Sami's Kisses

Twenty Four

And I bolted. Charged out the side door of the diner, worried that Ashton may be in the parking lot and sprinted away as fast as I could. I don't know where I was going, exactly, but knew I had to get out of there. My feet led me to the high school, where I collapsed under the bleachers at the football field.

Struggling to catch my breath, I rolled over on to my back and panted, wishing to escape from this crazy, messed up situation.

I couldn't bring myself to go back to the cafe, at least not until I knew for sure it was safe. After the midnight bells rang, I trusted it was probably safe to return. However, feeling extra skeptical, I decided to wait a little while after that. By the time I returned to the cafe for sleep, it was after two in the morning.

Sleep did not come easily that night, or the next. I didn't have the strength to make it to school, and hid out in the apartment for over twenty-four hours. Both Jenny and Ashton tried to come up and check on me, but the door was locked and I did not answer any of their knocks or questions through the door. I just couldn't.

I did a lot of thinking about Carissa, wondering if I should have heard her all the way out. It was only six days until my next court hearing. Even though they had delayed it, there was still a brief hearing that was scheduled and moving ahead as planned.

Was she trying to convince me to go back to Mom and Dad? Move to Iowa? Was she wanting to apologize? Had she been the reason the emancipation hearing was experiencing complications?

I didn't know if i wanted an apology, but it almost hurt more to know she might not feel remorse for the night she slipped out our bedroom window.

*****

School, I thought as I stared at the big building two days later. What is the point of school anymore?

My education was wilting. Feeling unusually pessimistic today (or was it just realistic), I wondered why I even bothered attending this place. It paled in comparison to life outside of these walls, where real life was messy and falling apart.

I breezed through the first few classes of the day, but made an active effort to skip out on math to avoid Ashton. I needed to stay in my own bubble and not have it popped by someone who knew too much. So when third period came around, I found myself slipping in to oblivion and making my way to the football locker rooms on the opposite end of campus.

When I entered, I took a liberating breath of fresh air. It felt nice, despite the lingering smell of teenage boy sweat that was permanently part of the building's infrastructure.

"Sami?"

I just in alarm and nearly choked on air with my sharp inhale, until I saw Isaac crouched in the corner.

"Isaac, you scared me."

"Sorry. And I'm sorry if I disrupted your peace. I'm sure you came here to be alone."

"No, it's fine, really."

The two sat in silence for a minute.

"Are you okay?" He surprised her by asking.

She sighed, "I hold on to hope that I will be. One day."

Isaac nodded sadly.

"Are you okay?"

"One day," He tried to smile. "In the meantime, do you want to play some cards?"

Feeling like I could use a little fun, I smiled in return. "I'd love to."

It was great to enjoy a light-hearted activity with someone who understood what it was like to feel low, or different, or troubled in a way that was unlike their classmates. The two of us played Go Fish all the way through until lunch time. After we each won three games, we were both in better spirits and ready to return to the hallways.