Julian and Brooke were having the time of their life. She had called Peyton to take care of Sam while she and Julian went out to dinner. Brooke was unaware that the moment she yelled "Bye" to her daughter, was the same moment that Sam took the blade to her wrist. Sam stifled her sobs as she realized the cruel irony of it all. Sam just laid in the tub and turned on the water. She didn't want to be bothered, didn't want to joke with Peyton. What she wanted was to be with her mom, but that wasn't an option so she opted for solitude.
Sam had been like this for almost two weeks. Cutting had become a regular routine in the past days. Nothing in her life was going right. Brooke was distant and preoccupied; Jack just stared at her, but kept his distance at all times. The only good thing was that her punishment was to be lifted tomorrow.
Peyton knocked on the bathroom door, "Hey Sam, you've been in there for a while, don't ya think?"
Sam opened her eyes; she was an emotional mess but didn't want to alarm anyone. She mustered all the energy she could, "yeah! I'll be right out"
Peyton felt relieved when she heard Sam's cheerful voice, "alright kid! Brooke said we could do what you want only if you have all your work done." Peyton chuckled at Brooke's overbearing nature.
Sam rolled her eyes, "Even when her world revolves around Julian she's still so damn controlling of my life." She whispered to herself.
She got out and went up to her aunt peyton, "I'm done with everything. I think a movie sounds pretty chill right now."
Peyton agreed, "Titanic it is!"
Sam pretended to choke herself, "you're such a sap. You know that?" Peyton just laughed, but as they began to watch the movie Sam cuddled in with her. Peyton found this odd, because usually she did this with Brooke or Haley, but it didn't bother her, she embraced Sam as well. Sam found her aunt to be comforting and warm, almost like her mom.
… … … … …
Brooke and Julian were both enjoying each other's company. For the first time in a long time, Brooke felt like a man really understood her. She loved him and he loved her.
There was a silence between them as they ate their food, but Julian put down his fork, "Brooke, babe, this is serious for me. I love you and I love Sam. I hope you know that."
Brooke responded in a choked up voice, "I…I love you too Julian." They grabbed each other's hands across the table and Brooke let a tear fall from her face as she felt the love of her boyfriend.
But Julian's warm expression hardened a bit, "I just don't think that Sam likes me much. I really do hope she knows that I care about her too."
Brooke just shook her head in rising frustration, "Julian, NO. Do NOT blame this on yourself. Sam needs to stop being so selfish. But I guess it's my fault. I've spoiled miss sarcastic moody Sam far too much. I'm not having it!"
Julian reassured her, "Brooke, Sam's a diamond in the rough. You've helped her so much and have taught her all that you could. She's 14, we were all willful and rebellious at that age."
She sighed heavily but her words were cut off by the sound of her cell phone. It was Haley.
"Julian I'm sorry can I take this for a second?"
"Yeah sure, go right ahead."
Brook walked towards the rest room. She spoke in a rushed whisper, "Hales! I'm on a date with Julian. What's wrong?"
Haley had noticed that something was wrong with Sam at school and the fact that Brooke completely ignored it because she was too busy with Julian confused her.
She spoke harshly, "Brooke, are you freaking kidding me? Have you even talked to Sam at all this week?"
Brooke was confused, "uhh Haley can we talk about Sam later. I don't want to keep Julian waiting."
Haley exploded on the phone, "BROOKE! Wake the hell up! Now ANSWER ME. Have you talked to your daughter this past week?!"
Brooke felt attacked, "of course I have!"
Haley didn't fall for it, "oh bullsh_t! "
Brooke raised her voice, "What the hell is your problem?! There's nothing wrong with her. I wake her up, take her to school, give her food. She's fine! She hasn't said a thing!"
Haley's voice turned grave, "You need to open your eyes, Sam is hurting, and you've been too blinded by love to see it. She's closed down completely to both Lucas and me. She has no outlet. That's dangerous, especially for her."
