it's you, it's always been you

chapter 11

Deena led Sam into her house, a hand gently on her back in case Sam needed support. Simon and Kate followed them inside, each of them, glancing at Sam to check on her as they walked. None of them said a word as they sat in Deena's living room. Josh came up from the basement, when he heard Deena come home, "Hey, what about the pizza?" He popped up behind them, which caused Sam to jump.

Deena glared at Josh and he retreated to the kitchen, she put her hands on each of Sam's shoulders, attempting to get Sam to look at her, but Sam kept her eyes on her hands in her lap. "It's okay, Sam, it's okay." She repeated, tears threatening the fall as she looked at Sam and how in pain she looked.

Deena sat there for a moment, staring at Sam, trying to watch to see any sort of reaction in her face, but Sam didn't move, just kept her eyes down, and her back leaned against the couch. "I love you," Deena whispered as she kissed Sam's forehead and moved away from her, motioning for Simon and Kate to follow her to the porch.

"She's in shock, D, she will be okay." Kate tried to reassure Deena as tears started flowing down her face. Simon and Kate immediately pulled her into a hug between both of them. They were all hurt for Sam, but Deena felt partly guilty for this, like she was supposed to protect Sam from everything. And now, she promised herself that she would do anything to stop Sam from getting hurt.

Simon and Kate both said bye to Deena and she promised to call them with an update later. Sam was still on the couch, her head leaning against the back of it now, as Deena joined her on the couch. Deena held out her hand for Sam, "do you want to go to my room?"

Deena had planned to tell Kate and Simon that her and Sam were a couple now (finally), after the day they spent together when they skipped school, but that was the last thing on her mind in this moment, and she wanted Sam to be there as well, it was only fair.

Sam laid her hand softly on Deena's and followed her to her bed. Her dress was torn at the top and Sam was still holding onto it so it wouldn't fall off of her.

Deena stood as Sam sat on the bed. She studied Sam's face for a moment, trying to think of what all she could do for Sam. She grabbed Sam's favorite sweater, and helped Sam put it on, then she took a pair of her sweat pants and helped Sam out of the dress and into the pants.

Sam felt relief the moment Deena dressed her in the sweater and pants, she didn't realize until then how cold she had been. The dress had been beautiful, but the night ruined it.

She felt herself grow distant. She didn't make eye contact, she didn't say anything. She was trapped in her mind and it couldn't stop replaying the events of the night like an endless cycle.

Deena put her hands on each side of Sam's face, kneeling down before her as she looked up at Sam. She caressed Sam's cheeks with her thumbs. She could tell that Sam was still stuck in that classroom, she was still terrified and hurt. Sam looked up from her lap, and looked Deena in the eyes, and started crying the moment she did.

Deena reached up to Sam, wrapping her arms around her. "It's over Sam. It's okay, its over. He wont touch you again. You're safe now." She held on tight to Sam, and brought their bodies onto the bed where Sam was laying on Deena as she held onto her. Sam's head nuzzled between Deena's neck and shoulder. "I love you, I love you." Deena repeated, whispering it to Sam. She took a hand off of Sam and grabbed a blanket and laid it over them.

Sam's sobs calmed down to breathing normally, her head raising and falling on Deena's shoulder. As they laid their in Deena's bed, she slowly fell asleep, feeling safe for the first time in a long time, even before Caleb.

Deena allowed herself to fall asleep once she knew Sam was asleep. The sudden jolt of Sam sitting up, caused her to wake.

"Sam, what is it?" She asked as she sat up, turning to face Sam. Sam had just woken up from a nightmare, and she had tears down her cheeks as she realized she was crying in her sleep as she dreamed.

Sam didn't say anything, but melted into Deena's body and wrap her arms around the girl. She watched as Deena's chest rose and fell when they laid back down on the bed.

Deena was starting to worry even more, Sam hadn't said one word to her since they left the school. She knew it was from the shock of the trauma she had just been through, but it still worried her.