I very quickly realize two things after I locked myself in.
I'd abandoned Sam in a very vulnerable state and I was a complete and utter idiot. I locked myself in a room with no escape. And I had no idea why I'd locked myself away.
Okay so three things, maybe four, sue me.
I take a moment to survey the room. It's filled with dark blue and dark purple garnishes. The pillows purple, while the duvet is blue. On each corner of the bed, the tall posts are dark, stained almost black. There's a night stand on either side, with lamps, the only light colours in the room are the lamp shades really. If the lamps weren't on, I'm positive it'd be pitch black.
"Keera?" Alan calls quietly through the door. "They're gone, they went to. They went to take care of some stuff."
I unlock the door, revealing Alan and Sam alone, which leads me to opening it fully and gesturing for them to come in. I flop down on my new bed but flinch, making a mental note to talk to my uncle about my body's reaction to being shot with an arrow. Looking back at the boys, I see Alan perched at the end of my bed watching Sam, who's scratching the back of his leg with his foot, his eyes on the floor.
"Im sorry about earlier, Keera."
"Pfft," the sound is both obnoxious and unflattering, but I don't care. I wave away his statement. "I was shot with an arrow this week; comforting someone's been the best part of my day."
"Didn't you visit some close friends?" Alan reminds me and I nod, smiling as I remember that I made lunch plans with Amy before leaving earlier. We both look back at Sam who's eyes are wide and jaw's practically on the floor.
"An arrow?!"
"Yup," I draw out stretching, but immediately regretting it and curling into a ball in pain.
"That reminds me!" Alan mutters, jumping up and disappearing. When he returns, he holds out his hands revealing two white pills. "You should take these before Dwayne gets back."
"Right," I nod, dry swallowing for the second time that day.
"Im sorry, but this is news to me; when is someone getting shot, with an arrow of all things, normal?!" Sam squeaks and I chuckle quietly.
"What about this group is normal?"
"She's got you there, bud," Alan smiles. I shoot Alan a look, quickly asking if Sam knows, to which he howls with laughter before confirming that he did. "His brother's fiancé used to be involved with David."
"Oh," I say slowly before patting the space next to me for Sam to join.
"Guys, don't get me wrong, I appreciate all this; it's just, it's still super new to me."
"Sam, I can see people's pasts and am apparently a murder's mate; I gots some patience. Just come sit down, you look like you're gonna fall over," I offer him a friendly smile and he does as I say. Alan sends me a subdued worried look but I shake my head, putting my arm down so that Sam can take up his previous position from the boardwalk. I wrap my arm around his shoulders and slowly feel him relax into me before gesturing with my head for Alan to join. He gives me a funny look, but doesn't say a word as I readjust Sam and myself so I'm resting comfortably between Alan's legs, with Sam beside us.
We sit in silence for a while, me listening to Sam and Alan's breathing; Alan running his fingers through Sam's hair. He finally seems pretty relaxed, comfortable almost.
"Sam," I start quietly and he carefully twists around so he's looking up at me. He looks like a child. "How long were you with him?"
His nose crinkles. I can tell he doesn't want to answer and that he's also not sure how to.
"Well, he's known us for a few years," Alan supplied. "Probably started getting, uh, feelings a year ago, right, Sam?"
"Yeah," Sam nods, sitting up with his back to us. He rubs his face roughly. "We've been, dating for a few months." He sighs, tucking his leg under him as he stared at the wall behind the head of the bed. "Since Keyna moved here basically. Things kind of started getting rough after he found out about you and Marko."
"Sam," Alan starts, but I tap his hand gently, knowing Sam needs and now wants to finish.
"It wasn't anything huge at first, just, like, little fights and stuff, but then he just started getting really angry," he's rubbing his arm as he talks, as if trying to rub away whatever he's seeing in his head. "He thought I was, that I was cheating on him? I dunno, he just got really mad and kind of just lashed out. It, uh, escalated from there, but I thought things would get better. When it started getting obvious they wouldn't, I told him that my mum had needed me to tell Keyna something. That was two weeks ago. And here we are."
"How did Keyna know?" Alan asks after a few moments and Sam smiles bitterly.
"She knew something was wrong when she saw me and I guess it's a good thing she's nosey." I feel Alan laugh quietly and smile myself, knowing Keyna probably read his mind.
"You know it's not your fault, right, Sam," I ask him quietly and he scrunches up his nose, barely able to look at me. "You will one day, in your own time, I promise."
"How did you know?" I let out a sigh and look at my own hands.
"I've been friends with my fair share of people who have found themselves in toxic relationships. So while I didn't know the specifics, and I'm super happy and grateful you felt you could tell me. Well, us. I guess after watching my friends, I had a feeling something wasn't right."
He looks at me thoughtfully for a moment.
"They're lucky to have you, you know," he finally states and I laugh.
"I dunno, I feel like I've brought some trouble that wasn't worth it."
"Eh, so did Keyna, but they keep her around," Alan shrugs and I tilt my head but he doesn't answer. "Point is, you're kind of stuck with us."
"So you are with Marko!" I exclaim happily, which makes him turn read. I look back to Sam and he's just watching us. Tugging at his shirt, I reposition him so he's laying on Alan and I again. "You have to admit, Sam, they are cute."
