Hey guys! Sorry it took so long, I've been very busy. But the chapter is here! So sit back, relax, and enjoy! Thanks for reading and reviewing!
I decided to go on that jog after all. The cool air bit at my nose, but it didn't bother me. At least I could think about how cold it was and how much I wished I could feel my feet (seeing as that would make it much easier to run...). It helped me keep my mind off of everything that had been happening. When my phone vibrated in my pocket, I nearly fell into the street (not that it would be a big deal, since there were no cars on the road). The text was from Carly, asking me if I was ok. Then I realized that I had never read my text from Sam, the one she sent me while I was talking with Carly. I quickly opened the unread message, and it said:
Hey, um, can I call u? Carly and I got in a fight. I need 2 talk 2 some1. Plz?
Great. Just great. She actually wanted to come to me with her problems, finally trusted me enough to confide in me, and I blew it. Me and my big stupid mouth. If only I would have just read the dang text right when I had gotten it. But no! I had to be a moron! As I drug myself back in the direction of home, I imitated my stupid self. "I'm sorry you're sad Carly, but oh! Guess what!? Me and Sam FREAKIN' kissed! Whoopdiedo! Let's all have a party! Oh, hello Sam! I hope you don't break my neck now!" A can on the sidewalk was directly in front of me, and looked very kickable. So I kicked it. "UGH!" It flew into a window with a loud crash.
So I hauled butt, not looking back until I reached the apartment complex. Outside the doors, I stood for a minute to catch my breath. Then I looked down at my phone, to see that my mom would be awake in ten minutes. So I ran into the lobby, and Lewbert screamed something about just cleaning the floors. But I ignored him and bolted up the stairs.
Although I was out of breath, I managed to make it to my floor. Just before I turned the corner, I caught the sound of two guys talking. So I listened closely to their hushed voices, trying to quiet my heavy breathing.
The first voice said, "Why should I have to be the one who knocks? You're the one to wants to talk to her."
"So?" the other one snapped back. His voice was deeper and snottier, allowing a distinction between the two conversers. "You're not as nervous as I am! And if we don't hurry, she may leave. So just do it! And remember what I told you to say." His voice sounded slightly familiar, like I had heard him in a background conversation or something once before.
Guy number one sighed and said, "God dude, you really need to get a hobby."
"This is my hobby. Now knock!"
Knock, knock, knock.
They were knocking on Carly's door, from the sound of it. I waited quietly, wondering what they could want from the Shea's this early in the morning. After a minute or so, they knocked again. Still no answer.
"Shit man, we're too late!"
Guy number one just said, "Dude, chill. This means that she's just at home."
The other one sighed. "You're right, let's go."
Crap. They were about to come toward the stairs. I backed up quickly and then loudly stepped around the corner, so it would seem as if I was casually walking to my apartment. I only got a quick glance at them when we passed, but I saw that one of the guys was short with light brown, shaggy hair. He was wearing a red and gray polo shirt, and khaki capri pants. He was thicker than the other one, who was tall, with thick black hair. He had on a white button up shirt with jeans.
I almost stopped to listen to see if they said anything on their way down the stairs, but then realized that my mom would be up soon. So walked as quickly as I could to the door, reached for the doorknob, and was about to open the door when it swung open.
My mom was standing in front of me in a pink bathrobe, hand on her head. "Freddie, why aren't you in bed?"
"Well," I swallowed. "Carly needed me to fix her laptop. And I didn't want to wake you, so I just went."
"Couldn't Carly have waited until later for you to look at her laptop?"
I shrugged. "Technology is tricky. It could of blown up by nine, for all we know."
She just shook her head and walked back inside. I followed her, relieved, and pulled out my phone. I asked my mom to make me some toast as I walked into my room, dialing Carly's number.
"Hello?" she yawned.
"Carly, we need to talk. I think you might have a stalker."
-----
Carly was pacing back and forth across her living room, while I sat on the couch and watched her, eating my toast. She had that stressed/thoughtful look on her face, the one she got when she was digging deep into her mind. This was an expression I used to go gaga over. Now, I just wanted her to stop pacing and sit the hell down.
"Just relax, ok? I'm sure it's nothing."
She stopped right in front of me, hands on her hips. "And what if it's not?"
