Burning love

Chapter 7

Presently, Margo's mom was yelling.
She was mad about laundry, or watching her brothers, or failing a test. Something like that, she wasn't quite sure what. Margo's brain was preoccupied. She was trying to drown her mother out as best as possible, but that women could scream. Finally she came to a close, and Margo asked to go out. Or more like she told. She was going today, no matter what. This was her chance.
Sam had come through, and it was her time. She smiled at the thought of Jana. Finally. She didn't need to be in that bad relationship, plus Kris already liked someone else. Jana smiled to herself, thinking of what a good friend she was being. Her heart panged lightly at friend.
She got to the woods early, at least an hour before Kris and Sam would arrive. She was too anxious. There were so many things to go wrong here, but she needed this. Jana would've done the same for her.
As she waited, she thought of a strange possibility.
Her and Jana, walking arms linked as they do, and holding each other's eyes. Not the nervous look aways that Margo did, but a true passionate stare. Jana was with Kris, sure. But she didn't really know what she wanted, did she?
Who had been there for her since 6th grade? Who had watched her date tommy, and Francis, and then Trey? Who had always been a step behind, never dating anyone. Jana had always blamed it on her hair. Ugly, thick and black, and most definitely not slick and blonde like hers.
"Clean it up a bit and you'll be gorgeous. Any guy would want you," she used to say. And Margo almost believed it. But she didn't want a guy.
When Jana threw up at the frat house, when she was drunk and barely coherent too many time to count. The dirtbags she dated found it funny, or tried to get her back to their room. They hadn't pulled her hair back when she puked, or cuddled with her until morning, as she had. What did they have that she didn't?
Kris was probably the better of them, but then again, he was a gay cheater.
Her mind flashed suddenly. Speaking of the gay cheater...
She texted Whitney with speed.
Do you remember the address?
Of course. I'm almost there.
Okay. Come to the woods.
Ew why?
That's where he is!
This sounds like a murder.
Relax. I'll pay you.
Margo put her phone down and breathed a sigh of relief. Sam said he was only half an hour before he met Kris in the woods.
****
Kris was getting dressed. He tried to go for casual, but the tension that the woods suggested made him shaky. He tried on shirt after shirt, after pants, after pants. Nothing seemed to fit. Nothing seemed right.
The anxious feeling seemed to be just nerves of seeing Sam again, but it also felt like more. Like a bad omen. Maybe this was a bad idea. What if they did hook up? Then he'd feel bad and cut Sam off, and soon come crawling back. He couldn't do it. It was too humiliating. He had to stick through this, and keep himself in check.
He would.
He texted sam he was on his way, and he pulled up near the forest entrance. The woods by Sam's house were huge and old. The trees provided darkness and cover, and soon he was deep in their midst. He tried to look for the stump Sam had described, and tried to picture Sam here. He looked around, his hands held out in front of him, and nearly tripped over a tree branch.
He was lost.
He didn't know how long passed, but after a while, he texted sam. He was lost, and couldn't find the damn stump. He got directions, and hastily made it to the place, the pit of nerves growing.
Sam was as handsome as ever. He sat on the stump wearing a light brown sweater and right black pants. The brown seemed to go with the forest theme, and Kris laughed at how cute sam looked. His laugh alerted Sam to his arrival, and he tuned bashfully.
"Hey." Kris said first. He felt passion bloom, but pushed it down fiercely. Feeling around through the darkness, he made it to the stump and sat down beside Sam.
"It's so dark." His voice seemed to hold an invitation. Kris panicked, hoping Sam didn't take it that way.
"It's peaceful here."
Kris shivered. "It's way too dark. It's like someone could creep up and I would never know."
Sam looked away. "I don't think anyone cares," He laughed. "I'm here."
They were sitting very close, thighs touching. Where they touched, a burning heat sprung in both of the boy's muscles. But neither acted on it.
Sam felt his phone vibrate, and here in the thick silence, he was sure Kris heard it too.
"Who's that?"
Sam felt Margo's text burning a hole in his pocket. He couldn't take it out. He stood very still, and tried to breathe.
"Are you okay?" Kris asked.
