We gotta go," I said, starting toward the stairs to get to my room.

I changed into dark blue jeans and a crew-neck sweatshirt and quickly went to the bathroom to brush my teeth before going back downstairs to see my three friends waiting impatiently.

"We're always waiting on either you or Bella," Pete said in an annoyed tone, his arms crossed and a frown on his face.

I ignored him, shaking my head, before heading out toward the door. The four of us left the house, starting toward Ross's car. I felt someone tug at my arm and turned around to see that it was Sam. He pulled me aside as Pete and Ross went to the car.

"I'm gonna head home," Sam said, looking down at me.

I frowned. "You don't want to come to breakfast with us?" I asked.

"You know I shouldn't," he said with a knowing look.

I sighed and nodded. He was right. It was one thing to hang out with us in the comfort of my home, but it was another to be out in public with us. I couldn't imagine any of his friends would be too happy if they found out about this, especially so close to the rivalry game. I couldn't wait for the football season to be over, then the two of us could be free.

"Okay," I said with a slight pout. "I'll see you at work later."

Sam nodded with a small, close-lipped smile. "See you."

Sam walked off to where his own car was parked, waving at Ross and Pete. I watched as he got in and started it up before I made my way to Ross's car and threw myself in the backseat.

"Step on it, Ross," Pete demanded as soon as I got in the car. "I'm not getting any younger and I'm starving."

Ross mumbled incoherent words with a dirty look on his face, shaking his head, before throwing the car in reverse and peeling out of my driveway.

We were barely half way down my street when Pete's stomach growled, causing him to clutch it and throw his head back, letting out a loud groan.

"Ross," Pete complained.