Chapter one.
The smell of alcohol and greasy food filled the room. Sam sighed as she took another sip of her beer. She swallowed the bitter drink and giggled.
“That is enough for tonight.” Glen took away the bottle from her and grinned. “Are you that happy?”
“Mmhh!” She giggled again.” Finally our own home.”
“Well all six of us worked hard to buy it.” He motioned at the other four people lying drunk on the floor. “They are already out.”
“Leave them be. They deserve this. So do I... give me.” She moved to grab her beer back.
“The party can always continue tomorrow.” He moved the beer and the other food contents aside as he stood up and lifted her with him.
“Let’s get you to bed.”
“No! I want to drink more.” She crouched down her weight pulling him down with her.
“You won’t even remember this tomorrow. Here climb on my back. I want to come back and clean up.”
“Mmmh I won’t remember this tomorrow.” She mumbled.
“Glen?”
“Mmmh?”
“Kiss me.”
There was a long silence before she slowly climbed on his back tightening her arms around his shoulders.
“What? Forget it if you don’t want to.”
“No Sam I want to.” He said holding her legs tighter around his waist. “But you are drunk.”
He continued walking upstairs to her room. He could feel her warm breath on his neck as he walked.
“Sam are you asleep?”
“...”
“Sam?” He opened the door to her room and gently placed her on the bed but when he turned to look at her she was glaring at him.
“Richard is taking me on a date tomorrow.” She said as she sat down.
“And?” He crouched down next to her.
" I like Robin.” He winced at her words.
“Then there is nothing to worry about.” He said trying to get up.
" But you will be grumpy tomorrow.”
“I won’t.” He whispered and kissed her forehead. ” Now go to bed. Goodnight.”
“Annette said you liked me.” She insisted.
“She lied. She always looks forward to causing trouble. So please sleep.”
" But you said you wanted to kiss me.” He turned away flustered. There was no way she was going to drop this.
“Just once and I will leave you alone.”
“Fine come here-”
“No. Let me do it.” Her hands moved slowly on his neck. She bend to kiss his neck and he groaned. Slowly she nibbled the skin on his collar bone and took a small bite then placed soft kissed on his neck as she moved to his mouth.
" You said one kiss.” He panted his lips hovering above hers.
“I got carried away.” She shrugged avoiding his gaze. He chuckled placing his forehead on hers rubbing his nose on hers. ” You did that on purpose Sam.”
“You said I won’t remember tomorrow. So...”
“Right. You won’t but I will. After all this is not the first time we have done this.” He kissed her eyes and both her cheeks. ” But Sam you know what It hurts.”
He stood and sat down next to her then lifted her so that she sat on his lap facing him.
" How about we cut down on alcohol. Huh? I don’t think I will handle this again tomorrow if you go on another date like this never happened.” He tightened his grip on her waist. “Please. ”
“What is this ... why are you sad? It breaks my heart.” She whispered.
“I want you to be worried like this. But I am scared that you will run away. I still don’t want you to go on that date.”
“Then don’t let me.” She kissed his lips once. “Do everything you can to stop me. Don’t let me go.”
“Really?” He whispered as he responded to her kisses.
“Mmhh” She groaned when his hands slipped up her thighs.
“Then remember this tomorrow.” He nibbled on her bottom lips then gently bit it. ” You are the one who agreed to this. I won’t go easy on you.”
Sam wished she didn’t see what was going on between her sister Ivy and Glen. She wished she had gone to the summer camp with her friend Anne who had gotten sun poisoning from tanning than hear one of the most painful words coming from her best friend mouth. She had been sent by her mother to look for them after they had excused themselves from the table with the help of a friend who had come to say hi
Her mother had apparently thought that they were talking for so long and they should be informed that their food was getting cold.
Ivy giggled as Glen kissed her face his hands moving under her shirt.
“Hey! Stop it. Not here. What if someone walks in on us?” She giggled again.
“Who?” He said his voice lazy.
“Sam might.” She said stroking his hair. “You know she likes you right.”
“So what? A lot of girls do but I don’t like them.”
Sam slowly retreated and walked to the further end of the garden shaking. So what? That’s all he had to say? And why would she tell him that? I wasn’t going to ever let him know incase it gets awkward but now… She stopped her train of thoughts as well as the tears threatening to fall from her face. She had just been rejected before she even confessed. Fuck it. What is the point now. If I cry now they will know that I’ve found out about everything.
She pulled out her phone and dialed Max’s number, Ivy’s ex. The phone rung before he picked up.
