🍄 A weekend at Nathan's
Part 3: It's decided
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In the morning, I always have trouble waking up, but I know it's my fault, I played on the console too late again and didn't get enough sleep.
Mom comes to wake me up, dad is drinking his coffee. She has to shake me several times to wake me up and open my eyes. I hope she doesn't see the console I put under my bed before falling asleep.
I finally get up and go have breakfast.
"What day is it?" I ask once seated.
"It's Tuesday," dad replies.
Oh man, the week is far from over. Can't wait for the weekend to get some sleep. My schedule sucks and I have classes every morning at 8 am, no chance to sleep in on a weekday.
"Don't forget to ask your friends if they could host you for 2 nights," mom asks. We still don't know which days, but it will be around the end of the week.
"Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that funeral."
"Yes mom, I'll do it."
Once I'm done, I get dressed and decide to go by bike this morning. I have to take advantage, soon it will be dark in the morning and my parents will want me to take the bus.
Nathan is already at the bus stop and watches me arrive.
"You look tired," he says, "did you play Fortnite again last night?"
"I leveled up several times and didn't want to stop. I had to turn off the console around midnight."
"Oh yeah, that's only 6 hours of sleep, not much. Avoid falling asleep in class like the other day though. By the way, did your parents say anything when they saw the note from the teacher?"
"They haven't seen it yet..."
"Haha, you'll be in trouble one of these days."
"You look better than yesterday, though," I say.
Nathan doesn't respond, apparently not feeling like talking today either. I don't insist.
Our bus arrives and we arrive a few minutes later at school where I meet several acquaintances. I could have asked Nathan if he could host me, but I prefer to ask others first. Throughout the morning, I ask those I know:
"Sorry Sam, but it's not possible at my place, my stepsister is already in my room," Antoine replies.
"Yeah, no way," Kevin says curtly.
"I'm not here this weekend," Ralph says.
"My parents don't want me to invite people to sleep over," Tony replies.
Well, I think I've covered everyone, I think to myself as I arrive at the cafeteria. I think Nathan heard my requests but didn't offer for me to come to his place. While queuing to enter the cafeteria, I still ask him:
"My parents will have to be away for 3 days from the end of the week and I'm looking for a place to stay, do you think it would be possible at your place?"
"Um... I don't know..."
"Otherwise, I'll have to go with them to a funeral, and I'm not too keen on that."
"You know, my mom, she is..."
"Plus, it would be great," I say, "we could spend some time together."
"I know, yes, that would be nice. I'll ask her tonight and let you know tomorrow."
I don't know if Nathan just doesn't feel like it and uses his mom as an excuse, or if she's really a special case.
The afternoon passes, as usual, very slowly. In the evening, mom asks me and I tell her that I'm waiting for a response from Nathan or more precisely from his mother. Mom tells me they don't know yet and that they'll leave Friday morning and come back Sunday evening.
The next morning at school, Wednesday morning, I quickly find Nathan and ask him what his mother said.
"Oh, I forgot to ask her," Nathan replies.
Hmm... forgot or deliberately forgot...
"You'll ask her tonight, right? My mom needs to know if she needs to inform that I'll come with them. It would be to stay Friday night and Saturday night. My parents come back Sunday."
"I'll ask her but I don't think she'll agree, you know."
Again, I don't get a sincere impression from what Nathan is telling me.
The next morning, at the bus stop, I find myself asking Nathan the question again.
"So, what did your mother say?"
"She didn't say no but... she said it would be better if you checked with someone else."
"I've already asked others, and they really can't. You're the last one who can help me."
"You know, at my place... it's..."
At that moment, the bus arrives and we get on. There are already acquaintances inside and they come towards us, ending the conversation.
It's already Thursday, and my parents leave tomorrow morning. They'll want me to come with them, for sure. Nathan didn't say he didn't want me to come, and his mom didn't say no either.
Today, I'm having a bad day, I even got a detention for next week for pushing another 6th grader who was in my way. It's not my day.
Nathan doesn't bring up our conversation again but I don't forget it. Once home, around 5 pm, mom is already there. She's obviously back earlier than usual, probably to pack our things.
"So, are you staying at Nathan's or not?"
"I don't know. He didn't say no and didn't say yes either."
"So you're coming with us."
"But I don't want to come! And I feel like Nathan didn't even talk to his mother. Mom, please, can we go to their place to ask? It's really close by."
"But if Nathan didn't ask his mother, it's because he doesn't want you to go to his place."
"I don't think that's it either. He was about to talk to me about his mother when we were interrupted."
"Alright, at least you two aren't mad at each other, right?"
"We get along great and I'd be really happy to spend time with him for the weekend."
"Okay, let's go to his place then."
Cool, I'm happy, at least I'll know where I stand, at least if his mother is there. During the few minutes of walking with mom, I cross my fingers that there will be people at Nathan's place.
The car is there, a good sign. Mom knocks on the door and it opens, I recognize Nathan's mom.
"Hello," my mom says, "I'm Samuel's mom."
"Hello ma'am," she replies. "Samuel? I don't know," she says without even looking at me.
Suddenly, her gaze falls on me.
"Oh, but yes, Sam," she says. "Nathan talks a lot about your son, they're friends at school."
"Yes, my son prefers to be called Sam. My son also talks a lot about Nathan, I feel they get along well, yes."
Suddenly, Nathan comes over to his mom but stays behind her.
"I'm sorry to bother you," my mom continues, "but my husband and I have to be away for 3 days starting tomorrow morning to attend a funeral. My son asked yours if he could spend 2 nights at your place and..."
"But of course," Nathan's mom responds, cutting her off. "There's no problem at all. When are you leaving?"
"We're leaving tomorrow morning and coming back Sunday evening. Are you sure this wouldn't bother you?"
"Sure, and certain!"
I see Nathan's mom turn around and look at him for a few seconds. To me, this conversation and that look confirm what I thought: that Nathan didn't even ask his mother. I hope he won't be too mad at me. I look at him, but the room isn't very bright and I can't see his gaze.
"What time are you leaving tomorrow morning?"
"We have a long drive so we'll leave as soon as Samuel is off to school."
"Would it be alright if he stayed here tonight?" Nathan's mom asks.
"Oh, but I wouldn't want to inconvenience you, already two nights is fine."
"If I'm offering, it's because it doesn't bother me."
Mom looks at me and I nod to indicate that I agree. I still can't see Nathan well, it's as if he's hiding.
"Okay then, thank you. It will allow us to leave a bit earlier. I'll bring him over tonight after dinner then, with clothes for 3 days and his school stuff."
"I'm sure Nathan would be happy for Sam to join us for dinner tonight, right Nathan?" she asks, turning towards him.
I don't hear a response from him. It's really strange that his mom is so nice and that he didn't want to talk to her about my need to stay over. He must be hiding something from me, or maybe we're not really friends and he's pretending.
"Bring him over as soon as you can," Nathan's mom continues, "we're not going anywhere and we'll be waiting for you."
"Great, we'll do that, thank you very much. I'll leave you my phone number too."
"Yes, good idea, you never know. See you soon."
"See you in a bit."
Mom and I walk away and quickly return home to pack my things.
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