Chance Meetings?

Chapter 2-Chance Meetings

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Character Emily's picture-------->

Chapter 2

Sam pov

‘Here mum I’ll carry those…’ I offer,  and she smiles before getting back into the car. I unload the trolley, and hop in.

‘Thank you Sam… I didn’t know they were paying you so well’ her eyes connect with mine, and I swallow nervously. I shrug. ‘Yeah… I’m just a hard worker’ I tell her. Not much of a lie…

‘Your sisters, will be thrilled to hear I’m cooking their favourite’ mum’s hand is resting on my arm, and I nod in agreement, but don’t add anything. I know how much this means to them….. how sometimes, I can provide just enough to get us a treat. Since mum's pay is low, and hours are long.

We park and I carry the groceries inside.

‘Sam!’ I look up over the bags, as mum holds the door open for me. ‘I don’t see anyone… I thought I heard my name being called by someone’ I tease, knowing it was Maddy. ‘Saaaaaam!’ and I laugh, putting the bags on the coffee table.

‘Ah there you are! I thought I heard my little lady bug’ I say, grabbing Maddy up in my arms making her giggle. ‘How was your day?’ she points over to the couch. ‘I need to draw my family for a competition!’ she tells me, excitedly. ‘Well let’s see it then’ I urge.

She frowns and crosses her arms over her chest, pouting. ‘No Sam… you can’t see it before it’s finished!’ she climbs down my legs as I lower her, and she runs to continue on with it.

‘Where is Jane?’ I ask Maddy. ‘She’s in her room’ not stopping from drawing with a pink texta.

I walk down the short hallway and knock once under the poster that read, ‘if you are not Jane, you cannot come in. UNLESS you know the password’.

I grin at her as she opens the door just enough for me to see her face. ‘What?’.

‘Come on Jane… it’s your brother’ I open my arms wide beside my body, showing I had no weapons on me. She gives me a sceptical look, before sighing and opening it for me to come in.

‘Thank you’ I emphasised. ‘What ya doing?’ I ask.

‘Just stuff’ she replies. ‘Stuff being?’ I urged. ‘Just stuff, like coming up with ideas…’.

I frown as I see her eyes glance at her desk, so I walk over before she can stop me and look at her sketch pad which is open. Piles of scrunched paper balls surrounding it.

Jane shoves me, before snatching the sketch pad away from my sight. ‘Come on Jane…. You never show anyone your designs.. can’t I just see one? For your brother?’ I plead, with her ice cold stare.

‘No’.

I ruffle her hair, which I know she hates and walk out of her bedroom. ‘Do you need any help?’ I ask mum in the kitchen, since I have nothing else to do.

‘You can cut the onions if ya like’ she suggests, pointing with the spoon towards the chopping board. ‘Can’t I stir the pasta?’ I negotiate hopefully, onions always made my eyes water. ‘Sam take it or leave it…’ she puts on a sad look. ‘But it would really help your poor old mother, if you did cut the-‘.

‘Okay, okay! I’ll cut the damn onions’ I exaggerate, grinning over at her.

‘Sam! Damn is a bad word!’ Maddy yells from the living room. ‘How did she even hear me?’ I ask mum, in half a whisper.

She wears an amused expression as she shrugs, trying hard not to laugh.

Emily pov

‘Did you buy the cheese Dan!’ I yell into the hallway, scanning the contents of the fridge. ‘What cheese?’ he yells back. ‘The one mum wanted you to get more of’ I explained, straining my voice so he could hear it. ‘Ugh!’ I hear him grumble and smirk. He forgot again.

‘Morning honey bun’ dad walks in with his empty coffee cup, kissing my forehead on the way to the sink. ‘Morning dad, Dan forgot the cheese again by the way’ I add, just to make Dan pay for last time he dobbed me in.

‘Did he now…’ dad loved his cheese, as much as mum. ‘Dan, run by the shops and get the damn cheese!’ dad shouts.

I hear Dan’s bedroom door close as he walks into the kitchen. ‘Come on dad… you know I have gym first thing mornings’ he moans, looking like a eager five year old. Ready to sneak his way around the rules. Since really his physical age was twenty one. I say physical, because half the time he acts between the ages of five and twelve.

‘Dan either get the cheese, or miss out on your next car upgrade. Your choice’ he states, as he walks over to the TV to watch the news. Dan looks over to me, and I smirk in delight. I knew Dan desperately needed his upgrade, since the engine has been acting up… so this was pure enjoyment for me.

He narrows his eyes at me, finally saying ‘Fine’, in a flat tone. Before walking out the front door with his car keys.

I silently danced in the kitchen from victory, and hadn’t noticed mum wheel herself in. I stop mid crumping, and see mum trying to contain her laughter. But it bursts out, and dad looks behind his shoulder. ‘You alright there Em? Or do we need to give you medication too?’ she jokes and I shake my head embarrassed as hell! Last thing you want is your parents seeing you dance strange dance moves, you think are cool. While in your pyjamas!

I rub my neck from the awkwardness, and get ready to leave for colleague since I have photography first.

I am making good time before I am stopped in the court yard, just before I reach the classroom. ‘Hey Em…’ Ash says, looking like something was off. ‘Hey…?’.

He looks away for a moment, but he finally says. ‘You weren’t at the game Friday…’ his smile looks plastic on his face, and I can tell he is just barely holding down the storm brewing.

I swallow, thinking fast to how I should act. ‘Ash, I’m really sorry… you know Phil kept me an extra half hour to stay for cleaning up at the sailing club. I didn’t have a choice’ I reply, looking up at his eyes hoping my lie didn’t make its way there.

What I don’t expect is, that he envelops me in a bear hug. ‘Em… promise me you’ll come to the next one, on Friday? I need you there, I played shit’ I pull back to look in his face, and see it was true. I nod, smiling a small smile.

I glance at my phone. ‘Shit I’m late’ I peck him on the cheek, and he grins before I jog to my class.

~

I’m sitting on my bed on a Thursday night, staring at the piece of paper in my hands. Having an inner battle with myself.

You should go…

I don’t think so….

You have nothing on tonight….?

The voice inside my head tempted, making me bite my bottom lip. My fingers shook as I stared hard at the number. I did have fun hanging out with Adam and Sam…

Should I….?

I pull out my change, and think. Heads you go, tales you stay.

I flip the coin, and close my eyes as I hear it hit the ground. I breathe in and out, before opening them to find it landed on……