Pop: Chapter Six

     "Sam!  Wake up!  We're going to be late!  We only have another half hour or so before we'll be leaving!"  I'm yelling at my brother while pounding on his door, trying to make sure he's up.  

    "I'm not going," he mumbles through the door.  So, he's awake and still in bed.

    "Sam, you have to go.  You have that meeting with UK's swim coach and the rest of the team Friday. It will be easier to go with me today than reschedule things to go there later.  Even if you decide to change schools, you have to show up.  You might have problems if you don't."

    Because of Sam's late declaration and top showings at the last few meets of his senior year, Sam never got to have many of the official meetings on campus that most new athletes get.  As it was, he had to jump through a few extra hoops to get things done, but everything was above-book and legal.  No shadowy deals or anything of that nature.  Still, he still needs a few more last minute details to finish up on before fall.

    Suddenly, the door flies open and Sam is standing there, buck naked, with a grimace on his face.  I     quickly turn my head.

    "Fine!  I'll go, but I don't like it."  Sam slams the door back.

    "Just make sure you're wearing something appropriate."  At least he was excited about something, just not the trip.

    Everything after we got home yesterday afternoon was horrible.  Sam went up to his room and sulked the day away.  I went back to the library to work some more on The Third Generation.  I discovered the note I left just after where I had stopped at earlier.  I had forgotten to put in the subplot about the origins of  "The Wanderers."  This was a concept based on a really old supplement that had since been declared culturally inappropriate and somewhat derogatory.  I had been working on a new way to present this group with a some game designers soon after I posted my first stories online.  We just had the new material okayed late last year, and it had been well-received.  Now, I had to incorporate it into my novel, just so that the timelines would line up.  A hassle, but well worth it.

    I finished up the afternoon with a basic weightlifting session.  I usually don't go three days in a row, but I knew I would be too busy for another session for the next few days.  Besides, ti was mostly accessory work.  Fairly light and easy.  I didn't improve my mood as well as I had hoped.

    I was able to get Sam to go out for dinner with me by evening.  I didn't want to cook and leave either trash or leftovers to wait around until a get back a week from now.  We went in his electric eyesore down to Rosettis for the Strombolis, Sam's favorite.  He barely ate or talked to me the entire time.  I was just lucky he sat at the same table.  He didn't even want the radio on the ride home.  Pure silent treatment.

    He went back to his room while I finished getting ready and watching some television before turning in a little early myself.  I think he took a shower.  At least I hope so.