SAFEST IN YOUR ARMS
" so what now? "
{' REGRET '}
PAIN SHOT THROUGH Samantha's body when she woke up that morning. her throat was dry to the point in which it hurt to swallow and her head felt heavy. it felt worse than her last hangover which she thought was impossible while she was going through it. she regretted not having listened to Oliver when he told her to drink water.
her face was squished into the pillow and she was laying on her right side. slowly, her eyes opened to reveal a familiar room. it wasn't her own and it was then that she remembered what had happened the night before. after her kiss with Georgia, not much said, at least not from the blonde. Samantha spent the next ten minutes ranting about the most random things all while Georgia listened to her and got ready for bed. the young girl was laying down while the blonde took off Samantha's makeup and helped her into more comfortable clothes. although she was exhausted and all she wanted was to fall asleep, she wasn't able to until the blonde was laying beside her.
Samantha groaned softly as she sat up, her hand flew to her head and she began to message her temples as if it would help. she'd need a miracle to get rid of her pain. she leaned against the headboard and looked at the nightstand beside the bed in search for her cellphone. a small smile formed on her lips when she saw it resting beside two pills and a gatorade.
Georgia.
in a second she had taken both pills and chugged half of the gatorade. just as she brought the purple bottle down from her lips, the bedroom door opened to reveal a beautiful blonde dressed in a more formal work attire. she had on a white blouse along with a pink suit jacket. no matter what she wore, she always looked beautiful in Samantha's eyes.
"good morning," the blonde smiled and it felt like a warm light was shining on Samantha.
"morning," the raven girl responded, her smile a bit more forced than Georgias. walking up beside her was an amazing feeling but her headache canceled it out just a bit. "what time is it?" she asks reaching for her phone.
"seven thirty. i figured you'd want to sleep in a bit." Georgia said while walking toward the bed.
Samantha nodded while looking at her notifications. she had a text from Nia asking how things had gone with Georgia and a couple from the group chat, everyone but the guys complaining about the horrible hangover they were enduring while still having to go to classes. the young girl didn't look away from her phone until she felt the bed dip.
she quickly turned it off and let it fall in her lap. "so," the blonde began.
Samantha smiled, "so?"
"i didn't expect you to come over drunk." she chuckled.
the raven girl grimaced, "i'm sorry. we had gone out for lunch and they had half off margaritas and one turned into five faster than i realized." she said making the blonde laugh.
"it's okay," she shook her head. "but maybe we can talk now?" Samantha nodded. the blonde glanced away from her for a second and the young girl couldn't help but feel nervous. it didn't help that Georgia also looked nervous. so many possibilities were running through her head but the main one was the thought of her changing her mind. could Georgia be having second thoughts? after everything? "i broke up with Paul yesterday," she said and although it should make Samantha feel relieved, it didn't. she knew there was more to it than just that and if she had learned anything from all her heartbreak, it was to never get her hopes up. no matter how much she wanted to.
her silence was loud and Georgia quickly realized that she wasn't going o say anything. so she continued. "and he proposed." there it was. that was why Samantha didn't want to get her hopes up. why she always waited before letting herself feel anything. Paul proposed. of course he did. he wouldn't be letting a woman like Georgia go so easily and Samantha couldn't blame him. not when Samantha was in love with that same woman. the raven girl looked down at her lap and she tried to fight off any and all feelings. she had no idea what the blonde said to him but that didn't stop her from wanting to cry. maybe it was because she knew she couldn't rush into those sort of things like Paul could or maybe it was because she knew Georgia deserved someone like him.
the blonde sensed her thoughts so she quickly moved further up the bed until she was inches away from Samantha. like the night before, she leaned in to gently grab her face. "i said no," she said softly. "i meant what i said. i choose you. no matter what."
and yet it still didn't feel fair. Samantha wanted to be all the things Paul was but there were still years before she could do that. she had to do two years of law school and find a job and then go steady in that job and that could take another year or two. by then Georgia could change her mind or want something else. once more, the blonde could almost read Samantha's thoughts. "stop." she said. "stop overthinking. why can't you believe when i say i want you and only you?" she asked desperately.
"because i know what you deserve and i can't give you that right now." Samantha responded quickly. "i know you want me now but what about when you don't? when things get hard and leaving is easier?"
