The Abernathy and I lifted weights with Spotted John Nygaard that afternoon.
Rugged.
Seanie came along, but he only watched. Creepy. He said he needed to take care of his—air quotes—concussion.
And while we were gone, a school custodial crew moved a bunk bed into Unit 113. Nico Cosentino was going to be the third sardine in our can. Of course we didn’t have to agree to it, but Sam and I didn’t mind, and Nico felt really anxious about moving in with someone he didn’t even know.
I could empathize with that.
There were only two problems with having the three of us in that one tiny room. Well, maybe three. First, there were only two closets, so Nico had to squeeze half his stuff in with mine and the other half in with the Abernathy’s. And although Nico was willing to put up with Sam’s claustrophobia, the Abernathy was just going to have to deal with not kicking us out when he wanted to undress or poop, or take a shower, and why am I even thinking about that again?
It was two against one, and Sam sadly admitted that he’d have to resign himself to growing up, even if his body wasn’t very cooperative in the physical maturation department.
And the third thing, speaking of claustrophobia, was that the crew who’d moved Nico’s bunk bed into Unit 113 stacked it on top of Sam Abernathy’s bed. Sam didn’t have to say anything. When we got back from weight lifting and met up with our new roommate, I could plainly see the look of terror on the Abernathy’s little face when he saw the small and dark space beneath Nico’s top bunk that used to be his bed.
So it was awkward and straining, and we almost broke stuff doing it, but Nico and I managed to lift his bed across the barrier of desks so we could stack it on top of mine. It was worse than grown-up prison, but we were all going to get along just fine.
And that night, we all stayed up late eating popcorn and watching a program about quinoa with broccoli and prosciutto, laughing together and talking about cooking and rugby, and all the secret details of THE CODE.
It was the best night ever.