She herself didn't like him very much at the moment, because Sammy wanted to hide in a corner and be sad, and Doyle stared at her insolently and frankly, sitting opposite. Everything in him - posture, manner of bearing, look - spoke of extreme self-confidence. He was clearly trying to embarrass her with his gaze, but Samantha was not at all interested. She put on her headphones and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. She smiled a little as she imagined Doyle gritting his teeth in annoyance that another victim would not yield. In her opinion, Travis was not worth Jasper's fingernail.
They say that if the mood is not very good, you should not feed your sadness with appropriate music, sad films and the like. It's better to focus on something positive. Sammy, of course, agreed with this, but in practice she never succeeded in this. The mood was already spoiled, and she went deep into her own experiences. To some, they might seem stupid, but what could be more serious than first love for a seventeen-year-old girl?
Especially if the object of this love is constantly next to her, which only fuels her feelings and hopes. And the directness of outsiders, such as Leah, cuts to the quick with a sharp knife.
You'd think Sammy didn't want to date a guy and be happy! Only now she did not need a relationship with anyone except Jasper.
She knew that she would see him after school - Jas had promised to bring her a disc with the game - and was already looking forward to the meeting. In the afternoon, he went on an excursion to the zoological museum with the class, so they did not see each other at lunch. Imagining Jasper smiling at her, his brown eyes warming, Sammy could hardly sit still. How she missed...
A small phone conversation could not bring her satisfaction - Samantha needed to see him, at least once a day. She was rereading his last messages when the teacher's voice distracted her from this exciting activity:
- Miss Wiley, are you with us today? Shakespeare awaits your attention.
Sammy didn't often argue with the teachers, but now something just hit her. Without looking up from her phone, she muttered:
- Shakespeare is no longer waiting for anything, he died a long time ago.
Some of the students giggled, and Mrs. Kent seemed to get angry, because there was a shrill note in her voice:
- Maybe so, but no one has yet canceled the school curriculum in literature! So you have to write an essay. And now I will ask you to put away your cell phone, otherwise it will go to the director's office, along with you.
Shrugging, Samantha tucked her phone into her bag. She was a little ashamed of her behavior, but there was no desire to show remorse. As she straightened up, she suddenly caught Doyle's eye again. The handsome man looked at her with slightly narrowed blue eyes and smiled slightly, as if he liked her behavior.
Well, Sammy won't fall for that. Let her build eyes for at least a year, an unfortunate footballer. She buried herself in her textbook, pretending she didn't care. In fact, Travis annoyed her a lot.
But that lesson was over, and Sammy was already in a hurry to train, and to be honest, to meet with Jasper. She was afraid that he would not have time to come, because she did not have much time, but in vain - Samantha saw his tall, thin figure from afar.
As she got closer, she couldn't help but smile. What a joy to see his face again, his eyes...
Jasper was tall, thin, but broad-shouldered. His movements always seemed to Samantha a little soft and slow - except for the moments when he broke away to his favorite music. His face, quite pleasant and pretty, Sammy adored to trembling in the legs. However, Leah believed that there were thousands of people like Jas, and there was nothing special about him. Sammy was of a different opinion - just looking at Jasper she was overcome by a mixed feeling of happiness, lingering attraction and even admiration. He was her idol along with her favorite musicians.
Her friend smiled at her too, but rather serenely. He was half-sitting on the fence at the edge of the stadium and, at the sight of her, rose to his feet.
"Hey, Sammy," Jas clapped her outstretched palm. - What's up?
- I got everything, - Samantha grimaced and plopped down on the seat. – I don’t want to study, I don’t want to listen to teachers, I don’t want to talk to my classmates. What to do, huh, Jas?
The guy grinned and sat down next to me, stretching out his long legs in tight dark jeans and massive sneakers on his bare feet.
- What are you doing today? What is a public challenge?
"Who knows," Sammy muttered. - I want to go home. And this workout...
"Forget it," Jasper suggested, but Samantha shook her head.
- No, you have to go. Then it becomes a habit, a good habit. And if I go home, I will spit at the ceiling, eat all sorts of rubbish and watch all sorts of nonsense.
Are you quoting Kevin? Jasper laughed. Removing his backpack from his shoulder, he unzipped it and began rummaging through it while chatting with his girlfriend, “We need to do a Home Alone retrospective sometime.”
