The day proceeded in a blur as all three teens worked hard to get their jobs done while being constantly called on to provide assistance to Olivia and Lidiya. But Mary’s words circled Adam’s thoughts continuously.
On the bus ride home, he stared out the window. Myron glanced at him now and again, but remained silent. Whatever struggle was going on in his roommate was almost palpable.
As soon as the three teens walked through the front door, they could smell pizza cooking. They passed Jarett, who was coming out of the room set aside for common activities.
“Movie tonight,” he said.
After dinner, the young people gathered in the common room. Although there had been seven residents in the morning, two of the kids had been moved out during the day. That left the three older teens and the two younger girls who shared the third floor with Soosie.
Myron and Adam sat on the long couch. They were joined by the two younger teen girls. Soosie flung herself in the dilapidated recliner.
“I just love this movie,” Alesha said. “I saw it when it first came out.”
“Is this the one about the two kids who have cancer and one of them dies at the end?” Chelsea asked.
“Yeah. It is so good.”
Myron abruptly got up from the couch and left the room.
Jarett, who was just positioning the DVD in the player, looked at Adam. “Bad choice?” he asked.
“For some.”
Alesha immediately began to protest. “No. It is awesome.”
“Maybe it’s not awesome when you actually watch someone you love die from cancer,” Soosie said sharply.
Both younger girls turned to look at Soosie, their faces duplicate blanks.
“It doesn’t sound like my kind of movie,” Adam said. He got up to follow Myron back to their room.
Soosie stayed put. The movie was depressing, shmoopy, and illuminating.
*****
Whatever was weighing on Adam’s mind didn’t diminish over the rest of the weekend. By late Sunday afternoon, he was edgy and restless, moving around their small room and then leaving to cruise the rest of the house, and then coming back to the bedroom.
Finally, Myron blocked his umpteenth trip out the door. “You are giving me anxiety with all this perpetual motion. Maybe you could try something else, like talk about it?”
Adam flopped back onto his bed. “It’s Mary.” Just saying her name opened a spillway of words and emotions as he poured out Friday’s conversation.
“So Mary is interested in, maybe, trying to establish a relationship with you? Am I right?” Myron asked.
Adam nodded. “Pretty much.”
“And the problem is you don’t want to?”
“No, I do. At least I think I do… but maybe I don’t. I don’t know.”
“You’re scared.”
Adam reared up, opening his mouth to protest, then stopped. Instead, he nodded. “Scared shitless. I’ve never had anyone even pretend to care whether I lived or died.”
“I care,” Myron protested. “I don’t need a dead roommate stinking up the room.”
“Very funny.”
“Actually, I do get it. In school I would make a friend. It would last until somebody figured out who my family was, and then I was drop-kicked pretty fast. It’s a little strange since we’ve only been roommates for three weeks, but you’re like the longest friend I’ve ever had who I wasn’t related to. And yes, I do care.”
“Well, you’re pretty much it.”
“No, I’m not. From what you’ve said, Mr. Orenco cared about you. Chief Braden cared enough to make sure you were at least physically safe all those years. And Soosie…”
Adam cast a disbelieving look at Myron.
“Okay, not Soosie. But I think Mary does care, or at least wants to care, if you let her. But, dude, you have a wall high enough to keep out a whole battalion of orcs. You’re gonna need to trust enough to make at least a little opening in it.”
“And if it doesn’t work out?”
“It definitely won’t work out if you don’t give it a chance.”