Chapter 14

I didn't get up until past ten the next morning. I dressed and went downstairs.

"He's not dead after all," Mom said from the den.

"Just tired," I mumbled. I still wasn't fully awake.

Sara kept staring.

"What?" I mouthed.

She shook her head.

I poured a bowl of cereal and joined my family in the den.

"Everything okay, Sam?" Mom asked.

"Yeah, Mom."

"Make sure you get enough rest."

"I will."

Sara smiled again. What was with her?

I watched TV. Dad had the early game on already.

I ate and headed upstairs. Sara came out of the bathroom. Another big smile came on her face.

"What's your problem?" I grumpily said.

"What do you mean?"

"You keep smiling at me."

"I can't smile?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't. I just want to know how your date was."

"It was good."

"Come on. Tell me."

We went to Sara's room and sat on her bed. I explained how the night went. I could remember every detail.

"So it sounds like she likes you," she concluded.

"I guess."

"She does. Trust me. Do you like her?"

"Of course." That was a stupid question.

"Then tell her."

"I already said how much I like her."

"But she doesn't know what you think about her after the date. Make sure you call her."

"When?"

"Why not now?"

I listened to my sister's advice. I went to my room and called Brianna.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hi, it's Sam."

"Oh, Sam! I'm glad you called. I had a good time last night."

"Me too."

"You did? Oh, good! I was wondering if you'd like to go to the mall. My mom can drop us off. We can just walk around and talk."

"Sure!" I said. I'd love to spend more time with Brianna.

"Is in a half hour too soon?"

"No. I'm practically ready now."

I told Sara the results of my phone call.

"Great! You might become one of the cool kids."

My first thought was I liked the idea of being cool but I didn't want to disown my nerd friends and I wondered what Sara would think if I did become cool. She was in the middle class, a non-nerd and non-cool kid.

Brianna and Lisa arrived in a half hour just like Brianna said.

I got in the backseat behind Brianna. It was interesting sitting in the car while my body was solid.

"I'm Brianna's mom," Lisa introduced.

I almost said, "I know" but I remembered that I knew Lisa while she didn't know me.

"I'm Sam," I responded.

"So you like Brianna a lot."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Brianna said she enjoyed the evening with you."

"I did too."

Brianna looked back and smiled.

I guess this was what it felt like to be verbally probed by a parent. Lisa didn't dig very hard and the mall was only fifteen minutes away.

"So when should I pick you up?" Lisa asked upon arrival.

"Four?" Brianna suggested.

"Okay. Call if you want to leave earlier. I gave Brianna money to buy lunch for both of you."

"I have money."

"That's okay. My treat."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Brianna said, "Maybe Sam can stay for dinner?"

"If it's okay with his parents."

I said, "I'll have to check. I think it would be okay." I wasn't sure what to think about having dinner with Lisa too.

"Come on!" Brianna said excitedly.

Lisa drove off and Brianna and I headed into the mall.

"We have five hours," said Brianna. "We can look at almost everything."

I knew that was an impossibility but not because there were too many stores. My mom and sister could take hours just looking at and deciding about a few items. It was a girl thing.

Wet Seal was near the entrance we came in at so we started there. Brianna looked so excited that it freaked me out a little.

"I like this," she said, taking a top of the rack and holding it in front of her. "Do you like it?"

"Yes. Why don't you try it on?" My saying that was another affirmation of how much I liked Brianna. I would never say that if I were with my mom or Sara. I was willing to stand around bored while a girl tried on clothes.

"It will probably just make me like it more."

"What's wrong with that?"

"I don't have the money to buy it."

"How much is it?"

"Twenty-five."

Twenty-five? A top was twenty-five dollars? I had money since I stole from the armored truck but the cost seemed a lot but then I didn't have any concept of the price of clothes.

"I'll buy it for you if you like it," I said.

"You don't have to do that."

"I was thinking of buying you clothes until my sister told me I had to tell you I was your secret admirer."

"Your sister told you?"

"I was too scared to tell you but she said I had to."

"I'm glad she said that."

"Yeah." I completely agreed. "I'm serious about the top. We can make today a shopping trip."

"I can spend a lot of money!"

"I have plenty of money."

She looked uncertain.

"I'm serious."

"Okay." She bounced her way to the changing room.

She came out in five minutes.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"You always look beautiful."

"Thanks. I like it."

"Then get it."

Brianna chose two other tops. We left with a bag holding three tops for the cost of just over fifty bucks. It took over two hours just to buy three tops! I was hungry by then so we had lunch at the Subway in the food court.

We were in and out of Gap in ten minutes and she didn't stop at Old Navy. I talked Brianna into buying a top and skirt combo she liked at Aeropostale and we ended the day buying a nice dress at Charlotte Russe. I spent about $150 on Brianna altogether and I didn't regret a dollar. It was nothing compared to the money I had hidden at the bottom of my closet.

Lisa picked us up at ten after four.

"So can you come over for dinner?" Lisa asked.

"I forgot to call," I answered. I pulled out my cell phone.

I called Mom and asked. I received permission.

"So you bought all this for Brianna?"

"I have a lot of money." I said.

"Do you work?"

"I had an uncle die," I lied.

"Oh, sorry."

"It's okay."

"Do you like pizza?" Lisa asked at her house.

Was this a trick question?

"Yes."

"I'll have a pizza delivered."

Brianna and I settled into the den while her mom did other things elsewhere in the house.

"Could I ask you something?" Brianna said.

"Sure."

"It's more of a favor."

"What?"

"Somehow you helped my mom and somehow you were there to rescue me from Josh and I don't know how you did those things and I know you're not going to tell me how, but I was wondering if you would do something else for me?"

"What?" I said curiously.

"It's not really for me. It's for Alex," she said, "and Alyssa."

Little things made me not like Alex but I didn't say "no". I waited for Brianna to continue.

"Alex's dad is always yelling at her and Alyssa and their mom. It's completely awful. I hate going over there. Alex is always over here and Alyssa goes to her friend Morgan's house just to get away from their dad. I don't mind Alex coming over since she's my best friend."

Morgan must be the girl I always saw hanging with Alyssa.

"I'm sorry," I said while thinking there wasn't anything I could do. How did you stop a person from yelling?

"So would you do something?"

"I don't know."

"Please," she begged.

"I'll try," I acquiesced. Brianna could ask me to do about anything right now.

"Good. I'll let Alex know."

"Don't tell her," I said.

"Why not?"

"It has to be in secret like with your mom."

"Oh, okay but you will do something?"

"I'll try. I don't know if I can do anything."

"Oh, really?" she said sadly.

The sad look on her face made me determined to find a solution. The problem was I had absolutely no ideas. What could I possibly do?

"I'll do something," I promised though I became worried I would regret the promise.

"Oh, good. Thank you."

"There you are," said Lisa. She was close so her voice startled me. "Get some plates and drinks, Brianna. The pizza will arrive any minute."

"Okay, Mom," Brianna said and headed to the kitchen.

"Did you have a good day, Sam?" Lisa asked.

"Yes."

"You like Brianna a lot."

"Yes." I definitely did.

"You're very different than her other boyfriends."