I'll Swim, You Play Your Football

Chapter 20

Landon's POV

"Landon! Get me my beer!" My mother yelled. I groaned and picked my head up off the table. It was Saturday, and what was I doing? Taking care of my mother. Something I did not want to be doing right now. My head was killing me from all the smokey air and strong smell of alcohol. I stood up and shuffled over to the case of beer my mother got yesterday. Only half was left. I took one out and walked back over to her. I shoved it at her and went back to the table to get my pack of cigarettes before hurrying outside. Matty was out there smoking and leaning on the railing.

"Hey man." I said as I walked over, lighting my cigarette.

"Hey. How's it going in there?" He asked looking down.

"Had to get out of there. I can't stand the smell of drugs that strong." I said before letting out a cloud of smoke.

"You want to come to my place?" He asked looking down to his phone.

"Can't. Callie would kill me if she found out. She's mad that I've been leaving her with mom so she said I have to stay with her all weekend."

"Where is Callie?"

"She's somewhere with her friends. I don't really know." I said rubbing my hand through my hair, probably making a complete mess of it. I felt disgusting. I noticed that I must've been trying to look nicer for Alex, but now that I knew I wouldn't see him for two days, I stopped trying. I was wearing a pair of stained gray sweatpants and a dirty blue Budweiser shirt. I haven't taken a shower since Thursday night, and I don't really remember last night. It's been a great day and a half.

"Let's go to the convenient store. I'm outta cigarettes." Matty said grabbing my arm and pulling me down the stairs. Neither of us were wearing shoes, and he wasn't dressed much nicer than me. I ran my fingers through my hair again and took another drag from my cigarette before we ran across the street. I watched the ground for glass and other stuff I wouldn't want to step on. We were just making small talk, talking about Alex and Callie. He still denies dating her.

"So I'm thinking of coming out to everyone." I said after a few minutes of silence. It was quiet so I looked over to him. He turned to me and raised his eyebrows.

"Wait you're serious?" He asked looking like he didn't believe me.

"Yeah, I'm just not sure how." He looked like he was in thought for a while and then he got a weird grin on his face. He told me his plan and it was actually pretty good, and it would be better if I didn't tell Alex about it.

When we got to the convenient store I was all smiles, and got a lot of weird looks.

"Landon can you stop smiling so much? You look high." Matty said dragging me around the convenient store. He was getting random things to wait until these two cops left. Don't want us or Steve getting arrested for buying and selling to underage. Matty doesn't turn eighteen for three weeks. They walked around and looked us up and down before leaving. It seemed like everyone let out a sigh of relief when they pulled out of the parking lot.

Matty and I walked up to the counter and leaned on it as Steve lit up his cigarette.

"What can I do for you boys?" He asked blowing the cloud of smoke right in our faces, causing us to both start coughing.

"Pack of Marlboro's Steve." Matty said after clearing his throat. Steve chuckled before giving him a pack. Matty handed over the money and we left quickly.

"Have you noticed more cops around recently?" I asked kicking a pebble with my foot.

"Yeah they're all over the fucking place. I don't know what to do sometimes with my stuff. Remind me I have to go around and take some weed out of trees."