Chapter 19: Sam's P.O.V. (Chapter Eighteen)
"I'm off!" I hollered to my mom who was in the kitchen while bounding down the stairs. I was halfway through the front door when she called me back coming out the kitchen with a long spoon which was glistening with oil. She must've been frying something.
"What?" I willed her to be quick with whatever it was she wanted to say. I was supposed to be at Alex's already. I glanced at my wristwatch.
"You're not really late. Have breakfast first". She motioned me to the kitchen with that spoon in her hand. " Alex would be having breakfast too".
"I have snacks with me and I'll have something in school. I'm off". I made to cross the door's threshold again when she called me back AGAIN.
I looked away and exhaled. "What now?"
"At least come have a glass of milk".
I did not know whether to laugh or cry out. "I'm not a child, mom, I said I'm okay. PLEASE let me go".
"Okay. So long". She waved me off.
Thank you, I faked a smile that showed my teeth and turned.
"Samuel". She called effectively stopping me in my tracks. Tapping my feet, I turned to see her smiling and pointing on the rectangular crystal table in the middle of the sitting room. She looked like she doing this on purpose. my
"WHAT?" I forced myself to look down and see what she was pointing at.
It was my car keys. Ohh...I blushed in embarrassment and grinned.
"Thanks, mom. Have I ever told you that you're the best?" I picked up the keys and looked into her blue almond shaped eyes which were twinkling with amusement.
"You have never".
"I wonder why". I glanced up the ceiling feeling the corners of my mouth lifting. " You know you're the best, mom".
"Do I?" She mused. "Let's just hope you mean that. In the meantime, you can run along".
"I was already thinking I wouldn't get to do that today". I joked and was satisfied when she chuckled. " Bye!"
I shut the door and got into the car praying Mom wouldn't pop her head out the door and holler my name. Only when I started on my way to Alex's house did my peace return. My mom could be very annoying sometimes. Cut that out, most times.
My phone started ringing. When I saw the caller, my heart swelled. I put the phone to my ear with my left hand and steered the wheel with my right.
"Morning, babe. I trust you slept well?"
"Sam...I can't make it to school today so don't stop by".
My brows snapped together. There was something wrong with her voice. It was not the usual sweet and vibrant voice I loved hearing. Her voice was faint and she sounded— " Are you sick?" I asked with a note of panic.
"Nothing to worry about just a sore throat but I won't be going to school so there's no need to stop by".
"What nonsense are you saying?" I queried with a worried frown. "Of course there's every need to stop by. You are not well".
" Please don't". She weakly pleaded. "You'll be late for a school".
A scoff escaped my mouth. " As if. Hang up and take a rest. I'll be there in five".
"I said don't!"
My forehead creased. Why was she stubbornly insisting? It was unlike her. She normally loved it when I was near and she wouldn't refuse me now when she knew all too well that she would be bored out of her mind. And why this mysterious sore throat? There was no rain yesterday neither was the night chilly, and she was fine when in the evening I had come to pick up my car from her house. She did seem a little absorbed in herself though and had told me to hurry home and go wash up as I was all dirty and sweaty from weeding overgrown grasses.
"Alex, give it a rest. You're straining your voice which is not a good thing. There's nothing you can say to make me change my mind so the earlier you accept it, the better. As a matter of fact, I have no tests today or assignments to turn in so I'm playing hookey".
There was a long pause.
I checked my phone, the call was still on. " Babe, you there?"
"If I see you anywhere around here, we're done". She threatened without mincing words. "Get to school safely". She hung up.
My jaw went slack. She sounded utterly serious but I couldn't tell if she meant it. I tossed the phone aside and gritted my teeth. If I went there now and it turned out that she was not kidding, I'll be a fucked man. I couldn't risk it.
I also couldn't help but feel like I was being pushed away.
*************
I entered the school's main door and went straight to class. The teacher was absent, good. I was in no mood to learn or study. I found a seat somewhere in the middle and put on my headphones to drain my anger.
Mirabel strutted in alone without her crew behind her. Now, that was a first. She stopped at my desk and assumed a pose before scowling at me. 'Not again', I thought.
"You got into a fight yesterday".
I discreetly turned up the volume on the headset, I was not about to listen to her state the obvious and tell me things I already knew.
I watched her ramble on with her face occasionally contorting with anger. At a point she stopped talking and placed her right hand on her waist with a raised brow at me. She must've asked a question. 'Too bad you've been talking to yourself'. When it became clear to her that I wasn't going to answer, she yanked my headphone away and yelled, "Are you even listening to me?!". Her eyes glistened with unshed tears which were uncalled for.
I rolled my eyes and snatched my stuff back from her. "Bullshit". I hissed and stormed out.
