"And so it goes, every weekend, the same party
I never go alone and I don't seem broken-hearted
My friends all say they know everything I'm going through
I drive down different roads but they all lead back to you"
After dessert and some more wine. Sam was lightheaded enough to forget all about taking things slowly, so she told him she would better go to bed.
- It is late. I better go to bed.
He hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear.
- Yours or mine?
She chuckle.
- I don't go to bed on the first date, you know.
- You did once.
She gasped.
- Hey! Technically, it wasn't a first date.
He just laughed and kissed her neck.
- I think it is too early in our relationship for that. After all, this is only our first date, Mr. Sapien.
She turned around to face him. And he took her hand kissing the back of it.
- My mistake, Ms. Taylor. I just couldn't resist.
She chuckled again.
- Let me accompany you to your door. - she laughed as they walked a few feet to the door of her room.
- Thank you for the night I had fun.
- Thank you for accepting go out on a date with me, Samantha. - he kissed the back of her hand again.
- Don't I get a goodnight kiss? - she asked boldly.
- I don't know. Is it acceptable on a first day?
- Hum. Only if it was really good date.
- What says you then?
- Yes.
She went on her tiptoes and put her arms around his neck as she pushed him to her.
flash back 13 years prior
It wasn't just like the movies. The rain didn't soak through my clothes, down to my skin. It just ran in annoying droplets down my face. Or maybe it was tears. I couldn't tell.
Strange people walked around me. They gave me looks, but all went through me as if I was a ghost. And that's also how I felt. Like all the feelings went through me like I was incorporeal.
An old man approached me. He asked me something and put a termic cover over me. He sat next to me.
Another man came in my direction, staring at me.
- We have to take her to him fast. Before another accident happen.
It took me a while to realize he wasn't talking to me. The voices inside my head seemed calmer now. And I could follow the conversation.
- We are not taking her anywhere. We are giving her a choice. Inviting her to come.
The man grunted and reached inside his pocked to grab a cigar. He put it in his mouth and walked away barking orders.
- Samantha, are you listening? - I could only nod.
- My name is Trevor Brutt...
- I know who you are.
He chuckled.
- Then you know what I want to ask you.
- You should put me in a cage. - I said, nodding my head to the man with the cigar. - Like he wants to.
- I'm not going to put you on a cage Ms. Taylor. You are a human being, not an animal.
- I am a monster. I've done horrible things.
He took my hand in his, they were so warm that only then I realized how cold I was.
- I've known monsters Ms. Taylor. So believe when I say you're not one.
He let go of my hand to pull out a picture from his pocket. I immediately missed the warmth.
- Does she look like a monster?
He asked me. And for the first time, I've stopped looking blank ahead and looked at the picture. I was a picture of a girl.
- There are more people like you Ms. Taylor. Special people, not monsters. Elizabeth came to us a little younger than you. The day this picture was taken, she killed her whole family and destroyed the whole neighborhood.
I looked up to his eyes. He had kind eyes. I was unbelievable to me that this girl had done what he said.
- Liz is not a monster. She just needed guidance and understanding. Now she lives with us. In the B.P.R.D. Where I am inviting you to go.
I lowered my eyes.
- A mental institute? - I asked.
- No. My home. And home to more people like you. With more time and practice this type of incident that happened tonight will never happen again I promise.
I don't believe in promises anymore. He promised he would always be by my side. But he lied.
- Why do you want me?
- I want to take care of you. Protect you.
- They should have protected me. - tears flooded my eyes. - not you.
Professor Bruttenholm, that's how they call him, took a deep breath and relaxed in his seat.
- That's true, my dear. Unfortunately, sometimes the family we are born into are not good for us. So we have to find a new one.
He took my hand again.
- Let me show you my family. And then you can decide. No cages. No shackles. You can leave anytime you want. You're a guest.
I nodded at him.
A couple of hours later I arrived at a complex. I didn't notice exactly where. All my focus was on the professor and his hand in mine. The car heater dissipate my cold away and I dozed off.
We went through a pair of huge doors and stepped on an elevator without walls. I was scared so I held into him.
When we arrived at the floor 36 and stepped out of the moving platform, I asked him.
- Can I see her? Liz?
The professor nodded.
- Eaton, can you please call at Liz and tell her to come here. - then he turned to me. - I have to leave you here for a second, ok? I'll be right back.
He left me in an atrium full of agents going everywhere. I was observing them. But the organization didn't seem like a mental facility indeed. It was more like the M13 in a James Bond movie.
- Hi. You must be Samantha. I'm Liz.
The girl in front of me was nothing like the photo he showed me. She was tall and her childish features had clearly been replaced by those of a woman. She was obviously older than me. Her hair was short and she dressed like a goth.
She extended her hand to me. I just pushed my hand inside my jacket.
