Spring

Marc Yamasaki

We have practice again on Monday and it's our last one until after Christmas, which is in four days. Sage asks to come over again before we leave, and I would never tell him no. I'm surprised that he asked to stay on a weekday, usually, he has to babysit.

He grins at me when I walk up to him outside of the locker room. He bounces onto the heels of his feet excitedly. "Ready to go?"

Fuck, he's so cute.

I smirk. "Yeah. You ready to watch a horror movie?"

"No, but it'll be fine." He shrugs, following me when I start to walk.

"Will it?" I raise my eyebrows, smiles already coming easier to me as we get further from the gym.

"Yeah because you're gonna hold my hand the whole time. Duh."

My lips turn up more. He's grinning too, and there's a little jump in his steps. "Oh, right. Of course."

"Of course." He parrots with a nod.

We get to my truck and he's eager to jump into the passenger seat. He's been very happy and upbeat today. In practice, he ran a little faster, and pushed himself a little more.

"So, why aren't you babysitting today?"

"Oh. Natalie has a birthday party and is going to stay the night. She swears up and down she's actually going to spend the whole night this time and not chicken out at ten or eleven, but we'll see. And, get this,"

He sets himself higher in the seat, leaning over the console as he starts to talk. Every part of me wants to turn and give him my full attention but I'm driving so I can't. I just nod and glance over as often as I can.

"My mom's been really pushing me to go out more. She said she's going to try being home more often and not take so many hours on."

He's grinning so wide it's infectious. "That's awesome."

"Yeah. It's pretty cool." He relaxes back in his seat. "And she told me she wants me to start doing things. Going out and such. Says I need to be a normal teenager for some of my teenage life."

"That's nice. Are you going to? Go out more."

"Well, I mean, if you and, or Aria are. I don't want to go by myself. Maybe I can hang out with Jamie some, but I don't know. We've never hung out outside of school before."

"Why not?" I will admit that seems a bit weird to me. Jamie and him are close from what I can see. I thought that by now they would've spent time together outside of school at least once.

"I don't know. He just hasn't invited me anywhere yet."

"So, why don't you?"

His expression seems to melt. He doesn't look upset, just a little conflicted and confused. "I can't. I don't know, it's gonna sound stupid."

"I don't judge."

He snorts. "I've heard you talk to Ethan, yes you do."