On my way out, I ran smack into Samson. Crap. It was an honest mistake on my part but he was the last person I'll apologize to for anything.
"You going blind now, Partey?" Samson growled lowly.
"Right back at you". I smirked and brushed his shoulder as I walked past.
I ended up staying in the gym and skipping all my classes. When it was like three periods left, I clocked out. I couldn't take it anymore.
I pressed the doorbell on Alex's front door praying she wouldn't be too hard on me. Julia answered the door with a big smile.
"Sam!"
"Hi, Julia. How's Alex? She's asleep?"
"No. She stepped out briefly to meet someone".
Huh? "Did she say who the person was?"
"Not really but she did say she was going to the convenience store nearby".
"Alright. We'll be back". I smiled at her and got into the car thinking who it was she could be meeting when she was sick.
The store was not far, I could've gotten there in no time on foot but I wanted to be faster. Not up to five minutes later, the store came to view. Not far from it was Alex with a boy who was holding her hand. I could not see who he was because he had his back to me. His hand touching her at all was provoking enough to make me step on the gas.
I roughly stopped beside them and as I saw the face of the fellow, hot blood surged through me. Alex on seeing me became flustered and jerked her hand away from Catch's like it was suddenly burning. Watching her do that that only after saw me made me think negative and the ugly thought made me angrier. I sprang out leaving the car's engine running and pushed Catch roughly.
He looked at me smugly and drawled without interest, "Take a chill pill. You think I'd try to snatch her from you? I don't want my car bashed".
He indirectly called me out as the one who bashed Samson's car. Who's to say he didn't do it himself? " Yeah, I'm glad you know what you don't want". I bit out. "You're not as dumb as I thought".
"How did you find me, Sam?" Alex asked nervously with something that looked like a smile. Her scratchy voice was gone too.
"I went to your house and your mom told me you came here to see someone and I reach and find out that it's this-this—"
"Awesome guy". Catch supplied. Man, did I hate this boy.
"Catch". Alex cautioned in a low tone like she was telling him now was the time to shut up and leave but apparently he was not done.
"I'm inviting you to a bonfire party I and the guys are throwing tonight, you have to come". He spared me a glance or more like a glare. " You can come if you like". He returned his attention to Alex. "I'll text you the address. See you". He left in the opposite direction. I glared at his back feeling Alex getting tense as he he got farther and farther away until he was out of sight.
I stared at Alex waiting to hear what she had to say.
"Hey, school hours aren't over yet".
That's it? Of all the things she could have started with, that's it? She was noticeably not happy to see me, maybe I interrupted something with Catch. She used to rant on how much she hated him and now she's meeting him after she had sent me away to school?
"What a clever way to say you're not pleased to see me". I shot at her.
Her jaw dropped open and her eyes registered shock. I stopped myself from feeling bad. "I only wanted to know—"
"I came to see you. I couldn't bear waiting till closing hours. You merely called this morning saying you were sick and wouldn't let me drop by and then I come and see you're already well enough to come out to meet Catch. Just nice".
"If you had dropped by, you would've been late for your first period".
I scoffed at that flimsy excuse. "You know I don't care".
" I do!"
"When did you both become such good friends that he now holds your hand and invites you to a party?"
She heaved a sigh like I was stressing her out, like I was being a damn pain in the ass. "I understand where you're coming from so why don't we sit down over there and I'll tell you what happened". She pointed to some seats in front of the store.
I stood there gritting my teeth and cussing at myself for doubting Alex when I knew she was the most decent person on earth but the sight of her and Catch was something I couldn't get off my mind.
"Come on". She tugged on my jacket and hesitantly followed her and sat down. "We started talking yesterday". 'Then why didn't you say something yesterday' was on the tip of my tongue but she changed her answer. "It's today. Actually—" Oh great. Either she was truly mistaken or she was lying to me.
"You're not sure. I suppose I should be glad that '𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬' is not among your answers". I cut her off.
She rolled her eyes and I could see her getting angry. "Sam, you can't be like this".
True. I should stop now if not we were really going to have a fall out but I couldn't. It was like I had lost control.
"Are you going to the party?"
"No. I'm not going, happy?" She answered with a glare.
"No, not in the least. You just made me feel like I'm the kind of boyfriend who doesn't let his girlfriend be free and do whatever she likes".
She glowered at me while nibbling on the inside of her bottom lip. She was calling on patience. " What would you have me say?"
"I don't know. What do you want to say?" That came out without permission. I mentally winced.
"I'll go to the party". She declared and I was taken aback. I know I had pushed her to this extent but come on!
"What did you say?"
"I'm sure you heard me loud and clear. See you around". She got up and walked away briskly.
"Alex, Alex!" She didn't turn back
I sat there feeling like a big fool. Man, I'm so fucked.
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