Georgia frowned, "i'm not leaving. i promise you i won't." her words weren't what Samantha wanted to hear. not at all. she had heard empty promises like that before and it hurt so much more when she was left because she had believed those promises. a promise like that couldn't be kept and Samantha hated when people made them. she pulled away from the blondes grip and turned her head slightly to the left so that she wasn't directly looking at the blonde.
"don't make promises you can't keep." she responded.
"Samantha-"
"no." she shook her head. "it'll just make it harder if you do leave. neither of us know what can happen so just don't."
Georgias posture deflated but she didn't give up. she reached for Samantha again and like before, the girl didn't pull away. "why won't you give us a chance?"
her desperation was obvious and Samantha's stubbornness began to demolish. her hard stare softened and she finally locked eyes with Georgia. "because i don't want to be the reason why you lose everything." she said softly.
Georgias head tilted faintly, "Samantha," she said a bit more sternly. "you're twenty one. maybe you're a bit young but that won't be a reason for me to lose anything."
Samantha wanted to believe that, she really did. "what about your job?"
"Paul said it wouldn't affect it. we talked about things." she said. "he thought i was breaking things off because of Zion but i told him it wasn't him."
"and when he finds out it's me?"
Georgia shrugged. "it's none of his business or anyone else's."
"what about your kids? they'll hate me." she said which was her biggest worry. both them and her mom. she could deal with her mom being angry for a while but she knew that ultimately she'd cave once she saw happy Georgia made her. but she didn't think Ginny would be okay with it or maybe even Austin.
"so then we'll try to make things work." she said quickly.
Samantha's eyes didn't leave Georgias as she thought about it. she had voiced all of her concerns and yet Georgia wasn't willing to give up so Samantha wouldn't either. if she could find a way to look past any chance of trouble than why couldn't Samantha? why couldn't she believe Georgia when she said she wouldn't leave? why couldn't she just let herself be loved?
she didn't respond to her verbally. instead, she leaned in to connect their lips in a short kiss. it wasn't meant to be anything more than just her reassurance that she was choosing her too. that she was willing to make things work.
this had been all they wanted since the moment they met, all each of them were dreaming about, believing that it could never happen because of so many factors and yet it was. their senses were heightened and the sensation they felt in their body was inexpressible. it was as if a warm light was cascading down on them, a fluttery sensation filling their chests and nothing but an immense amount of happiness coursing through them. sure, there were many obstacles they still had to overcome but just for that moment, it was enough.
Samantha's teeth clashed against the blondes when neither of them could fight back a smile. when they pulled away, Georgias hands were still cradling the young girls face, holding her centimeters away from her face. "so that's a yes?" she asked with a bit of hope.
the raven girl grinned, "yes." she confirmed making Georgias smile widen. Samantha watched as she climbed on the bed and onto her lap. the action made her raise a brow in question which earned an eye roll from the blonde.
"don't even think about it," she warned making Samantha laugh.
"i wasn't thinking anything."
Georgias eyes narrowed and Samantha sheepishly smiled while she held the blondes hips gently. "i'm serious. i have to go to work."
the raven girl sighed, "so what now?" she asked in an attempt to divert the conversation as well as distract her from the fact that she had the hottest woman she'd ever met sitting on her lap with a low cut blouse that exposed her chest.
Georgia placed her hands on the raven girls shoulders to support herself, "we should wait to tell the kids about us." she said. "at least until this election is over. i don't want this to affect Paul's election."
even though Samantha understood why Georgia wanted to wait, she couldn't help but feel a little jealous at the thought of Georgia caring about him. although she knew Georgia was technically cheating on him the whole time and broke up with him for her, it didn't change the fact that she had also hurt Samantha.
a warm hand ran up the girls neck to cup her jaw, "it's just to keep my job. i promise." she assured. it did its job because Samantha's expression soon softened and no one could've missed the way Georgia lit up as well.
the young girl leaned in to quickly peck her lips before pulling back. "speaking of the election, how's the it going?"
with a sigh Georgia spoke, "Cynthia is making all of these smear adds but Paul doesn't want to retaliate." she said with an eye roll.
Samantha hummed, "why not? Jade showed me one the other day and they seem pretty personal." she said. she remembered it had something to do with Georgia and him dating and how unprofessional it was but at the time, they weren't speaking so she blocked it out of her mind.
the blonde shrugged, "he doesn't want to stoop that low. i say hit 'em lower but.." she trailed off with a slight shrug.
