Bitter (wlw) (txs)

seventy-five

Turns out there were plenty of small towns as scenic and pleasant in that area, all of them easily accessible with the same bus line.

I started taking so many pictures of everything in the next two days that I started to get worried about my phone's storage running out. Sam insisted that I appreciated it all so much because I didn't actually live there, which kind of made sense. But I also had my doubts about it.

Everyone we met also seemed to be extremely nice and kind with us, contrary to what Sam told me to expect before we arrived. It felt good to not feel like everyone was hostile towards you, like I did in my own hometown.

Especially when it came to sitting down at the table with my girlfriend, her sister and her parents and not feeling immensely stressed after the meal, like what would happen each time I did the same with my family.

"Are you enjoying being here?" Sam asked as she was getting ready for bed, while I was already in bed basically ready to fall asleep.

"I've been telling you how amazing everything is for the past four days, of course I am" I turned on my side to face her.

"Just making sure" she said, sitting next to me. "I'm glad baby"

"I'm kind of sad we only have one other full day here, actually"

"We'll come back as soon as possible then" she chuckled. "I'm sorry but, am I hearing voices or are they talking much more loudly than usual downstairs?" she added.

"No, I noticed too" I giggled.

"I'll go and tell them to lower their voice volume, it's like eleven o'clock, what are they even talking about? My sister seems to be there too" she said, with frustration in her voice.

"I'm about to fall asleep, it's okay. I don't mind" I said, my eyes actually feeling like they were going to close any second.

"Hm, I kind of want to know what the discussion is about. It's probably something stupid so I'll be quick. You don't worry, sleep if you're tired" she kissed the top of my head and tucked the cover that was only on my legs until then.

"Okay. Goodnight, I love you" I mumbled as she stood up.

"Love you too. So much. Goodnight, love" was the last thing she said before walking out.

I'd noticed the loud talking earlier, but once Sam pointed it out I started to hear it more. I couldn't tell what they were saying but I could sense it wasn't just a normal, calm conversation.

I was too sleepy to pay much attention to it at first, but Sam also seemed to not be coming back to bed. And I was so used to falling asleep with her next to me that my body seemed to be refusing to do so alone.

As I started to become more restless, I clearly recognized my girlfriend's voice from the distance. And it didn't sound very calm. Which was what led me to sit up and try to decipher any words, not successfully. No one would probably notice if I went to the upstairs corridor, just to figure out what they were talking about, and went back to bed right after.

But I still couldn't seem to hear it clearly right outside of the room, so I moved until I got to the top end of the stairs, next to the space between a wall and the end of the railing. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay with Sam, nothing more.

"You weren't supposed to hear all of this, darling. But we're really saying this because we want the best for you" I heard her mom say, sounding worried more than angry.

"Why was she not supposed to hear this, since when is talking behind someone's back an okay thing to do?" Lauren asked, also sounding frustrated.

"Because we were just curious about your opinion, not your sister's. Of course she's going to say-"