I shrugged. "Then you call the cops. Just sit down." I grabbed her arm and gently lowered her onto the couch cushion beside me. "Now breath." Surprisingly, she did as I told her. "Where's Spencer?" I asked.
"Shh!" she shot back. "I'm thinking." After a moment of silence, she sighed. "Why'd you do it?"
My expression became confused. "Do...what?"
She sighed again and turned her body to face me. "You know..." She cleared her throat, hoping I would catch on. At that point, I knew what she was talking about. But I was hoping she'd give up and drop the subject, because I didn't wanna say something that I would regret. "...why'd you kiss Sam?"
Too late to drop it now. My face was reddening, and I wiped my sweaty palms onto my pant leg. But I didn't say a thing.
"Look Freddie, she's still not talking to me. I just want to know what the heck is going on between you two."
I thought for a second, then said, "I think I've already said too much."
Her face fell, obviously hurt. I just couldn't bring myself to tell her any more. Not yet, at least. Not until I had Sam back on my side. I wondered what Sam was doing. Probably eating something, or...yeah she was probably eating something.
Alone.
Carly stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
"Hey," I said. She turned around. "Is Sam at home?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. She should be."
I stood up, straightened out my shirt, and turned to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"To make things better."
-----
So once again, I was out in the cold. This time, however, I was dressed warmly in my coat and gloves. I had texted Sam after telling my mom that I had to go to the electronics store to get a piece to fix Carly's laptop. All I said in the text was "sorry." That's all. Well, except then I wrote another text telling her that I was going to her house. I didn't want her to be in the shower or something.
After about ten minutes, she still hadn't texted back. So I sent another one, saying pretty much the same thing. Five minutes passed, and still no reply. That led to calling her, which after an unsuccessful first time, led to seven more failures. She just wouldn't pick up her dang phone. I was about to give up and go back to Carly's. Maybe she would have a way to get inside Sam's head and knock some sense into her.
But as I thought about it more, I realized something; something that I probably should had realized long before then. Sam was used to being neglected and ignored, since her mom was always bringing home one druggy boyfriend after another. They would curse at her, yell at her, and treat her like some sort of slave. Then they'd leave. Her mom had given up trying to reach out to her, since Sam would just push her away. The only thing Sam knew to do was push people away. When something wasn't right between her and another person, she'd shut them out. And that's what she was doing to me.
She was waiting for that one person who would try to come back, who would try to get inside her closed up heart. That one person who could make it all better; who would never give up.
That meant I couldn'tstop trying. Ever.
She meant too much to me.
So once I saw her house, I knew there was no turning back. The red bricks collided with the overgrown bushes against the house, and the yellow flowers on them looked sad. The one tree in her yard, a weeping willow, danced with the slow wind. Her dog, Henry, was chained to his small wooden dog shelter that leaned against the house. All of the blinds were shut, and there was no sign of light coming through the cracks. The sight looked more like a depressing movie scene than an attempt to make things better, which didn't help my confidence. At all.
My feet were heavy as I walked down the cracked sidewalk that lead to her front door. I looked over to see that her mom's car wasn't parked in the carport. That meant she was either home alone or not home at all.
When I reached the one step up onto the porch, I froze. Adrenaline was rushing through my veins with the thought of seeing her. My hands were shaky, and if it weren't so cold outside, I would've been sweating uncontrollably. My foot finally rose up onto the step, followed by the other, and before I knew it, I was at the door. It took me a minuted to decide between ringing the doorbell and knocking. I rang the doorbell, in case she wasn't in the living room. Then, I waited.
My heart leaped when I heard the sound of footsteps. Then I heard hands push against the door, probably to look through the peep hole. Knowing that she was looking at me, I felt my face get hot, and I looked down at my feet. Then, the footsteps started up again, and began to fade. So I rang the doorbell again.
Nothing.
That's when I swung back the screen door and started knocking. Quietly, at first. Then after she still ignored me, I formed my hand into a fist and started pounding. I was going to talk to her, if it was the last thing I did. "SAM!" When it was still quiet, I tried again. "SAM! I know you're in there!"
Still nothing.
Then, just to get her attention, I jiggled the doorknob.
It was unlocked.
And when I opened the door, I saw something that nobody wants to see: their best friend lying on the floor, half naked and bleeding to death.
Gasp! What kind of monster would do this to Sam?! Review!