"well, i'm sure you guys will still win. you just have to take action while you can." she said. Samantha didn't know much about the election. Oliver would talk about it sometimes but most of the time she'd zone out since she wasn't interested in it. he'd mention some fundraisers that they'd host, like fall fest amongst others but he never said they had to attend so they rarely did. now she wished she had paid a bit more attention so she knew how to help Georgia out, or at least try to understand what was going on.
a mix of emotions seemed to cross Georgias face and Samantha could see her going over her words. then, she grinned brightly, "you've got it. we have to take action, show the town that Paul doesn't just make promises." she said excitedly, as if she had cracked some huge mystery. in return, Samantha couldn't help but match her expression. seeing her that excited over it brought her a sense of joy and fulfillment, especially considering it was because of something she had said.
"do i get a thank you kiss?" Samantha wondered. she had to leave soon and even though they wouldn't do more than kiss, she still wanted it.
Georgia rolled her eyes with a smile but leaned in nonetheless. their lips danced together like they had memorized, each of them having the action memorized as if it had been seared into their brain. it was an action they each missed desperately, at some point they thought they would never get it again. and yet there they were, basking in the presence of one another. treating a regular morning as if it was the start of the rest of their lives.
maybe it was.
when Georgia felt Samantha's hands travel up her hips, she quickly pulled away with a small laugh. "Samantha." she warned once more earning a sheepish smile from the young girl.
"what? you look like a hot ceo. you can't blame me." she said. she tried to lean in to kiss her neck but she was quickly stopped but Georgia.
"you can come over later tonight. who knows, maybe i'll have a victory surprise." she said shooting the dark haired girl a wink.
Samantha groaned in response while Georgia got off of her lap and fixed her outfit once she was standing. knowing that it was Georgias way of telling her she had to go, the young girl removed the blanket and stood up as well. she had been wearing a pair of sweatpants that belonged to the blonde and her own shirt. "do you want these back?" she asked.
Georgia shook her head. "keep them. they look hotter on you."
her words caused a blush to form on the raven girls face but she tried to play it off. "tease." she shook her head. thankfully she had to bend down to put on her shoes so the blonde could only see a glimpse of the affect she had provoked.
Georgia watched while Samantha laced her Jordans. "one more thing," she said once the girl had finished.
"yeah?"
"maybe we should hold off on telling your mom. at least until i find a way to tell the kids." the blonde said. she knew telling Ginny would be a hassle and maybe even Austin too considering he liked Paul. she could only deal with one thing at a time and telling Ellen would be a lot more out of her control. at least with her kids she knew how Samantha could win them over but she had no idea how Ellen would react. there were times in which she tried to delude herself into thinking that she'd find a way to be okay with it, even if it was after some time but then she'd realize the chances of that happening were slim. maybe she'd find a way to accept it for Samantha but their friendship would never be the same. even if it did upset her.
the raven girl sighed in relief, "yeah that's a good idea. Maxine and Sophie just broke up and with Marcus accident, we should wait until this boils over." she agreed.
the two waited until Ginny got in the shower for Samantha to sneak out through the back door. the young girl left but not before getting a goodbye kiss from the blonde. when she got home, she made sure to ask Maxine to cover for her while she entered through the back door. when entering her home, she could hear Maxine loudly talking to her mom in the living room. she saw the brunette glance at her from over Ellen's shoulder but she was good at keeping the blondes attention on her. Samantha gave the brunette a thumbs up before she ran across the kitchen and up the stairs.
it seemed as if she had forgotten about her hangover while in the presence of Georgia, for obvious reasons, but as soon as she entered her room, the raging headache came back in full affect. she tried to ignore it and the shower helped but it didn't go away fully. even then the smile that had formed on her lips hadn't left even while in the shower or while she was doing her makeup or drying her hair. it didn't even leave during breakfast which her mom had noticed almost immediately. it made her wonder if she had looked so gloomy since Georgia started being distant.
she played it off as being excited for Maxine's performance later that night which was a full on lie but it was the right way to go considering Maxine quickly changed the conversation to it. if only Samantha knew that Ellen assumed it had to do with her ex girlfriend and just like that, Samantha wasn't the only one with a an excited smile on her lips. it was rather confusing for both Clint and Marcus who were looking at the three as if they were crazy.