- It's better for Christmas. Sammy yawned and laid her head on her friend's shoulder. - When it's winter outside, snow near the house ... And garlands
- Hey, you're falling asleep! Jas hugged Samantha, causing her to wake up instantly. “You should go home, Sam!” You need to sleep, what are the workouts now!
- Yes? Sammy chuckled almost calmly, though the heat from his touch ran through her body. “I don’t think my parents will like this idea… By the way, how are yours doing?” Did they find dad's store?
- Everything is fine. Jas stepped back a little. Yes, your father helped a lot. Thank you.
"Nothing," Sammy shrugged, sensing a change in her friend's mood. - Get in touch. Okay, I'll go to practice anyway. Let's write tonight, okay?
- We'll write off ... - Jasper echoed and immediately started up: - Hey, take the disk!
"Really," Sammy smiled. - Thank you! She put the disc back into her backpack. - OK, bye!
Jas waved at her and left, while Samantha followed him with her eyes. An ordinary guy - an unbuttoned plaid shirt over a dark T-shirt, jeans and sneakers, but there was something about Jasper that made him seem simply beautiful.
Objectively, it cannot be called beautiful, but there was a certain attractiveness in it. Broad, slightly thin shoulders always awakened in Sammy a desire to hug them, brown eyes hypnotized, and even a smile ... Samantha could sell her soul to the devil for her. His game disc in her backpack felt like a piece of warmth. The physical presence of Jasper in her life.
Suppressing a sigh, Sammy went to practice. On the way, a message caught up with her, but it wasn't Jas, it was Leah.
"I'll pick you up at eleven o'clock. Let's have some fun!"
This time Samantha sighed for real. The quest idea seemed terribly stupid to her, especially the one for which everything was started. Going into the woods at night looking to find some stupid box in order to get into a cool company for it ... It sounded doubtful, but in fact it was so. It was to be hoped that everything would go well.
"Damn Abi Blair and her whole gang," Sammy muttered under her breath. And why only Leah all this ... But she promised to help, so there were no options.
I should have done my homework before heading into the woods, but Sammy listened to the CD she took from Jasper. Realizing that if she heard these songs in a store or any other place, she would not even pay attention, Samantha played the disc at least three times. Because Jas loves this music...At a quarter to eleven, Sammy finally started to get ready. She decided to leave the phone at home so as not to risk losing it, and Leah promised to take the flashlight.Convinced that her parents were in her bedroom, she silently slipped to the door. Her conscience pricked her belatedly - her mother would be so worried if she found out where her daughter was going ... But everything will go well, what can happen to them? Unless, Leah will drink too much for joy, having completed the “task”. Sammy had no doubt that her friend would be able to get alcohol, despite her minority - Leah always goes ahead.A friend was waiting for her in a car two blocks from her house, as they agreed.Glad you man
Tripping on a root sticking out of damp foliage, Samantha fell, hitting the ground hard. The tension reached its climax, and everything went dark before her eyes…Sammy woke up abruptly. She exhaled and, moving a little, groaned - her body ached, and her hands were just numb. She was surrounded by an almost inky gloom, as if the moon had disappeared behind the clouds. There was silence all around, broken only by the rustling of the leaves that had not yet fallen under the cold, bone-chilling wind.Samantha shifted gingerly, trying to move her arms and legs, and then, shivering, managed to rise to her feet. She groped for a tree trunk and pressed her back against it. Gradually, her eyes got used to the darkness, she managed to distinguish the outlines of trees and bushes.How long was she unconscious? Probably decent, because Sammy was very cold. Then why is it so quiet, no one is looking for her? Did Leah not run?Samantha began to panic. The wolf she and Leah saw wasn't after her, si
Putting on the warm terry bathrobe she had always loved, the girl climbed into bed and immediately fell asleep, this time without delusional dreams and frightening images.***Waking up was like coming out of a coma. Sammy could not understand what had happened to her - maybe she just dreamed everything? She scrambled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.But the dirty clothes in the basket made it clear that everything had happened for real. Suppressing a convulsive spasm in her throat, Samantha brushed her teeth and somehow put herself in order, after which, grabbing her backpack, she headed downstairs.- Sammy! Are you okay? The mother looked at her worriedly. - You don't have a face!"I think I've caught a little cold," Samantha replied hoarsely, looking down.- Can you stay at home? Teresa suggested, but Sammy shook her head.- No, today is a test... And you... can you give me a lift to school?- Certainly! the mother exclaimed. - Eat first.- Don't want. Sammy gulped down
