Chapter Two
How It Is Now
Sam stared up at the ceiling listening to Conner breathe. He was lying on her windowsill, his favorite place, with a deep sea green throw she'd given him. Her life, much like everything else of hers, was going sour. Jocelyn was going to marry Clyde, news Sam had heard from Tom before he went to bed. Clyde had purposed (even with that black eye, how terribly romantic of him) and now they were moving to Idaho since he'd been offered a job. What's in Idaho anyways? Sam thought to herself.
"Potatoes I think," Conner murmured quietly. He had a terrible habit of getting into her thoughts, though it didn't matter much, he'd been in her mind for sixteen years already. Potatoes, she thought bitterly small towns and farms. Places where secrets aren't really secrets, everyone knows your business. The problem with that was, her family wasn't normal, and moving to a small everyone knows everyone town would label the whole family. She'd have to leave Sarah and her house, her life.
"She can't do this to me," Sam whispered "make me move again. I've only been here for two years and I just got settled in." Conner changed positions so he could look at her. He felt sorry for her, having to move around so much since her dad died. People needed other human interaction and moving was something that cut that off for a long time.
"You know those small towns are where all the weird stuff happens," he smirked "maybe we'll fit in." She nodded a little and turned over, she doubted it. "You want me to get rid of him?"
"Naw," Sam lied "mom loves the fucker, let her be happy. I only got two years left at home anyways." Neither of them spoke, though the silence wasn't an uneasy one. Sam couldn't ever remember when they'd had an uncomfortable silence, and it reminded her of a quote she'd heard once: True friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable. It was by David Gentry or something like that, but she passed it out of her mind. Her and Conner were NOT 'true friends'. He was her muse, she was his human and that's where it stopped. The sound of his breathing took her full attention again, until her cell phone rang.
"Hello?" she asked and looked at the clock. It showed eleven forty-three in red blocky lettering.
"Hey," his voice was smooth and deep, just the sound of it made her swoon. Anthony was her boyfriend of six months. He was a deep tan, dark short brown hair, and almost black eyes. He was the second most beautiful guy she'd ever seen, next to Conner. But then, Conner was muse, did he really count? "What are you doing?"
"Talking to Conner," she shrugged. She'd told Anthony about Conner months before, and he took it as some sort of game that she played or something.
"Oh really?" he smirked "what's he saying?" Sam looked at the aggravated muse, he was so touchy with who she was with these days.
"Um," she paused "he's trying to sleep I think." Anthony laughed a little and told her about how track went that day. "Sounds interesting," she lied "but I need to get to bed now. I'll talk to you tomorrow at school, ok?"
"Alright," he breathed "love you, bye."
"Bye," she managed and hung up the phone. She couldn't say it, as much as she wanted to. Those three words she knew were not to be fooled around with. Love was something Sam wanted to keep secret to her, and the first person she fell in love with would be the one to hear those words from her mouth.
"What'd the-" Conner paused "what'd he want?" He didn't want to irritate Sam anymore that night, she seemed a little upset so he didn't call Anthony a prick, though he was.
"Nothing," she shrugged snuggling back into her covers "just wanted to check up on me." Conner growled, he didn't like Anthony. "Night," Sam whispered after a while and he nodded off. Soon enough he curled up on her bed and fell asleep.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK… KNOCK KNOCK
"Its open," they both yelled at the window and it slid open. Sarah happily hopped inside and tossed the book at Sam.
"Why do you two always sleep in late?" Sarah blurted and Sam yawned.
"Why is it you can never use the door?" Sam muttered nodding off again.
"Because Clyde's downstairs and he scares me," Sarah muttered "now hurry up and get dressed, we've got stuff to do!" Sam turned the book over in her hands a few times, the orange-red leather felt rough against her hands. The gold lettering shown The Labyrinth, it seemed to glitter for a moment and Sam set it down.
"Argh," she grumbled as she searched for her jeans "why do we have to always do this?" She grabbed them and slipped off her PJ bottoms and jammed her legs into her jeans. Over the last two years, Sam and Sarah had become so close that they could do things like that in front of the other. The muse groaned sleepily and Sarah sat on the bed as Sam grabbed a sleeveless white shirt and slipped it on over her dark blue undershirt.
"Because," Sarah smirked "its our club for the summer, we've got to do it."
"What's the name of it again?" Conner asked licking his lips as he emerged from the tangled mess of covers.
"Days of Old," both Sarah and Sam said in unison. They'd told him about a million times, but it never seemed to stick.
"Oh yeah," he smirked and scooted to the end of the bed "aren't we booting Sam up that tree today?" Sam grabbed her bag and smiled. An hour walk away, deep in the wooded thicket, was a willow on a small peninsula that jetted out into the lake. It was their spot for their club. They had the club all year round, but each season they'd name it something different. That autumn, they'd already decided, they'd call it Amusing Tides since Sarah and Sam were going to go to the beach with their choir class once school started.
"Yeah," Sam smirked climbing out her window "and if you don't hurry you won't be able to see it ya dumb muse."
Author's note: Well, Sam is kinda mean, eh? Don't worry, she gets worse :laughs evilly: Actually, I started writing this because I noticed how sad some of the muses at school look like. I get Conner to invite some of them to lunch with me (I even bring candy) but it seems nothing will cheer these poor souls up. Actually, a few of them would like to know if there were any willing humans out there that'd be so kind to take care of them. Just review and ask for either music, art, or writing (or all three) and if you want a girl or boy. I'll send you the profile, these poor muses need homes.
Conner: I'm just glad I've got an authoress that loves me so.
Since when do I love you?
Conner:quivers lower lip:
Aw :hugs: you know I do you irksome muse you.
Acantha Mardivey: Yes, a new story. And of course (just for you) I made this J/S because you like that sort of thing (everything else is sin :winks:) :laughs: Amazing? Talented? Are you sure all that butt poking hasn't gotten to you?
Conner: Oh wow look! She almost complemented me (can we get that in writing?):scoffs: won't run the Labyrinth, that's FINE if you don't wanna run the Labyrinth :puts arm over author: because my darling authoress will run it.
…. …. …. Is that a trick question?
Conner:glares: meh, she knows she would run it for me, you'll see. Anyways, your 'ok' yourself since your SO fantastic and brilliant to my authoress with all those reviews.
…have you noticed he keeps saying MY authoress? Does that not bother anyone but me?
Theshadowcat: Thank you!
