Obsession

Bottle

Jenson

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

I heard Dad sigh. “Yes. I’m fine. Now stop worrying and enjoy college.”

Why should I stop worrying? He would worry about me. 

“Is Mom there?” 

“Yes, she’s here and she’s not letting me off the sofa.” I heard Mom’s voice in the background, muffled yet I knew she was telling Dad off. 

“Okay, okay.” Dad sighed again, clearly becoming exasperated by my mom. “Your mother says hi and to also get off the phone. Apparently, the phone causes me stress.” I could almost hear Dad’s eye roll and I smiled. 

“Tell Mom I love her and that I don’t cause you any stress … the twins do, though.”

Dad chuckled, then sighed again as I heard Mom’s muffled voice once more. “Look, son, I gotta go. According to your mother, I’m not resting like I should.”

I could just imagine my mother standing over him, shoe in hand, ready to beat him to get off the phone. And then tell him he’s not relaxed enough.

Honestly. My mother… 

“I’m going now, Dad.” I glanced across the room at Adam, who was sitting at his desk, head in a book. “I’ve gotta get ready for work.”

“Okay and … uh … thanks for calling.” I could hear the smile, and that brought out my own smile. 

“No problem.” I sat up on my bed. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you too, son.”

Pressing the end button on the call, I tossed my phone onto the bed, then swung my legs over the side, placing my socked feet on to the thin carpet. 

“So.” I watched as Adam flinched. “What are we gonna do?”

Adam lifted his eyes from his book and frowned. “What do you mean?” He glanced at his watch. “Thought you said you had to get ready for work.”

“I do.” I stood up and stretched my arms over my head, feeling my back muscles flex. Mmm. That was better. “But I meant, what are we gonna do with you?”

He dropped his book on his desk and spun around in his chair. “What are you talking about?”

Dropping my hands back down, I smirked at him. “I mean … you want to see Thomas again, right?”

Adam immediately ducked his head, his cheeks taking on a bit of colour already. Kind of thought the mention of Thomas’s name would have that effect on him. 

Chuckling, I strolled over to him and leaned on his desk, trapping him on his chair between the wall and my body. 

“Thought so.” I reached over and squeezed his shoulder as he looked at the floor, his cheeks flaming red. “If you want to see him again, why don’t you come home with me over Thanksgiving? Thomas only lives about an hour away from my house. He lives near Caleb.”

Adam pulled the sleeves on his long-sleeved t-shirt over his wrists, bunching them in his hands. 

“But … what about your mom?” He muttered, his eyes on the desk in front of him. “You can’t just invite me to your house without talking to her first.”

“My mom will love you. She’ll just make a huge fuss out of you. Feed you up. Constantly refilling your water glass.” I leaned back and folded my arms across my chest as images of my mom flittered across my mind.