JAMIE
Honk! Honk! Honk!
I'm pulled out of my rooftop-thinking-session when I hear multiple cars blare their horns from below. I rush to the edge of the roof, looking down to inspect for danger when I feel a drop of rain hit my forehead from the dark clouds above.
I knew it was going to be a gloomy, rainy day.
It's been just about a week since Max's funeral. I've answered multiple phone calls regarding his death, Voltar continues to make broadcasts where she threatens life in Brooklyn, and I'm still getting used to the term 'girlfriend'.
Looking over the roof, I instantly roll my eyes when I see a red car, swerving about as it interferes with both sides of the road. DUI. Again?
I quickly jump off the roof, skyjumping through the sprinkles of rain over to the direction of the red vehicle. It sways and veers, causing pedestrians to shout and run, and it only fuels me to go faster.
All of a sudden, everything happens in slow motion.
I watch as the wheels shift left, causing cars in the other lane to come to an abrupt stop as the red truck heads straight for the opposite sidewalk. Screams erupt in the air, but one car isn't able to stop in time.
I quickly jump down, landing on the pavement and shooting intense pulsations towards the wheels of the truck, and it stops, vibrating furiously on the road.
I remove the vibrations, angrily walking over to the left side of the car, ready to give the driver a piece of my mind, but when I rip open the car door, I see no one. Absolutely no one.
The hell?
I feel a crowd forming around the area, and I quickly shake off the sudden mystery, slamming the door closed, as I walk to the tiny sedan, the one I saved from being T-boned.
A man and a woman exit the car, and I briefly watch as he holds her hand to stop her from shaking. I make my way over, grabbing their attention. "Are you two okay?"
"Yeah," she replies, her voice timid and scared, "Just a little shaken up."
"You're safe now," I reassure her, "Police and paramedics will be here in a few. What are your names?"
The man speaks first. "I'm Kyle Larson, and this is my wife Nicole."
Larson?
I shake each of their hands. "Nice to meet you."
Nicole gives me a small smile, and I return it before I suddenly feel an awkward pause coming on. "Where are you headed off to?"
"Us?" Kyle smiles, grabbing his wife's hand. "We're on our way to meet our son."
"Oh? What's his name?"
"Samuel."
I must not be breathing. This can't be right. "Sam?"
"Yes," he continues, "He's been in foster care all his life. We're meeting him for the first time."
He looks at me expectantly, but I can't answer. Have I just beat Sam at meeting his own parents?
"Oh, um..." I stutter, "I actually happen to know a Sam Larson."
Both of their eyes light up, but Nicole is the first one to speak. "Really? Is he 19? Does he work at House of Paws? Is he studying psychology?"
"Yeah," I stammer, not able to catch my breath and definitely not expecting my morning to go like this at all.
"Honey," Nicole turns to Kyle, holding his hands in hers, "She knows our Samuel."
I awkwardly stand there as Nicole's eyes well up with tears, and she hugs her husband. I watch as they embrace, not knowing if I should rub her back to calm her tears or just sit back like an awkward turtle.
I go with the latter.
Sirens begin to erupt about a block away, and I look at my feet. I have a feeling I'll be a personal escort for Kyle and Nicole to meet Sam.
I sigh, leaning against the hood of the red truck and waiting for the police to get here. I wonder how I'm going to explain to them how there wasn't anyone in the car.
My arms shiver as more raindrops fall onto my skin, and I look up to the sky. Dark, grey clouds hover above me, and the sound of thunder echoes through the street.
I do a double take, however, when I see purple light illuminate from the top of a highrise about a block away. I turn my full attention towards the roof of the building, but when my eyes land on the purple figure, it turns the other way and runs out of my sight.
I instantly know she's behind this.
♔♚
"So how do you know Sam?"
I, Quiver, walk through the hallways of my apartment building with Kyle and Nicole. I really hope it's not awkward when Sam sees Quiver instead of Jamie.
"Oh, y'know..." I trail off, not knowing what to say, "I've seen him around. I don't think he knows me though."
Before either of them can reply to my nonchalant answer, I stop in front of our door. "Here we are."
"Sam lives here?" I turn to Nicole and smile, nodding my head and silently hoping they aren't stalkers posing as Sam's parents.
Without wasting a breath, I nervously raise my hand, lightly knocking on the door and stepping behind Kyle and Nicole.
When the door opens, my heart stops, my body full of anxiety. Kyle and Nicole look awestruck, and Sam hesitates at the door. His eyes flicker from Kyle to Nicole to me, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"Sam?" When I speak, I try to keep my voice low, so he can't recognize me. "These are your parents. Kyle and Nicole Larson."
I stay quiet as I watch his eyes look over his parents. I know how hard it is for him to trust people, especially strangers.
"Do you recognize us? My voice from over the phone," Kyle asks, breaking the silence, a hopeful look in his eyes.
"It's us," Nicole adds, and I take a step back, not wanting to interrupt.
