Breathe (Mates Saga #1) *Wattys2015*

Chapter 9

        "Sam?" I asked, giving my door a wary glance. "We need to talk. Meet me at Starbucks tomorrow at 8. Deal?"

        On the other line, Sam sounded like she was smirking. "Well, of course I'll meet you there, chica. But what's the big deal? Why do you gotta meet me so early in the morning? You know that Saturdays are my Date Nights. In fact, you just called me away from a pretty hungry customer."

        "Sorry about that, Sammie, but this is really important," I said, still not peeling my eyes away from my door with its chipping and peeling white paint. "You know Will Vale, right?"

        Sam was silent on the other end for a couple of minutes and then, suddenly, she said, "I'll meet you there, but you're paying."

        Before I could reply, she hung up, leaving nothing but a clicking noise which signaled the end of the call on the other end.

        I smiled.

~ ~ ~

        "I'm going out," I said as I shrugged my black jacket on, grabbing my keys to the house off the shelf. "I'll be back in a couple of hours. Don't worry about me too much, Akira."

        Akira was sprawled out on the couch, relaxing in Simon's arms. At my words, she looked over at me, tearing her gaze away from the TV. "That shouldn't be a problem," she said, and I was sad to see that there was no hint of joking in her tone.

        I walked out of the house and slammed the door behind me. I stalked down the driveway towards my car, forcing my tears back. I didn't doubt that she wouldn't have difficulty in not missing me. Who needs your best friend - the one who's been there for you since you were both in diapers - when you have a handsome boyfriend? Especially when your boyfriend thinks that you're just the neatest thing since sliced bread. These thoughts were racing through my head bitterly as I pulled out of the driveway, eager to get the hell out of here.

        I pressed a button in my beautiful car and the soundtrack from Aladdin began playing. I tried to concentrate on the lyrics to the songs, but I still could feel the tears slipping down my cheeks. I turned into the parking lot of Starbucks and sat in my car for a moment. I wiped the tears away and evened my breathing. When I was under control again, I grabbed my keys after turning the car off and stuffed them in the purse before climbing out of my baby.

        As I was walking up to the door, a man brushed past me. He seemed in a hurry, but I didn't pay much attention to him. I'd already spotted Sam sitting in the corner booth, away from prying eyes.

        I walked inside, but before I walked over to Sam, I stopped by the counter and grabbed us both some caramel lattes. After all, who doesn't like to have something sweet when you're talking about matters that could be life-threatening. Oh, and I'm only slightly kidding on that matter.

        Anyway, so I grabbed the lattes and walked over to Sam's table, sliding into the booth across from her. I didn't look up from my own latte as I slid hers across the table, saying, "I promised something with caffeine, so here it is."

        "Thanks," Sam muttered, and I heard the sound of her sucking up the caffeinated beverage, albeit a bit reluctantly. She gagged softly after a moment. "Too sweet," she declared, and I looked up just in time to see her shove the beverage away.

        I sampled the concoction myself and gagged as well. It was too sweet, so I took it back up to the counter and asked for new ones. Begrudgingly, the woman there made two new ones and I sampled each of them before thanking her for her help and walking back to the table. I passed Sam her drink and took a giant gulp of my own before Sam finally cleared her throat, bringing my eyes to meet her own almost liquid gold ones.