He said that he was going to take me out to a movie on my birthday and that was what he did. When we got there, he was looking at all the chick flicks playing at the time, dreading to have to sit through one of them.
"You kidding? Let's go see American Gangster!"
Once more, I had managed to render him speechless. He obviously never thought that I'd be into that kind of a movie. He was pleased at my choice and also grateful for not needing to sit through a chick flick.
Oh, but you know what the best part of the night was?
When he got to my place to pick me up, he brought roses.
Roses.
There were like 7 of them in a bouquet and they were as red as my cheeks when he handed me to them.
"I didn't know what to get ya so I went with the obvious."
It was a sweet gesture nonetheless and I greatly appreciated it. Told you he was secretly a softie.
Location: Samantha's apartment
Lake City, Colorado
15th May, 2007
After the movie, we headed back to my place for that vodka I was talking about. Except this time, I was SO not going to get drunk and blabber all of my problems to this guy.
However, I couldn't help but go into further detail about my abandonment. I was left on the steps of an orphanage with no indication of who my birth parents were. I was never adopted so when I turned 18, it was off to college to really start my life.
"Did they have ANY idea what that does to a kid?" I almost slurred, a glass of vodka mixed with Coca Cola in my hand. "I grew up thinkin' that I wasn't worth to be loved!"
"Sammie, that's not true." Miles told me in a calm manner.
"YOU KNOW IT IS," I suddenly yelled, giving him a small shock. "It's just so heartbreaking... to know that your own parents don't even love you enough to give you a reason why they left you alone..." So saying, I hung my head.
Miles certainly didn't want waterworks at the moment so he quickly ran his hand up and down my back in an attempt to calm me down. "Well then, they're the biggest douches on the planet to have done that to a sweet girl like you."
"Now you're just trying to make me feel better..."
"That's what a best bud is for, Sammie."
"I need to know!" I straightened my back and he pulled his hand away as if he had burned it. "Why are you so nice to me?"
He titled his head at me. "What do you mean?"
"The firs time I met you, I hadn't even gotten my name out yet and you called me 'cute'. You speak to me as if I've been your best friend for years! But WHY. Spit it out, Upshur," I turned my upper body to him.
"Well, what can I say, Sam?" He shrugged his shoulders at me. "I'm an easy-going guy. Also, I have a thing for cute girls."
"Now you're just laying it on thick."
"That's for you to decide, Sam."
I could only grin at him.
"Look, Sammie, it's just the way I am," He told me casually as he leaned against the sofa we were on. "Don't blame me if you find it attractive."
"SMARTASS."
15th May, 2008
"Happy Birthday, Sammie," Miles wished me with a quick hug. "I hope there's cake for me."
"Of course, Miles," I said with that grin on my face as I shut the front door. He followed me into the living room.
"Sam?" The way he called out for me - it was as if he was worried that what he was about to say was going to hurt me. "You remember your birthday last year? When we celebrated it for the first time?"
"I remember getting drunk, even though I tried so hard not to."
"I don't blame ya. The vodka was hella good."
"Good thing I have more," I returned his smirk with my usual sweet smile. I also noted that he had a folder in his large hand. "So what about last year?"
"Sammie, you made it pretty clear that you were dying to know who your real parents were. But... you've never tried looking for them."
I couldn't lie. "No... I haven't. I figured, 'Why bother', you know?"
"Sammie..." He then lifted up that folder. "I've got the info."
Those words caused me to widen my eyes at him. I tried to process them the best I could. He's got what info? On... on my freakin' parents?! "You... you what?"
"I did some digging, Sam. Took a while, but I finally got it."
"B-Why?" That was all I could ask.
There was... genuine concern on his face. I mean, I knew he was my friend and all, but I've always known the guy to have that idiotic smirk on - one that I had grown to admire. "It's just the feeling I get whenever you talk about them. You say that you don't want to find anything out but I could tell that you really wanted to. You were just afraid."
"Am I... am I such an open book?"
"I'm sure you don't mean to be." He flashed a half-smile.
"Miles..." I started out. "There was a reason why my parents abandoned me. Why they didn't say why. Why they didn't try to contact me for so long. They didn't want me. Why go through so much trouble just to be rejected a second time in life?"
"Man, you're just too gentle for your own good, Sam," He chided me, though it was in a playful manner. "There was a damn good reason why you were left at an orphanage, and it's not for a bad reason like you think," He handed me the folder. "Read it."
