Root stared up at the movie screen, smiling as the wind blew through her hair. She and Sameen were in Corpus Christi for the big event and it was going well so far. Root had surprised her with a movie in the park.

Every August 1st, the Corpus Christi Cultural Committee put together a big evening in the park that culminated in a movie screening. Root had done some…tinkering to the online voting and the Committee had announced that this year's movie was Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Root looked at Sameen, chuckling when she found her staring intensely at the screen. Root leaned towards her.

"What do you think so far?" Root whispered.

Sameen turned her head slightly, keeping her eyes on the movie. "So, the aliens made them obsessed with the mountain? Where's the mountain? Why are they crying over mashed potatoes?"

"No spoilers," Root laughed.

She felt lighter than she had in weeks. Sameen had been different since Root's date with Claire. More focused on spending time together and doing things they both liked. They'd gone to the hill almost every night. Root felt good. She was glad her message got through.

"Thanks for coming with me tonight," Root murmured. "It means a lot."

This time, Sameen did look at Root. She blinked slowly, the corners of her mouth turned down. "You've been planning this for a while. Wouldn't want you to miss it."

"Are you ok?" Root asked, reaching out to lay a hand on her arm. "You seem upset."

"That's impossible," Sameen tried to joke. "I don't get upset."

Root rolled her eyes. Sameen could be so dense. "Sure, your emotions are…muted, but I know you feel things?"

"How do you know that?" Sameen scoffed.

"Because…" Root started, trailing off. She knew that Sameen was attracted to her, that she had like-liked her a little bit. She knew Sameen had fun when they were together. She knew that Sameen was upset. "Because you always get so angry when Lambert hurts me during PE."

Sameen laughed, surprised. She leaned her arms down on her crossed legs. "You got me. I feel anger. Maybe other things. I don't feel them like you do, though."

Root shrugged, stretching her legs out in front of her, rubbing her bare knees. "You don't have to like things like I do. I like you the way you are and I feel enough for the both of us."

Sameen took a deep breath and focused on the movie screen. "Thanks."

"You're clenching your jaw," Root said, reaching over to poke Sameen's face. "Something's bothering you. Wanna talk about it?"

"I want you…" Sameen said, letting out a sharp breath, "…to bring me popcorn."

Root chuckled and stood up. "Coming right up."

She weaved her way through the crowd of people, heading for the popcorn stand. It was a nice night, warm, but breezy. Root was having a good time with Sameen, some of the tension between them had dissipated, even if Sameen was upset about something.

Root smiled at someone as she stepped over their feet and stuffed her hands into her pockets. They were on a good track, she thought. Maybe when school started, and Root was back home, Sameen would calm down. She knew that Sameen needed time alone.

Root frowned as she neared the stand. Sameen had been spending a lot of time with someone else, so maybe it wasn't alone time she needed. She might just need time away from Root.

Root shook her head. No, Sameen was warming up to her again. They were fine.

She stopped in front of the popcorn stand and pulled out her wallet.

"Large Popcorn, please," she said, pulling out the money.

Her mother was coming back in two days and Root didn't know how to feel about it. She hadn't spoken to her all summer, hadn't seen her since the championship game in April. Theoretically, her mother was going to be sober, ready to be a parent. Root didn't know what that meant; she couldn't remember her mother before she'd been an alcoholic.

Root paid for the popcorn and took the large, paper bucket. She turned and headed back to Sameen.

Her mother might be a great person when she was sober. Maybe she was responsible. She'd need a new job, Root realized. Her mother couldn't work in the bar now. It was a good thing Root had been working all summer and saving up. She could give some of her road trip money to her mother until she had a job again.

Root realized she'd gotten a little off course and looked around for Sameen. She spotted her up ahead to her left and frowned.

Tomas was squatting down next to Sameen, his hand on her arm. Root rolled her eyes as she started towards them. It was 85 degrees and Tomas was wearing his bulky leather jacket. It was a nice aesthetic, but he had to be sweating bullets.

Tomas saw her coming and kissed Sameen on the cheek, quickly standing up and walking away. Root stopped walking, squinting at him as he walked away. He was always too familiar.

She shook her head and walked back towards Sameen. She dropped onto her knees and grabbed a handful of popcorn.

"Why is Tomas here? That guy is so sleazy," Root scoffed, shoving popcorn in her mouth.

