"You're absolutely sure you brought your wallet?"
Sem rolled his eyes.
"No mom, I just tossed it out of the window. Was that wrong of me? Should I not have done that?"
"Haha. Very funny. And your passport, it's in the wallet?"
"Ye-hes."
"Can you check just to be sure?"
Sem let out an exaggeratedly deep sigh, making no move to grab his wallet. What were they even going to do about it if he didn't have it? They were already in the car on the highway to the airport. Not that easy to just turn around and get it, unless you're like Vin Diesel in The Fast and Furious.
His dad was no Vin Diesel. He always drove extra carefully with the entire family aboard, and seeing him off to London at the airport, evidently, was a family event. Even his brother Daniel had tagged along. He was sitting on the other backseat, absentmindedly staring out of his car window.
Sem pointed his phone at his own window, and snapped a picture of the road for Connor.
Sem: on my way to the airport! London school trip is a go! [Sent: 8:01]
"Sem, check if you have your passport. Now." Turning in her seat, his mom glared at him.
She always made such a fuss over every little thing. Just because he sometimes ran out the door without his coat on a rainy day, or had forgotten to bring his toothbrush on the camping trip after all, or had left the whole family stranded at the airport during the holidays because his passport was still on the nightstand--
Okay, okay, geez, fair point. But that passport thing was one time five years ago.
Damn it, she was making him hesitate. Sem grabbed his wallet. The passport was in there (hah!), and Sem casually waved it at his mom.
"Happy now?"
"Very."
Putting the passport back in place, Sem mused how he wouldn't have been surprised if the thing had been laying on his nightstand. He really wasn't in the game with his head, and could anyone blame him? His brain was all fuzzy mess, and he wasn't able to focus on anything. Well, anything except Connor. The taste of his lips, his rough hands, his scent, his everything. Maybe he should have left the damn passport at home, just so he could miss his flight and see Connor today.
Sem's phone gave a buzz. Connor had sent him a thumbs up.
Connor: Have fun there! I'm sure you will [Sent: 8:03]
Sem: Wished you could come too... It's not too late yet to sneak you into my suitcase if you wanna ;) [Sent: 8:03]
Sem: We could go see the city. Like, really see the city you know? Not just do all the stupid shit schools would make us do. stuffy museums and old dusty building, woop. [Sent: 8:04]
Connor: If only. I'm stuck at uni. I'd really like to see the Science musuem tho [Sent: 8:05]
Sem: I'm sure you would, you geek. fiiine I'd go to that one museum with you. but thats it. that's all you're getting out of me. [Sent: 8:06]
Connor: Haha, no fan of delving into a citys rich cultural past? [Sent: 8:06]
Sem: Oh, barf. :p [Sent: 8:06]
Sem: the only way history can be interesting is if there's someone who can tell the juicy stuff. Things they leave out of the touristy tours. [Sent: 8:07]
Sem: You know what i'd like to do most though? go to a gay club with you in London. nobody knows us there anyway [Sent: 8:08]
In London, spurred on by being anonymous, Sem felt like he could tell the entire world 'screw you, I like dick.'
You know, as long as said 'entire world' didn't include people who knew him, and weren't people he had to face again after saying 'screw you, I like dick.' He was terrified of those people.
Sometimes, even Sem couldn't follow his own thoughts and feelings.
Connor: Clubs? How would you get in? [Sent: 8:10]
Sem frowned at his screen, wondering what Connor meant with that. A second later it occurred to him that not everyone had a fake ID in their pocket on a regular Friday night. Nor friends like Ethan, who knew all the lenient bouncers and no bouncer bars.
It was kind of normal to Sem. He was tall for his age, and packed some muscle; he could pass for a baby-faced eighteen year old. Of course, Connor was aware he was still in high school, though. He hadn't made an issue out of him being sixteen, but Sem wondered if he should tell Connor about the fake ID too. It could be something he found less than impressive. Connor was different from the people Sem usually hung out with-- more of a good guy.
Nothing had changed since the past ten minutes; he shouldn't already be showing off all the uglies. Better save that for when they were comfortable together, and keep it vague now.
Sem: I have my ways [Sent: 8:11]
Connor: Haha, alright bad boy [Sent: 8:11]
Sem: hope you're a good dancer. there's no way I'd let you sit on a barstool all night if we ever go to a club [Sent: 8:12]
There was another buzz in the car, and this time it wasn't Sem's phone. Glancing in the direction of the sound, Sem saw a smartphone, an actual smartphone, in Daniel's hands. Whoa, when had this happened? His brother had had his prehistoric phone for years, and stubbornly refused to replace it because the dinosaur refrigerator model still worked. Plus, Sem guessed he didn't have many people to call anyway.
"Mom," Daniel looked at the front of the car. "Lisa's coming over tomorrow night, she wants to join dinner, is that okay?"
"That's nice Daniel, of course that's okay," mom replied, and dad nodded in agreement.
"Is she only staying for dinner?" dad asked.
"No we're gonna play that cool videogame series, Mass Effect, together."
Sem raised an eyebrow at Daniel. "Gaming in your bedroom? Come on, even you can think of something better. You sure you want her to see your mouldy leftover food and dirty underwear on the floor on your first date?"
Daniel flushed. "Shut up. It's not a date!"
"You so want it to be a date though," Sem countered with a grin, definitely not shutting up, and savouring the way his brother turned even more red. "Careful not to gas her with an entire store of deodorant, or your au-natural produced 'old spice' right? It gives such a mess."
Sem ignored the glare his mom shot him, and laughed at the half-assed weak attempt at a shove Daniel did.