- Ah. No touching, right? Don't worry. I'm used to it. To be honest, I didn't want to be touched after the incident either.
- hum. What is... ahn?
- What am I you mean?
- I guess.
- Pyrokinetic. - she said as if I had asked the brand of her sweater. - You?
- Psychic. - I said, not so nonchalant as I intended.
- Oh. Newsflash. - she rolled her eyes.
- There's more? - I asked her surprised.
- Well, they come and go. But we have a in-house one. Have you spoken to him yet?
- Who?
- I bet professor is with him right now. You'll meet him eventually.
- Right. So what others live here?
I didn't need to explain. She knew what I meant.
- Aahn...
- Girls?
Professor Bruttenholm was coming in our direction.
- Glad to see you are hitting off.
- Well. I supposed I should go. Find me later, will you? - she said walking away.
- Sam. My name is Sam.
- Nice to meet you, psychic Sam. - she didn't look back.
- Come along. - said the professor.
We stopped by a pair of golden doors he had entered before.
- You go in my dear. I have to acknowledge some issues, but I'll be right in.
He pushed against the door and I trembled. He put a hand on my shoulder.
- Don't worry. There's nothing to fear inside.
I nodded and gathering all my courage as I stepped in.
- So, how is your holiday going, S?
- Good. Really good.
Sam was sitting at a beach chair, under a huge umbrella, siping a drink and reading a magazine. While stealthy staring at him through her sunglasses. Water drops running down his abs and flexing biceps while he wetted himself at seashore.
A couple of minutes ago, he asked her if she wanted to go get wet. Little did he know that she didn't need to get up and go to the water for that. She crossed her legs.
- Hum. Elaborate. - Blake said through the phone.
- Hum. We've been on a date. We've talked about taking things slowly. And more importantly, he is currently bathing on the sea in very tight trunks.
Blake laughed loudly.
- Man, S. I love your sassiness when you are in love.
- Love there's nothing to do with what I'm feeling right now.
- Well, it's on you for being a celibate for four years. But, if things are... ah... that good, why take it slow?
Sam slurped on her drink.
- Because sex with him is never just sex.
- Hum. Right.
- What about you? How many hearts broken so far?
He laughed.
- Ah, S. You know it isn't their hearts that I break.
Drink. Slurp.
- Anyway. I have great news. This whore is taken bitch.
Sam sat up so fast that a splash of margarita fell on her magazine.
- What? No way!
- Yes way! Didn't I tell you I was falling in love?
She rolled her eyes.
- You fall every week! For a different guy.
- As you so well put it, love has nothing to do with that.
- Wow. Good for you! So who is the lucky guy?
- Justin.
At that moment Abe came back and sat on the chair next to her.
- JUSTIN!? - another slosh of margarita on the magazine. - You mean Justin, Justin?
Abe raised a brow for her, she wave it away with her hand.
- How many do you know, girl?
- Wow. Good for you!
- You sound surprised.
- Well, besides the already surprisingly fact that you have a boyfriend. I was expecting a guy with a more magic mike vibe.
- Come on. I have a heart. And a brain.
- Yes. But there's only one working head in your body.
- Puff. You're an asshole. You need to get pounded so hard.
- Wait. I getting Emma.
Sam dialed Emma into the call.
- Hey Ems... yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you know B is dating Justin? And by dating I mean really boyfriend stuff, not just banging.
- Fuck you, S. - Blake answered.
- Yes, he told me already. - Emma says excitingly.
- Wait a minute. - another slosh in the magazine - You told her before me?
- Yes. Because I knew you would be a bitch about it.
- I'm not being a bitch. I'm just surprised. Justin is a geek.
- Luckily for me, he is also a Trojan in bed.
- Ugh. TMI Blake. But I'm happy for you. I have to go now.
- Wait. - Emma says. - What about you, S?
- I talk to you guys later.
Sam hung up and took a big gulp of her drink.
- Blake has a boyfriend. - she said to herself incredulously.
- I heard. - Abe responded. - Do you need another drink, dear? It seems your magazine drank most of it.
- No thanks. By the way... your role of best friend is restored. That twat is telling Emma news before be.
- I would like to meet them someday.
- Who?
- Your friends. Don't they know about me anyway?
- Well, yes but... wouldn't it be awkward?
- Yeah. Probably.
- For you, I mean, not for me or them. They already saw you. And where would we meet anyway?
- Well. They could come here on a holiday. The house is big and the beach is private.
- Ah. Ok. I guess so. But why?
- I just want to meet your friends dear. They are a big part of your life. Do you think they would come?
- Oh, you have no idea. They will be dying to meet you.
"I wish I could fly
I'd pick you up and we'd go back in time
I'd write this in the sky
I miss you like it was the very first night"