Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6

parking spot. We were a little early, but that was a tradition with us— if you got there early you could watch the players warming up.
    We hit the concession stand and had just sat down in our seats. Most of the seats around us were empty, so it was still fairly quiet except for the crack of the bats and the yells from the players on the field.
    "So Little A, what's really going on with you, kiddo?"
    I had just taken a big bite of hot dog and I nearly choked. I looked over at him and my pulse jumped into hyper-drive. What's going on with me? Yeah like I could tell him .
    The fear must have been evident in my face because Chase immediately put his hand up. "Hey, I don't want to pressure you, A." His face softened and his forehead wrinkled with concern. "I'm just worried about you, kid. You know, you've never been so quiet, holing yourself alone up in your room like that. That's not you. I know being a teenager is hard, and sometimes it feels like everything is the end of the world. It wasn't that long ago that I was thirteen, I remember all the awkwardness and new feelings... and hormones." He grinned after pausing at that last word. Yeah, hormones... oh Chase, you really have no idea.
    "Listen, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I know sometimes it's not cool or it's embarrassing to talk to your parents about things, and Bobby... well," he chuckled and looked at me knowingly. "Bobby is Bobby. So, if, you know you ever need or want to talk to someone... you know you can come to me right? If you want, I mean. No pressure, no judgment I swear. You're like my own little bro. I'll always be here for you."
    I hadn't said anything during his whole speech. Finally, I gave him a small smile. My mind was swimming with his words. No way I could tell him what I was going through, but I was awed by the fact that he cared enough about me. I mean, my own brother didn't care that much. But the "you're like my own little bro" comment kept repeating itself over and over in my head. I knew I was only thirteen and he was almost twenty, practically a man. I also knew he was straight because he'd dated a bunch of different girls in high school. There wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that anything could ever be between us, but I was still so attracted to him. That statement— that he saw me as just a little brother— stung my poor, teenaged heart. Even though it was incredibly touching and really should have meant a lot.
    My mouth finally found words, to appease him. "Yeah, I'm okay, really. I just... you know." I shrugged my shoulders. I knew it wasn't very eloquent but it was all I had.
    His eyes were still trained right on mine, like he knew I wasn't telling him everything. They weren't accusing though, they shined with a gentle compassion. I really knew I could trust him with anything... just not this.
    "Well all right. Just stop being such a hermit, okay? I miss hanging out with you. So... we cool?"
    I smiled again. "We're cool."
    He punched me on the shoulder and grinned. About that time, the announcer crackled over the loud speaker to get things started and we could both thankfully turn our attention to the game.
    We slipped easily back into our normal relationship, cheering and shouting and groaning at the players and the umpires. I found myself smiling more than I had all summer so far, and we were having a great afternoon. Just like before.
    Right after the eighth inning, Mandy, one of the girls who worked in the concession booth suddenly showed up in our section. She stood at the bottom corner, straining her neck like she was looking for someone. Then her eyes lit up and she waved frantically in our direction. I was surprised when Chase lifted his hand in a similar but much less vigorous gesture. She quickly made her way down our aisle, and when she reached us, she plopped herself right down on Chase's lap, throwing her arms around his neck.
    "Hey baby!" was as much as she was willing to say before planting a huge noisy kiss on Chase's lips.
    Chase looked over at me, with a bit of a red tinge on his cheeks. "Um, Adam, you know Mandy right? Mandy this is Adam, Bobby's little brother." I did know Mandy, at least who she was, I just didn't realize Chase was dating her. Besides working at the concession stand at the ballpark, she had been in Bobby and Chase's class in high school.
    "Hey Adam, aw, aren't you a cutie!" Then she immediately turned her attention back to Chase, babbling