At that moment, Sam lets out a breath, his eyes welling up with tears. "Really?"
Kyle places his hand on Nicole's shoulder as she gently reaches out for Sam, taking his hand in hers. Sam lets out a choked laugh, grinning widely before wrapping his arms around Nicole.
She hugs him back, Kyle placing his other arm around Sam's shoulders, and I watch as Sam finally meets his family.
I lean against the opposite wall, not wanting to disturb their emotional reunion, when my thoughts drift to this morning. I shouldn't be thinking about this now, but I'm awkwardly standing to the side while my boyfriend meets his parents for the first time.
Voltar was there; she probably controlled the car from the rooftops with her electricity. It was probably to scare people, too.
What if... Voltar meant to kill Nicole and Kyle just like she killed Max? If she was targeting them, why? What connection do they have?
When I look back up, Nicole pulls back and dries Sam's tears, a large smile upon her face. Sam looks to Kyle as he rubs his son's shoulder in comfort.
Nicole turns around, looking like she's about to introduce me to him, and I suck in a breath. Sam's eyes drift towards me, and I watch as his smile slowly disappears.
"Quiver?" I give a curt nod at his confusion, and his eyes darken, still focused on me, making my heart race. "What are you doing here... with them?"
I don't respond, not wanting to speak again, but Nicole comes to my rescue. "She saved us this morning from a self-driving car that spun out of control. She saved our lives."
I know it wasn't a self-driving car, but I'll let her believe that it was.
Sam's eyes flirt towards mine, and I only wish he can't see the brown underneath the blue-colored contacts.
He steps towards me, and I try to keep my cool, still standing expressionless. He extends a hand, and I shake it firmly. "Thank you."
I nod, releasing his hand and turning to his parents, who smile at me. I raise my hand lightly, giving them a small wave.
I look at Sam one last time before I turn the other way, making my way down the hallway and running out of the building.
♔♚
After sneaking through my bedroom window for a normal outfit and changing in a Walgreens bathroom, I make my way back to my apartment, knowing full well that Sam's parents are still there.
I enter my apartment building and quickly proceed to the elevator, my heart thumping in my chest after every floor I pass. The doors open, and I slowly walk towards my door, trying to think of what I'm going to say if Sam introduces me to his parents.
I shakily grab my keys out of my back pocket, fumbling to find the right one and sticking it in the crack of the door knob. I hold my breath as I unlock the door.
Why am I so nervous? This has never happened before — Jamie meeting someone Quiver has already met.
When I open the door and walk inside, my eyes instantly find Nicole, Kyle, and Sam on the couch, laughing together, but Nicole and Kyle falter when I enter.
I close the door and watch as Sam's smile widens, and he stands up, quickly walking towards me and bluntly kissing me on the mouth. "Hey, babe."
"Hi..." I stutter, looking back to his parents as I try to make it look like I've never seen these people in my life.
Sam follows my line of vision, puts a hand on my back, and leads me into our small living room. "Jamie... these are my parents."
Sam and I sit down next to Nicole and Kyle, and I awkwardly place my hands in my lap. "Kyle, Nicole, this is my girlfriend, Jamie."
I smile and shake both of their hands. "Nice to meet you, Mr and Mrs. Larson."
"It's nice to meet you, too, Jamie. Sam has told us all about you," Nicole tells me, and I look at Sam, raising an eyebrow at him when he doesn't meet my gaze, only laying a hand on my thigh and looking back to his parents.
"All good things, I hope," I reply, and she chuckles lightly, making me smile at her nervously.
"Oh, guess what?" I look over at Sam expectantly. "Quiver saved them from a car accident this morning, and I got to shake her hand."
I try to act surprised, but in all honesty, I find it kinda cute how Sam is fangirling over the fact that he met me today. I drop my jaw and raise my eyebrows. "Really?"
"Yes," Kyle interjects, "She saved our lives."
"That's really cool. I'm glad you two are okay," I speak honestly, and Sam smiles, lightly squeezing my thigh as he knows I'm shy around 'new' people.
Before the conversation can go any further, my phone starts to ring in the back pocket of my jeans, and I stand up, excusing myself from the room.
Once in my bedroom, I answer the call and silently thank whoever's calling from saving me from the awkward conversation in the other room. "Hello?"
"Hi, I'm looking to speak with Jamie Kennedy?"
"This is she."
"Hi, Jamie. I'm calling, regarding your late uncle's beneficiary from the bank. We have found special instructions to call this number and hand the account's title to you, Maxwell Kennedy's niece."
"Oh..." I trail off, not knowing how to reply, "If I might ask, how much is in the account?"
"Roughly $142,000."
Shit, that's a lot. I didn't know Max was loaded. That's enough to pay rent for a long time; not to mention Sam and I split the rent...
"Miss?"
"I'm here," I reply, wincing at myself, "When should we transfer it all?"
Agh, I sound like I'm dealing drugs or stealing money.
