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"C'mon dude!" Sam waves the helmet and pads in front of himself, hopefully in an enticing way.
"No way, Sam!" Sebastian says firmly, crossing his arms over his chest from his spot sitting under the tree across from Sam's neighbor's, Emily and Haley, home.
Sam does his best puppy-dog eyes at him. "Please? It'll be super fun!"
He watches as Sebastian's eyes slide down his front until they stop, staring pointedly at the rip in the knee of Sam's jeans. The one that happened a few days ago. The one that Sebastian had witnessed. An eyebrow raises on Seb's face as he stares at the the bright red bandages with pizza slices on them Sam knew were peeking through the hole. Also a result from what happened a few days ago.
Ignoring the look, Sam tries again. "I promise, you'll love it! You keep saying you want to get a motorcycle when you're old enough and what better way to practice your need for speed than being on a board?"
"You do remember that I was the one who helped you get to Doctor Harvey's the other day, right?"
Yes. Sam did remember that. It had been an amazing summers day: hot, light breeze, not a cloud in the sky. Exactly like today, actually. He remembered nearly nailing a crazy trick by doing a backside noseslide on the flowerbed on the front of his neighbour's home. He would have actually nailed it if the corner of the wooden box hadn't crumbled when he got to the end. He managed to fall forwards — if he fell backwards, his back probably would've gotten scratched to shit on the wood — and he almost stayed on his feet. Except he tripped on a stupid pebble, landing hard on one of his knees. When he couldn't quite straighten it without a burst of pain shooting up his leg when he tried to get up, Sebastian had insisted on going to the clinic.
"Oh, it's fine! Didn't even need stitches!" Sam jumps up and down on his leg. "See? Doesn't even hurt anymore!"
"Mhmm," Sebastian hums, not making a move to get up.
"Besides, I bet Demetrius would hate it if you started skating." Sure, it was a reach. But it wasn't necessarily wrong either. "Also, that's why I'm going to make you wear the helmet and pads, dude."
Sebastian's gaze moves down to the gear in Sam's hands, lips in a tight line like he was contemplating. So, Sam waves them even closer to him. After all, no harm in a little peer pressure. Right?
***~~~***
"I look like a dork," Sebastian mumbles, tugging on the elbow pads strapped to his arms as his eyes dart around like he was making sure that no one was watching.
"You look fine," Sam reassures him yet again. Seriously. There was barely thirty people who live in Pelican Town. The only people — Alex and Haley — who could maybe, possibly say something about the safety gear Sebastian was wearing were on the other side of town where Alex works his summer job at the ice cream stand. "Besides, the gear's non-negotiable."
"You don't wear it," Sebastian grumbles as he moves to stand beside the green skateboard Sam had placed on the ground in front of his home.
Sam smirks at him. "Gotta protect your pretty face." He brings a hand up to pat Sebastian's cheek, happily accepting the murderous look Sebastian gives him. "Okay, lets just get you on the board."
Sam holds out his hands, keeping his leg pressed against the tip of the board to keep it from going anywhere. After a second of hesitation, Sebastian moves his hands up, gripping tight onto Sam's forearms. He then gingerly steps up onto the deck, left foot in front first then right in back. He only wobbles slightly before he finds his balance.
"There ya go!" Sam exclaims encouragingly. "Now, you just stay there and don't move. I'll walk backwards so you get a feel for the board."
He moves slowly, carefully taking one step then another. It definitely wouldn't be great if he trips. He'd probably never get Sebastian riding again.
They make it to the end of his neighbour's house without a hitch. "See, not so bad, right?"
Sebastian's gaze flicks up from where it had been staring at the ground. "I guess. Now what?"
"Now we go back the other way." Sam pauses, debating whether it was too soon to turn the skateboard with Sebastian still on it. Deciding that, yes, it probably was since he only just stepped on one for the first time, Sam tilts his head. "Off for a second."
It takes him a second to turn the skateboard around with his foot, then sets Sebastian up on it again, walking backwards. Unfortunately, the lesson doesn't go quite the same way as it had the first time. About halfway between the houses, the board suddenly stops dead, causing Sebastian to stumble forward a few steps off of it. Thanks to the near-painful grip he has on Sam's arms, he doesn't get very far.
"You okay?" Sam asks, studying him carefully.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sebastian frowns.
"Well, we get to learn two things from that," Sam says, quickly chasing after the skateboard as it had shot backwards when Sebastian stumbled off of it. One of Sebastian's eyebrows raise. "First, what just happened is called a rock fart." Sam chuckles at the look Sebastian gives him, like he's suddenly grown three heads. "Not even kidding, dude." Sam kicks a small rock on the walkway towards the grass. "Wheel hit a rock, which made it stop all of a sudden and throw you off. Rock fart. Happens to the best of us."
"Uh huh." Sebastian crosses his arms over his chest, clearly still not believing him.
"Second thing we learned, you ride goofy."
"I what?"
"You have a goofy stance," Sam clarifies, patting his right leg. "When you tripped, it was your right foot that stopped you." Sebastian stares at him, eyebrows raised into his bangs.
"Here, do what I do." Sam takes a few quick steps forward, stopping abruptly with his left foot forward. His own regular stance on the board. Sebastian copies him. "Okay, now switch." He shifts, this time stopping abruptly with his right foot forward and Sebastian follows. "Which feels more natural?"
Sebastian frowns down at his feet, head tilted slightly. "I guess like this?"
Sam nods. "Goofy stance. You're more comfortable with your right foot forward."
"And you ride…?"
"Regular."
Sebastian rolls his eyes. "Regular?"
"Hey! I didn't come up with the names. I'm just teaching you them!" Sam shrugs.
"So, what does that mean?" Sebastian asks curiously. "I can't do certain tricks or…?"
"Nope," Sam shakes his head. "It's literally just how you ride. I won't affect anything except how you put your feet."
They continue the back and forth for another few minutes before slowly graduating Sebastian to walking the skateboard, right foot on the board, left taking steps off the ground. There was only a few stumbles, which was pretty impressive considering the amount of times Sam had fallen when he was first learning.
They settle against the tree about twenty minutes later, Sam helping Sebastian take off the elbow and wrist pads.
"I told you it wasn't so bad." Sam had been pleasantly surprised how quickly the apprehension and deep concentration had shifted on Sebastian's face to him maybe actually enjoying it.
"Yeah, I guess," Sebastian says, taking off one of the knee pads.
Sam gasps, excited. "Oh! For your next lesson, I can show you how to do a backside kickturn."
"Sam…"
"It's the basic turn," Sam ignores him. "Then frontside kickturns. Then maybe some tic tacs and crab walks…"
He was lost in his own head, brain eagerly coming up with weeks of lessons for Sebastian. Maybe even bringing him to his favourite skate park in Zuzu City, if his mother would let him go. Maybe bring him to his favourite store to get Sebastian a board of his own…
He doesn't notice as Sebastian sighs with a shake of his head, slumping further down against the tree with a small smile on his face.