The Attic

Chapter 02: The Best Friend

The next day, I knock on the wooden door. I don't even have time to pull my hand away before it opens up for me.

"Hello, Mrs. McAllister!" I cheerily greet. "Is Adam home?"

"Good afternoon, Raiden!" She steps out of the way and motions me inside. "He's upstairs in his room. Would you like me to make you something for lunch?"

"No, thank you. I just ate," I lie. It's nice that she offers, but she always works too hard to make me comfortable in her home. She'll go to almost any length for me, but it makes me uncomfortable to impose like that.

"Okay. Let me know if you change your mind, hun." She smiles up at me warmly as I start to ascend the stairs.

"I will." I have absolutely no intention of doing so.

"You two have fun up there!"

I gave her a quick smile before rushing up the stairs. Even the way she talks makes me uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong. She's a nice person, not to mention my best friend's mom, but she does have her weird moments.

I knock on his door before entering. He turns around in his chair at his desk to look at me. He smiles as he realizes it's me and closed the laptop behind him with one hand.

"Hey, Rai. What's up?"

"A lot, actually. You free to talk for a bit?"

"Of course. What's happened?"

I plop onto his bed and stare up at his ceiling so I have somewhere to look. "Jackson finally agreed to meet me. He hasn't set a specific date yet, but it's a step."

"That's great!" he exclaims. "How did it come up?"

"I asked."

"Very forward of you. I like it." He walks over and joins me on the bed, lying down next to me. "Can I ask you something along kind of similar lines?"

"Mhm. Of course."

"So, um, don't take this the wrong way or anything, but what happens if he's not who you think he is?"

"Well, uh, what do you mean?" I stutter.

"What if he's not who he said he is? You already said he lives in the same town as us. Do you really think that you've never seen him? Even by chance?"

I consider the thought. "Well, I guess it's possible. I don't know why he would give me a fake identity though."

"Okay. Then, hypothetically, if he's someone you've already met, how will you react?"

"I... don't know?" It ends up coming out like a question so I try to search my mind for a better answer. "Well, I really like his personality. That's what really matters."

He hums in approval. "I agree."

I roll onto my stomach and look down at him. "So have you told Rachel how you feel yet?"

"Getting closer every day."

"That's not a yes."

"But it's not a no, either."

"Just do it already, Adam! Ask her out on a date. The worst she can say is no, and by what you've told me, I doubt she would."

He chuckles. "You know, that's exactly what I needed to hear." He stands up and reopens his laptop. A couple of quick sentences are typed, then he sends it with a dramatic buildup and clicks. "It's done."

"Finally!" I exclaim.

His door creaks open and his mom walks in. "Sorry. I'm not interrupting anything, am I, boys?" Adam shakes his head. "Oh, well that's good. I brought you two some cookies!" She sets them down on Adam's desk with a couple glasses of milk.

"Thanks, Mom," Adam mumbles through a mouthful.

"No problem, sweetie. So, what are you two up to?"

"I just messaged Rachel and asked her out. Raiden finally convinced me to."

"Really! That's just great! But I guess I'll leave you two alone now. I doubt you want your mom in your way while you're hanging out."

"Okay. Thanks, Mom." Adam picks up the plate of cookies and gets back on the bed with me as the door closes behind her.

He pushes the plate between us after grabbing three more cookies and stuffing them in his mouth.

I pick one up and take a couple of small bites to not look rude. "Is your mom always that invested in your love life and your friendships?"

"Yeah," he beams. "Isn't she great?"

"I don't know... I mean... Can I tell you something without you taking it the wrong way?" I ask.

"Sure." For once, he sits up seriously and pays close attention to what I'm saying.

"Well, your mom kinda, like, obsesses over me whenever I'm here. Like, I know she's trying to be nice and all that, and I really appreciate it, but...sometimes it makes me feel kinda, like, uncomfortable...?"

He gives me a questioning glare, so I explain further.

"She just, like, acts as if she's trying too hard to get me to like her, which she totally doesn't have to, by the way, I do like her. Or, like, like... Sometimes she treats me as if I'm her kid. It's all just...too much, you know? She just...tries a little too hard. It's kinda weird."

"Oh..." He pauses uncomfortably as my words hit him. "She just wants you to like her. But I can ask her to back off a little."

"Oh, no you don't have to do that!"

"No. If she makes you uncomfortable, I'll get it to stop."

I quickly slip off of his bed. "I appreciate the offer. But you really don't have to."

"No. I want to."

I start inching my way towards the door. "I-I'm sorry. I should probably go. I really didn't mean anything by it. I just kinda thought you should know."

The bed creaks. "Yeah," he agrees. "Maybe you should." He walks to and opens the door ahead of me. "I'll walk you out."

He follows behind me silently and awkwardly until we reach his front door.

"Again, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he says with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You have nothing to be sorry about. Personal boundaries and all that."

I nod my appreciation and leave before things can get any more awkward.