“Sup need my help with something?”
“Are you busy right now?”
“I’m at the mall near your house.”
“Cool, I am at the Italian restaurant near the mall could you come pick me up and pretend that we had a plan together?”
“I don’t know … what do I get?”
“I have some really cool and pricey NFTs you would like.”
“I’ll come pick you in five.” He said without any hesitation.
“Hurry and don’t let Ivy or anyone see you.”
“Sure sure.” He hung up and she picked the phone to call Ivy. It took a while before she picked up and all the while she could only imagine what they were doing and her panting voice just proved her right.
“Yeah what’s up?”
“Mom is throwing a fit. She wants you guys back now!” She said barely controlling her anger.
“Please stall her for while we still have some catching up to do-”
“Can’t. I am meeting someone in five. I have to leave and I don’t want to keep them waiting.” She hung up before she could respond and matched back to the table where their parents were.
“Sorry I have to leave. I was supposed to meet someone and I totally forgot about that.”
“What about your sister and Glen?”
“I called them and they are on their way.” With that she picked her bag and dashed of only for someone to grab her arm.
“What’s with all the rush?” Glen said just as she was about to cuss him out.
“I’ll tell you later. I’m late. You guys have fun.” She ran off as her lip gloss fell out of her bag but she didn’t dare pick it up as the tears were already falling off her face.
Max thankfully drove in front of the restaurant and she got in and without any questions he drove them out of there immediately. Ivy who had picked up her lip gloss and ran after her stood at the front pale as she watched them drive away. Once they were out in the highway Sam covered her face and wailed.
Max had been driving in circles and Sam noticed that he had stopped a couple of times to buy some food. He packed his car and walked out leaving her to cry alone.
Once she was done she took her phone and sent over some NFTs to his account and his head popped in the car window.
“I guess it is time to come back in.”
“Mmmh.” She was already munching on the fries.
“Leave some for me.” He opened the door and got in grabbing the wing she was about to bite.
“I need this more than you.” He said munching on it. “Do you know how weird it is to hung out with the sister of your ex.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. You are getting paid after all.”
The fact that Ivy saw her entering his car was stressing her out. It wouldn’t take long before she raises an issue out of this. It was already bad enough that she was blaming her for their break up but seriously who just gifts random people stuff that belongs to their boyfriend without permission?
Three months ago Max and Ivy were yelling at the top of each other’s lungs. Ivy had logged on to his crypto wallet and gifted away all of his crypto and NFTs that he had been collecting over the years.
Max had no idea until he started getting massages thanking him and asking him if he was dying. Sam was at a convection at that that time she saw people gathering and when she moved closer Max was there crouching on the ground bawling.
This is where her being accused of breaking them up came in. All because she brought him back home from all that. For some reason she believed that they had been meeting behind her back when she had also found out that he was a collector. The truth was Ivy had always been on edge ever since their parents started talking about divorcing. Her mother of course told Ivy and not her. She just happened to overhear them when she was going downstairs for a glass of water at night. Their parents might have already divorced and they might be keeping the information from her but she doubted that they would do that.
She shoved more fries in her mouth wondering how she would get out of that situation.
“Please drop me off at my aunt’s.”
“After we are done eating.” He said not prodding about what happened earlier.
“Thanks for not asking.” She rubbed her swollen face.
“I know it involves your sister and I honestly don’t want to know.” With that he took a drink at the back of the seat and offered her.
“This won’t happen again. I promise.”
“As long as I am getting paid I don’t mind.” He chuckled.
Sam sat across her aunt Rina in her unnecessarily huge kitchen watching her cook. Earlier her aunt had opened the door just in time as Max’s car disappeared around the estate.
She had hesitated before she agreed to let Sam stay over after all Tina and Sam’s mother were not in good terms. She sighed again after realizing that she will have to deal with her own mother.
“Quit doing that.” She placed a bowl of chili in front of her.
“So you ran away and with her ex at that?” She placed more food and drinks on the table.
“What should I do now? Ivy will have it all figured out and as usual she won’t keep quiet.”
“Plus she saw you running off with her ex.” She took a bite of her food clearly enjoying the situation.
“Which makes things worse because she thinks I broke them up.”
“You fucked up but I can think of a couple of ways to help.”
“Oh no. I am not using Max to make Glen and Ivy jealous. Hell no.”
“Then what are going to do? Cry in front of them?” She now sat opposite Sam and took another bite of her food. He expression hooded as if having a terrible memory. She shook off the thought and continued munching on her food.
