Saint Joseph School

((INTRO))

She sat on the edge of his desk chair, elbows leaning on her thighs as she watched him pack, wishing the lump in her throat would go away. It was stupid. The whole situation was just stupid. It was just four weeks. Not even the entire summer. She rolled her eyes as he picked up the clipboard next to his suitcase, checking off item after item according to the list of what he needed to bring. Just like a boy scout. Always prepared. He returned to his dresser and counted out seven pairs of rolled up white tube socks, one of them rolling from the balanced pile atop his clipboard to a stop by Sam's left foot. She picked it up and southpaw tossed it into his case as Bryan made a check mark in that box as well. Just say something. Anything, jeez, brain, make yourself useful.

"So... Four weeks?" She cursed her brain, she already knew the answer, they just spoke about it yesterday at prom.

"Still four weeks." He said with a chuckle, grabbing seven neatly folded white t-shirts from his second drawer. She imagined him packing to go off to some college somewhere, and it just made the situation worse. He thoughtfully tapped the pencil against his chin before recounting the t-shirts and putting them in the case as well. Her eyes followed him back and forth to where he was selecting which gym shorts to bring. The small container of orange flavored Tang she'd picked up as a going away gift sat next to the slew of personal care products he lined up to bring. On the desk behind her was a brochure of the Space Camp he'd be attending next to his wallet and plane ticket, so she busied herself reading about the adventure he'd be having that summer. G-force simulators, astronaut PT, classroom learning.... you could run track, go to summer school and I could just shove you in a dryer. But he was looking forward to it. It was mostly all he could talk about, and besides, she had things planned too, like a trip to California and working at Jules' to pay it off.

Before long, he was finished. She held the case closed for him while he zipped it up, the two friends sitting silently on the edge of the bed afterwards. She leaned into his shoulder, and he leaned his chin across the top of her head. The cab would pick him up in the morning and he'd be down in Alabama for four weeks playing astronaut. Four weeks is really long.

He sat up after a bit and checked the watch on his wrist, holding it up to demonstrate it'd be coming with him, causing her to smile and roll her eyes. Stupendous Man. She'd bought it for him after he'd broken up with Nix, him finding the dress watch she'd bought him brought up too many memories. But time passed, he could once again wear Nix's watch, and still he usually made it a point to let Sam know hers was getting good use. His favorite comic hero. I'm gonna miss you.

"It's not like it's all summer." He said, as if he read her mind. "And did you check out everything I'm going to get to do?"

"Yeah! It looks like it'll be a blast! And you'll totally be in shape for football season this August." She replied with a nod.

"The cab's coming kind of early." He replied after a pause.

"Well, yeah, and I guess you can use all the beauty sleep you can get." She kidded.

"I need to maintain my boyish good looks as a public service for all the girl campers." He said, giving her a playful shove. Why was stuff so much harder now?

"Well, I'll write. Keep you up on what's going on and stuff. You know."

"I'll send you a postcard at least, from the final frontier."

"Alabama." She scoffed. "It's hardly the final frontier."

"It's below the Mason Dixon." He countered, and they shared a small laugh. It's like a billion miles away.

"Well, I should let you get to sleep." She said, standing up hesitantly. "You sure you don't want help getting your stuff down to the curb in the morning?"

"Artie should be up." He shrugged. "Plus..." He levitated the bag over to the door with a wave of his hand. "I can do that. And besides, what sort of boy scout would I be if I let some girl carry my luggage?"

"Some girl?" She shoved him this time and smiled, he tousled her hair in response to show he was kidding.

"I'm gonna miss you." She finally choked out, staring at one of the recessed lights in his ceiling. He grinned and pulled her into a hug.

"It's just a few weeks." He reminded her, squeezing tightly. "But I'll miss you too. And I'll bring you back a moon rock."

"You'll pick up a normal old rock and know I won't be able to tell the difference." She said, hugging him back. "Just don't forget the freeze dried ice cream." And don't go and change too much. You come back the same guy you packed up in the suitcase. Don't change anything. Not ever.

"I won't. Scout's honor." He hugged her one more time. Even though he couldn't read minds, she'd take that as a promise.