Sameen glanced at her from the corner of her eye. "I told him we'd be here."

"What?" Root asked, eyebrows dropping. "Why? When did you two become friends?"

"We aren't friends," Sameen said, swallowing. "We're dating."

Root's blood ran cold. Sameen and Tomas were dating. That's where she'd been all summer, with him. Root felt like she was spinning, her stomach churning.

An image came into her head, unbidden, of Tomas and Sameen. His course, ugly hands on her soft, beautiful skin. Sameen pushed the jacket off his shoulders, running her hands down his sweaty arms. Tomas' fingers wrapped in Sameen's hair. Her breath on his lips.

Root threw the popcorn onto the ground and jumped up, grabbing her bag off the ground and marching through the crowd towards the bus stop.

How could she have been so blind? How could she ever have thought that Sameen would love her? Root swallowed, the ache in her stomach spreading to her head. She was nothing, worth nothing, and Sameen knew it. Root was unlovable. Her own mother didn't love her.

Root ground her teeth together, trying to hold back her tears and failing. The loneliness she'd been feeling all summer returned, this time carving a hole in her heart. She had to get away from here. Maybe she could take a bus to Dallas or all the way to New York. There was nothing for her here.

"Root!" Sameen called from behind her.

Root kept walking, passing the last row of movie-goers and crossing the open field as fast as she could.

"Root," Sameen said, grabbing her arm and spinning her around. "Talk to me."

"Talk to you?" Root ask, tasting her tears as they rolled down her face and hating how shaking her voice was. "You want to talk now?"

"I'm sorry," Sameen said, only looking slightly upset, her forehead slightly scrunched. "I should have told you I was dating someone."

"Yeah," Root spat out. "You should have fucking told me."

"But you're dating Claire now," Sameen offered, shoving her hands in her pockets. "We're both dating other people."

Root couldn't believe it. "Claire? We hung out once!"

Sameen's tentative smile faltered. "Well, you're going to go out again, right? You're together?"

"No, Sameen," Root said, turning her face up to the sky, "We're not together. I hung out with her one time to see if you would even notice."

"Oh," Sameen's shoulders dropped. "I did."

"Great," Root threw her arms up, letting out a wet laugh. "Your answer was to date Tomas. He's a fucking asshole, Sameen."

"He's not that bad when you get to know him."

"Tomas and I have known each other our entire lives," Root said, angry. "There are 300 kids in our high school and we've lived in the same 3000 person town our entire lives. You know what he did last week?"

Sameen swallowed hard. "What?"

"He came to my work, to buy two pints of ice cream…" Root closed her eyes, shaking her head. "One for him and one for you, I guess. He came in, picked up his ice cream, walked straight to the counter…and called me Amanda."

Root laughed, running a shaking hand through her hair. "Who the fuck is Amanda? He doesn't know my fucking name, Sameen!" Root stared at her with wide eyes.

"Ok, calm down," Sameen said, laying a hand on Root's arm. "We can talk about this."

"You know," Root scoffed, "It's not that you're dating someone else. I…I would have gotten over that eventually. It's that you lied to me for months, Sameen. You lied to me all summer long and you picked Tomas! He's a loser who skips class to smoke pot behind the Dairy Queen and he can't be bothered to learn anyone's fucking name! That's who you're choosing over me?"

Sameen dropped her arm, staring at her helplessly. Root waited for her to say something, to tell her she'd break up with him, that she values their friendship over some asshole boyfriend. Sameen didn't say anything, just stared at her with empty eyes.

"Ok," Root nodded, "Here's what we're going to do. My mother gets home on Saturday and school starts on Monday. I'm going to spend tonight at your house and you're going to find somewhere else to sleep, the treehouse or Zoe's. I don't care. Then, tomorrow, I'm going to move all my stuff back to my place and get it ready. You are going to find somewhere else to be."

Sameen nodded, her face blank. Root sighed, her head pounding. She knew Sameen wasn't emotional and she knew that she could shut down, but just this once, just right now, she wanted her to say something nice. Root wanted her to take some action and make it right.

Root sniffed loudly, not caring that she was wet and gross. "Ok, I'm taking the bus and going home." She turned away and started for the bus stop again.

"Do you want me to ride with you?"

