Going home on the bus I thought about Sam.
How close we felt to each other in such a short time.

I wished he lived closer.
At my bus stop I got my bike out of the rack and raced home.

Brett was there. “Still in the same clothes I see.”
My mom’s boyfriend could be so smug.
Slapping me on the back he said, “whose the lucky girl?”

“There is no girl,” I said angrily.

“ok.. boy then,” He laughed at his own joke.

I glared at him with hatred. I wanted to tell him all about Sam and watch the bastard squirm.

Mom walked in. “Hey honey,” she pecked me on the cheek, “How is Mike and his family?”

“What..” I said, then remembered my lie about staying at my friend Mikes’ house, “fine they’re fine”, I said. “I’m going over next Saturday too.”

“Really”, my mother said, “Won’t that be difficult seeing as Mike has the German measles?”

Deer caught in the headlights look across my face. Caught in a lie.

“Where were you really?”, she demanded, hands on hips, angry mom style.

“Sams’”, I spat out.