Ned Gets Stood Up

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"What are we doing then? You're on speaker by the way."

"Hi, Ned!" His brother called out.

"Hey, John, so this is where I'm going to meet Chad..."

#

DECEMBER 24th

12:00PM

SAM

It was officially Christmas Eve.

And Sam found himself eating an ice-cream cone in the back of the quarterback's van. He was quietly surrendering himself to being kidnapped finally, after Ned gave Chad the call to make negotiations. Both boys agreed upon a spot and an exchange: Sam for The Gregor.

Sam was surprised by how quickly Ned called.

They'd meet in downtown where there was a long stretch of restaurants and boutiques. Just on the edge, there was a park where they'd make the switch.

One of the jocks, Rex noticed it, giving him the eyes. "Looks like someone didn't have to think about what's more important."

"Yeah, yeah," Sam grumbled and just ate more ice-cream.

"I'm rooting for you guys," Toby said with more ice-cream on his clothes and around his mouth than his stomach. He noticed a big glob on his chest and lifted the fabric to suck it out.

Sam smiled. "You know, no matter what happens. I've really enjoyed hanging out with you guys. I'm sorry if I acted like a dick earlier tonight."

Chad waved his hand. "No worries, dude. If you did, I didn't even notice. We're tight..." Chad's voice drifted as he leaned further into his seat, over the wheel. "What the hell is this...?"

Sam tapped Rex, telling him to switch as he wanted to get closer to the action as he realized what was going on. They were lining up in a huge line at the end of the Christmas Parade downtown. People were dispersing, walking through the road without care, lugging behind their chairs and their goodies. Dozens of floats were lined up ahead of them as snow fell like celebratory confetti onto the ground to join the actual confetti and trash from the event.

The corner of Sam's mouth quirked. He handed Toby the rest of his ice-cream, which the man didn't fight. He rolled down the window, looking back and forth for Jason's car when he saw him. Just as Rex pointed out. "Oh, hey, Flower's is walking up to the car. Well, uh hobbling I guess."

The moment Ned's dark brown eyes hit Sam, his whole demeanor changed. The tightness in his face and shoulders slackened and a small smile appeared all over. His joy at catching Sam in the crowd shined bright in his eyes. The butterflies in Sam's stomach were screaming.

He hated Ned Flowers with all his heart.

"Sam!" Ned called and he hobbled faster. He struggled to keep up with fighting through the moving crowds, the moving car, and his own limp. "Sam, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay!" Sam snapped, working himself up for this conversation. It couldn't be like always when he forgave Ned easily and without a second of thought. If Sam and Ned did what they always did, nothing between them was ever going to change.

He rehearsed this conversation during the McDonald's drive through. "Of course, I'm not okay. I can't believe you did that. Tried to sell me out to my mom. It's not up to you where I go and what I do."

"You're right."

"After everything we've been through tonight, after all that talk, you just let my mom bulldoze you like that? When she's mad at your mom and not you. What happened to the guy at the beginning of the night?"