Ned Gets Stood Up

Chapter Eighteen

THE GREGOR

This story is essentially about Ned.

Ned who gets stood up the day before Christmas Eve, but we already know that, and if you remember what I told you before things got a little messy, that this story was also about Sam's first boyfriend, Mathew Geller.

Mathew Geller is at the top of his class, well-liked by all of his classmates, has decided on his colleges and back-up colleges, and he holds zero irrational fears like lady bugs lodging inside his nose, getting peanut butter glued to the top of his mouth, or one day he'll get hiccups that'll never stop.

All this to say, he's the opposite of Ned Flowers.

This comes clear to me as we arrive outside the Geller household to see Mathew again. Funny enough, three years ago during that summer, Sam also went to Mathew for help when it concerned Ned. That just goes to show history tends to repeat itself, but Sam was unaware of the regret he'd feel coming to Mathew this night... or three years ago.

#

SAM

Sam might've made a huge terrible no good rotten mistake bringing Ned to the Geller family home. From the three cars in the driveway, clearly the whole family was home and clearly, this might blow their cover. The Geller's would rat him out in a heartbeat.

Sam knew he'd eventually have to speak to his parents again. It wasn't like Ned and him were gonna be out all night or like they were going to leave the county. Matt's parents were still friends with his and always held a small hope that Sam and Matt somehow get back together. Back when they just go together, it was weird to see four adults be relieved that a couple of teens started dating.

The Hayes pleased Sam could choose someone other than the boy across the street.

The Gellers thankful Matt liked someone they knew and not someone they weren't ready to understand.

The universe switched into slow motion as Sam realized his two worlds were colliding.

Wearing Ned's jacket was suddenly too hot, preheating his skin to 475 degrees to cook up a crispy thin pepperoni and anxiety pizza. It never dawned on Sam that Ned and Matt might meet that they'd breath the same air or worse, interact. Sam's phone sat in his damp palm as he texted Matt that they were here and to be cool and to be civil and to not ruin his life.

Matt responded with:

"lol"

All lower caps.

No punctuation.

"You knock," Ned said, nudging Sam forward when they arrived on the porch. He was wearing his backpack again with The Gregor stuffed inside. A small hole was left open to give the gnome air to breathe. It was ridiculous, but it was so Ned. He was the type of kid to say goodbye to all his toys before his family went on vacation.

With a withering look, Sam glanced back at him. "I texted him."

And like that, a few moments later, the locks inside the door shifted and clunked out of the way to reveal Matt on the other side smiling and immediately sizing Ned up. "Good evening weary travelers."

"Hi, Matt," Sam sighed.

"Hi, Sam," Matt mocked back, echoing Sam's frustration.

Matt was a guy's guy. Physically fit from soccer and from jogging around the neighborhood with his dad. He wore loungewear most of the time, like tonight he sported a familiar pair of joggers, a hoodie, and white socks on his feet. He had trimmed very short brown hair and moles dotting around his face (which Sam swears moved all the time).