Let It Be

Chapter 26

I clenched my jaw as I packed my volleyball equipment into my beat-up sport bag after practice the next week. Tristan was striding towards me.

"You'll hook up with Durand, but not me?" he spat angrily.

"I'm not hooking up with Sam. He and I are dating."

Tristan stepped closer, leaning to put his face in mine while he hissed, "He's an idiot. He isn't anywhere near as good as I am."

I knew there was no use getting mad. Freaking out was exactly what he wanted, and I wasn't about to give it to him. "Well, thanks for the offer. However, I'm quite content with my current situation, thank you."

Then I darted away quickly to my car and escaped home to the boys and Sam. We did homework and chores and video games with the boys, and Sam helped me cook dinner.

Despite his best efforts at teaching me, I never got any better at cooking. Left to my own devices, we'd eat nothing but sandwiches, boxed mac and cheese, and eggs. There were always frozen dinners in the freezer for when something inevitably went wrong and I ruined it.

With Sam, everyone ate incredibly well. Pastas, elaborate breakfast dinners, homemade pizza. The boys mostly enjoyed what he made, and for what little I ate, I liked it all, too. The frozen dinners were used only on rare occasions, when Mason simply would not ingest anything other than frozen chicken nuggets.

At Birdie's request, Sam even made croissants one night. I attempted to help, but it was such a complicated and delicate process that I ended up just watching and even sampled the fresh pastries. Birdie was ecstatic, and Sam enjoyed sharing a piece of his culture with his.

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When I got to Sam's the next Saturday, I walked in on family movie time with Paula and Emile. A silly animated movie featuring talking animals was playing, and everyone was invested in the story. I sat snuggled up with Sam, and we drank in the sound of Paula laughing. It was such a pure, genuine sound and it was so refreshing to my soul to hear innocent children's sweet expression joy. I saw Emile smile and look fondly over at Paula any time she laughed. The sound must soothe his despair, too.

When the show ended, we all sat together and just talked together. They had absorbed me into their little family, and I treasured it. I had lived so long with one failed family made of blood, but now I had two found families that loved and supported me, and I felt so lucky.

Eventually, Sam and I went to go sit outside for some fresh air and privacy, even though it was freezing.

"Show me something," I asked him.

"What sort of something?"

"Use your power."

He frowned. "I don't like to unless it's necessary."

"I want to feel the commanding power again. My mind is trying to convince me that I just made it up, that it didn't really happen, but I know that I did."

"You want me to command you? Do you think that is a good idea?"

"Don't command me to like, take my clothes off or tell you embarrassing secrets or something. Do something simple."

He deliberated, but agreed to do as I wished. "Do you give me permission to command you?" he verified my consent.

"Yes."

"Stand up."

It wasn't something I was opposed to doing, so the magic didn't feel strong or overwhelming. It was there, though, and I felt it propel my body upward.

"I'm going to have you spin around now," Sam reassured.

"Okay."

"Spin in circles, Abby."

When he was commanding, his voice sounded off just a little. Something a little musical and intoxicating ended the sound, as if the magic was pacifying overtaking a person's will. I put my hands out to the sides, and spun in circles like Sam had commanded. Right then, since I was willing, the magic felt warm and comforting, like it was rewarding me for doing as it wished.

He didn't tell me a speed, though, so I decided to try going faster. I spun quickly around, getting more and more unsteady as I went.

"Slow down, Abby."

This time I fought the magic. I pushed hard against it in my mind and my veins, trying to throw myself against the barrier his words made. I felt like I was sloshing through mud as I spun, trying to fling myself as fast as I could. I strained against the magic, and it began hurting. Still I refused to give into it, but my body did slow down.

"Stop spinning Abby. If you want."

The magic released its grip on my body, and I stumbled and fell as the barrier was suddenly released.

"Oh," I said, sitting back up. "It's not unpleasant if you're willing to do what it wants," I informed him.

"That is good."

"It only hurts when you're not willing. It pulls against you, both mentally and physically. It's very strange." I smiled at him. "Thanks for the experiment."

"You are welcome?"

"Now I want you to show me something else."

"I do not like the sound of that."

"I want you to show me how strong your body is. I want to see how resilient it is."

He thought a moment, then stood up. Without a word, he sprang up in the tree we were sitting under, one of the really ancient oaks in his backyard. He was fast. He was really fast. He kept climbing and climbing until he was in the top of the tree and I could barely see him.

And then he jumped.

I screamed as I watched him fall.

"SAM!"

He hit the ground with a thud, so loud and hard it vibrated the ground. He sat in the crouch he had landed in, looking at me.

I stared at him a moment, trying to wake myself out of shock. Once I was slightly composed, blood coming into my face again, I whacked him with a trembling hand. "Don't do that!"

"You wanted to see something," he reminded me.

"Well, tell me before you go and try to die! Gosh, I was expecting you to scratch yourself or something."

"I go for drama."

"Um, yeah." I sighed and leaned back in the grass, my hand on my still-pounding chest. "Gosh, you scared me."

He smiled triumphantly. He hadn't been going for that, and the fact that I freaked out for his safety just proved that I cared for him. He took my hand and rubbed it between his gently while I just rested beside him. Gosh, he felt so good.

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