Note: It's a short chapter but I thought all of you might like to know
what's going on with Portman. Thank-you anne918, C-chan96, Banksiesbabe99,
and crazy4nc128 for your wonderful reviews.
Adam's POV:
I held my breath and waited for him to shove me up against the wall or punch me or something. I just knew whatever it was it was going to hurt. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Connie, Dwayne and Russ all take a step away from us. 'Oh great friends I have' I thought although I really couldn't blame them too much. If our positions had been reversed I probably would've done the same thing. To my surprise, Charlie took control of the situation.
"What do you want Portman?" he asked casually actually taking a step toward Portman and putting himself in between me and Portman. The thought of us both ending up in the hospital crossed my mind.
Portman didn't look phased at all. "Nothing really," he said. "I just wanted to tell Adam that I was sorry for what I said about Alex last night and that he can stop avoiding me because I'm not mad at him," he said quickly. I don't think I had ever heard Portman apologized for anything in his life. We all just stared at him in surprise.
This very tiny voice in the back of my head was whispering apologize but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Truth was I wasn't sorry for hitting. Fine, he had apologized but he had still said it. He had still had the punch coming. Still staying mad at him was probably suicide and I wasn't ready to die.
"Apology accepted," was all I said and hoped it was enough.
"Okay," Portman said. "I need to get to my class," he told us and started walking down the hallway in the opposite direction we had been headed.
"Are you crazy," Russ said incredulously as we started walking toward our class again. "You should have apologized."
"For what," Connie told him. "Adam didn't do anything wrong."
"No but he did punch a guy twice his size. Man I would be on my knees begging the guy to forgive me," Russ said. Somehow I couldn't quite picture it.
"I can't apologize for something I don't feel sorry about," I told him.
"Great a cake-eater and his morals. You know now wonder people like to beat kids like you up," Russ said with a smile. Connie and Charlie both punched him playfully on the arm for that comment.
We went into the classroom and took our usual seats in the back. I was sitting in the very back row with Charlie right in front of me and Connie across the aisle from him. I couldn't help but notice the looks that kept passing between them which made me start to wonder if anything was going on between the two of them. If it was, how was Guy going to take it? I gave up my speculations as the teacher called on me to start reading the chapter.
Alex's POV:
"Alex," I heard Shane call and stopped and turned to see him hurrying through the halls toward me. "I'm so sorry," he started when he reached me, "but I'm not going to be able to come with you this afternoon. I have a meeting with Mr. Huntington right after school."
"What did you do?" I couldn't resist asking. Mr. Huntington was our English teacher and nobody liked him especially not Shane.
"Let's just say I said some things that probably shouldn't have been said in the classroom setting," Shane told me. I could just imagine what they had been.
"Okay," I said choosing to leave it at that. I really didn't want the details as I was probably better off not knowing them. I've had my own problems with Mr. Huntington already this year.
"Look, I'll come over as soon as I can and see if you guys still need any help," Shane told me. I knew he felt bad that he couldn't be there for me. Most of the stuff that I had up in the Larson's attic were things that had been in my parents bedroom. I had been putting off going through the stuff until I felt ready. I still didn't feel completely ready (especially in light of what my mom had told me before she died about me being adopted. Part of me still didn't want to believe that). I was starting to doubt I would ever feel ready so I finally just decided to get it over with.
"That would be great," I told him. "It's okay, I understand," I added giving him a quick hug before he walked back in the direction he had come to go face Mr. Huntington.
I continued to walk to the front of the academic building. As soon as I stepped outside I could see Adam and Charlie waiting for me at the bottom of the steps. I hurried down the steps to join them.
"Hi guys," I said as I joined them at the bottom of the steps. They both greeted me.
"I guess we're just waiting on Shane now," Charlie said.
"Actually, something came up and he can't make it right now. He's going to try joining us later."
"What happened?" Adam asked as we headed over to the bus stop.
"He had to meet with our English teacher. He let his mouth get him into trouble."
"You guys have Mr. Huntington don't you?" Charlie asked me.
"Yes," I said disgustedly. There are some people that I dislike but very few that I would actually say I hate. However, Mr. Huntington is one of those few that I would say I hate.
"From what I hear about him, I'm hoping I don't get stuck with him next year," Charlie said.
"So do I," I told him "because you'd never be able to keep your mouth shut and you'd probably be having more meeting with him than Shane and I put together."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Charlie commented.
"You're welcome," I told him as the bus pulled up.
The three of us got on the bus and found two empty seats near the middle. Adam and I sat together and Charlie sat behind us. The three of us chatted until we got to the closest stop to the Larson's house which was only a few doors down from Adam's house. We talked the whole time that we walked toward North Hennepin Ave.
