Sami's Kisses

Twenty Four

Long, loooong overdue chapter. If you need a recap, check two chapters previous for a short recap that's still applicable for this chapter!

As for usual, this is unedited. Very unedited. Very.

I'm sensing there is only a couple chapters left of this book, 2-4 tops. Now that I'm finally getting around to publishing more, I am committed to finishing in the next two weeks. TWO MORE WEEKS OF SAMI'S KISSES. WOW.

*****

"Thank god I finally found you," Carissa breathed a sigh of relief as she slid in to the booth next to Ashton, uninvited.

"Finally?" I tried to clarify, still in disbelief that she was standing here in front of me.

"I've been trying to track you down for months."

"Months? Carissa, I've been here the entire time, right where you left me. I'm going to your old high school, you didn't think to check there?" Hearing my own voice full of bitterness gave me a mild out of body experience, and I grew confused as to whether I even wanted to be found by her in the first place.

"Yes, months, Sami. This isn't the first place I searched, I tried Mom and Dad first." Beside Carissa, Ashton's straw made an obnoxious slurping sound as he got to the bottom of the milkshake. "Do you mind?" Carissa asked him, annoyed.

"Me? Do I mind? I'm Sami's friend, of course I mind."

Carissa looked at me with pleading eyes, and I sighed. "Ashton, I think it would be best if I had some time alone with my sister."

"Really?"

"Yes, I think you should go home." When Ashton seemed like he was about to protest, she cushioned him a little. "I'll see you later, promise."

Ashton grumbled a few things under his breath, but slid out of the booth when Carissa stood. Once he was gone, they continued.

"Some friend you have," Carissa judged.

"Carissa, stop. You don't know anything about him, or me and what my life has been like for the last eight years. So what do you want?  Why are you here?" I continued to surprise myself with my conviction against Carissa. I was open to talking with her, but forgiveness was not on the table for me yet. Not until I could understand why she was here.

Carissa sighed, "I know you're trying to get emancipated from Mom and Dad."

"And?"

"I just saw them a few weeks ago."

"You did?"

"Yes. They are living in Iowa."

"What? They're living in Iowa?" My shoulders hunched over in disbelief. Even though I was trying to separate myself from them, legally, it still hurt to know that they put so much distance between us physically. I thought the sting of their abandonment was gone, but it was still very much alive.

Carissa seemed surprise that I didn't know this piece of information, "I'm sorry, I thought you knew."

"They left me two years ago, Carissa. How could you possibly know that."

"That's fair. I deserve that."

I put my face in my hands and rubbed my eyes, exhausted. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my own feet, for real now. When I went to Mom and Dad, I was looking for you because--" Carissa reached over and grabbed my two hands in hers, in a way that was warm and comforting.

But, it scared me. Was it real affection? Was it in pity? Or remorse? I felt the growing urge to get out of this conversation, confusion was at an all time high. I wasn't sure where it was going, but I could feel a tightness in my chest that told me it was trouble. "You know what, I can't do this. Not today, not here. I just, I can't."