Somewhere

Chapter Twenty-One

"Don't try to leave tonight," Jamie told me through his window. His big brown eyes pleaded with me. "Just sleep on it, okay? Promise me."

Lying was what I hated most in the world, so instead of giving Jamie a smile and a promise I couldn't keep, I leaned down and kissed his cheek. He closed his eyes in more pain than I ever wanted for him. I turned for my dark house, without looking back. Jamie's car drove through the gravel and dirt.

The truck was the only car remaining in front of my house. I hurried up the steps, letting myself into the house. I called out, walking through the living room and through to the kitchen. "Mom? Dad? Nani?" No one answered. A TV wasn't left on. The chickens outside were sound asleep. No sound at all.

On the fridge, they left a note:

Sam, if you get home before us, remember to lock up. We went into town to watch the game and Nani went to the studio. We hope you had a nice night! See you in the morning...

At the bottom, they signed, "We love you, Mom and Dad."

I ripped the note down, shoving it into my pocket. It was better this way. Turning my brain off, I decided not to think. Thinking would lead to indecision and it'd lead me to changing my mind and I couldn't do that. I had to leave Somewhere, no matter what.

I ran up the stairs and rummaged through my closet until I found my suitcase. I threw it open on the bed and started stuffing it with whatever I ripped off the hanger. No plan, just blindly throwing things in without folding them. Somewhere between grabbing my underwear and my socks, the tears returned and so did the pain in my arm.

I cursed, turning as I fell onto the floor. Rolling up my sleeves, I half expected to find my scars on fire. I pressed my palm down on the scars, shutting my eyes. Still, after all this, I almost called Cooper's name.

Suddenly, the bell rang, and it rang over and over. Someone smashed the button repeatedly and even slammed their fist on the door. I stilled. If it was Cooper, there was no way I was answering the door. If it was a fucking Sage, I would lose it and might kill them. If it was Gibson, I didn't have the energy to deal with him and I couldn't talk to Jamie again tonight. It'd be too painful.

"SAM RIVERA! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!"

It was none of the above.

It was Lucinda.

Picking myself off the ground, I crept down my stairs. I said, "um, I'm kinda of busy. I'll um talk to you later-"

Without warning, Lucinda kicked the door open, breaking the molding and the door slammed against the other wall. Her foot still hung in the air for a moment before she stomped inside. She left the door open and let the cool air creep inside. Surprisingly, it was the most casual she had ever dressed. I didn't even know Lucinda owned a pair of blue jeans, boyfriend cut and rolled up at the bottom. She wore a maroon college sweatshirt underneath a gray peacoat.

"What are you..." I asked, attempting to rub away the tears and the stains they left. I asked instead, "where were you tonight?"

"Home," she crossed her arms and pointed her nose in the air. Meandering inside, she inspected my house. "Bash hasn't texted me since he went to the hospital with Marybeth and I figured on Cooper's last night before the tournament..." she tilted her head at me and then at the stairs. She touched the first step. "Well, I figured you'd want him all for yourself. Silly me!" She raised her voice and I chased her up the stairs.

"Wait, Luc-"

"Silly me! I didn't think you'd use tonight to BREAK UP WITH HIM! Are you kidding me?!" Lucinda raged, cursing a slew of the worst cusses. "What were you thinking?! Please enlighten me what made you lose your goddamn mind?"