“Missed homeroom, neglected to do the assignment in fifth period, and then proceeded to sit through the rest of the day like a zombie. My mom would be real pleased if she heard how my day had gone,” I said with disgust ringing in my voice.
“Hey give yourself a break, first days are always tough. Take it from me; I’ve had plenty of first days.” Sam said, even though she seemed to sense there was more to it than first day jitters.
“Did you ever read that note he passed you?”
So, Sam had seen him pass me the note.
“No, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to.”
“Why not?”
“Because, you saw what happened in there, he’s an intern. I don’t know what came over me. I don’t check out guys, and I don’t act like he’s the only person in the world in front of a bunch of people I’ve never met.”
“Well, you may not, but it’s hard to deny that something happened in there. We may have just met today, but I could tell you felt something in there. I think you should read the note, he obviously felt it too. He looked like he had been hit by a truck when he first saw you.”
I thought about Sam’s words, she was right. I should at least read his note. It had been burning a hole in my pocket the whole afternoon.
With shaking fingers, I pulled the note out of my pocket and stopped walking to read it. Sam stepped discreetly away, sensing that I needed a moment by myself to read it.
I smoothed out the creases of the note before I read it, dragging out the procedure while I mentally prepared myself. My heart skipped a beat at the words written on the paper.
We need to talk. I know you’re confused, I can explain everything, meet me at the park after school.
Love always M.R
My heart started racing. What could he explain? What did he know that I didn’t?
“Are you going meet him after school?” asked Sam, reading the note over my shoulder.
“I don’t think so.”
“Seriously? Why not?”
“Because I’m confused, I don’t know what to make of all of this.”
“Can I come over to your house?” Sam asked suddenly.
“Sure.” I said surprised. “My mom won’t be home until later, she wanted to drive to some art supply store she heard about. She left me pizza money; you can eat over if you want?”
“Sure,” said Sam. “Your mom’s an artist?”
“Well, no, but she’s going to try her hand in it. She’s taking a year off from work to dabble in it. My dad left us enough money for her to try new things.”
“That sounds great,” said Sam with just a tinge of envy in her voice. “It sounds like you two are close.”
“They were there for me when I needed them the most. Once the judge had officially cut all the red tape after I was found, and allowed them to adopt me, they were ecstatic. They officially adopted me the day I turned six, and it was a great birthday present.”
Sam’s face took on a shocked expression.
“You were abandoned?”
I could have kicked myself, after years of keeping my abandonment a secret from everyone, I had let it slip out with someone I had just met. Of course, I felt a kinship with Sam, but I still couldn’t believe I had let my guard down.
“I was found at a rest stop when I was two,” I answered uncomfortably.
“I was put in foster care when I was two,” Sam said in a voice laced with surprise.
“You were?” I asked, not quite believing her. Was Sam some kind of freak that made things up to make herself seem more interesting?