Root jerked around, teeth bared. "Get a ride with your fucking boyfriend!"

She watched Sameen turn around and walk away. A sob ripped out of her and she closed her eyes, standing there until she heard a bus approach. Root hurried to catch it.

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Root sobbed into her pillow. Was this what heartbreak felt like? It was awful. She wanted to sink into the bed and never leave it.

She heard a knock on the door a second before it opened. She rolled over, turning her back to it.

"Go away," she said, pulling the pillow tighter against her chest. "Leave me alone."

"Root?" Mrs. Reese said gently. "What's wrong?"

Root shook her head, eyes squeezed closed so tightly she could see spots. She didn't want to talk about this. She wanted to die.

The bed dipped next to her and she heard Mrs. Reese sigh. A hand slowly rubbed her back.

"John told me you and Sameen had a fight?"

"It wasn't a fight," Root mumbled, voice thick with tears. "We're not friends anymore."

Mrs. Reese hummed. The sheets rustled and Root looked over her shoulder to see Mrs. Reese sitting against the headboard and crossing her legs. She smiled down at Root.

"You two broke up?" Mrs. Reese asked her.

Root laughed humorlessly. "No. You have to be dating to break up."

"You aren't together? I thought you were." Root's eyes widened and Mrs. Reese chuckled. "I'm not as blind as you might think. I see the way you two look at each other."

Root's face crumbled and she started crying again. Mrs. Reese reached out and pulled Root into her lap, running a gentle hand over her hair.

"She doesn't like me," Root cried.

"Well, a friendship break up hurts as much as a romantic one. Tell me, what did Sameen do?"

Root wrapped her arms around Mrs. Reese's waist. "She's dating Tomas and she lied to me and I hate her."

"Ah, I see. Are you going to try and win her back?"

"I can't win her back if she wasn't mine to start with," Root said, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "I'm going to run away."

"Of course," Mrs. Reese said, nodding seriously. "That's the logical answer."

Root sat up a little, glaring at her. "Are you making fun of me?"

Mrs. Reese smiled. "A little."

Root pulled away and started to push the sheets off. Mrs. Reese grasped her arms, pulling her back.

"I'm sorry. Don't be upset. I shouldn't tease you when you're this sad."

Root nodded, wiping her nose. "I'm serious. I can't go back to school now."

"Why not?"

"Because everyone will know that Sameen doesn't like me. That no one likes me."

Mrs. Reese pushed Root's hair from her face. "I like you."

"Not like that," Root rolled her eyes. "I mean like dating."

"Root," Mrs. Reese said, cupping Root's face with both of her hands, "You will find love. You're fifteen, for Pete's sake. At least wait until you can legally drive before running away."

Root laughed despite herself. "What should I do then?"

Mrs. Reese sighed and wiped Root's tears away with her thumbs. "I think that you should go to school on Monday, head held high, and don't let Sameen know that you're upset."

"What good would that do?" Root sniffled. "I want her to feel bad."

"But she isn't going to feel bad," Mrs. Reese countered. "Not like you want her to. She's a good girl and her heart is in the right place, but she runs away from the things she should run toward."

"Maybe I could do something to make myself feel better."

"Like egg Tomas' house?"

"What?" Root asked, surprised. "Egg his house?"

"That's what I did to my first boyfriend," Mrs. Reese laughed. "I egged his house until his father came out running and screaming at me. It didn't do any real damage, but it made me feel better."

Root chuckled. "Maybe I can do my own version of egging."

Mrs. Reese raised an eyebrow. "Just don't go getting into any real trouble. You don't want your mother to come home and have to bail you out of jail right away."

Root nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted. Her anger had dissipated and now she just felt tired and heavy. She should worry about all of this later, after her mother had settled in. She could start the school year and then figure out her plan for revenge.

"Thanks, Mrs. Reese," Root said, smiling at her.

Mrs. Reese pulled her in for a hug. "Anytime, Honey." She slipped out of the bed and headed for the door. She stopped with her hand on the light switch. "Remember what I said. No jail time. Anything else is free game."

Root smiled at her as she turned the lights off and then settled into bed. She was still upset, but talking to Mrs. Reese helped. She needed to come up with a plan for revenge, something to take her mind off things. She'd leave Sameen out of it for now; Root knew she was going through some stuff, but Tomas…Tomas was just an asshole.