Honestly, the day his brother would make a move on a girl was the day hell froze over. Sem couldn't see him do it, ever. Even if Daniel and Lisa were alone in his room, and even if Daniel actually liked her, his brother would just be his awkward self. Tongue-tied, hands folded in his lap, sweating, and sitting a mile away from the girl.
Daniel was still muttering incoherent, but definitely unfriendly, things at Sem. But Sem immediately let it go when a new message from Connor came in.
Connor: oh, I'll dance. After a few shots. If you go to that museum with me. [Sent: 8:14]
Daniel and his dating life were long forgotten, as Sem's imagination went running wild. His stomach fluttered at the thought of Connor and him grinding on the dance floor. They'd get all heated up, leave early, and end up in a hotel room with thick walls. He'd love to find out if he could make Connor a little less quiet.
Okay, maybe things were fluttering slightly south of his stomach by now, too.
Sem: that's a deal. that's definitely a deal. [Sent: 8:15]
***
"Sem, you're gonna keep me company right? Sophie is ditching me to sit next to Leanne on the plane."
Emma's pout was incredibly convincing. But Sem also saw how Sophie and Leanne were grinning like two Cheshire cats, and pretending they weren't paying attention as they took their seat a bit up ahead. This was so painfully obviously a 'romantic' set up. He should know, he was the master of set ups. Crap, avoid dodge.
Sem shook his head. "Nah, can't do. I already told Nick I'd sit next to him."
"No you won't. I'm claiming Nick as of now," Ethan winked at Sem, slapped a hand on Nick's back, and started pushing the latter down the aisle of the plane. Nick shot Sem a quick semi-apologetic look over his shoulder, but let Ethan take him along.
So much for a best friend's support. Sem knew exactly what Nick's opinion about the Emma situation was though, which was probably why he hadn't protested much. He thought Emma was a Goddess, and Sem absolutely insane for not immediately asking her out. Hell, even Matthew, who usually didn't give a shit about Sem's relationship status, had asked what the deal with Sem and Emma was and if they were already doing it.
They all just assumed.
And why wouldn't they? Sem had spent an awful lot of time going out and kissing girls. They couldn't read his mind and know he no longer wanted to do that.
A quick glance told Sem Matthew was not going to interfere either. His back was turned to Sem, and he roughly shoved Blake out of the way while moving towards the rear end of the plane. Blake lost his balance and crashed into Tom, who in turn shoved him away too. Oof, Sem would almost start feeling sorry for him.
Maybe it'd be better to sit with Emma than Matthew after all. Matthew was always in such a foul mood on school trips. Sem and Nick once discussed how they suspected Matthew got homesick, but neither of them knew for sure. Nick had also mentioned he didn't have enough of a death wish to ask.
"Looks like it's you and me after all, buddy," Sem said, glancing at Emma and sliding into a seat.
One of Emma's perfectly plucked eyebrows raised in question as she mockingly smiled at him. "Buddy? Since when do you call me that?"
Sem shrugged. "Dunno."
Since I'm trying to make it crystal clear we're just friends. Just. Friends. Got it?
Clearly, she did not get it.
Emma shifted in her seat, until she was laying against Sem, her head resting on his shoulder. It's not like it was the first time she did that, and usually Sem wouldn't mind. Now that he knew her intentions were different, it felt all kinds of awkward, and then some more.
"Mm, you don't mind right? I'm still so beat from that college party." Emma blinked her big, doe-eyes at him in a way Sem was sure made any other guy in their class (except for Blake, probably) swoon.
"I thought you said you slept sixteen hours afterward," Sem replied, ignoring the impulse he had to shrug her off of him. He would've without a second of hesitation with someone he didn't like, but he did like her. On a platonic level. He didn't want to be cruel to a friend, and it's not like her leaning on him was unpleasant or anything, aside from the weirdness. Her hair smelled nice, and she was pretty. Just, no butterflies. No racing pulse. He didn't want sugary sweet perfume; he wanted fresh with a faint undertone of motor oil.
Emma closed her eyes and groaned. "Not enough. Tireeed. It's not fair how Ethan can party three nights, all weekend, and be peachy keen again on Monday."
Despite everything, Sem let out a chuckle at that. "The boy has a gift."
"I want his gift."
"Don't we all."
Sem's eyes darted to a few rows up ahead, where Nick and Ethan were sitting. Ethan was actually turned in his seat, and gave him an all-saying grin, complete with wiggling eyebrows, when he saw Sem looking. Sem rolled his eyes at him. Ethan retaliated by making an obscene sexual gesture, and Sem gave him the finger.
Then, a stewardess tapped Ethan on the shoulder and made him sit straight in his seat, ending their wordless argument. Just in time too, because Emma blinked her eyes open.
"You're coming again next time, right Sem? Club night isn't the same without you. I missed your epic dance moves."
"Ain't no party without my crazy dance moves. Sure, I'll be there."
Emma smiled at him, and he smiled back.
"Okay, for real now. I need a nap." Emma snuggled up to him a bit more and covered herself with her jacket, before shutting her eyes again.
Wouldn't it be easy if he was attracted to her the same way? There wasn't anybody who didn't approve of sweet Emma. Nobody was going to judge him for choosing her. Kissing girls wasn't horrible. Sex wasn't either. He could do it with Emma, like he did with Shannon, Sem was sure. And he'd be miserable all the while.
Sem let his eyes fall closed just like Emma's, but he already knew he wouldn't catch a wink of sleep.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :) Have a lovely day!