Ned Gets Stood Up

Chapter Nineteen

NED

Leaning over the cushions, Ned started the golf cart. The cold wrapped around him again, nipping at his cheeks and nose. The warmth from Matt's house melted right off. He caught himself smiling. That became more of a success than Ned thought possible.

The front door closed, but he didn't hear any footsteps.

"Ned?"

Twisting around, Ned smiled at Sam up on the porch with his hands clenched by his sides. It seemed like he had to physically force himself to walk. Ned tilted his head, his face twisting into one huge question mark. "Are you ready to go? What's up?"

Sam's eyes lingered on him as he approached. Ever since finding the yearbook, Sam had been quiet and a Sam that didn't express his thoughts open and freely with little warrant, Ned didn't like. He started to ask again, but Sam looked him right in the eyes and said, "Before we go, do you want to drive around the cul-de-sac and look at the lights?"

Ned blinked and stood up straight. "How can I say no?"

Despite Sam's little smile, Ned caught the twinge of nerves still on his face, but he didn't question it. He climbed into the driver's seat with Sam joining him by his side. 

#

SAM

Every inch of Sam's skin itched the same way it did right before he had to present to the class. His skin was hot. Hotter than hot. Like if someone cracked an egg on his forearm, he'd have breakfast ready in three seconds flat. He held his hands in his lap, twisting the skin around his knuckles and trying to calm down by breathing. Ned controlled the time, slowing it down as the golf cart crawled across the pavement. The Christmas lights were bright, glittering as the curtain of day dropped and the stars were out.

Sam took another deep breath, but just like the others, it didn't feel like enough.

Peeking over at Ned, he only had selfish thoughts running through his mind:

I want to kiss you.

You're all I've ever wanted.

And Ned sat there with one hand on the wheel and his arm on the back of Sam's seat. He was so open, so welcoming. Sam had fallen and Ned was an opened hand just waiting for him to take it. And why wouldn't he want to take it? Why wouldn't he want Ned? He was beautiful. He was kind.

"We're not dating," Ned had said, "Not yet.'

It sounded like a promise.

Totally mine.

#

NED

He couldn't help it.

Ned was smiling so wide his cheeks were hurting.

This was just the best worst day of his whole life. He might've gotten stood up, started a fight with Lena, and got punched, but Sam was here. Everything was better with Sam here. And he was. Right here. Ned couldn't get over it.

He sunk against the plastic seat and admired the warm lights all around them. He watched them flicker and change. Pressing a random button, he just hoped the radio would turn on and he hadn't meant to do it, but Christmas music did begin to play.

#

SAM

Letting out a breath, Sam was thankful it wasn't so quiet anymore. All the heat was now trapped underneath his face, and he wondered if a blush could give him third degree burns. His chest squeezed with the nerves. He needed to just say it. Just rip off the proverbial Band-Aid and just tell Ned how he feels or this feeling of looking over the edge of a cliff would never go away.