Gossip Girl - The Next Generation

Chapter 4

Samuel Ritcher was working on one of his school assignments on his laptop when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in"

"Hey," came his sister, Isabella's voice.

"Hey,"

"Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" asked Samuel, confused.

Isabella hesitantly looked at her brother. They didn't resemble each other much. Sam was a brunette and more closely resembled their father, Andrew, while Isabella was blonde and more closely resembled their mother, Jenny. She began feeling twinges of guilt. She convinced herself that Sydney genuinely loved Sam and didn't intend on hurting him. She needed to do this to stay in Sydney's in-crowd and be crowned Queen Bee once Sydney graduated. She shoved any bouts of conscience she had and went ahead with Sydney's assignment.

"Okay, don't freak, but I might have overheard Caitlin and you," Isabella began cautiously.

"You whaat? You mean you eavesdropped on me and my girlfriend," Sam said indignantly.

"I wasn't eavesdropping. I swear," Isabella said defensively. "I came to your room for something and I happened to overhear you."

"Yeah well, that was nothing," said Sam, dismissively.

"It wasn't nothing. Losing your virgi..."

"Izzie, I'm sorry, but you're my sister and I'm not comfortable discussing that with you. That was between me and Caitlin," said Samuel.

"That's not ... I mean, I'm worried about your relationship in general, because Caitlin doesn't seem to love you as much as you love her," said Isabella.

"What are you talking about? Of course she loves me," said Sam.

"I don't know, Sam. If she loved you, why wasn't she ready?" asked Isabella, eyeing her brother's reactions closely.

"What does love have to do with being ready?" asked Sam.

"Sam, as a girl, I know how the female psychology works. Most of the girls in your grade have lost their virginities. Half of them to guys they weren't even in love with, and yet Caitlin who's supposed to be in love with you ....?" Isabella dragged her last point.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam crossed his arms.

"That it's not losing her virginity that she has doubts about. It's losing it to you," said Isabella.

"You're wrong. Caitlin told me herself it wasn't the case," said Sam defensively.

Isabella was pleased to sense a hint of denial in Sam's voice.

"You've both been together for years and you'll both be turning eighteen in a few months, and she's not ready even if she's apparently in love with you? Does that make sense if you consider the attitudes of the other girls at our school?" Isabella pressed on.

She searched her brother's face carefully. To her delight, he looked nervous and worried.

"Look, Sam. I have no reason to make this up. I don't intend to interfere in your love life, but I just want you to be careful because you're my brother and I love you. I don't want you to get hurt if Caitlin doesn't feel as strongly about you as you do about her," said Isabella with fake concern.

Judging by the look on Sam's face, she knew that she had successfully planted the seeds of doubt in his mind.

"Just think about what I said and be careful. If Caitlin doesn't feel the same way about, you, it might be best to move on to someone who actually returns your feelings," said Isabella.