ILTHY | l.p.

5 | turn of events

CHAPTER FIVE
❛ 𝗶'𝗺 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻' 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶 𝗮𝗺.
𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴
𝗶 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱. ❜
▃▃▃▃▃

[ y/n ]

"What?!"

"I didn't mean to." Sam's tone was defensive. He adjusted his cast arm and avoided any of our eyes. The tension in the room was clear and heavy. Lisa scoffed and continued to speak. "I thought we all wanted this."

"I did."

"No, you clearly didn't," Lisa quickly debunked, walking closer to where Sam is sitting. "If you did want this, you wouldn't be so fucking careless and break your fucking arm. You're so selfish, Sam."

Pause.

"How else are we going to fucking do this talent show without a guitarist?" Lisa sighed and harshly spoke out, "Thanks for ruining our dreams." Before she left the room, Felix mumbled a quick sorry and left too. Unlike Lisa, he was quiet, but we all knew him enough to know he's just as disappointed.

I was too.

"I didn't want this," Sam whispered, his head hung low. I glance at the broken skateboard at the side of the bed, then back to his cast before slowly sitting by the edge. We had a call this morning from Sam's mother, and she told us how Sam just got home from the hospital due to having a broken arm from a failed skateboard trick. Obviously, he couldn't do his part and play for the band in the talent show like this.

And obviously, we can't go on without him.

I'm furious. Annoyed. Disappointed.

But I'm also worried.

"Are you okay?" I ask in a soft whisper. Sam slowly looks up to meet my eyes for the first time that day, his blue eyes slightly watering. His lips were quivering, but he didn't sob or let any tears out. Samuel Tyron never cries.

"I'm sorry, Drummy," he says.

I nod and reach out to rest a hand on his knee, patting it. "Just get some rest, Sam."

Millie came into the room in a rush. She gasped and covered her mouth at the sight of Sam injured and in a moment of weakness. Millie walks towards the bed with slightly wobbling feet, and I know she didn't notice me. Her attention was solely on Sam.

She leaned down and touched his arm, and Sam burst into tears.

Samuel Tyron never cries, and yet he had cried with Millie Partridge. She allowed him to be vulnerable and pulled him closer, holding him in her arms.

I couldn't help but smile. At this moment, I knew what they truly meant to each other. It was like watching true love itself happen. I slowly stand up and exit the room, closing the door softly to avoid interrupting the moment.

The moment I was about to turn to walk down the hall, Olivia, Sam's mother, walked towards me while carrying a tray filled with tea. "Oh, darling." Olivia's tone was confused, probably confused as to why I left her son's room.

"Millie is inside. I wanted to give them space," I say politely, looking over the two cups of tea on the tray. Olivia paused, then smiled. "Darn," she said in the same accent I've grown used to, "this is not enough tea."

I smile. "No, it isn't."

"Darling, would you be so kind and join me in the kitchen while we prepare for tea time then?"