Flames

Chapter 15: Aftermath

A month has passed since Sam left me. The first week after everything that happened with him and his family was hard; I was depressed and I wanted to be alone, so I didn't talk with any of my friends- I avoided them at all costs. After that first week, Jake got tired of me ignoring them, so he started annoying me to death until I finally gave in and started hanging with my friends again. I told them Sam and I broke up but didn't tell them why. Even though Luke didn't approve of my relationship with Sam, he wasn't happy about it because he knows I'm hurting. I'm not the same person I was before; I find it hard to smile and have fun. I'm mostly down and sad all the time. I see Sam on the hallways at school sometimes, but he just keeps on walking without even glancing at me. I know he left me to protect me but seeing him around and not being able to talk to him it's really hard. My dad is okay now; he's up and running. He got back to work and we now go to church every Sunday, even on the weekends I'm with my mom.

"Hey, you okay?" Sarah asks as she sits next to me on a bench just outside the cafeteria.

"Yes. I was just thinking," I answer with a forced smile.

"Why don't you come inside and sit with us?" she suggests.

"Thanks, but right now I just want to be alone if that's okay," I respond.

"Fine, but we're inside if you need anything," she tells me kindly and hugs me comfortingly. She has become my second best friend in such a short period of time. "I really mean it, anything you need, I'm here." She flashes me her best genuine smile before heading back inside. 

"I need your help," Lola startles me as she sits down next to me not even a second after Sarah left. "My brother means the world to me. I may be a bitch and hate humanity, but I love my brother to the moon and back, and I want the best of things for him. I want him to have a great life."

"Okay?" I mutter, confused by what she's trying to get at.

"I was thrilled when he told me he had applied to college 'cause that meant he would get out of here and be far away- somewhere where my dad couldn't get to him. That meant he was going to make a better life for himself and get out of this fucked up life my dad has gotten us into. I thought he would finally have a good, normal life. I hate to admit it, but I was kind of happy he was dating you; you're good for him. The point is... he says now he's not going anywhere, that he is staying here with my dad right where he belongs," she explains, clearly worried about her brother. "I need you to convince him otherwise. Tell him to go away and get the hell out of here. I know you really cared for him and if you still do, you will do this, please. You got to know him better than anyone else and you know there's more to him than what others think."

"Why me?" I ask her. He would probably listen to her sister first rather than me, so I don't get it. "I don't think he'll listen to me."

"He will," she says sure. "He would do anything you ask him. He loves you." 

Loves me? I don't think so. I know he cared about me, but I don't think he loved me; he left me and told me I shouldn't love him. "You're wrong, he doesn't love me and I don't think he'll hear me out."

"I'm not wrong. I know my brother and I've never seen him care about someone as he does for you, not even Adriana, and he really cared for her," she tells me. "He definitely loves you."

"Adriana?" I ask. I've never heard that name before.

"She was a girl he met once. He grew very fond of her and they had a short relationship. He blames himself for what happened to her and that's part of the reason why he thinks he deserves the life he's living," she explains.

"What happened to her?" I ask again. I know Sam told me about a girl he met selling drugs and that she died later, but didn't explain further.

"I'm not the right person to tell you. You should ask your friends," she simply answers. Before leaving she adds, "please... if you really cared at all about my brother, talk to him."

She leaves, leaving me confused as hell. Why should I ask my friends about Adriana's death? And which friends was Lola referring to? Why does Sam blame himself for Adriana's death?  And... does Sam really loves me? He left me! Well, he said it was for my own good, to protect me. 

I head to class thinking about everything Lola just said. "Ouch!!!" I mutter when I bump into someone.

"Always a pleasure to see ya' gorgeous," Marcus, Sam's cousin says flirtatiously. What the hell is he doing here?

"What are you doing here?" I ask him annoyed. 

"Same as ya'. I go here now, aren't ya' thrilled? Now we can get to know each other better," he answers running his hand through my face. 

Ugh! He disgusts me. I push him away. "The school year is about to end, how the hell you managed to get in?" I ask shocked.

"My uncle pulled some strings. Ya' know how persuasive he can be," he answers smugly. I can't tolerate his smugness. I roll my eyes at him and start to walk away but he grabs my arm and pulls me back to him. "Why leaving so fast? We were just startin' to make conversation." He caresses my face again and this time, I lift my knee and hit him on his genitals. He screams in pain and lets go of my arm. I turn around ready to leave and that's when I see a furious looking Sam standing there, his hands formed in fists ready to punch someone. I just walk past him, letting him deal with his cousin.