Cross Trail Middle School Chapter 6
They sat out there a while longer in the light rain, not speaking. Occasionally a small group would go in or out of the club behind them, but nobody came out to check in or to maybe yell at Amelia a little more. James stayed where he was, leaning against Matt. Maybe it was the fact that Matt knew what had happened- what James had done – and hadn’t been disgusted that made him feel a little better as they sat here on the curb. Or maybe it was the fact that Matt didn’t want anything from James, easing any pressure he hadn’t realized he might be feeling. But his heart rate slowly settled as he rested against Matt’s slightly damp shoulder while Matt smoked.
On his other side, Amelia was tense, occasionally turning to look back at the entrance of the club. James knew she was looking for Riley, but if Riley was going to continue yelling at her like she had been, then he didn’t want her coming back out.
It was probably after midnight, James wasn’t quite sure. He knew he wasn’t completely sober yet, but it almost felt like the panic attack had pushed the alcohol out of his system and now all that was left was exhaustion. He should call Bradley and tell him nevermind, he’d get them home. Sorry for interrupting his night off.
But he didn’t. He stayed here, staring at the wavering neon reflection of the signs in the restaurant window across the street as they glowed up from the puddle in front of them. Amelia’s hand stayed in his and as he heard her quietly sniffle, he gave it a squeeze.
“I’m such a bad girlfriend,” she murmured through tears at one point.
“No, you’re not,” James said, looking back at the door, where two girls were laughing at something on one of their phones as they walked out and past the three of them.
Amelia shrugged with a skeptical little noise, but didn’t say anything else.
Finally, a crappy gray Corolla pulled up to the sidewalk just beyond them, parked, and Bradley got out. He was very clearly dressed for his own night out in tight jeans and a deep V-neck shirt with his hair neatly slicked back. So James had also managed to ruin his night as well, not just Amelia’s and Matt’s.
“Is everyone alive?” Bradley asked.
“Yeah,” James said, getting to his feet and pulling Amelia up with him. “I’m so sorry, I should’ve just-”
“I need to get gas on the way back. Who the fuck are you?”
“Matt,” Matt said, holding out a hand to shake. “You’re North Worcester too, right?”
“Yeah,” Bradley said, eyeing him suspiciously even as he shook his hand. “I’m Bradley.”
“You’re the one who keeps answering on the admin listserv, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, when people post stupid shit.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“You’re the team admin?” James asked Matt.
“Technically, no. I’m the tech guy. I just help Keely with the admin sometimes.”
“He’s Madelyn,” Amelia added.
“Are you leaving too?” Bradley asked.
“No, I’m going to stay,” Matt said. “I’ll probably go home after. Amelia, you want me to talk to Riley?”
She waved him off clumsily. “Don’t bother,” she said. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow or something. Are you staying with her?”
Matt shrugged. “Depends how pissed she gets with me, I don’t know. She’s my ride home in the morning though.”
“And you’re just going to fucking walk if she kicks you out because she’s mad at Amelia?”
Amelia looked like she was about to cry again. When Matt didn’t answer, Bradley motioned impatiently toward his car. “Get in.”
“I’m, like, forty minutes from here.”
“And I already drove an hour to get them. Whatever.”
“Are you sure?”
“Will you get in the goddamn car? Put the cigarette out first.”
Matt took one last drag before stamping out the cigarette in the ashtray by the entrance to Marcy’s. James took the passenger seat while Matt and Amelia got in the back. “I’m sorry,” he said to Bradley as he started the car.
“For what?”
“For making you drive here. I could’ve gotten us home later.”
“Without having a meltdown on the highway?”
James wanted to be offended, but Bradley was right. Still, he’d been in the middle of his own night out, one that he’d put just as much effort into as James and Amelia. Maybe more. As Bradley reached up to turn off the interior light, James was pretty sure he was wearing the work shirt he’d borrowed the other day. He had it half-buttoned and tucked into his trousers. And somehow it looked stylish on him, not sloppy like it would on James. “You look nice,” James said instead of continuing to argue.
Bradley stopped, clearly taken aback, and something about that stung. “Thanks,” he said, then pulled away from the curb.
Matt lived a ways south of Providence, in a small town on the coast. As they pulled up outside his apartment, James could hear the sound of the waves crashing on a beach nearby.
“Thanks for the ride,” Matt said as he got out of the car and turned to lean on the open passenger side window. “Let me know if you need a break from threatening everyone on the listserv and I can take over for a bit.”
Bradley huffed a laugh and accepted the twenty that Matt reached across James to give him. “Feel free to join in,” he said.
Matt smiled at James and squeezed his shoulder. “It was really nice to meet you,” he said.
“You too,” James murmured, forcing himself to look up and make eye contact as a sea breeze drifted through the car. “I’m sorry about everything.”
“No big deal,” Matt said, his fingers trailing on James’s skin as he let go. “Take care, you guys.”
Matt walked away and James expected Bradley to start driving immediately. Maybe he could salvage his night out if he got them to Leominster, dropped them off, and went back to Boston. But he stayed in the lot for a moment, looking silently out over the ocean that was visible a few blocks away
“You alright?” James asked.
“Fine,” Bradley replied.
James waited for further explanation, but none came. Of course not, it never came. Bradley looked out over the water for another moment, then started driving again.