Her cat Milo jumped on Sam’s lap and she started to pet her absentmindedly.
“First we’ll call mom and tell her you needed help with feeding Milo while you went for a checkup.”
“She hates the idea of me going near her children but go on.” Tina shrugged.
“We can say that you asked Max to run an errand for you at the mall and asked him to pick me up.”
“Ah. So I am taking all the blame right? Ugh! Who cares anyway. She already hates me.” She shoved down more food.
“What happened between you two anyway? I thought the two of you fought because you had an argument. But honestly, it seems like it is something else.”
She drank her cup of water before chuckling.
“I won the lottery.”
“And? …” Sam looked at her doubtfully.
“That’s it!” Her aunt started to clear her plates from the table as she took them to the sink.
“Really? So you refused to lend her money or something?”
“Maybe.”
“Wow you guys are more childish than I thought.” She said brushing off the issue and eating her food.
“Do me a favor and do all the dishes once you are done. I am going to take a nap.”
“What - ” Her phone rung. She sighed when she saw her mother’s name as the caller ID.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!” Her mother yelled the moment she picked up. Her aunt came back after hearing her sister’s voice.
“What?”
“Did you run off to meet with Ivy’s ex!? How shameless can you be!?”
Her aunt snatched the phone away from her and yelled back at her mother.
“Is that the first thing you say to your own child!? How can you still be a bitch to her without hearing what happened first.”
“Of course you are involved.” She sighed on the other end.
“What do you mean huh?” Sam had never seen her aunt that furious.
“How about you mind your goddamn business for once. What on earth have you been telling her?”
“I am in the hospital. Max found me collapsed in my home and called the ambulance. He didn’t know whom to call so he called her. Satisfied?” Tina lied.
There was silence before her mother spoke again.
“You didn’t die so what is the big deal? Send her back home right now!”
“Fuck you Lily!?” Her aunt screamed startling her. “Fuck you and your petty pride. May you burn in hell and you know what? Thank God Sam did not take after you!” With that she hung up the phone and handed it over to Sam.
“Wow! This is a new side to you-” Her phone chimed again. It was a message from Ivy.
It’s true you didn’t sleep with Max behind my back, right? You just went to aunt’s and nothing else, right?
She sighed and ignored it but more messages kept coming.
Why aren’t you answering me? Your silence just proves it right.
She wanted to turn her phone off when a message from her mother came in.
Don’t come back here. Since you like her so much you can live with her.
“Aunt? I think I just got kicked out.” She said tears threatening to fall again.
“What? That – you know what? This is great news. You don’t need to live with people like them. They can burn in hell for all I care!” She yelled as she pulled her niece to a hug comforting her.
The morning came and Sam did not want to wake up. Her perfect summer was already ruined from the beginning. She knew that her eyes were swollen from crying the entire night. The fact that her own mother would just abandon her like that didn’t make any sense. What was happening? First Anne gets sun poisoning then Glen who always doted on everything about her and her crush dramatically changes after finding new love then her own mother disown her over a text. Sure she was not her favorite child and she was practically a ghost in that house but kicking her out just like that? She rushed out the bedroom and past her aunt in the driveway and out of the lush gated community her aunt lived in and to the main road. She stood there for an hour until she spotted a taxi.
On her way she thought about what she had heard about her parents divorce. She shook her thoughts away. Her dad would have spoken to her if they had actually gone through with it. Minutes later she arrived in front of their house.
“Wait for me here just in case you have to take me back.”
Before she could get out of the car her sister Ivy and Glen opened the front door carrying heavy trash bags.
“You guys didn’t have to go that far.” Glen was telling Ivy who intentionally threw the bags out and Sam’s clothes fell out.
“Why the hell do you care? I ripped them so that she can learn a lesson.”
“But those are-”
“ What have you done!?” Sam was already out of the cab and picking up her ripped clothes and certificates.”
“Sam-” Glen tried to explain but Ivy cut her off. “You are a slut!”
“Please just stop it!” She yelled as she frantically picked her ripped belonging from the ground.
“Why couldn’t he call me huh!?”
“Would you have picked?” Ivy fell silent. “You wouldn’t even when it was an emergency.”
“But you received his call like you two are best buddies.”
“Of course I did. Because it was weird.”
“Weird? The more for you to not accept his calls!”
“Then I wouldn’t have found out about aunt!” She screamed frustrated.
Funny how the story she and Tina had agreed beforehand disappeared the minute Lily called.
“Why care about a bitch like her?” Her mother’s voice came through the door. She threw another trash bag hitting her face.
“Ouch!”
