Page 87 of For Sam

Oh, Courtney didn’t hear the conversation. I begin removing the polish on my nails, starting with the thumb that so often has chips from chewing it.

“Tommy isn’t here, something came up,” I say, trying to make sure the story is the same. “I chose to walk here.”

“Is he picking you up later to have your date?”

“Nope, I’ll hitch a ride with Avery.”

She frowns. “What came up? Are his brothers okay?”

How the heck am I supposed to keep evading the truth?

“The brothers are fine,” I say, grabbing a handful of pretzels to buy me time to think.

And then I realize that I don’t want to evade the truth with these two. I want to trust that they’re the kind of people I believe them to be: loyal, yes, but also mature enough to figure out how to stay friends with me.

“When Avery gets down, I’ll fill you both in,” I say, my voice getting a little wobbly.

“Are you okay?” she asks, reaching across just like I did moments ago.

Footsteps descend the stairs and Avery appears with her attention in the three cups in her hands. “Sorry, I put a half batch of peanut butter cookies into the oven. Those are your favorites, right Sam?”

Those are my favorite. And Tommy didn’t have to ask her. She just remembered because that’s what friends do.

Instead of explaining first and crying later, my heart decides that sobbing now is necessary.

So that’s exactly what I do.

Chapter 56: Tommy

A few minutes of sitting and my knee is bouncing up and down, but my hands aren’t shaking so I’ll call that a win.

God, I wish she’d come out of the bathroom. I’d go in there myself if I didn’t think it might freak her out with my desperation to be near her.

It’s not about Maisy being back.

Well, I suppose it is a little. But only in the sense that I don't want anything to do with Maisy and I really don’t want Maisy to have a chance to pull any shit with Sam. Fuck, Maisy can be so manipulative without the other person figuring it out until it’s too late and Sam is so trusting and kind because she wants people to feel at ease. She wants to see the best in them.

And without having a heads up, Maisy could walk all over her.

My jaw is sore from clenching since I turned to see Maisy wearing my hat and not Samantha so I rub it remembering the drinks that I hadn’t ordered. Maybe Elliot saw me and started making hers though. It would be nice to have hers here when she’s back.

Keith walks by and I wave him over. “Hey, could you see if Elliot made the drink I requested when I called earlier? He knew I was going to get it tonight and I dropped off the oat milk yesterday. I didn’t actually order it tonight, but there’s a chance he started it,” I say like it was one continuous sentence.

“Is this for you?” he asks, a little confused.

“No, it’s for Sam when she’s back from the restroom.”

Keith's face shifts into pain and then pity. “I’m sorry, man, but she left a few minutes ago.”

“That wouldn’t make sense, we’re on our date.”

He shrugs. “I don’t know what else to tell you, Tommy. She wrote something down and walked right out the door without looking back.”

My eyes search the table for something with my name on it until it lands on a piece of notebook paper folded in half under the vase.

Fuck.

I think Keith is still talking but every sound is drowned out by the ringing in my ears. My hands shake as I open the letter. It’s written by Sam, but not with the usual neatness.