what was irregular was the fact that the drive to drop Maxine off was rather quiet. usually Ginny would ride with them but Maxine didn't mention her needing a ride or on the whole drive there. she didn't even talk about her performance later that night which was a completely one-eighty from their breakfast. she didn't ask, knowing if Max wanted to talk about it, she most definitely would. that meant for a car ride where Samantha could actually listen to her music and not have to turn it down every two seconds because Max had something to say.
aside from not hanging out with her friends before classes, everything else was normal. she had arrived to school a bit late since she stopped for some coffee for her and Nia seeing as they were both exhausted. that meant the first person in her friend group that she spoke to was Nia who looked even worse than her. classes were miserable, both of them wanted to just skip and go home so they could sleep but they also knew finals were coming up and they had missed enough lessons.
after classes, she went to work. she hadn't been on the schedule for most of the week and she needed to put in more hours since she'd be taking the week of finals off. it was thirty minutes before she was off when she saw Joe and Ginny talking as if they were friends. it confused her. Joe wasn't a particularly talkative guy, most of the time she'd only get a word out of him when she and Nia were finding a way to tease him but other than that, he was a very awkward guy. that made it weird to see him conversing with Ginny of all people. not even Samantha had an official conversation with the girl. which was weird to think about considering she was going to be her... stepmom...?
the thought alone made her grimace. she loved Georgia unconditionally, yes, but she wasn't ready to see herself as that. she had thought about kids when she and Alex dated and they even had a conversation about them and marriage but it was something they agreed to wait on until Samantha was further into her career. sure, to many the thought of them talking that far into their future seemed unrealistic but it wasn't to them. at the time. ever since that, she hadn't really thought about kids, not even when things started with Georgia. maybe she never thought about Austin and Ginny, not in much depth. it was easy to think about a hypothetical or rather only think about Georgia when it wasn't serious.
things were serious now. serious to the point in which Georgia mentioned the fact that she would be telling them at some point? was she ready for that? she wasn't sure. even if she wanted to put it off for another time, she couldn't. she had to know if she could do it because if she couldn't, she'd have to tell Georgia. it was at times like this that Samantha needed to talk to Nia and Matthew but she couldn't talk to Nia without her pointing out that things would have been easier with Alex. she could call Matthew but she figured to wait until after watching Maxine's play since it was in an hour. she could not get everything out in that small amount of time.
so she was left in her own thoughts. being Austin's 'stepmom' didn't sound so bad, even if it still was. she wasn't technically sure how old he was but she figured he was around nine or ten which meant she was only... eleven years older than him. fuck.
how could they ever be okay with it? how would Ellen be okay with it? the answer was pretty simple. they wouldn't. she couldn't blame her mom, it's not like Samantha would choose falling in love with a mother of two. if it were up to her, Georgia would be single and not a mom but that wasn't the case. she could either accept it or move on. she'd just have to put in a shitload of effort to get anyone to take their relationship seriously.
her shift had ended before Ginny's so she had left thirty minutes before Georgia picked her daughter up.
she didn't have much time to do anything when she got home. there was only about half an hour of down time before she had to leave to see Maxine's play and in that time, she spent it scrolling through her social media aimlessly. if she were being honest, she didn't want to go. of course she wanted to support her sister and be there for her but she hated plays. she never went to them even when she was in high school. if it weren't for the fact that her family would always go to her soccer games in highschool, she would have found an excuse to miss it.
two hours later, Samantha was riding home in her parents car. unfortunately, she was sitting between her two siblings that were in a heated argument. about what? well, apparently Ginny and Marcus had been hooking up. was she surprised? no. she figured something would happen between them when she first saw them kiss but she never thought much of it because well... she never cared much for Marcus's love life. care wasn't the best word but she knew he didn't do relationships and as far as she knew, he had been in some unofficial talking stage with Padma since summer. never would she have expected that the reason for that to have ended involved Ginny.
in an attempt to zone out of their bickering she thought about what that meant. considering her brother would be dating her.. girlfriends daughter. she never thought it could happen but that just made things even weirder. if the chances of their relationship being accepted or at least not frowned upon were very small, those chances just shrunk.
