I can't believe how long it's been since I last updated. Geez. I am SO sorry. I haven't written for this story in months, and it is way past time that I finish this. After this, I'm taking some time off fanfiction for a while so I can concentrate on my book. It's been fun guys! Enjoy!
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Answers
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It's been a week now, and everything has stayed sort of the same. Sam seems okay enough, but there's something off that I can't quite figure out. Today, I got back from class and she was in Ashton's room, just staring at the wall. I asked her what she was doing and she told me she was "just… doing nothing, I guess".
Also, the stories have stopped. Rather abruptly, I might add. After "Little Red Riding Hood", she told me the story of Aladdin and then stopped. No mention of our recent tradition. I was so tired the first day that I didn't ask about it. Then, the next night, I mildly mentioned that we'd "forgotten something". Sam looked confused for a split something, then leaned over and kissed me, stating that if I wanted dessert I'd have to make it myself. It was like she'd completely forgotten about the fairytales. I didn't really know what to think, and wondered whether it was an act of some kind. A couple hours later, I found the book torn up and in the trash.
Other than that, things have been pretty good. Or, at least, they were until today. Today, I had to open my big fat mouth and say something stupid.
Sam and I were watching Animal Planet and, during a commercial, I asked, "So who's taking care of Rabia while you're out here with me?"
The question elicited such a sad look in Sam's blue eyes that the moment I said it, I regretted it.
I tried to backtrack, "I'm sorry; I know you must miss her. I didn't mean to… Never mind."
"Didn't mean to what?" Sam asked with a sharp edge to her tone.
"I just… I know talking about Rabia makes you miss her more, and I didn't mean to make you sad."
Sam sort of deflated for a moment, and then she said, "It's okay. She's… she's fine."
Her answer was so vague, so uncertain, that I had to ask, "You didn't leave her with your mom, did you?"
That got a very interesting reaction. First, Sam opened her mouth as if to reply. Then she shut her mouth and closed her eyes, tilting her head upward as if she was trying to find the will to say- or to not say- something. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at me. "No. She's with Spencer."
"I hope he'll do better with Rabia than he did with his goldfish", I said in an attempt to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, it only made things worse, and her expression grew somber.
Sam stood and went into "her" room, muttering, "I should call to see how it's going…"
The door shut and I got the feeling Sam wanted to be alone, so I headed out to the streets of Cambridge. For the next hour or two, I just wandered, occasionally stopping in a shop that caught my eye. In one, a pawn shop, I spotted a beautiful necklace with teardrop sapphires. It reminded me of Sam so much that I went in and asked about it.
"Oh, the necklace in the window? It's actually part of a set- I'm trying to sell everything together. Care to take a look?" replied the man inside, and I detected a vaguely Spanish accent.
"Sure," I told him, then inquired as he retrieved the jewelry, "I noticed you have an accent. Where are you from?"
"Spain. Moved here with my mother when I was nineteen. Here you go." He handed me the necklace and a matching pair of earrings.
"Wow," I said, looking over everything, "It's beautiful."
The man chuckled, "There's more. Give me your hand."
I proffered my hand forward, and he took something from his pocket, placing it gently in my palm. It was a silver ring with two small sapphires. I stared for a moment.
"You like it?"
I nodded, "A lot. Do you think you could hold this? I don't really have much with me right now but I'd love to come back."
"I can hold anything for up to a week with a ten percent deposit." He told me what the cost of that would be and I paid him without hesitation. I waved to him, smiling as I walked out the door.
And then, in less time than it takes a light to turn on, I made a decision.
I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I knew by heart, not bothering to find her name in my contacts.
"Hello?" answered a hesitant voice on the other line, "Freddie?"
"Hi, Carly. Listen, I need answers. The voicemail you left me. Please."
"I don't know, Freddie. I promised not to say."
"I know, but I'm really worried about Sam. She's been really moody and sometimes the smallest things set her off. I have to know what's going on."
There was silence on the other line, so I continued, "Please, Carly. I'm begging you."
Still nothing.
"Carly, I don't know what to do! Is it about me? I don't…" I took a deep breath, "I've been having this feeling like maybe I should propose… maybe she wants me to propose. I even found a ring. I just… Is that it? Does Sam want to get married?"
"No. Or at least, not that I know of. Sam doesn't really know anyone who's happily married, so I don't think it's something she really wants for sure."
"Then what is it?"
Again, there was nothing but static.
"Okay, hear me out. I have no idea what's going on. I can't bring it up with Sam because you told me not to push her. I don't even know what that means! I am SCARED, Carly. What's going on with Sam?"
"Fine. Fine, I'll tell you." Carly paused. "After you left, Sam and her mom had a really big fight. It was bad. Sam's mom… she kicked her out. I think she even disowned her."
"What? Why?"
"I don't really know. I think they were fighting about Max again."
"Again?" I asked, confused.
"You didn't know?" When I didn't answer, she elaborated. "After Sam's mom found out about the incident, it was already over, but she was still pretty pissed. Ever since then, she's either pretended like Sam didn't exist or yelled at her for being so stupid. Max came home to visit for his mom's birthday and he stopped by Sam's house to say hi. He stills feels like he owes her something. Anyway, I guess her mom saw him and thought they were… well…"
"Sleeping together?" I asked sarcastically, but the words bit into my gut. It made me remember the moment Sam told me that she cheated. It had been the worst feeling ever.
"I guess", Carly said.
"So… what? She came over here?" I asked.
"No. Not yet. She packed up most of her stuff and moved in with Spencer, stayed there for a while. It was really hard for her. She was still reeling from the rejection. I mean, she never really felt loved at home, but this… it hurt. Spencer told me that she spent most of her time working on your old truck. I think she started to feel like she was a burden, so she wanted to leave. When she finally fixed the truck, she went to see you. Maybe she thought you could help her."
I put together some of Sam's strange behavior and murmured, "She wanted to be saved."
"Yeah" , Carly answered with a sigh.
"What happened to Rabia?" I asked.
"What?"
"Her cat."
"Oh, right. Well, we aren't supposed to have pets, so Sam kept…"
"Rabia." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Right. Rabia. Weird name. Anyway, Rabia was kept a secret for a while, but Lewbert caught her somehow and called animal control."
"And then?" I prodded.
Carly hesitated, "It was after Sam had left, and you know how bad Spencer is at taking care of animals…"
"Oh my God. Did… no. Rabia wasn't adopted by someone else was she?"
Carly's silence confirmed the awful thought.
"Oh no."
"Yeah. Sam didn't want to ask another family to give her up, especially when she's so far away. Rabia's… gone."
"Shit. That's awful. Why didn't she say anything?"
"I don't know, Freddie. Maybe she doesn't want you to pity her."
I thought about that.
"I guess. Knowing Sam, that kind of makes sense."
"What are you gonna do?" Carly asked.
"I don't know."
"Good luck, then."
"Thanks."
So we hung up and I sat down on a park bench. I've been sitting here for an hour now and the only thing I could think to do was write.
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REVIEW!
I'll be updating with two chapters every day for the next few days, until the end of the story.
25-26 on Sunday 7/20 (Today)
27-28 on Monday 7/21
29-30 on Tuesday 7/22
And 31 {the epilogue} on Wednesday 7/23