Sparks

9

The next week went by fairly quickly for Brooklyn. Sunday came quickly and Brooklyn dreaded its approach. She usually loved church but the thought of Sam judging her now was almost enough to avoid going at all. She parked near the door and went to the side of the auditorium and sat in the brown chair, balancing her purse on the seat next to her.

 "Is this seat taken?" A deep voice came from beside Brooklyn. She looked up and saw Sam standing there. Brooklyn shook her head.

 "Um, no. I mean it's not taken, not no you can't sit here." Brooklyn was mentally cursing herself. Sam laughed and took off his coat and grey scarf. 'Don't think about how good his coat smells and how the grey scarf brings out the blue in his eyes.' Brooklyn thought, as she crossed and uncrossed her legs. Doodling on the bulletin, she tried to ignore Sam. She had seen him in church a few times but not as a regular attender, not that she was one to judge. She wasn't a hardcore Christian but it was a habit that stuck after her parents had forced her to go in her teen years.

  As the pastor bent his head in the closing prayer, Brooklyn peeked at Sam under her eyelashes. He had his head bent and eyes closed, his arms resting on his knees. Needless to say she was impressed. Church was dismissed and Sam stood up and gathered up his coat.

 "I didn't forget lunch. Where do you want to go?" Sam smiled as he leaned on the back of a chair.

 "I'm sure you didn't forget." Brooklyn muttered. "How about going to the small diner past the university?"

 Sam nodded in agreement.

 "Meet you there." Sam headed out the doors to his truck. On the drive there Brooklyn was mentally preparing herself for lunch.

 ~

Sam was already seated at a booth in the corner. Brooklyn set down her purse on the table and picked up the menu.

 "I'll let you eat first, then I'll start interrogating." Brooklyn looked mortified.

"Is it really that bad? It can't be."

 Brooklyn sighed and ran her hand through her ponytail, letting her hair fall on her shoulders.

 "I guess it's not that bad." Brooklyn picked at her salad.

 "But?" Sam continued cutting his chicken as they talked.

 "You know I'm not really hungry. I might as well talk." Sam stopped eating to listen. "This sounds so desperate and needy." Brooklyn sighed and forced herself to look him in the eyes. He looked surprisingly calm.

"That's fine." He gave her an encouraging smile.

"I don't know, it's just with Gavin and Avery..." She trailed off and looked back up at him.

"You're jealous."  He had stopped eating.

"Aren't you? I mean I'm a fourth year university student and I'm still single as a high school girl." Brooklyn was getting flustered and wanted the conversation to end.

"You shouldn't let your relationship status dictate your happiness."

"Okay but wouldn't it be nice? What if you didn't get married? I bet you'd be saying something different then." There was an unpleasant hush that fell around the booths next to them.

"There isn't anyone worth it." He sat back and crossed his arms, looking almost proud of himself until a look of horror crossed his face.

  Brooklyn gathered up her purse, gave him the finger and left the table. Sam looked taken aback and started to call after her but decided it was no use.