Samantha got out for the car as soon as they pulled into the driveway. she didn't look back once and she could see the annoyed look on her mom's face.
when they entered the house, the arguing didn't stop. "i cannot believe you." Maxine said in a rushed voice. Samantha watched as her mom went up the stairs which prompted her to not do what she originally planned to. in case the argument escalated, there had to be someone with a level head to intervene. clearly that wouldn't be her mother and her father was clueless on whatever was happening. "have you no self-control, ya feral cat?"
her words would have made Samantha laugh in any other situation but with the whole play and now this? her headache was starting to make her head pound.
"it was none of your business." Marcus snapped back.
"oh! if my friend and my brother are sexting each other, i feel like i deserve to know. i helped Ginny edit the photo. god!" her hand smacking her brothers back echoed. "why would you do that? my best friend?"
the oldest sister leaned against the entryway of the living room while watching it all unfold. it was none of her business and she wanted it to stay that way. did she have a side? of course. it wasn't her sisters. although she knew where Maxine was coming from, she firmly believed that people were entitled to secrets. even if she'd never be in her shoes since her best friends were all adults and that would be very illegal, she knew why keeping a secret like that could be for the better. she saw it with Nia and Matthew who's relationship could be affected if Oliver found out so maybe she was just a little bias.
"she wasn't your best friend when it first happened. she just moved here. and the second time, i'd just had my accident." Marcus shrugged.
that elicited a scoff from his twin. "no. no, no, no. you do not get to blame this on your concussion."
"you have no idea how annoying it is to be operating on half a brain."
a quiet chuckle left Samantha's lips at his words. thankfully neither siblings had heard her.
"oh well you always operate on half a brain, so you should be used to it." Maxine said. "god, you're such a piece of shit." the brunette shook her head as she looked at her brother with disgust and disappointment.
that seemed to snap Samantha into her protective instincts. "okay. stop. that's too far." she said while taking a step toward them but Marcus didn't seem to need her help.
"i may be a piece of shit, but Ginny is a better friend than you realize for letting you run around like an entitled brat all the time." he responded with just as much anger as his twin. "you don't even notice all the shit she's struggling with." he shook his head. "you don't understand boundaries." he walked past his sister so that he was facing Samantha and now Maxine's back was toward the oldest instead. "you make everything about yourself."
his words were way harsher than Maxine's and Samantha knew it was hurting her. "Marcus." she warned but he didn't stop.
"you overstep until people suffocate. god.. like Sophie." he held his hands up. "no wonder Ginny was so afraid to tell you." he finished and sat back on the couch as if he hadn't just said the most hurtful things possible to Maxine.
"fall in a ditch!"
"well, i already did that."
Samantha saw Maxine take a step toward him which prompted the oldest to grab her before she could get any closer. "you are such an asshole!" she yelled while Samantha held her back with her arms wrapped around her stomach.
she picked the brunette off the floor a bit so she could set her down further away from their brother. "both of you shut up!" she yelled. "you!" she pointed at Marcus. "that was fucked up. i don't care what she did but you don't get to choose anyone over your own family." she said, knowing his words were only said because of Ginny. she didn't care. she never chose anyone, not even her friends over Maxine, no matter how much of a hassle she could be.
"and you!" she turned to Maxine next. "you need to get over this. Ginny is your best friend but that doesn't mean she has to tell you every little thing!" she exclaimed.
Maxine scoffed, "she screwed my brother!"
"i don't care! you need to respect people's privacy's. everyone deserves their privacy and you need to learn that you aren't entitled to everything around you!"
her words were a bit uncalled for, she knew that. maybe she was adding more to the mix but she had also been on Marcus's side of things. Maxine had gotten involved in her friend group, which if they weren't such amazing friends, they probably would have excluded Samantha. not just with her friend but with Alex and so many other girls she liked. the brunette had a habit of getting involved in things that had nothing to do with her.
there was a slight pause and Samantha could see her sister thinking. she figured it was for an insult or a way to hurt her back so she opened her mouth to apologize but she was stopped just as quickly.