"You okay?" I whispered to Adam as I led them up the Larson's front walk. Charlie was right behind us.
"Yeah, its just I haven't been this close to this house in years. I guess its just feels a little weird," Adam whispered back.
I gave Adam a reassuring smile and the took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Adam smiled back at me. I tried the front door and found it locked so I got my key out and let us in.
As we walked in I heard noise in the kitchen so I knew someone was home. I led Adam and Charlie into the kitchen to see who was there. Mrs. Larson was at the table cutting up vegetables. She looked up as I entered the room.
"Hi Alex," she said with a smile. "I wasn't expecting you to be home this afternoon."
"I thought its was about time I started going through some of the stuff I have in the attic," I told her. She nodded sympathetically. "I brought a couple of friends with me," I told her. "This is Charlie Conway and I'm sure you remember Adam," I told her indicating the two boys behind me.
"Of course," Mrs. Larson said putting down the knife and making her way over to us. She gave Adam a hug which I think surprised Adam a little bit. "Shane told me you two were on speaking terms again," she said to him holding him at arm's length. "I was so happy to hear that. How have you been, Adam? Your mother told me about your problems with your Dad. I think that was a terrible thing for him to do."
"I'm doing okay," Adam said smiling and looking much more at ease with being in the Larson's house again. "I've been staying with Coach Bombay and he's been really good to me."
"Well, that's good to hear and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask," she told him finally letting him go.
"Thank-you," Adam told her.
Mrs. Larson turned her attention to Charlie who was still standing behind me trying to stay out of the little reunion that was taking place.
"Charlie, its nice to meet you," Mrs. Larson said holding out her hand which Charlie politely shook. "You skated with the Ducks didn't you?"
"Yes, I did." Charlie told her.
"Would you kids like anything to drink or eat?" she asked us.
"No thank-you," the three of us all replied.
"We're going to head upstairs and get started," I told her.
"Okay," she said. "Just remember there is no rush. That stuff can stay up there as long as you want it to," she told me.
"I know," I told her and gave her a quick hug. I don't know how I would have gotten through my mom's last illness and death if it hadn't been for her. She had been there for me through it all. Mrs. Larson had even offered to pay someone to help me track down my birth mother if I decided I wanted to try and find her. I still wasn't sure I wanted to do that though.
I led Charlie and Adam out of the kitchen and upstairs to the attic.
Adam's POV:
I held my breath and waited for him to shove me up against the wall or punch me or something. I just knew whatever it was it was going to hurt. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Connie, Dwayne and Russ all take a step away from us. 'Oh great friends I have' I thought although I really couldn't blame them too much. If our positions had been reversed I probably would've done the same thing. To my surprise, Charlie took control of the situation.
"What do you want Portman?" he asked casually actually taking a step toward Portman and putting himself in between me and Portman. The thought of us both ending up in the hospital crossed my mind.
Portman didn't look phased at all. "Nothing really," he said. "I just wanted to tell Adam that I was sorry for what I said about Alex last night and that he can stop avoiding me because I'm not mad at him," he said quickly. I don't think I had ever heard Portman apologized for anything in his life. We all just stared at him in surprise.
This very tiny voice in the back of my head was whispering apologize but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Truth was I wasn't sorry for hitting. Fine, he had apologized but he had still said it. He had still had the punch coming. Still staying mad at him was probably suicide and I wasn't ready to die.
"Apology accepted," was all I said and hoped it was enough.
"Okay," Portman said. "I need to get to my class," he told us and started walking down the hallway in the opposite direction we had been headed.
"Are you crazy," Russ said incredulously as we started walking toward our class again. "You should have apologized."
"For what," Connie told him. "Adam didn't do anything wrong."
"No but he did punch a guy twice his size. Man I would be on my knees begging the guy to forgive me," Russ said. Somehow I couldn't quite picture it.
"I can't apologize for something I don't feel sorry about," I told him.
"Great a cake-eater and his morals. You know now wonder people like to beat kids like you up," Russ said with a smile. Connie and Charlie both punched him playfully on the arm for that comment.
We went into the classroom and took our usual seats in the back. I was sitting in the very back row with Charlie right in front of me and Connie across the aisle from him. I couldn't help but notice the looks that kept passing between them which made me start to wonder if anything was going on between the two of them. If it was, how was Guy going to take it? I gave up my speculations as the teacher called on me to start reading the chapter.
Alex's POV:
"Alex," I heard Shane call and stopped and turned to see him hurrying through the halls toward me. "I'm so sorry," he started when he reached me, "but I'm not going to be able to come with you this afternoon. I have a meeting with Mr. Huntington right after school."