Sam had to buy time. Where were they? Margo was supposed to be here already...
"I want you." It was true, but he hadn't meant to say it out loud. Sam only said it for time. And truthfully, maybe for some passion. He hoped this gave Margo enough time.
Kris fought the urge to crush his lips onto Sam's.
"Not today." He didn't want to deflect Sam completely; but today was not the time.
Sam crawled closer, which seemed impossible giver their proximity. He breathed in Kris' ear.
"You're so hot."
Kris pulled away, but only slightly. He looked Sam in the eyes, want visible. Sam's heart skipped a beat; it was true. Kris did want him.
As they pulled into an embrace, Kris heard boot stomping. So did Sam. Sam's heart did loops. Who was that? Was that Margo? Wasn't she supposed to be discreet?
Sam was nervous, and hoped that Kris wasn't close enough to sense it.
"Who is that?"Kris whispered. Sam shrugged, and hoped it wasn't someone random.
When the boots came really near, Sam recognized their noisy stomp, but couldn't see them yet. The woods were really dark.
Just then, there was a flash of white. Of long platinum blonde hair.
A girl sam had never seen before, with long waves and a short black skirt. She was running toward them, and Sam took in some breath. Was this the plan?
She hopped right into Kris' lap.
Kris began to protest, but just then she pressed her lips across his and passionate kissed him. Sam sat nearby, at a loss for words.
"Move!" Margo called from the undergrowth, but he was struck. He finally saw Margo come near, and then as quick as lightening she snapped a pic of Kris and the girl making out. She smiled, satisfied, and then called the girl name Whitney. They ran as fast as they had come in the other direction.
Kris' head was swimming. What was that? Was that Margo?
"Did you-did you see...?" Kris gasped.
"Yes, what was that?"
What was that indeed, Sam thought. So this was her plan. All without outing Kris, it was a decent one. He just wished he had been warned. Or maybe not, then he might of been to nervous to go through with it.
"That's assault."
Sam gulped. "Was it...?"
Kris nodded, his head firm. "We should report this."
"We can't," Sam hissed.
Kris looked at him for a long moment. "I recognized the laugh...It was Margo."
Shit. He knew. Sam couldn't throw her under the bus, that had not bee the deal. They had mutually helped each other.
"What? Really?" Sam said quietly.
Kris put his head in his hands. "I don't get her. What was this?"
Sam shrugged. "You said she didn't like you."
Kris nodded. "This was her revenge. I'm not going to let her pull weird shit like this again."
Sam nodded, hoping the conversation was coming to a close.
"What do you think she did this for?" Kris asked.
"Um...maybe to check if you're gay?" Sam said quickly. It seemed believable.
"Oh," kris replied, deep in thought. "Did I look gay?"
Sam laughed. "With a girl on top of you? No."
They laughed easily, the tension from before gone. Sam sighed internally, relieved.
The rest of the evening went by smoothly, as if the past event hadn't happened. Sam was no longer worried; Kris would be away from Jana soon enough, and they could be together. Despite everything, the forest was surprisingly peaceful, and the thick silence built a steady tension that no one acted on.
As promised, Kris kept his word. He didn't move any closer to Sam, or didn't suggest a thing. But for a moment it was simply comfortable to just be in each other's presence, to be friends. To confide, to laugh, to not be plagued by guilt. He loved feeling this way, and hoped today lasted long. The forest was safe sport for him, despite the earlier event. It was secluded, and he hoped this would become their spot.
Later, when they both went home; their minds were filled with hopefulness.
Sam hoped it had worked.
Today had been monumental in their relationship; they had spent hours upon hours together, uninterrupted in the forest. It was something different about talking in a secluded place; it made vulnerable feelings come to light. He didn't have to say them; the way Kris looked at him, or told stories with passion, Sam knew. His heart fluttered. He briefly thought about Jana, and her reaction. But he couldn't feel sad or guilty of the breakup. He hadn't thought of this plan, for one. And it was better this way. She need to get over Kris, who was not invested.
He was glad Kris didn't piece it together, because that would definitely ruin his mood. They were in a good, calm place at the moment and everything hung int he balance. The fact that they had come together yet again proved they were stronger together.