"of course you'd agree. you've been lying to all of us." she said, her eyes narrowing on the raven girl. Samantha looked confused but she wasn't for long. "you take their side because you've been macking it with Georgia this whole time!"
the deafening silence that came afterwards was louder than any words. the words that held a cement of weight lingered throughout the room and it held her down. she could feel her blood rushing up to her face and her ears were pounding along with her heart. she was sure that if anyone touched her, they'd think she was running a fever. her whole body froze and the only thing she could do was blink. even her mind had frozen.
Marcus looked at Maxine with furrowed brows then he looked at his sister. when she didn't deny it or even make an effort to speak, he knew it was true.
betrayal always hurt most from the people you care about. but what happens when the betrayal itself was never intended. when it's done in that heat of the moment or a way to get back at the person that hurt you? what if a simple insult turned into the biggest betrayal?
"what?"
the voice that disrupted the silence didn't come from any of the three in the room.
and just like that, Samantha felt the most betrayed by her sister. the girl she protected since they were kids. the person she would let sneak into her room when she had nightmares, who she'd defend against her best friends even if she knew her sister was in the wrong. who she'd put her life on pause for so many times. the person Samantha tried to protect in every way she hadn't been.
Samantha watched as Maxine's eyes widened and she could almost see her eyes fill with tears but for the first time ever, she didn't feel her heartbreak because of them. it broke because of her.
when Samantha's eyes met her mothers, she felt her whole world crash. what a funny thing. waking up that morning, she thought it was the beginning of her new life. with the woman she was hopelessly in love with. the woman she'd do anything for, including turn her life into something she'd never imagined. she thought she'd have weeks to enjoy their love. to have a 'honeymoon' phase even if it wasn't for long. life, like always, had other plans.
"what did you just say?" she asked Maxine who turned around slowly.
Samantha wanted to cry. she wanted to run out of the house and run until she was across the ocean. she wanted to fall into Georgias arms and never have to leave again. she wanted so many things but this? this wasn't one of them.
"mom-"
she tried to speak but was interrupted, "Maxine."
the brunettes words were drowned out by that of a beating heart. Samantha could still feel it in her ears. in her stomach. she could hear it. pound. and pound. and pound. whatever her sister had said made Ellen look at the eldest and her mouth was saying something but she still couldn't hear. the only thing she could do was shake her head but Ellen didn't believe her. not for a second.
she didn't react until she saw her mom turn and rush out of the house. it was then that the bubble she had been trapped in had popped and she could finally hear the front door slam shut and Maxine blurt out apologies but she couldn't look at her. without a word, she swiftly moved past the brunette and ran out of the house to catch up with Ellen.
the door was left open behind her, unable to even close it with the desperation she felt. she needed to stop her. Ellen was crossing the road when Samantha took a step out the door, "mom!" she said loudly but Ellen wasn't stopping.
she wasn't ready for this. not for a second. she wasn't ready for what her mom had to say. it was too soon. when Georgia told her that they should wait to tell the kids felt like the biggest relief. it wasn't that she had never disappointed her mom because she had committed her fair share of mistakes but this was not something her mom would let up on. it wasn't something that would pass in a day or a week. this was serious and her mom wouldn't allow it. the only thing she knew for sure was the fact that she wasn't ready for what would happen next.
the world around her felt as if it had been moving in slow motion. her mothers hurried walk was slowed in Samantha's eyes and the only thing she could hear was her own heavy breathing. she knew she could catch up with her mom and stop her but it would be for a second. there was no way Ellen would be going back inside her house without talking to Georgia first.
when they reached the blondes home, the front door was unlocked and Ellen opened it without a care. Samantha knew it wasn't the first time she did that as well as the fact that Georgia had come into her home without announcing herself as well but it was different this time. she wasn't going in for a quick chat or to gossip, she was there to destroy the friendship she thought they had formed.
Ellen walked in first and Georgia heard the door open from her spot in the kitchen. she had just served herself a glass of wine and she was sitting on a stool in front of the kitchen island. "oh, hey." Georgia said with her usual smile. it faltered when she saw a second Baker walk inside the house in just a delayed second.
Ellen knew. Georgia could tell by the look on both of their faces. Ellen looked as if she wanted to kill her and the distress that was all over Samantha made it clear to her. just as quickly, she stood from her chair and took a step forward. "Ellen-"
"you've been sleeping with my daughter?!" she exclaimed loudly.
Samantha cringed at her words, she had never seen her mother this angry and it pained her to know that she was the reason for it.