Brooke remained adamant. She knew her daughter, and lately her daughter had caused her a lot of grief, especially with Julian. She may have never admitted it, but she was mad at Sam because of it,
"Samantha is fine. She's just been moody and sarcastic. What the hell else is new?!"
Haley had enough, "Brooke, do you remember two weeks ago when Sam came in late after school?"
"Yes. I added an extra day to her punishment"
Haley continued, "okay, and what does Sam do when she's anxious or hiding something?"
Without a moment's pause Brooke answered, "oh, she looks down, sometimes she'll move her feet around." Brooke chuckled imagining Sam,
Still chuckling she continued, "sometimes I think she looks like a little girl trying to…" Brooke stopped dead in her tracks, she froze.
Haley knew that Brooke now understood, "trying to what, Brooke?" she wanted her to say it.
Brooke's voice quavered, "Trying to evade punishment."
That was exactly what Brooke saw in Sam that day "a little girl trying to evade punishment", but for some reason she was tuned out, her mind was on Julian.
Haley nodded, "exactly. And today I realized that Sam's been ostracized by Jack. She asked him to be her partner for their writing assignment and he flat out refused. I don't know what's going on, but I think Sam's in pretty bad shape right now"
Brooke stayed silent for a moment, "I screwed up Hales."
Haley sighed, "Go Fix it then. She's not a company Brooke, she's your daughter." With that she hung up.
Brooke walked back to Julian. She loved him and felt it necessary to tell him what's been going on. Julian even apologized,
"I'm so sorry Brooke. I feel like this is my fault."
Brooke was quick to respond, "Julian please, this is my fault. I've been neglectful maybe not physically, but certainly emotionally with Sam. I mean look at the way I spoke about her today! I need to fix this with her. Could you take me home?"
When Brooke got home she found Sam asleep with her head on Peyton's lap. It looked like they were watching a movie.
'Sam can never make it through a whole movie' she thought to herself
She became saddened when she realized that Sam hadn't hugged her in a while, much less cuddle with her. She quietly walked towards Peyton, who was already smiling at Brooke,
"Hey peyton. Thank you so much for watching her."
Peyton smiled, "it was my pleasure babysitting your 14 year old daughter."
Brooke knew that Peyton thought she was overbearing, "alright I get it Peyton. This is the last day anyways. She's free to roam the streets tomorrow."
Peyton scoffed jokingly. She got up and was careful not to wake Sam up. She said her goodbyes and left. Brooke was left alone with her daughter. She sat by the sleeping Sam and watched how peaceful she was. It hurt her to know that Sam was going through hell, and she wasn't there when she needed the comfort.
She got a blanket and covered Sam, as she was fixing it Sam's loose long sleeve rolled down her arm. Brooke was horrified by the sight. She covered her mouth to prevent her from yelling,
"oh my God" she said through her stifled mouth.
Sam's small wrists were dressed with cuts. The cuts were scattered all the way up to her elbows. One was visibly fresh.
Brooke felt her heart break into pieces. Her soul hurt for Sam. She kept on repeating, "Sammy, Sammy. No, Sammy." through her stifled sobs.
Brooke felt an extreme responsibility for Sam's self-mutilation. She had missed all the signs. Sam had been wearing long sleeves and sweaters, but only because it was getting colder, or at least Brooke thought, now she really knew the reason. Sam had been more guarded lately and quiet. Only speaking with jokes and sarcasm when she talked, but Brooke didn't stop to think about it.
She had abandoned Sam emotionally. She knew that Sam was already a vulnerable child, losing her support system from one day to the next was too much for her. Brooke slowly put Sam's sleeve down, went to the bathroom and cried.
It was her baby on that couch with the cut up wrists. It was her Sammy, the girl that still slept with a stuffed giraffe, but yet she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. It was the girl that she took in from a broken life, only to break her once more.
Brooke was determined. She would make things right with Sam.
Please review! I'm sorry my updates aren't daily, but I hope you guys still like the story. ..Do you think Haley saved the day? How about Brooke's reaction at the end? Tell me anything you'd like to say!