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Part Fifteen

Warning: this chapter contains triggering subjects, such as vomiting, nausea, and violence. Please read only what you feel comfortable with!
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   As it turned out, Leo was still fast asleep when they finally made it back to the house and began to recuperate from a successful fast food run. It was to Sam's dismay that he would have to wait it out a while longer before talking to them all at once, but he figured he could take the time to figure out what exactly he wished to tell everyone.

   It was against his beliefs to expose who he was, what he was, and especially to a human. Considering there were three eager ones ready to listen at the turn of a hat, Sam was not considerably excited to reveal the secrets that lay hidden within his species.

   Though, he figured if he wanted anyone to know, it would be his three friends. His family, no matter how terrified he remained of what they were capable of.

   And then came the inevitable expression of his fear towards them, and explaining to them why he was so scared. That would take a load of unmentioned trauma that Sam chose to avoid thinking about during all hours of the day. To open his heart back up and repeat the happenings of his parent's death, would be to open up a box of unease and disruption to an otherwise peaceful air between the four boys.

   In short, Sam was not looking forward to telling them the truth, but he knew they deserved it above anything else. Especially considering how gentle and conforming they had been in the unusual atmosphere presented to them.

   Skip, most of all, treated Sam like there was nothing different at all. And while it confused him at first, there was now no denying that Skip was very aware of what he was doing, and that he made sure it could remain unmentioned amongst them. Sam appreciated keeping his dignity.

   "So, now what?" Skip collapsed onto the couch of the living room, taking up the entire piece of furniture with his body alone. That left Elijah to take over the over couch, and so he sprawled out (not taking up nearly as much space as Skip) with Sam still in tow.

"I'm bored as hell. Leo better wake up soon."

   "We could go back to the card games from before?" Eli suggested, situating himself so he was sitting upright and holding Sam on a palm atop his lap like they sat in the car.

   "Sam, do you know how to play King's Corners?"

   "Um," it took him a minute before he realized Skip and Elijah were oblivious to the major issue surrounding that question. "I can't...I can't exactly hold any cards."

   While Skip held in a snicker, Eli simply shooed his question away and sat up a little more.

   "That's fine, you can help me out then."

   "Hell no," Skip interjected. "Sam's on my team."

   "Sam can decide for himself," Sam told the group with a burst of confidence shooting up from his spine.

"I was with Leo and Eli all morning; I can be on Skip's team for this round and then Eli's for the next one."

   "Cool with me," Elijah brought his cupped palm over and deposited Sam onto Skip's side of the table in front of them, while Skip himself slid down from the couch and gave a small smile downwards. "Sorry in advance, though. It's not fun losing in the first round."

   "Oh, you are just hilarious," Skip sneered and reached to grab the deck of cards previously left behind in their attempt to play away their sorrows from yesterday.

   Yesterday.

   It hit Sam in the face that everything happened in the span of less than twenty four hours, from the first spotting to settling down and playing cards with little fear in his heart.