Georgia looked taken aback but she recovered swiftly, "i can explain-"
"explain what?!" she cut her off once more while flailing her arms up in disbelief. "that you've been acting like my friend?" Georgia opened her mouth to stop her but Ellen held her hand up making the blondes words die in her throat. "you've been letting me vent to you about my kids as if you cared! knowing exactly why she was acting the way she was! making me believe you actually cared!" she exclaimed.
Samantha looked between them with slightly furrowed brows. her mom talked about her? and Georgia never told her? did she knew the story between her and Alex? about the summer before she arrived? about everything she kept a secret?
"i am your friend!" Georgia replied. "i do care - ive always cared. we made a mistake hiding this but-"
Ellen looked bewildered, "hiding this? there's a this?!"
it was Samantha who spoke, "stop!" she said loudly. "i am allowed to my own life! i'm twenty one, we aren't doing anything wrong!"
"stay out of this." Ellen snapped looking at her daughter with eyes that could kill. Samantha wished it didn't silence her immediately. in a second Ellen was looking at the blonde again, "she's why you broke up with Paul?" she asked, her brows furrowed. "the person you were afraid of being with?" she asked in utter disbelief.
the sensation that formed in the raven girls chest was inappropriate considering the situation but she couldn't help it. especially not now that she knew Georgia had been talking to Ellen about her. maybe not officially but the implication as enough.
Georgia looked at Samantha then at her mom. slowly, she nodded. "i never meant to lie to you-"
"i want you to stay away from her." Ellen said, not letting Georgia get the chance to continue. she didn't want to hear what she thought were lies. she had enough of them.
Samantha didn't stay silent for long. she took a step toward the blonde while facing her mom. "no." she said firmly.
Ellen's head snapped in her direction, surprise evident in her eyes. in a flash that surprise turned into anger, as if it had never disappeared. "i told you-"
"i know what you said," Samantha cut her off. "i'm not staying away from her. i'm an adult, i can make my own decisions."
Ellen looked between them as if she wanted to say something else but she didn't. not to Samantha at least. "i want you to stay away from my house." she said firmly.
Georgias eyes softened, "Ellen-"
"you're a horrible parent." she finished before turning around and leaving. Samantha knew that was her way of hurting the blonde, possibly as much as she felt hurt in that moment.
when the door slammed shut, Samantha turned to Georgia. there were so many emotions building up inside of her that it made her chest hurt and throat burn. she knew there was still a lot that needed to be said with her mom and she couldn't wait. Georgia understood more than she knew.
the blonde walked up to Samantha to kiss her briefly, when she pulled away, the young girl could see the gentleness behind the blondes gaze. "it's okay," she nodded. "go."
and just like that, Samantha left the house in an instant. she ran across the street without even checking for cars. she didn't care. she needed to get everything off her chest. when she reached the front door, she swung it open. she didn't care to take a second to calm her breathing or her emotions that were threatening to spill. she even ignored Maxine who was sitting on the stairs with the most regretful look ever. the only thing she was worried about was finding her mom.
she was in the kitchen. Samantha saw her father there too and she seemed to be in the very beginning of telling him what was happening. when she realized her daughter was there, she stopped.
"what has gotten into you?" she said, still signing with her hands. "you've never done anything like this, you've never been this reckless." she shook her head.
Samantha almost scoffed, "reckless?" she exasperated, "for what? for having a sex life? for having fun?" she asked in disbelief. "i'm twenty one!"
"not with her!" Ellen raised her voice. "not with a woman a decade older than you and not with someone like her!"
"like her? what is that supposed to mean?"
"you know exactly what i mean! she has two kids from two different men! she just lost her husband and she's already dated and broken up with someone else!" she exclaimed.
Samantha shook her head, "don't talk about her like that."
if Ellen was angry before, she was livid after. "you are delusional if you think this will work. she's going to use you then turn around and throw you aside when she finds someone else!" her words were hitting Samantha in every weak spot and every insecurity she had. that was something she had been fearing since the day Georgia told her she chose her. something she tried to push down but every so often it would come back up.