"They are," he laughs and Alan groans shifting to move but I hiss in pain, causing him to freeze.
"Im so sorry, Keera."
"It's fine," I grit my teeth, smiling as an attempt to show them I'm okay but both boys just laugh, saying that my smile looks like something out of a horror movie. "Charming."
"Oh, c'mon," Sam starts, between laughs. "Besides, you and Dwayne are pretty cute too."
"Oh yeah!" Alan agrees adamantly. "Keyna told me the first time you met him you called him yours. Like you knew about the mate thing the whole time."
"Nope," the 'p' pops between my lips. Sam draws in a breath, looking up at us hesitantly. "What's up, Sam?"
"Do you guys think Edgar-"
"No," Alan and I both respond instantaneously. Sam shoots us both an incredulous look and I look down, petting his head.
"Sam, think about it. If Edgar was your mate, do you really think he would have acted that way? He'd have wanted to protect you from all the bad in the world and treat you like you're an angel. Or princess. Or something that's the equivalent in male form. The point is, things wouldn't have gone the way they did if he way," I try to explain but I can tell he's warring at himself.
"But what if it was my fault?"
"It's never your fault when it comes to that. You don't ever deserve it," Alan answers this time and I can't help smiling up at him. "When you find whoever you're supposed to be with, you'll know."
"Really?" Sam looks up at us, like a kid who's parents are telling him about Santa Claus for the first time. I nod and I'm pretty sure Alan does too. He settles back into my side but after a few moments, gives me a quizzical expression. "You and Dwayne haven't kissed?"
"Give me a break," I laugh playfully. "I was knocked out for four days. And healing most of the rest."
"He has been super cute with her though. He wouldn't leave her side when she was out. They had to drag him out so he'd be strong enough to 'protect' you when you woke up." Based on his tone change, I assume he was mimicking David when he says that and I can't help giggle quietly. David's definitely a hot head and an insensitive ass, but he does really care about his boys. And Kenya. Which reminds me.
"Alan, when we met up with my friend Amy, she revealed she was engaged. Why would Keyna be upset by that and why would David be, well that's a stupid question. Scratch the second half, why would Keyna be upset by that?" Alan sighs, his head rolling to the side.
"You cannot tell her I told you this," he says quietly and Sam and I nod in agreement. "She thought David was going to propose. Just before you moved here, actually. Which is why I think she was so happy to have another girl around, because she could focus on things other than David."
"What about you?"
"I've got Marko," he shrugs and I roll my eyes. "Besides, Keyna and I are friends, but we aren't close. She seems to have a hard time letting people in that way and I think she thought it might be easier with a girl."
"Huh," is all I can say. "Well I feel like a jerk."
"I mean, how could you have known," Alan says in a logical tone and I roll my eyes.
"Still," I mutter. "I just thought she was just like that, I didn't realise there was a reason."
"Oh, she is," Sam pipes up.
"You know what I mean," I sigh, rubbing my face. We spend the rest of the night, just talking. Getting to know each other better. I found I like Sam and Alan. And even Keyna from what they say. They seem like a really good bunch.
"What the literal hell?!" I hear, jolting me from my peaceful slumber. Probably a good thing though, my neck is starting to cramp. I realise Alan, Sam, and I fell asleep talking. I think the voice I heard is Keyna, which means the boys are back. She's not yelling at us, so who is she so angry with.
"Who's are these?"
I gently nudge Sam, so I can slip out from between the sleeping boys and softly pad into the living room, bringing my finger upto my lips when I see Dwayne.
"Alan and Sam are sleeping," I tell him quietly and then I see Keyna, ripping through a stack of papers. "What's going on?"
"Well?!" Keyna demands, whipping around before Dwayne can answer me. She's holding up one of the papers. I squint a little before realising what it is and subtly step closer to Dwayne. It's not subtle to him, of course, but he draps his arm over my shoulder protectively regardless. "Is this some kind of sick joke?"
"Keyna, just, what is it?" David asks quietly, stepping between her and the group, so they can have a private word. I look up at Dwayne hopefully, nodding my head to leave, but he's intently watching the scene in front of him. I see the back of David's head nod before he turns around, facing Dwayne, Marko, Paul, and me, holding up the paper himself. Keyna is behind him, barely standing, as she sobs silently into his back. "Who drew these?"
I hear a noise and turn to see a sleepy Sam and Alan entering the room, but I cut them off, quietly telling them to go back to my room. Or Alan's room. I didn't care. Just not here.
"Where are you two going?"
"C'mon David," Marko starts, earning a scowl. "We all know Alan can't draw, remember, Keyna tried to get him to play pictionary." David's scowl deepened as he remembers and nods at Alan to continue; letting Sam leave for obvious reasons. Why does this have to be happening in front of everyone? I stare at the floor, feeling tears form. I don't know what has Keyna so upset but I didn't mean to do any harm with my drawings. And I sure as hell didn't want to explain why I'd done them in front of everyone.
Abruptly, I turn towards the new doorway, ignoring David's furious call. Thankfully Alan and Sam had opted for his room because I open the door and my room is empty. I don't even make it to the bed before the first sob escapes. I reach out and steady myself with the bedpost. It's all just too overwhelming.