"Whenever you'd like. We do need ID, however, so you'll have to come in personally and make the transaction."
"Okay, okay, I can do that. Is there a specific time I should come?"
"Whenever you'd like," the teller repeats, and I nod, thinking to myself.
"Alright, I can come in tomorrow morning," I reply, not really wanting to waste my Sunday at the bank.
The faster I do it though, the faster I can continue to move on. These phone calls I've been getting only remind me that Max is gone.
"Great. We'll see you then." I quickly mumble out a reply before hanging up the phone and sitting on my bed.
I hear the doorknob rattle, and I look up, watching as Sam peeks through the door and walks into my room. "Hey. You okay?"
I smile as he takes a seat on the bed next to me. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Was that another Max call?" I nod in approval. "Who was it?"
"The bank," I reply, still comprehending the amount of money I'll soon have. "They opened his beneficiary, and it had special instructions for me."
"How much?"
"$142,000. Enough to pay rent for us both."
When I look up at Sam, his eyes are wide, and he hesitates. "Really?"
"Really," I confirm, still not believing it, "It'll be given to me in parts though, I think. Not all at once."
We're both struggling, money wise, to be honest.
Sam has a job at the pound, but it's more like volunteering. He only gets minimum wage, too. And I don't have a job. I go on patrol every morning, and my evenings are always filled with classes.
Maybe I should start looking... I mean, after Phantasm and I defeat Voltar or finish school, maybe I can find a job.
An awkward pause settles in the air around us, and I rest my head on Sam's shoulder. He sighs before taking my hand in his and speaking. "My parents are going to leave in a few."
"Why so soon?"
"I don't want to get too attached, y'know," he tells me, and I hold my breath. "I've lived my whole life without them, and I'm finally meeting them."
"Do you resent them for giving you up? Is that why?"
"No, I don't. They told me they couldn't give me the best, and I respect that. I don't hate them for it though."
"I get that," I reply, "I'm just glad you finally got to meet them."
"Me too," Sam whispers, squeezing my hand and pulling away from me.
I look up at him, feigning innocence on my face, before he releases my hand, reaching up to cup my cheek. I watch as his lips form a small smile, but he doesn't kiss me like I think he's going to.
"What?"
"Nothing," he mutters under his breath, gently pulling my face towards his, "You're just really pretty."
"Are you kidding? With big bags under my eyes, stress-ridden hair, and no makeup on?"
He pulls me closer. "No, you're absolutely beautiful."
A small smile decorates my lips at his words, but before I can speak, he pushes himself against me, kissing me anything but gently.
Our lips dance together in synchronization as his hands move to my hips, mine finding their way into his hair. He gently climbs onto the bed, lowering me onto my back, and the panic starts to rise in my chest.
That panic, however, disappears as quickly as it came once I feel him tighten his hold on my waist, fingers gently dipping beneath my shirt and drawing mindless patterns onto my skin.
He breaks the kiss, but my eyes stay closed as my breathing becomes heavy. I suddenly feel his warm breath on my neck before I feel his lips attack my flesh, leaving open-mouthed kisses on the sensitive skin.
"Sam," I shakily breathe out, but he continues the assault down my neck only humming in reply, sending vibrations of his own throughout my body.
I force myself to pull it together before I let the husky noise escape my throat. "Sam, your parents are literally outside the door."
"And?"
"And we can't be doing this right now!" I tug on his hair, making him look up at me, still breathing heavily.
He only smiles down at me, brushing a few stray hairs out of my face. "Let me take you on a date tomorrow."
"I'm going to the bank tomorrow," I quickly reply, my nerves getting the best of me.
"After that. I want to do something nice for you," he tells me, and a small smile appears on my face.
"Okay," I mutter, "What do you have in mind?"
His face momentarily pales before he kisses me once more. "It's a surprise."
"You don't even know, do you?"
"I do! It'll be amazing, I promise," he says, and this time, I'm the one to kiss him. "Okay, I should probably go back out there and make them leave, so I can carry on... with this."
"Sam!" He only chuckles at my scolding, giving me one last kiss before pushing himself off me and exiting my room.
I sit up, today's thoughts rushing back to the forefront of my mind. Why can't I stop thinking about Voltar and the incident?
I know she wants people to be afraid, but when will it be enough? She's only been around for a month, and I'm already annoyed and angry with her.
Why won't she just leave? What does she want to prove? That she's scary enough to make people afraid? That she's strong enough to hurt and kill innocents?
Or maybe it's something else... Something of her past. Something she doesn't want anyone to find out. Something that she hides beneath the mask.
Maybe it's something I'll never find out until Phantasm and I try to wipe her and her purple electricity out of Brooklyn for good.
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hey, y'all! interesting chapter... kinda a filler, but sam's parents are important. oh, well. know you're loved and so, so worth it! <3
be true to yourself, follow your heart, trust your gut ♡
- jess :)