Chapter 6 – Hear the Bells
The following afternoon, Sam was walking home from school when he heard someone call out his name. He looked over his shoulder and saw Rory hurrying toward him. In the cold weather, Sam could clearly see the mist of Rory's breathe chugging out of his mouth and noticed that his nose was pink from the abrasive air. Sam smiled as Rory caught up with him.
"Hey, what's up Rudolph?" Sam greeted, teasing.
"What?" Rory responded, a blank look on his face. Sam laughed.
"Oh man, if I'm going to be your Christmas sponsor we're gonna have to watch that together. It's definitely the best Christmas movie I can think of." Sam said. Rory laughed and spoke.
"Hey, I just wanted to tell you congratulations on coming out today. I didn't get a chance to do so in glee club because everyone was tripping over their feet to get to you." Rory said, patting Sam on the back. Sam smiled.
"Thanks man. Well, hey, this is Puck's, so I guess I'll talk to you later," Sam said, stepping onto the path that led up to Puck's home. Rory looked a bit disappointed, but covered it quickly.
"Alright, take it easy," he said, turning away to continue on to Brittany's house. He took a few steps and then heard Sam shout back to him.
"Oh! Rory, since I'm your Christmas sponsor, let me give you my number so we can talk and I'll tell you everything you need to know!" Sam said, moving back toward Rory. Rory smiled and pulled out his phone.
As Christmas quickly approached, Sam and Rory became close. Most of the time, there wasn't a second they weren't communicating. Whether they were texting or trying to find a quiet spot in their respective home-away-from-homes to talk to each other, it was rare that they weren't communicating in some form. Sam was certainly a little confused about his relationship with Rory. Ever since he had met Rory, Sam wasn't sure if it was a close friendship or if it could be something more. The main question Sam pondered was whether or not Rory was actually gay. Sam found himself conflicted on the matter. They had a lot to bond over, especially them both being away from their families. They had hung out several times Lima Bean, and they'd even had dinner at Breadsticks. Over dinner on Christmas Even, Rory asked Sam if he could celebrate Christmas with him.
"I planned to celebrate Christmas with Brittany's family, but they had to leave town for...work." Rory said, sipping his Pepsi. Sam laughed.
"Oh yeah? You don't seem too confident in what they consider work. What do they even do?" Sam asked, reaching for another breadstick at the same time as Rory and accidently brushing his hand against Rory's. They both pulled back awkwardly.
"Oh...uh, well, they are "cryptozoologists," Rory said, pronouncing the last word slowly, as if he had practiced for hours on how to say it. Sam laughed out loudly.
"What does that even mean?" he asked, still chuckling.
"Well, um, basically they investigate sightings of animals that nobody can prove exist," he said smiling, "apparently they got a call a few days ago that several 'reliable' sources had reported sightings of an Ogopogo. They left for Canada in the middle of the night. Brittany went with them, so now I'm alone for Christmas," he said, ending the last part of the sentence in barely a whisper but finishing the next part strongly, "but look, if it's an inconvience it's no problem. I'll probably just watch some television." Sam looked up from his soup.
"No! You can spend it with me. I'll just be ringing the bells again. And since Puck's family is Jewish, they won't be having Christmas in the first place," he said. Rory brightened up.
"That sounds fun," Rory said genuinely. "Look, I mean, if you want we can go back to Brittany's house after and hang out. Nobody is home," he said, shrugging. Sam nodded.
"I'd like that."
Rory looked up and smiled at Sam.
The clank of bells sang through the crisp night. Rory and Sam were standing outside the church, trying to raise money for the Salvation Army and ringing Christmas bells.
"Merry Christmas," Sam said to some passerby, and Rory suddenly spoke up.
"Sam, I'm so happy that you're my Christmas sponsor," Rory said, his Irish accent melding with the bells.
"No worries buddy," Sam said, gently nudging Rory in the arm. "I just hope that you don't miss your family too much."
"Well, I do miss my brother Seamus. These bells remind me of him." Rory said, his gaze moving toward the swinging bells.
"Why, because of the Irish national anthem?" Sam said, winking.
"No," Rory chuckled, "He used to run away, so dad tied bells to him so we could always find him," Sam looked at Rory and doubled over in laughter. Rory gave Sam a small smack on the arm. Sam stood up and adjusted his beanie. They stood in silence for several minutes, occasionally greeting those passing by. Rory spoke again.
"Sam, I know I already told you congratulations, but I also wanted to tell you that I really inspired by how you came out in glee club," Rory said, still clanking the bells.
"How do you mean, inspired?" Sam asked, not unaware of what could happen next.
"I...I'm not really sure how I feel," Rory said, with a shake in his voice, "I mean, I thought that I was straight...but after how much we've been hanging out, I don't really know anymore."
"Oh...I...Um," Sam stuttered.
"It's just...I think I may like you Sam, but I don't want anything to ruin our friendship. I might just be jumping to conclusions here," Rory said, rushing through the sentence. Sam was a little lost for words; however, he knew what he wanted to ask next.
"Have you felt this way about anybody else before?" he asked.
"I liked Brittany. But I think that was just because I wanted her Pot o' Gold."
"Pot o'-?"
"Don't ask," Rory said.
"Have you liked another guy like this before though?"
"No."
"Oh."
Sam and Rory stood in silence once again for several moments. Just as Rory opened his mouth to speak again, Sam's phone rang. It was Puck.
"Oh sorry, do you mind?" Sam asked.
"Go ahead," Rory responded, opening the red tin and beginning to count the change. Sam answered his phone.
"Hey Puck, what's up?"
"Trouty mouth! When are you gonna be home, we've got presents to open. You said you'd be here like, half an hour ago!" Puck said, and Sam could hear paper rustling in the background, indicating Puck had started opening the presents without him.
"Crap, sorry I got distracted and forgot to call you. Um, actually, if you don't mind I'm going to spend Christmas with Rory. Brittany's family is out of town and since I'm his Christmas sponsor, I don't want him to be alone" Sam said, and Rory smiled at him over the tin.
"Okay man, remember you have presents waiting for you since Mom wanted you to have something to open for Hanukkah. They'll be here for you when you get home. Have fun, man." Puck said, sounding only slightly disappointed. And with that Puck hung up. Rory looked up at Sam over the money.
"It looks like we made a killing. Clearly it's because of our extreme good looks and boyish charm," he said laughing. Sam laughed as well.
"C'mon, let's run this by the Army and then we can head back to your place," Sam said.