"What did you do?" I couldn't resist asking. Mr. Huntington was our English teacher and nobody liked him especially not Shane.
"Let's just say I said some things that probably shouldn't have been said in the classroom setting," Shane told me. I could just imagine what they had been.
"Okay," I said choosing to leave it at that. I really didn't want the details as I was probably better off not knowing them. I've had my own problems with Mr. Huntington already this year.
"Look, I'll come over as soon as I can and see if you guys still need any help," Shane told me. I knew he felt bad that he couldn't be there for me. Most of the stuff that I had up in the Larson's attic were things that had been in my parents bedroom. I had been putting off going through the stuff until I felt ready. I still didn't feel completely ready (especially in light of what my mom had told me before she died about me being adopted. Part of me still didn't want to believe that). I was starting to doubt I would ever feel ready so I finally just decided to get it over with.
"That would be great," I told him. "It's okay, I understand," I added giving him a quick hug before he walked back in the direction he had come to go face Mr. Huntington.
I continued to walk to the front of the academic building. As soon as I stepped outside I could see Adam and Charlie waiting for me at the bottom of the steps. I hurried down the steps to join them.
"Hi guys," I said as I joined them at the bottom of the steps. They both greeted me.
"I guess we're just waiting on Shane now," Charlie said.
"Actually, something came up and he can't make it right now. He's going to try joining us later."
"What happened?" Adam asked as we headed over to the bus stop.
"He had to meet with our English teacher. He let his mouth get him into trouble."
"You guys have Mr. Huntington don't you?" Charlie asked me.
"Yes," I said disgustedly. There are some people that I dislike but very few that I would actually say I hate. However, Mr. Huntington is one of those few that I would say I hate.
"From what I hear about him, I'm hoping I don't get stuck with him next year," Charlie said.
"So do I," I told him "because you'd never be able to keep your mouth shut and you'd probably be having more meeting with him than Shane and I put together."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Charlie commented.
"You're welcome," I told him as the bus pulled up.
The three of us got on the bus and found two empty seats near the middle. Adam and I sat together and Charlie sat behind us. The three of us chatted until we got to the closest stop to the Larson's house which was only a few doors down from Adam's house. We talked the whole time that we walked toward North Hennepin Ave.
"You okay?" I whispered to Adam as I led them up the Larson's front walk. Charlie was right behind us.
"Yeah, its just I haven't been this close to this house in years. I guess its just feels a little weird," Adam whispered back.
I gave Adam a reassuring smile and the took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Adam smiled back at me. I tried the front door and found it locked so I got my key out and let us in.
As we walked in I heard noise in the kitchen so I knew someone was home. I led Adam and Charlie into the kitchen to see who was there. Mrs. Larson was at the table cutting up vegetables. She looked up as I entered the room.
"Hi Alex," she said with a smile. "I wasn't expecting you to be home this afternoon."
"I thought its was about time I started going through some of the stuff I have in the attic," I told her. She nodded sympathetically. "I brought a couple of friends with me," I told her. "This is Charlie Conway and I'm sure you remember Adam," I told her indicating the two boys behind me.
"Of course," Mrs. Larson said putting down the knife and making her way over to us. She gave Adam a hug which I think surprised Adam a little bit. "Shane told me you two were on speaking terms again," she said to him holding him at arm's length. "I was so happy to hear that. How have you been, Adam? Your mother told me about your problems with your Dad. I think that was a terrible thing for him to do."
"I'm doing okay," Adam said smiling and looking much more at ease with being in the Larson's house again. "I've been staying with Coach Bombay and he's been really good to me."
"Well, that's good to hear and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask," she told him finally letting him go.
"Thank-you," Adam told her.
Mrs. Larson turned her attention to Charlie who was still standing behind me trying to stay out of the little reunion that was taking place.
"Charlie, its nice to meet you," Mrs. Larson said holding out her hand which Charlie politely shook. "You skated with the Ducks didn't you?"
"Yes, I did." Charlie told her.
"Would you kids like anything to drink or eat?" she asked us.
"No thank-you," the three of us all replied.
"We're going to head upstairs and get started," I told her.
"Okay," she said. "Just remember there is no rush. That stuff can stay up there as long as you want it to," she told me.
"I know," I told her and gave her a quick hug. I don't know how I would have gotten through my mom's last illness and death if it hadn't been for her. She had been there for me through it all. Mrs. Larson had even offered to pay someone to help me track down my birth mother if I decided I wanted to try and find her. I still wasn't sure I wanted to do that though.
I led Charlie and Adam out of the kitchen and upstairs to the attic.