Watched

Chapter 35

The town house that my grandmother had rented was big and spacious, far too big for only two people but that was typical of her. It was always the biggest and the best or nothing, it was beautiful though I have to admit. The view of the ocean at sunset was spectacular and the interior decor was exquisite. The interior decor was modern and sophisticated at the same time. Sharp clean silhouettes and pallets infused with pops of color. I had actually come to consider it a somewhat surrogate home in the last four weeks but I still missed my dorm room at Livingstone, my friends would come and visit me frequently but it was still not the same as seeing them every day. I guess I just missed my old life really, the simplicity and mostly the freedom.

I currently could not leave the town house without being hounded by the press, I couldn't't take a care free stroll on the beach or hang-out with my friends at the the blue-lagoon. I was essentially a prisoner once again and I hated it. Every time the press hounded me with all these questions it just brought me back to a dark place and I could never really move on from the horrific events if I was constantly being forced to relive it.

The door bell rang and I heard Peter's footsteps as he went to open it, in walked a short blonde, her hair looked wind swept and her face was flustered as she let out a deep breath.

" You know all those years of aspiring to be like Brittany Spears, I take it back now. The press are freaking unbelievable!"

" Yeah after all this I totally understand 2007 Brittany" I said in a sarcastic tone.

We both let out a small chuckle and Samantha pulled me into a hug, I winced a little and she pulled back with a frown on her face.

" What ...the shoulder still a bitch?" she asked seeming concerned.

My bullet wound had pretty much healed up by now and I only had a few more weeks of wearing the arm sling left according to my doctor but the wound was still a bit tender.

" Just a bit ." I responded, she raised her eyebrows and asked.

" Is your grandmother here ?"

" No...just Peter and Simon, why ?"

She pulled out a bottle of white wine from her hand bag and held it up gleefully.

" Mama brought gifts " I laughed and led Samantha up to my bedroom balcony ,  I went to go get some wine glasses from the Kitchen and when I returned I found Samantha comfortably sprawled out on one of the chairs.

When she noticed me approach she looked up and smiled,

" Well.." she said " took you long enough!"

I rolled my eyes in response...if only she knew how long it took for me to find these glasses.

She took them from my hand and I sat down on the chair beside her. I watched as she poured the liquid into the glasses. I took a reflective moment to think about how completely surreal it feels to be sitting here drinking wine with Samantha and the fact that we actually have a mutual respect and liking for one another.

" You know " I said as she handed me a glass " if someone told me a year ago that we would end up being more than civil to one another I would have punched them in the face for being stupid." she smiled.

" I would have told them that that's about as realistic as Kim K's ass" we both laughed out loud at this point and she raised her glass towards me. 

" Let's  make a toast... to life, family and friendship"     

  I raised my glass up to hers and we clanked them together before taking a sip of our drinks. The liquid went down my throat and I grimaced as the bitter taste of the wine hit the back of my throat. I wasn't really used to alcohol. 

The rest of the day went by in a blur and I was just reminded of how grateful I was to have Samantha as a support system...she was the only person that truly knew what it was like being Luther's captive. We never really spoke about those events instead our comfort was derived from our mutual understand and the unspoken connection we now had.

When it was time for her to leave I walked her to the door and from the window I could see a few paparazzi stationed outside the gate of our drive way. I rolled my eyes in frustration.

" Ahhhh why wont they just leave me alone!" I exclaimed out of frustration.

Samantha folded her hands, and frowned for a second before she spoke.

" Maybe if you give them what they want they will stop pestering you...like an exclusive interview or something"

I racked my hands trough my hair, talking about it in-front of the entire world was the last thing I wanted to do.

" Once they get what they want the viewers will lose  interest and the whole thing will blow over. You could finally get your life back and I would be there too."

I looked up at her hating to admit she actually had a point and at this  stage I was almost willing to do anything to make them go away.

" Alright" I said reluctantly.

She smiled and squeezed my hand a silent way of saying it would be alright. I watched her leave and close the door behind her a sense of dread filled me... what had I just gotten myself into?