Picking Up After That Last Cliffhanger

I guess I decided right then, right there, despite the fact that Danny was bigger than me—since he and Chris worked out more than anyone else I knew—to be honest and just tell him the truth.

To be honest and truthful, though, the prospect scared the hell out of me.

The two of us walked to the lighthouse, with everyone else following to see what happened. My nerves were getting to me, so I lit a cigarette and leaned up against the railing. “What’s up?” I asked.

“What’s going on with you and Megan?” he shot back.

I thought about it for a second, puffing at my cigarette as slowly as I could. I’m going to tell you straight out. I kissed her. Finally, I shook my head. “Nothing I gotta tell you, Dan. Really, I think it’s our business.”

He hit me across the face. Hard. I tasted blood, so I spat over the railing. Sure enough, it came out red.

Then he hit me again, harder this time. “What’ve you got to hide, Sam? What is it you don’t want to tell me?”

I wanted to tell him the truth. I swear I did. But it was an easier decision to make than to carry out.

Next thing I knew, Jon had Danny by the back of his shirt and was pulling him away from me. Then Danny was up against the rail, with Jon in his face.

“Do you really want to know that badly?”

Silence. I started to step towards them to stop Jon, but before I could:

“It was her, alright? She…kissed…him.”

Danny threw him off and turned on me, knocking me so hard my cigarette went flying. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he shouted.

I didn’t even bother punching back. It wouldn’t have done me any good. “I didn’t do anything!” I spread my arms.

“What do you call kissing Megan then?”

“Listen to Jon, damn it! She kissed me! Why the hell are you making such a big deal out of it, anyway?”

Before Dan could charge on me again, Chris grabbed him and pulled him back. Chris looked embarrassed and furious all at once. “What’s the matter with you, Danny? Megan is free to choose Sam if she wants. Why don’t you get that?”

Danny was quiet. He started looking embarrassed now too.

“Let’s go home, okay?”

Danny shot me one last look, like he was wondering if I was really a friend, and then nodded. “Alright.”

Chris shoved him in the direction of the pickup, and turned back to me. “I’m sorry about this, man. He’s just got to cool down.”

I rubbed some blood out of my eyebrow and watched it drip down my hand. “It’s okay,” I answered after a minute. “Really.”

“Whatever you say. We’re gonna lay low for a while, guys. See you around.” He waved, and me, Jon and Megan waved back. I really didn’t know what to say anymore.