I eyes that folder as if it was coated with poison. "I'm scared."
For that, he hit me on the head with the folder, although it was so light that I almost didn't feel a thing.
"HEY!"
"Stop being a little scaredy-cat and just read the damn thing! It'll take so much of your mind."
I snatched it from him, since I was a little annoyed by his attack. "Fine! You don't have to be mean about it!" I huffed, walking over to my sofa.
"It's the only way I can get you to listen, isn't it?" He followed me to the sofa and took a seat next to me as I opened up the brown folder.
I didn't really realize that my hands were shaking. "So... what am I looking at?" Rather than reading it all, I wanted Miles to give me the short version - to make me understand in the quickest way possible.
"Well, Sam? I started out by visiting your old orphanage, to see if the lady in charge ever deliberately not tell you the truth about your parents."
"And was Mrs. Vega telling the truth?"
"Seemed like it. So instead, I decided to see if I could find any articles around and after the date you were born. One article talks about a young couple getting involved in a car crash after the vehicle slammed into a tree."
That was when I fished out an old newspaper clipping entitled "Tragic Accident Leaves Couple Dead". There were other similar newspaper articles that he had cut out and assembled in the folder.
"Their names were Simon and Rachel Dunham. They were driving late that night and a drunk driver got in the way of their car. Caused your dad to lose control of the vehicle in an attempt not to crash into that guy."
"O-oh my God..." Tears were forming in my eyes immediately.
"The article got a statement from Rachel's sister, Deborah. She mentioned being devastated, because the couple was leaving behind their newborn girl, Samantha."
If that didn't tighten the feeling around my throat, nothing else will.
"I looked for your aunt in the phonebook and she was still staying in the city. Thankfully, she was willing to talk to me. I told her I was a friend of yours."
I turned my head to him instantly. "What did she have to say?"
"Your aunt was a single mom of 3 kids. She knew she couldn't provide you with the same amount of love and care that your parents gave to you, so she decided to give you up, hoping a loving couple would adopt you. I had to tell her that that never happened."
"Well, I... She doesn't feel guilty about that, does she?"
"Sorry, Sam. She does."
I just hung my head at that. That was when I noticed something else hidden behind the articles - a photo album. I fished it out, trying to comprehend its existence. "Miles?" I looked to him for an answer.
"Your parents had a single photo album," He replied. "Your aunt asked me to give it to you."
The first picture of a young couple, whom I immediately identified as my parents - the ones I never knew. Until now, I guess.
There were more pictures of them, leading up to their wedding. Following those were pictures of me as a baby, with my parents. All 3 of us. Like we were inseparable.
Even Miles couldn't blame me for the tears that streamed down my cheeks at that moment.
But the man was obviously not going to have a crying woman in his hands so he turned it around by saying, "Did you see what an ADORABLE kid you were?!" He exclaimed. "Like OH MY GOD. You're so chubby!"
"I used to be!" I quickly defended. "Got into the whole dieting thing in College!"
"Dieting? Are you for real?! You only live once, Armstrong! You gotta eat all the glorious food while you can!"
"Easy for you to say, Upshur!" Once one of us called the other by their last name, it was all downhill from there. "You eat lots of crap daily and never seem to gain weight!"
"I'm fucking magical, I guess."
All the pain built up in my heart over the years seemed to die away little by little the more I talked to him. He just really knew how to bring out a giggle in me, whether he intended to or not. But I'm glad he did. "Thanks, Miles."
Like I had previous mentioned, he was tired of hearing that word from me, but this time, he knew why I expressed my gratitude. "Anytime, Sammie."
I glanced down at the photos once more. "You literally gave me back my past. I have no idea how to pay you back."
"You nuts? Who said you needed to pay me back for this? I just did what anyone would have done for you. You know, if they had my bloody awesome investigative skills."
"No, they wouldn't," I said. "I lucked out when I met you."
And once again, I've managed to make the Miles Upshur blush. "So, isn't this the part the guy gets a hug from the girl, like in the movies?"
"Didn't think you were into hugs, or chick-flicks."
"Gimme my hug, woman!" He stretched his arm out to me.
"So demanding!" I laughed, leaning over to give him the tightest hug I could muster.
A/N: Chapter 3! Hope you've enjoyed. x)
