SUNNYVALE

(24) ANCIENT FRIENDSHIPS AND NEW ALLIANCES

Sam shakes her head, out of her mind. 

Not only did she just waste a full morning stress-cooking (yes, it is a real thing in the Mewis family), probably because not only her life had taken a very dark turn after she was savagely attacked by shadows in her own home, but also because there was no possible way her sister would understand what she was experiencing, and as she keeps asking questions, Sam cannot find a better excuse than 'I'll tell you when I can'. 

Only, Kristie will not be patient very much longer.

Riding her bike all through the richest neighbourhood of Eastside - where sheriffs and mayors, as well as school and prisons directors, and so on - she finally stops in front of Abby's house. Truth was, although they have never been quite close during all those years of attending the same schools and soccer teams, as well as city events, the pair had grown on each other, finding themselves going through the hardest times of their lives with the other by their side. 

When Sam knocks on the door and comes face to face with one of the Dahlkemper family's servants - ever since Abby's mother left without any warning, her father could not take care of her, neither of the house - who immediately lets her in without any question asked. She undergoes the entrance's security check by Abby's own bodyguards - impressive and muscled women that seemed like they could've played a rugby match with Sam's head as the ball - before being guided to the garden. 

There, Abby is sitting in silence, only with an ambient music pretty weakly displayed - Billie Eilish's new album, by the sounds of it - and, as she was too much into whatever book she was reading (that looked pretty ancient), she did not hear Sam approach her. 

When she does, however, her reaction is pretty intense:

"Sam!" she exclaims, jumping on her feet, looking as if she'd seen a ghost. As the other girl smirks, Abby adds, pretty angry: "Warn a person !"

"That I am... standing here ?" Sam asks, quite amused.

After rolling her eyes extensively, Abby crosses her arms against her chest, before asking, bitter:

"What are you doing here anyway, Sammy?" 

As Sam is taking some biscuits she brought for the occasion - cookies from a specific brand, Abby's ultimate favourite - the taller girl states:

"Since you're the closest thing I have from a best friend, I decided to come and see how you were doing" and, before Abby can verbalise that she is not fooled by this excuse, Sam sighs and adds: "Aaaaand, I've come across from Tierna, who seemed quite alarm about a certain episode..."

"Wait" Abby interrupts her, truly annoyed this time, "she told you?"

"Obviously, yes - I mean, you wouldn't tell me yourself either way, am I right?" 

Sam's sudden sass just upsets Abby more, although she was quite surprised and wary, frowning softly.

After a few seconds, she asks:

"And, even knowing the monster I am, you still came here?" 

Sam seems to take this question very seriously, as her hand reaches for Abby's shoulder, as she stares right into her green and clear-browned iris with intensity:

"Of course I came, you dumb bitch: we're somehow in this together, so I won't give up on you, even if you're a hot Satan"

"Hot Satan?" Abby slowly repeats, missing the entire point of Sam's touching declaration. 

"Well, that's the name I came up with when I thought Christen was the Almighty Lord of Hell" Sam shrugs, smirking. As Abby looks away, embarrassed (Sam could not tell if it was about being like a very cute version of a Devil or if it had to do with her declaration), before Sam states: "Anyway, how about I help you with those extensive readings, uh?"

Abby hands Sam the book without saying anything, but deep down the taller girl knew she was grateful and truly touched by her gesture. 

Although the reasons she evoked earlier were honest, there was a way more complicated and acute problem behind her reasoning: even though Sam is currently dating Pat, and has had for a few years and that she knew it wasn't possible for multiple reasons...

... she had been in love with Abby Dahlkemper for as long as she can remember.

***

Crystal finds herself face to face with Marìa Leòn on her way out of the vinyl store she works in twice a week, and it felt like it wasn't a coincidence at all: the blonde was leaning against the wall right across the street, her arms crossed against her chest nonchalantly, staring intensively in Crystal's direction.

Sighing, the dark-haired walks right to her. 

"Leòn, it's been quite a while" she lets out, really unsure about the blonde presence's reasons. 

"Indeed: eighth grade, if I recall correctly" Mapi answers, smirking. She then takes a step forward and states: "Listen, I know you're a straight-forward person, Crystal, so here's the catch: we both know Christen ain't no crazy chick, and that she doesn't deserve to be in a fucking mental insinuation where they only provide her with medication that will slow down her brain and-"

"You got me at 'Christen ain't no crazy chick', Leòn" Crystal interrupts her, smirking.

Quite surprise by the dark-haired compliance, the Spanish continues:

"Well, I feel like you know something I don't, so I want us to get her out of there. What do you say?"

Crystal nods.

But before she can say anything, her eyes are locked onto someone, a person walking across the street: Shelina Zadorsky and her crew, nonchalantly walking through the busy streets of the Westside (probably to go to school). Obviously, the brunette had seen her, but she insisted on pretending like she hadn't. 

When she finally looks up, however, she catches eyes with Crystal, and the latter could feel her anger through her perfect grey iris. And Crystal would lie if she said this wasn't making her feel some type of way: her whole stomach seemed upside down once Shelina was done looking at her and kept on walking.

Regaining her mind back, Crystal turns to Mapi, who seemed quite amused.

"Well, well, well..." Mapi starts, quite amused, "ustedes dos harían una pareja muy hote, oof"(English: you two would make a hot couple).

"I've got no idea what you just said, but something tells me I'd rather not know" Crystal clearly says, restraining herself from watching as Shelina disappears in the corner of the street. Sighing, she puts her attention on Mapi, before saying: "As far as your proposal, I'm fully in if it means helping Pressy out."

"Perfecto" 

Just like that, Crystal formed an alliance with her best friend's worse enemy and her childhood's ultimate crush that could at no point be told about the supernatural events occurring in Sunnyvale.

Well, shit, Crystal thinks to herself, beaten.