"i love her." Samantha said. her tone wasn't loud like before and the coolness in which she said it was almost eerie. "i know that we hurt you by keeping this a secret but i knew you would react like this and i wanted to avoid it." she continued. she hoped that if she was calm, it would transmit to her mom.
she was wrong. "how else am i supposed to react?! my twenty one year old daughter has been sleeping with my best friend behind my back for god knows how long!"
she was met with silence. Samantha didn't know what to say. she was at a loss. no matter what she could come up with, she knew her mom wouldn't back down. at least not at the moment. maybe when she cooled down and processed things better, they could talk civically but if they continued arguing, one of them would wind up saying something they'd regret.
"why can't you understand that i love her?" she finally asked. for a second, a flash of sadness crossed Ellen's eyes but it left too soon. "i never said we'll last forever or that this will work but why can't you just let me figure that out myself? why can't you just be happy for me?"
"because i know that at the end of this, you are going to be the one who ends up hurt." she said and for once, her tone wasn't heightened. for once, it was as if they were talking normally.
"maybe. maybe not. either way, that's for me to figure out. you can't keep treating me like i'm a child. i'm not! im in college, i have my own job, i even pay for most of my own things. just let me live my life!" she said desperately. she needed her mom to understand.
Ellen shook her head. "you live under my house and you will follow my rules. you're going to end things tonight." she said firmly.
Samantha was right in thinking the argument should have ended before. she was right in thinking someone would say something they'd regret. unfortunately, it had been her to make that mistake.
"then i'll move out." she shrugged.
Clint, who had been trying to keep up with everything finally signed for Ellen to say no. for her to go to bed and wait to see what the next day had in store for them. but like mother, like daughter, she would regret her next words.
"then go." she firmly spoke.
the pain that settled in Samantha's heart matched the look on her face and it took everything in her to keep her tears from falling. to keep her sorrows to herself. even if she wanted to hug her mom and ask her to just let her be happy, to beg her to simply be there for her and not judge them like everyone else would.
she did neither. instead, she picked herself up and nodded. there was nothing else said in that kitchen. Samantha turned around and rushed to the stairs, ignoring Maxine as she followed after her. if she had looked back, she would have seen the way her mother sat beside her husband defeatedly, nothing but regret across her features.
Samantha entered her room in a hurry, she went straight to her closet to grab a small duffle bag then she threw it on the bed. Maxine had entered the room behind her. "please, i'm so sorry. i didn't know she was listening!" she said but her older sister continued to ignore her as she went to her wardrobe to grab clothes.
Maxine wiped her tears when she saw Samantha shove the clothes into her bag, "you're actually leaving?" she asked confused. once more, she didn't get a response.
the raven girl got as many things as she could and zipped the bag up. she took a step back to look for her school bag and found it next to her desk. she grabbed that too and put on her shoulders. in the process of doing so, another guest had piled into her room.
"where are you going?" Marcus asked. he looked at Maxine who was trying to wipe her tears hurriedly but they wouldn't stop.
Samantha only glanced at him. "i don't know." she said and slung the duffel bag strap on one shoulder. when she had her keys and wallet in hand, she shoved past her siblings. hurried footsteps were echoing behind her but she wished they'd stop. that everyone would just disappear.
when she reached the bottom floor, she glanced back at the kitchen for a sign. for one person to tell her to not leave, to ask her stay. instead of seeing that person, she saw her dad who was signing for her to stay. that they needed to talk more but Samantha shook her head. enough had been said between them. Clint wanted to hug his daughter but he didn't. he knew her enough to know that she wouldn't like it. so instead he gently grabbed her face and kissed her forehead.
her lip trembled at the action but she covered it up when he pulled away. she needed to be strong, for him. because she knew he would be the one to take it the hardest.
without another look back, she opened the front door and left. as soon as that door closed, a sob echoed throughout the house.
for the first time since she kissed Georgia, Samantha questioned if any of it was worth it.
Note!
i hated this and honestly it was super rushed!
guys, asking me to upload isn't going to get these chapters out any quicker. when i get those comments i feel rushed. i have a school and a job out of this book and im not going to be pumping these chapters out everyday.
this is the end of part one. there are two weeks between season one and season two that aren't in the show so if you guys have any specific things you want to see between Georgia and Sam or even her friends, let me know and ill write it. if not, next chapter will start on episode one of season two.
that being said, i might not upload for a while because im super busy with work and i have super bad writers-block. it was why i took longer to upload this chapter and why it probably sucks lmao.