My Desert Haven (BOYXBOY)

Chapter 26

On the way home, while Jase and Eddie talked quietly in the front seat about how they could both take time off for a vacation this year, only not on the same days, I found myself in the back, asking Luke about Dave. I hadn’t asked him what had happened the night before because I’d been distracted over Seth. As it turned out, he did talk to Dave, only he hadn’t told his friend that he was annoying the shit out of him. I didn’t understand this, but Luke insisted that there were plenty of times that Dave had put up with him, and the least he could do was do the same thing for Dave. But, he did happen to tell Dave that if Dave didn’t ask Angela out soon, Luke would ask her out himself. Apparently Dave wasn’t convinced, for the obvious reasons, but he agreed that the next time he saw her, he’d try his best.

It was after eight o’clock by the time we were driving past Seth’s house and towards ours. I found myself taking an extra long look out the window, noticing the blue truck parked out front. This didn’t go unnoticed by Luke.

When I started to follow Eddie and Jase into the house through the garage, it was Luke who grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"Hey, I’m gonna meet the guys at the park. Do you wanna come?"

"Um... now?" We’d just gotten home.

"In a few minutes... I could drop you off at Seth’s on the way."

I blinked, and noticed Luke studying me carefully after he made that offer.

"Luke...okay," I abruptly agreed, and he raised an eyebrow at me.

"Seriously?"

"Look, I don’t know what I’m doing with Seth," I admitted. "But, I sorta like him. I think. I mean, I thought that I liked being around him because after Aaron he was just... well, a lot better, but I’ve been thinking a lot after last night and I think..."

"Okay," Luke abruptly cut off my babbling, cracking a smile. "Why don’t you tell Eddie and Jase what we’re doing."

"Okay."

...........................................

Couldn’t talk. Not with that woman smiling at me. I looked away from her, to where Luke had dropped me off. He was already gone. I looked back at Seth’s mom, the pretty woman who was looking at me expectantly, and tried again. She’d asked me a question. "Are you here to see Seth?" it was simple enough to answer.

"Yes."

Thank god for the redheaded midget who fought her way past her mom, looked at me and grinned a toothless smile. It was a good distraction.

"Hi, Rory!"

I was surprised she remembered me.

"Hi... Gail."

And I remembered her name. Bonus points for me.

"I got a new dress!" she announced. "Wanna see it?"

Mrs. Fisher smiled at me again. Almost apologetically, but it also could have been one of those smiles that mothers give when they think their offspring have said something cute.

"Come on in," she insisted. "Gail, will you take Rory up to Seth’s? I think he’s in his room."

I stepped into the house as they made room for me, becoming startled when Gail latched onto my hand with a surprisingly strong grip for a forty-pound little girl.