SUNNYVALE

(27) HANDS TOUCHING AND MEMORIES RUSHING BACK

When the trio arrives to Sam's house - that was empty because 1) her father the sheriff had to meet with important police associates in a fancy hotel somewhere in the Eastside and 2) Kristie was off to a road trip covering all weekend with her friends (who knew she even had some?) - Tierna immediately walks away, mentioning the book as an excuse. 

Sam, after installing a beyond crushed and tired Abby on her bed, looks for her, until she finds her on the small balcony with a view on the town's naturally clear-blue lake, her whole body shaking. 

The blonde only puts her elbows next to Tierna's, as she positions herself next to her, almost shoulder to shoulder. She intelligently waits for the other girl to speak first, whenever she's ready. And it does take long, because Tierna was truly terrified - although Sam was too, she showed it less.

After a full minute of silence, Tierna's shaky voice says:

"How are you so calm right now? I mean, we both saw Abby almost killing that poor woman..."

Sam sighs.

"I am freaking out in the inside, it that reassures you" Sam states, a stressed smile on her lips. As Tierna turns to her, she sighs and continues: "But I know Abby, and I have for most of my life: she  can be a bitch, a pain in the ass, and even an amazing friend when she tries hard enough, but one thing's sure - she ain't no modern Satan. She's just a girl who is more afraid that you, me and grandma Press reunited because weird stuff is happening to her right now. Last thing she needs is for us to freak out and treat her as a monster when she's not. So, get over yourself, calm the fuck down, and help me deal with this situation."

Tierna's jaw drops. 

She takes a few seconds to take it all in, before burying her face in her hand. Sam remains standing there, conscious that every second she takes to remain by Tierna's side is one more second during which she cannot help the woman she loves so desperately, knowing that the brunette just needed some time - or at least she thought, since they haven't known each other that well for such little time. 

After a few more seconds, Tierna's face emerges from her hands, as she states:

"You must really love her"

Sam nods.

"Yup, and I know you do too, so we better just focus on her for now, alright?" the tall blonde says, setting her jaw.

Beaten - well, Tierna couldn't argue with those facts while they were in such delicate situation - the brunette just nods, as they both go and support Abby, who is literally crying all the tears left in her body.

How could she be a monster? Sam asks herself, her heart breaking a little bit more each time Tierna grabs Abby's hand. 

***

Crystal takes a series of deep breaths, trying to calm her anxiety.

She just hang up the phone with Tierna, who had informed her about the recent events - Abby's kind of satanic powers getting stronger and stronger and more and more out of control. In between this situation, as well as her recent alliance with Mapi Leòn, the dark-haired doesn't know what to do next.

Her body itself was changing, as she felt more and more headaches and violent pains through her fingers. Ever since she touched Lynn William's body and saw her final moments, Crystal wondered what it all meant. Lynn was looking for something before she got killed, and now two more bodies were recently found, as everything seem to get faster and faster, way too fast for Crystal or any of the girls to follow.

When she feels tears of fear and distress starting to overflow her eyes, Crystal gets up in the middle of the library she was studying in, exiting the room under concerned eyes of the other students. 

As soon as she walks on the little library's balcony on the 1rst floor, Crystal bursts into tears, leaning against the barrier, burying her face in her hands. Her body was trembling, as she was feeling like it was the end of the world. 

"Shit" she whispers to herself.

When she feels a cold hand touching her shoulder, she jumps away from the person in question, turning around quickly, only to see Shelina's beyond worried eyes staring at her - although the two were quite upset at the moment, the brunette cannot help but feel concerned with Crystal's well being, while the other girl cannot help but feel strange sensations within her stomach when the Canadian touches her.

Losing it again, Crystal bursts into tears again, as Shelina doesn't hesitate even one second to wrap her strong arms around her, making her feel valid and surrounded. Shelina squeezes her against her body, her chin relying on Crystal's shoulder.

After quite a while, Shelina whispers:

"I don't know what you are going through, but I'm here for you."

Pulling away slowly, Crystal finds herself looking down at Shelina's lips - although the brunette was way taller than her, and the height difference was kind of making her even more attractive. Never before Crystal had felt such a connection with someone - too bad the brunette had to be from the Eastside...

After a moment, Crystal pulls herself together and honestly says:

"I am sorry I've been acting like a bitch those past few days, it's just... I've been through a lot..."

"I get it, don't worry" Shelina softly says, setting her jaw. Her eyes, too, were quite intense when she adds: "You and I are the same: the second we feel like someone is getting too close, we just push them away."

Crystal nods, quite amused.

"That's true. I'm sorry."

Shelina has a rather sad smile on, before she grabs Crystal's hands.

Suddenly, everything turns white, as Shelina's memories start floating in the air for Crystal to see: her violent father, her severe mother, a man that seemingly abused her as a child, tough times at school where she got mocked because she did not want to date some pretty but stupid boy, and so many more terrible memories... All of them in a flash, before Shelina takes her hands back, deeply troubled, looking at Crystal as if she was the cause of that.

And maybe she was.

"W-what just happened ?" Shelina stammers, quite shaken up.

Crystal's eyes go wide: just like with Lynn William's body, touching Shelina's hands allowed her to see in the past.

Frowning deeply, she just lets out:

"I gotta go, sorry."

Then she leaves the brunette rather confused, with tears in her eyes as she just relieved her darkest moments.