The cab driver got out and rushed to Sam.
“Are you okay? Do you need any help?” He now stood next to her.
“Wow looks like you slept with him too.” Lily scoffed.
“Ma’am please be respectful-”
“Please help me load all my stuff. We are going back.”
“And never come back.” She stopped at her mother’s tone. Wow she is heartless.
“You don’t have to worry about that.” With that she picked up her stuff and they drove off.
Tina was furious the moment Sam walked through the door with her stuff in trash bags.
“I guess I am your responsibility now.”
“I have no problem with that but once your dad hears about this she will be in trouble.”
“Except dad will never know because he is never in the country.” She paused then suddenly turned to her aunt. “Actually, what if they have already divorced?”
“What on earth are you talking about-”
“I overheard mom and Ivy talk about dad wanting a divorce before he left the country. Isn’t it strange that he suddenly left without saying goodbye?”
For a moment her aunt’s face was expressionless.
“Aunt?”
“Do you think Lily would allow that after all that?” Tina snorted.
“Yeah, maybe I am just overthinking things. Mom wouldn’t allow that.”
She helped her with carrying her stuff to her new room.
“Jokes on them because you have a nicer room now.”
“Hmmm but do you think all this could have been avoided if I had confronted Glen and Ivy yesterday?”
“Well, yes but you and Ivy would constantly be in each others throat.”
She sighed and jumped on top of the king sized bed smelling the clean fabric. She could not believe that all of this happened because she wanted to avoid a stupid crush.
Whatever. She picked up her torn certificates and walked to the dresser. Her phone rung. It was Glen.
Hey sorry about what happened today.
She sighed. Of course he would feel guilty. Did he befriend her so he could get close to her sister? Why did he have to go that far after all Ivy and him were the same age and in the same grade all throughout middle school and high school, plus the two of them were friends. Did he dote on her because he was feeling sorry for her? The truth of the matter is that he knew that she was never in good terms with her mother and sister but he never pried so when she heard his cold words she couldn’t help but feel betrayed.
Don’t worry about it. She replied before blocking all of them. It was about time she ended her stupid crush and cut her sister and mother off. Well they technically did cut her off first but who cares.
She then proceeded to glue back her certificates. She didn’t see why they had to go as far as ripping her stuff. As she glued them back she thought about what she will do now that she chose not to go to collage.
I will think about that later. First let’s fix this and sleep. Everything will be fine.
She repeated this to herself as if doing that will magically fix everything.
It had been almost two months since Sam was kicked out and during that time Ivy and Glen came to ‘visit’ once. She had come to brag to her about being accepted to some fancy collage only to find Sam and Max walking the dogs around the neighborhood.
“How is life after blocking us?”
Sam couldn’t believe her nerve. Why on earth would she be interested in that after what happened. To say that she was in the least annoyed by their presence would be an understatement. Max took the leash from Sam and walked away ignoring both of them.
“Why is your boyfriend leaving?” She said it loud enough for him to hear. She sulked when Max ignored her and walked away.
“Why are you here?”
“To bring you great news since we can’t reach you.”
“Were we close enough for that though? I don’t think we were.”
“I got into university. Full scholarship.”
“Congratulations.”
“I was wondering if you got in too.”
“Says the bitch who ripped all of my certificates.” She turned to leave.
“I am dating Glen.” Her unexpected news shocked even Glen himself which made him smile awkwardly.
“Well congratulations on that too.”
“But didn’t you have a crush on him a while ago?!” She could feel the sarcasm in her voice.
“Don’t worry someone else helped me get over that crush.” She jerked her head toward Max who was waiting at the far end while playing with the dogs. She then turned to the flustered Glen and smiled warmly.
“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable I promise that you have nothing to worry about now.”
“Oh. O-okay I guess.”
“Do you have anything else to say-”
“I was right. You are the one who broke us up because you were jealous.” Ivy’s pretty face twisted.
“I didn’t like Max then but I do now after all you two have nothing to do with each other.”
She walked away smiling that for once she had won.
Glen had been bothered by Sam since she ran out of the restaurant that day. He remembered what Ivy had said. Did she see us? No that’s impossible.
All he ever did with Sam was hung out together most of the time so he knew that the relationship between the two sisters was not smooth and he also knew that Ivy blames Sam for her recent break up. He knew that Ivy still liked Max and what she had with him was just a fling. He really didn’t care whether Sam knew and a part of him dreaded her finding out.
