Into My Heart

LIV

SAM

I've never been so tired in my whole life.

This past week, I have been forced to work for Press Corporation, since I received that text from Stacey Press: "Dear Samantha, I have been annoyed yet impressed by your unique skills regarding hacking and informatics in general. I can make you a rather interesting offer: come work for me, and I promise on my own life and my daughters' that Kristen and Abigail will be protected, no matter what they do. I really need you in my team, Mrs Mewis, therefore I hope we can set our differences aside.", signed with the Press Corporation logo. After hesitating, I decided to accept the offer, as well as keeping it secret. Officially, everybody else - including my sisters - think that I work for a private company established in another town not far from Orange. Thankfully, Abby was too busy sorting out her relationship with Christen and getting used to the hospital to notice, as Kristie had her mind set on revenging the fallen Dragons: neither tried to verify my side of the story.

Whereas the most difficult part of my whole situation would be normally thought as of being the fact that I work for a family that tried to kill my sisters several times, I'd say that something was even more complicated: constantly avoiding and hiding from Shelina Zadorsky had been the biggest challenge as of this day - and worst part is that I don't really know why, maybe instinct of survival. Either way, I have been very careful as of making sure not to cross her path or, in the rare occurrences of it happening, ignoring her royally. 

As I am sitting in my desk, minding my own business, I hear a knock on my door: Mallory is standing there, staring at me as if I was some kind of spy or something. Those past few weeks, she has come by quite a lot, only in order to chat with me: truth is, she must feel really lonely and betrayed by her family, and by Abby for killing her father. She is so sweet and innocent, and she has been through hell. When I get up in order to welcome her with a joke or something, I realise she isn't alone: Kelley O'Hara - one of Press Corporation most important ally and partner - is standing there, her arms crossed against her chest, but it isn't all. Indeed, Shelina also is there, and I'd lie to myself if I said that I didn't feel anything at the sight of her. 

Well, of course I am lying to myself since I am a stupid and pro-denial bitch, I think to myself, rolling my eyes at myself. So, totally ignoring Shelina's presence, I just stare back and forth between Mallory and Kelley, who both seem alarmed. 

"Hi, Mewis" the brunette immediately lets out, nonchalant. Before I can react and tell her to fuck off, she quickly continues: "Long story short: I'm taking Mallory out of town on her mom's orders because someone wants her dead, so you two need to figure out who and why. Becky's coming with us, and Mrs Press is out of town because of business, and since Christen must be kept in the dark, there only are you two remaining."

"But-" I start, frowning.

Without waiting for me to finish my sentence, Kelley makes a quick gesture, as Crystal (a security guard specially assigned to Mallory) steps forward, putting Mallory's computer on the table in front of me. 

As Shelina is trying to make me stare at her so that we can non-verbally communicate, I just watch as Kelley smirks and walks out of the room. Mallory quickly steps closer and hugs me tightly, symbolising her desperation, before nodding her head and walking out of the room behind Kelley and Crystal. 

When the women are far gone, I just sit back down at my desk, continuing the coding sequence I undertook hours ago. I can feel Shelina's eyes on me, but I keep on ignoring her - it is way easier that way. 

"What did I ever do to you, Sam?" she asks, somewhat impatient. 

Hearing the hidden pain inside her voice, I finally stop what I am doing, but don't dare looking up toward her. 

Sighing, I just remain silent, which causes her to step closer and closer to my desk. 

"Seriously, you can tell me: I'd rather know, because not knowing why you're not talking to me anymore after we spent intense moments together. I mean, I just can't get it: I don't recall ever doing something disrespectful or anything and- OUCH."

Suddenly, her hands are on her now pretty huge belly, as she groans in pain. Quite immediately, I get on my feet and closer to her, helping her sit down so that the pain would pass - or not. Very scared, I just stare at her, not knowing what to say to be helpful.

Rather than groaning again, she just grabs my arm and puts my hand on her belly. When I feel her little girl kicking my hand, I remove it at first, looking at the stomach in awe. Then, I just touch it again, and feel the baby moving underneath her skin. As I smile and laugh softly, time seems to freeze. 

When I realise we now are very close, I just look up and my eyes catches her: those deep greyish eyes that do so many thing to me... Realising now that my mouth is slight open and I must look like an idiot, I awkwardly cough and remove my hand. 

I then sit further from her, asking:

"Are you okay?"

Frowning - probably confused about my change of behaviour - Shelina just stares at me for a while, before finally saying:

"Yes, yes - she's been agitated those past few days, we're getting closer and closer..." and, somehow, her voice seems to break, and she just closes her eyes and intends to get up. As I try to prevent her from doing so, she aggressively says: "Look, visibly you don't really care about my well-being since you suddenly decided that you hated me. So, I'll leave you alone."

With that said, she slowly gets up and leaves the room, leaving me full of regrets: I really needed to address this complicated situation and the mixed feelings involved in all this - but I was beyond scared, because I usually don't really do feelings...

I sigh: shit, Sammy, shit.