Ned Gets Stood Up

Chapter Three

NED

Jogging past his house, Ned tried to keep low to the ground to avoid prying eyes out of windows. Not that his size did him any favors, skulking around like a giraffe in nothing but short grass. He hurried to the side of the Hayes' family house, with enough Hanukkah decorations outside to be seen from space. The house plastered with white and blue lights with giant menorahs and dreidels, with the star of David littered throughout.

When they were kids, it wasn't so gaudy, but once Ned's parents started decorating across the street, it became more than just embracing the season's aesthetic. It became an all-out war, starting with one snide comment from Mrs. Hayes, "Are they trying to win a white trash contest?"

Then, Ned's mother chided back to the other moms in the neighborhood, "It's really sad that people can't just enjoy themselves or have fun, but I guess I'd have a hard time letting loose if a pole was stuck up my ass too."

Mr. Hayes stuck his nose up at Ned's family's giant Santa and his sled display. "Are they trying to go big? Seriously? It's kind of pathetic." And then, he responded with a light up dreidel that actually spun.

Ned's dad put up the fake snow machine that rained down on their porch the next year.

In return, Mrs. Hayes put up spotlights.

And so on the decorations doubled, tripled, until there was no space left and their houses became a holiday destination for the town. At night, someone could even dial up a Christmas radio station and the lights would flicker to the beat.

Slipping through the front, Ned followed the side of the house until he stood underneath Sam's window. His chest tightened as Ned caught his breath. Ned's heartbeat pounded in his ears, making all his nerves shake. No amount of rest was going to help. Not the cool winter air. Or the deep breath Ned took.

He reached up and knocked on Sam's window.

After all this time, seeing Sam still gave Ned butterflies. And this was the person Ned felt most comfortable with.

Only Sam knew about Ned's dreams and all the stories he wanted to illustrate. Ned's parents didn't know he made up reasons to take a drive just because he needed the alone time. That night driving made Ned feel the most comfortable. Lena never knew that Ned threw up inside his backpack on the school trip to Six Flags.

Sam knew.

Sam had been there for it all.

"Sam!" Ned hissed, nervously glanced around. He had an excuse at the ready if Sam's parents caught him. He kicked a ball in their lawn and he needed to retrieve it. No, that was dumb. Ned had never even picked up a ball on purpose in his life. Any sports equipment inside his hands was put there by force.

Maybe he could say he was following a lost dog?

No. Everybody knew Ned was afraid of strange dogs.

The curtains shivered and Sam's hand appeared, his joint round and fingers long. He pressed against the glass, pointing at Ned. Making one hard point, he then motioned to go around the house.

"But your parents?" Ned whispered. If possible, Ned wanted to avoid ever seeing Sam's mother again for the rest of his life. 

Sam shaped his hand into a "zero" and motioned Ned again.

"Okay. I'm going," Ned said and hurried back to the front and up the rickety porch steps. Giving the door a little knock, Ned righted himself and raked his fingers through his hair so it'd lay straight and then, he adjusted his hoodie.

The door swung open, and Ned's smile fell. "Oh. Hi, Maggie."

Holding the door was Margaret Hayes with a scowl meaner than a cat just drenched in water. She wore that scowl like it was a family heirloom and it was a source of pride. Shorter than Ned (like everyone else on planet earth), Margaret had thin brown eyes, big frizzy curly hair, and the unfortunate skill of dressing Ned down without having to say anything at all.