Unspoken Pleasure by Erotica

What Are Friends For? EP6

She looked away, but not before I noticed she was blushing, which was definitely a first.

"Are you blushing?"

"No! I'm hot!" She removed her hat and wiped her forehead.

"Nah, just cute, remember?" I joked.

"Trust me, Justin, I know I'm not hot." She sounded irritable.

"Hey! I was kidding!"

"But Jen is, and for what it's worth? I never thought you'd be the kind of guy to go for just that."

"I like her for other reasons."

"Yeah, the two big ones hanging out of her shirt. You're different around her, Justin. When you're with me and Jim and the rest of our friends, you're you, and when you're with her, you're... a conceited jerk." "I am not!"

"Whatever." Sam stood up. "The point I was getting at was even though you're good-looking and popular, you're a sweet guy, and that's pretty rare at our age. That's the best part about you, and that's why you deserve better. Jen is just a shallow bitch."

"You're more than that and deserve more. Now, I've told you how I feel and you don't really care, but at least I said it. Hope you have fun tomorrow." She grabbed the bag and turned away from me, ending the conversation.

I thought about defending myself, but why bother? Once Sam dug in, nothing changed her mind. She'd made a good point about how I really cared about Jen, but I wasn't about to cancel tomorrow. By her own admission Sam hadn't been gung-ho over the guys she had been with. She was fine with it. Why shouldn't I be?

For the next half hour, we moved about the bushes and trees in silence except for the sounds of bottles and cans clinking together. I felt like an ass. Sam was helping me out and I had treated her like crap. Granted, she had been badgering me, but what else was new?

In my mind, I heard my mother's voice and one of her famous overused lines, 'If it bothers you, it's because the truth hurts.' Mentally telling my mother to shut up, I glanced up from the bushes, relieved to see we had almost reached the end of the small stand of trees that bordered one side of the playground.

"Hey," Sam called out, "looks like I earned that movie after all."

for you helping," I told her, glad she had spoken and still wanting

matter, I'd win the gross-out

up a stick and poke at

is it, something

not only pretty gross, but very

the stick towards me and something landed at my feet. I looked down to see

is nasty! Why is it ironic? Because

it's just

Sam." I forced myself to not raise my voice.

it's obvious, Justin, and I can

she released a long sigh. "Too bad you can't see what's right

*****

while the Sox were getting their asses handed to them by the Blue Jays. It was only eight thirty, but after

her Jen had asked me to clean up the other playground. Sam gave me a 'what a sap' look, but to my surprise offered to

told her I needed to go home and shower. Fact was, in addition to being hot and tired, Sam's older sister Brenda was there, and

home just before Bill picked Mom up and was happy to see how excited she was to be going away. She asked for the hundredth time

who seemed to go out of his way to do all the little

if I was seeing Jen. I was pretty sure she suspected I was glad she was going away for

proud of you, Justin. You're only eighteen but more of a man than your father ever was. He was already a dog in heat by your age. I don't know what I was thinking when I married him. But you're not like him, and I'm sure Jen sees that and knows how special you are." She paused and with a sly smile added, "I think you've

to get them out of the way, showered, and threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. I figured I

it, without being awkward about it. Her words had put me in a better mood. Because of my

Jen over tomorrow anyway, but Mom giving me her blessing removed any feelings that I wasn't doing the right

having fun. Even Sam, the indifferent tomboy who didn't give a rat's ass what she looked like or what people thought of her, had found guys

I'd never once thought I was better than her or anyone else, but that was what it felt like. It also sounded like something Jen would say when making fun of other

had made that remark today, that

front of me. Grabbing it, I saw it was Jim, who after Sam

what's up?" I answered. "You got nothing better to do on