Two Introverts ?

23 | Happy

"Guess what, same," Sam replied. And that really was true. Ever since the incident before their math exam had happened, Sam took it upon himself to scavenge for ways to stay concentrated. One thing that really didn't help was music. Sam loves music more than anything - it acted as his therapy and best friend when no one was there for him and it just felt like home. But when he tried using it as a way of trying to concentrate, it ended up distracting him even more as he'd only sing and not get a single thing done. What did help, though, was thinking of the things he could do after he was done. Simple things - things like, "oh, I can go meet Charles after I'm done with this," or "I can go to June's shop and spend time with him," or even "I could teach Kat some singing, I know she loves it just as much as I do." - really helped him get his work done on time. As his mother quoted often, if he wanted something to happen, then he is the one who should work towards it, because no one else will. No one else cares enough. 

"So..." Sam started off, but seeing as Charles's face lit up - because probable because if something he remembered - he chose to stay quiet and let the other speak. 

"Sam, do you have a- like an album? That has the pictures of you when you were small?"

Oh.

"I do, but I'm not gonna show them. They're embarrassing."

"I'll show you mine when we're at my house," he said, clearly knowing that this would get Sam to budge. He's known me for what, 8 months now? And he knows me almost as much as June does? Wow. 

"...you really know how to get me to do the things you want, don't you," he said, remembering how he'd made him sing two weeks ago. And that immediately made his heart race because that was the day he'd had his first kiss. I want to tell him that I love him, too, he thought, out of nowhere. 

"Hehe," he said, making an adorable face. Stop it. My heart is already yours, what more do you want?

Turning around with a face he knew was red, he beckoned Charles to follow him. When they went out, they saw Kat lying on the couch, her face red and sweaty. Sam's older brother instinct kicked in when he asked, "What happened to you?" 

"Nothing..."

"Like I'm gonna buy that."

"Really, nothing. I'm just tired. It's so hot outside, I almost got fried," she said, making Charles laugh out loud. 

"Oh..." Okay, it wasn't anything serious, he thought, a tad relieved. 

"...why're you still staring at me? Go do what you were about to, I'm fine," she said, shooing them away. 

"Where's mom? And dad? Didn't you go with them?"

"I did, but seeing that mom still had too many things to buy, and I was like, literally getting toasted, dad dropped me off and then went back... to join her, I guess."

Typical mom. With a small laugh, he said, "Okay... I'll be in the store room. Call me if you need something."

"Yeah, fine. Now please go, I want to rest."

Muttering a 'brat' under his breath and Charles laughing at the interaction, they both went to said room, Charles clearly eager to see baby Sam. 

"Look, just a warning, I was really ugly-"

"Say that once more and I'll never kiss you again," he interrupted. Sam's face flushed, and he didn't say anything afterward. With hands a little hesitant, he grabbed the dozen albums and kept it in front of Charles. They both sat down on the floor, Sam trying to guess from the cover of the album which one was the least embarrassing. He picked the one that had the photos of both him and Kat. He was four years old in them. He handed it over to Charles, which he gladly accepted. Flipping through the pages, Charles wasn't able to stop saying "aww" every second, and though it made Sam happy that he didn't find him ugly, he was embarrassed as hell. Well, who wouldn't be?