Write By Your Side by D.J. Van Oss

Author:D.J. Van Oss [Oss, D.J. Van]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Next Chapter
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

“Don't say it, Arch,” Sam said.

“Say what?”

“You've got your 'I know you're hiding something but you don't want to talk about it so I'm going to pry it out of you anyway' look.”

The pair were walking through Cartwright's campus on their way to the student union for their start-of-the-new-semester Danish. It was tradition. How they'd first met, standing in line for a free Danish and coffee. They dodged a few students on the sidewalks, all carrying enormous backpacks.

“Sounds like someone's a little troubled. Would you like to talk about it?”

“See? You're doing it right now. Even when I'm telling you that I don't want to talk about something you never even asked me about, you're trying to get me to talk about it.”

Archie stuck out his chin, eyes squinting. “Hello? Am I even in this conversation? I mean, can you at least give me a hint about what it is I'm trying to pry out of you, about which I have no idea but which you seem to be wanting not to tell me in the worst way?” He worked his jaw up and down. “I think I just broke my tongue on that last sentence.”

“Good. Maybe now I can walk in silence.”

Archie snorted. “Buddy, you're the one doing all the talking. So, out with it.”

Sam took a few more steps, shoved his hands in his pockets. If he could talk to anyone about this, it was Archie. “It's Ellie.”

Sam nodded. “When isn't it?”

“She spent the night last night.”

“She what?”

Sam spread his hands out. “Well, not spent the whole night. Just most of it. On the boat.”

“She went out on the boat with you? How did you swing that?”

“I asked her.”

Archie nodded. “I see.”

They walked awhile in silence, Sam glancing over, waiting for more. “That's it? 'I see'?”

“You're two grown adults. You can do what you want.”

“You don't approve?”

“What's to approve? You want a girl to spend the night on your boat, go ahead.”

“Okay…” It wasn't the response he had expected. He chuckled. “I mean, we are adults, after all. If people want to talk.”

Archie nodded.

“And it's not like we're…uh…we're…” What were they doing? What was he doing? He hadn't meant for her to stay so long, but the water was smooth and there was the sunset and the trees, and she was there, in her cute striped shirt and her heart-shaped face and…and it was like the last four years had somehow evaporated, blown away like morning fog on the water.

They had arrived at the student union. Sam stopped at the double-doored entrance. “Aren't you going to say anything?”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Well, am I doing the right thing?”

“What are you doing?”

Sam held up his hand. “Stop answering all my questions with questions.”

Archie opened his mouth, closed it, then put his hands in his pockets. “Sam, I've known you for…what? Eight years now? I've known Ellie almost as long. It broke my heart when you guys split up, and it breaks it even more to see you so close now the past few weeks.

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