The day Ivy called him screaming about her sister he had run to their house only to find both the mother and daughter screaming and ripping Sam’s stuff. Sam had arrived the following morning eyes swollen and you could tell that she had been crying but she went back with a bump on her forehead caused by her own mother. What on earth has been going on with these two?
The next couple of weeks Ivy had been silent. She neither texted nor called him and he decided to focus on his graduation project. Ivy had turned away from him the day Sam left only to be called back weeks later. Sam on the other hand was unreachable whenever he called but when he called with a different number the line went through.
Of course she had blocked their numbers. But finding out that he was on that list did bother him more. Did that mean that they were not friends anymore? Then again, he understood her. What friend would help people throw your stuff out?
From where they stood they watched both Max and Sam play with the dogs they were walking. For a moment he was relieved to see her smile.
“Why did you want to come here when you kicked her out?”
“Are you edgy because we have not been meeting?”
“I already know you don’t care about me or Sam so why are we here?” He didn’t know why he was suddenly angry.
“Yet you came running.”
“Should I have missed my chance of getting laid this week?” He smirked when she frowned.
“You are a jerk.” She hissed at him.
“And you are bitch. Perfect combination don’t you think?”
“Fine then let this bitch tell you that her innocent little sister has been in love with you since forever.”
“This again?” This had not been the first time she had brought up the topic.
“What? Are you scared of the truth? Well the two of you really enjoyed each other’s company that you didn’t even notice.”
“That was just Sam being Sam.”
“Not that idiot! That you were also in love with her!” His heart dropped for a moment. All he ever heard from Ivy was complaints that Sam had a crush on him but this … this was new.
“Ha! Just when I start thinking you are insane you go and do this.” He laughed.
“Oh really?” She crossed her arms and faced him. “You were always Sam this Sam that! Do you know how many times I almost smacked you when you go ‘Let’s get one for Sam too’ or ‘Sam would love this’ ‘No I think Sam would look better wearing that it’s just not for you.’ It was hell!” She seethed.
“ So you have always felt inferior to Sam all this time? You the overachiever and the perfect daughter? Is that why you went as far as ripping her certificates so that she wouldn’t be accepted to any university?” He ignored what she just said because of course she was just blabbering around.
“Are you trying to hook me up with Sam so that you can go back to your ex?” He taunted her again. “ Wow. How desperate are you?”
Before she could answer he saw both Max and Sam walking towards them.
“Shit.” He cursed when his eyes locked with Max. Clearly not the person he wanted to meet. Max lifted a brow before elbowing Sam.
Sam eyes lifted from Max’s face to them and her bright smile quickly turned to a frown.
She is not happy to see us. He thought.
While the two sisters bickered at the top of their lungs, he just stood there awkwardly and said nothing. He occasionally stole glances to look at her face. The bump she had weeks before from when she was hit was gone. Her always hooded smile that she used to hide all her emotions was gone too. Her calm expression was replaced by an annoyed Sam who with every word that she spoke meant she did not want them there.
“I am dating Glen.” Ivy suddenly announced which startled him. Sam remained emotionless.
“Congratulations on that too.” Really? That’s it?
He didn’t hear what the two sister’s were talking about until Sam finally admitted to having a crush on him until she finally met Max again. She turned to him and smiled warmly before apologized which startled him again and all he could manage was an okay.
She then walked away smiling leaving him and Ivy standing there.
“I hate her!” Ivy screamed once they were out of sight. “I hope she burns in hell!”
“So you brought me here to try and hurt her?”
She glared at him before walking towards his car. Glen followed her laughing before stopping and looking back to where Sam walked off to. At least she is smiling. He thought as he got in his car and started the engine smiling to himself. Ivy who immediately got pissed at his smile yelled at him to drive off already.
A year passed and Sam had turned twenty before she knew it. She closed her locker after changing from her work clothes and rushed out of the café to the taxi waiting for her outside. While driving to the real estate agent office she texted Maddie telling her that she will be arriving shortly. The taxi came to a halt after a few minutes and she got out.
Maddie who was already waiting for her at the door rushed towards her and apologized for the abrupt information.
“I’m sorry Sam. I really am.”
“No worries, this is a lifetime opportunity that you shouldn’t miss. Don’t feel bad about it. Anyway, congratulations!!” She hugged her friend and they later entered the building.
“I found a replacement immediately but you still need to consent to this.”
“Well if it is someone you have known and trust then we can work with them and then we can buy his share back from him later.”
“Thanks for understanding.” They both arrived at the office and they could hear murmuring from inside. “They are already in there.”
“Well what are you waiting for, let’s go in.”
