Ned Gets Stood Up

Chapter Nine

SAM

"So..." Griffin's voice echoed, bouncing around the bathroom and smacking Sam in the face. "The guy you were trying to make jealous was Ned Flowers?"

Sam groaned, rubbing his face and wishing he could manually erase the last few hours and he really wished Griffin would stop giggling about it. His life wasn't meant ot be someone else's comedy special. This was a tragedy. Not a comedy.

"Because you were jealous of me?"

"I don't remember asking for a therapy session. Especially, not from you." Sam looked up at the speckled ceiling. "Why did you even agree to come tonight, if you already had a date?"

"I was helping a friend. Maggie sent a picture of you and you looked good."

"Did you at least let Ned down gently?" Sam asked, pulling out his phone and wondering if Ned has texted him at all.

The beat of silence was too long for Sam's liking. He busted through the door, looking horrified at Griffin and his casual pose, leaning against one of the porcelain sinks like it was funny, like this was the best game ever.

Sam's eyes widened. "You told Ned, right? You cancelled on him, right?"

Griffin shrugged a little. "I guess, I forgot. Whoops."

"Whoops?" Sam gawked and took a step forward. "Whoops?! You stand a guy up and all you have to say is whoops? What's your damage?" He checked the time and his stomach dropped. "It's been an hour and he's just sitting there, waiting on you."

Griffin had the nerve to roll his eyes. "Oh, please, who would stay an hour after someone's supposed to meet you there?"

"Ned!" Sam shouted, hands out in desperation. "Ned Flowers would stay because what if you do show up? And he's not there? He'd feel terrible because news flash asshole! Some people have a heart."

Griffin laughed all by himself. "We went from making-out to you calling me an asshole fast. Usually, someone has to talk to me at least a week before we get there."

Sam couldn't take it anymore. A burst of heat ripped through Sam's chest right to his head, until he was seeing red. "You have to call him."

Griffin snorted. Unmoving. "No way. That sounds painful and awkward and I won't do it."

His jaw tight, Sam took a breath. "You- you have to—!"

"I don't have to do anything."

"But—but you'll see him later. At gym, right?"

"I'm not taking gym next semester. You're his friend. You should tell him. Oh," Griffin said as the corners of his mouth twisted. "But you can't, because then you have to explain how you figured it out."

Sam Hayes had officially caught fire. "Fuck you."

"Oh, don't be mad," Griffin said and reached for Sam's arm as he was exiting the bathroom, but knew better than to purposely singe himself and let his hand dropped. "Come on. If you stay mad, everyone's gonna bust my balls. Can't you just let it go? I didn't even know you or Ned or your whole weird thing."

"Th-that shouldn't matter. Ned's a human person that deserves at least, a text. And..." Sam thought his jaw was gonna break, he was tightening it so much. "Maybe my sister shouldn't even be friends with someone like you."

"Sam," Griffin called after him. "Chill a little. You know, we could actually be a great thing."

"A great thing? I don't- I don't want a thing to do with you!"