Let It Be

Chapter 27

Coach Dunlap met me in the locker room, looking irritated after practice the next day. I was nearly falling asleep at my locker with exhaustion.

"You've got to thicken up, Shea," she commanded sternly.

I winced. "Yeah."

"You're sick, Abby. You're going to kill yourself if you don't get some meat on your bones."

I looked at my shoes. It wasn't as easy as she made it seem. I couldn't just stuff my face every day, it'd make things worse.

I wondered if she thought I had an eating disorder. I wondered if maybe I did. I didn't make myself puke. I ate the way I did because I couldn't change. I wasn't doing it to get thin. I hated that I was scrawny and thin. I wanted to gain weight.

"If you lose anymore," she continued, rubbing her face tiredly. "Abby, I'm going to have to kick you off the team. It's not healthy."

"I understand. I'll keep working on it."

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Emile was playing the piano inside when I got to Sam's, Paula singing along to the slow song. She stood on the piano bench, arms flung wide, serenading an invisible audience. It took me a minute to realize that it was a Disney song. A Whole New World, from Aladdin. I only remembered because my middle school had themed a Valentine's Day dance after it, everyone dressed in "Arabian night" attire. Or so I had heard.

"I've never been to a school dance," I said after I told Sam what the song made me think about as we stood against the porch railing.

"No?"

"Never. I've always wanted to, to go with the guy I liked, to slow dance with him in front of the entire school. Silly, huh?"

He stepped next to me, putting his hand on my waist. Taking my hand in his other one, he pulled me to him and slowly started to dance with me. It was even better than dancing in front of the entire school, showing him off to everyone. Sam was mine, and that was all I cared about.

I rested against him as he pulled me closer, feeling things I've never felt before Sam came into my life. Affection. Care. Attention. Protection.

Love.

"I love you, Sam." I told him again because it was true.

He just kissed my hair and continued to sway to Emile's piano. I knew he loved me back.

I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling.

Samuel Durand, I thought. I accept you.

I waited while holding my breath. I swayed back and forth with Sam's body, and I waited... But nothing happened.

It didn't work.

Samuel Durand, Samuel Durand, Sam. My heart hurt, and I almost started to cry.

Didn't you hear me? I said I love Sam, I accept the weird pre-destination he has to love me even though it's weird and sucks for him, and I accept the responsibility and intensity of immortal love. I never want him to be alone.

But nothing happened.

It couldn't have been that I was scared of him. His body was touching mine, his hips brushing mine, my chest pressed against his, and it didn't scare me. His arms were holding me, and I wasn't afraid. I snuggled my face further into his neck.

We loved each other, and that wasn't ever going to change.

So why wasn't it working?

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Super short chapter, but the next one is long and drama filled! It's up now, so keeping scrolling and check it out, my friends!