Samantha didn't remember how she got to the office and sat down. She found herself already at the lesson, and somehow, apparently mechanically, she laid out her notebooks and textbook, and even wrote down something. But emotions overwhelmed her with her head, she wanted to burst into tears and run away wherever her eyes looked.Turning her head, Sammy found that she was sitting at her desk alone - Leah had not come to class. From this circumstance, she was completely dizzy, and she lowered her head, trying to breathe deeply. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Doyle was watching her, which scared the hell out of her.The lesson went on as usual - Mr. Becker was explaining a new topic, the students were talking in an undertone to each other, rustling notebook sheets, fidgeting in their places. But Sammy felt as if she had fallen out of this reality, and everything that surrounded her was a props. The real, creepy, is hidden behind all this tinsel.The phone vibrated and she winc
"Okay, to hell with him!" - decided the girl and went in the indicated direction. If Travis killed her, there would be evidence, a message, he should understand that. Giggling nervously at her own thoughts, Sammy tried to blend in with the other students - all she needed was for someone to notice her getting into that idiot's car.She saw the jeep right away, and her anxiety only increased - the rear windows were tinted almost tightly. That's why the back seat... No one will see her there.Once at the car door, Sammy paused. Looking to the side, she caught the eye of her classmate, Iris. She, apparently, was interested in why Samantha got into the car with Travis. Sammy suddenly changed her mind about hiding - let them know. For her safety.Taking a deep breath, she pressed the handle and opened the door. In the cabin, an indicator chirped melodiously, but she heard nothing more. Looking closer, Sammy saw Travis in the semi-darkness from the tinted windows, he was also sitting in the
Travis' words hung in the air. He finally turned to the girl sitting next to him and looked at her.“I am very afraid of losing myself,” he said. “I know that everything I said sounds like a complete psycho, but it really happened ... And I'm also afraid to do something at a time when ... When I'm not a person. And last night I got to know you. My consciousness returned to me. I don't know why, but you helped me come to my senses. And I want you to help me in the future. I have to learn to control what happens.- But how can I help you? Samantha spoke up. Her voice trembled against her will.- Just be there when things happen.Sammy stared fearfully at the boy next to her. Is he joking?"You're going to kill me," she choked out."I didn't kill you last night," Travis said quietly. There was something in his blue eyes that made Samantha's heart clench. I didn't mean to attack. For some reason I was drawn to you ... I can’t explain. You ran, I ran after. Then you fell, and I sat next to
123FORWARDPart 6-1.The next morning, Sammy woke up in the same all-consuming excitement that she had fallen asleep the day before, but, nevertheless, thoughts fit neatly in her head. What Doyle told her could not be accepted and understood with a half kick, but Samantha decided not to worry ahead of time and just watch what was happening.The first thing to do was decide what to say to him. Sammy really didn't want to get involved with Travis because she didn't trust him one iota. However, what happened in the night forest did not want to fit into the framework of the understandable and reasonable, and Sammy did not like understatement. She had to complete this story.Going to school, the girl found the strength to chat with her parents as if nothing had happened, and the usual things calmed her down and gave her confidence.However, when Samantha caught sight of her own ill-fated essay, her mood deteriorated rather badly. In the evening, the state of mind was not conducive to stud
When it was finally time for the big change, she was ready to kill Travis herself with her own hands. After wandering around the dining room building, Sammy did not meet him, and had already decided to send Doyle to hell when her phone rang.She did not save his number, but she found out, because he had written to her the day before.- Doyle, is that you? said Samantha coldly, answering the call.“I am,” came the answer, but somehow muffled. - Come to the parking lot, to my car.- And why not ... - began, it was, Sammy, but Doyle had already passed out. Cursing under her breath, she tossed her phone into her backpack and headed for the parking lot, determined to tell Doyle what she thought of him.From irritation, she did not immediately find his car, but there was no one near the jeep. Looks like Travis was waiting for her inside again. Sammy gritted her teeth and pressed the handle of the back door, pulling it towards her.Doyle was indeed sitting in the car - through a veil of ange