Trouble in Paradise

Chapter 14

Its the next morning and my phone buzzes loudly over on my nightstand. I rub the sleep from my eyes, and stretch my arms above my head.
  
I have one text message waiting for me. Its from Sam.

Sami: i can pic u up this mornin
  
Me: okay
  
Me: did you get a new truck?
  
Sami: no
  
Me: are you driving your moms car?
  
Sami: no
  
Me: then how are you picking me up?
  
Sami: Jax is drivng
  
Me: okay
  
Sami: b thr in 15

I hurriedly get dressed and practically run down the stairs and into the kitchen.
  
"Woah, slow down there Lex!" Ryan shouts at me as i almost crash into him trying to grab my breakfast.
  
He is standing in front of the stove, cooking eggs in a skillet over the heat.
  
"Why are you in such a hurry this morning hon?" my mom asks me. Shes sitting at the table reading the newspaper and sipping her daily dose of coffee.
  
"Sam is picking me up in," i glance over at the clock on the microwave, "five minutes," I grab a banana from the basket on the table and hop up on the counterr.
  
"Hey!" Ryan shouts, "Im making you eggs!"
  
"No offense Ry, but your egg making skills are not the best," i say, remembering the last time he made eggs for me. They were burnt to a crisp and hard as a rock, and to top it off, he added a ton of salt.
  
"Mom loves them. Dont you mom?"
  
"Yes Ryan, they are just wonderful," she says with a hint of sarcasm that my brother doesnt pick up on.
  
Ryan sticks his tongue out at me, making me giggle.
  
"You're such a dork, Ryan."
  
He comes over to me and surprises me by digging his fingers into my ribcage. Im laughing hysterically as my brother tickles the crap out of me.
  
"Okay. Okay. Stop," I am finally able to shove him away from me, and i quickly dart out of his reach.
  
My mother has abandoned her newspaper and is smiling at us.
  
My phone buzzes in my hand, i read the text Sam sent me. He and Jackson are waiting outside.
  
"Sams here, ive got to go. Ill see you after school," i call as i close the front door behind me.
  
I climb into the backseat of Jacksons truck and he immediantly starts backing out of my driveway.
  
"So, Sami," i say, "when are you getting your truck fixed? Its been what, like, three days?"
  
"Im not getting it fixed," Sam mutters quietly.
  
"What?" i ask, "How come?"
  
"His mom is making him get a job," Jackson is smiling. He is humored by the fact that his best friend has to get a job.
  
"Why are they making you get a job?"
  
"She wants me to learn responsibility and pay to have it fixed myself," Sam doesnt look happy about it at all. In fact, doesnt look good at all right now. He looks sick.
  
"Where are you getting a job at?"
  
"My moms already got me a job, working as an assistant for her friend at some publishing comany in town."
  
"You? As an assistant? Id pay money to see that," i tease.
 
He glares at me over his shoulder at me, and i glare back. Only i cant hold my straight face for too long and end up giggling.
  
"When do you start?" i say after composing myself.
  
"Next week."
  
"What time?"
  
"Every day, except Wednesday."
  
"Okay," i drawl out slowly, "so what time?" i ask one more time.
  
I see him roll his eyes, "Three thirty to eight thirty."
 
"So we'll only see eachother on Wednesdays and weekends?"
  
"And at school," Jackson butts in.
  
"I work on Saturdays too."
  
"What time on Saturday?" please dont say you work all day on Saturdays too.
  
"Ten to seven."
  
"Really?" When are we going to have time to see eachother? "How long are they going to make you work?"
  
"I think a month."
  
"It sounds like your going to have a fun month," Jackson says as he pulls into the school parking lot.
  
"My mom offered you a job too. We could've worked together."
  
"Yeah, no thank you. You're on your own this time buddy," Jackson pats him on tge shoulder, making Sam wince.
  
"Dude, if it hurts that bad, then maybe i should take you to the hospital," Jackson offers, "You arent lookin too hot."
  
"What?" i almost shriek, making both boys jump, "You said you were fine!"
  
"I am fine," Sam shouts back.
  
"Oh, please," i scoff.
  
"Sam, last night you hollered at me every time i moved the bed and complained that it hurt your back. I really think you should go to the hospital, bro. At least go to get a check up."
  
"Dude, shut up," Sam says, "Your not helping my case right now."
  
Jackson pulls into a parking spot.
  
"Seriously Lex, im fine," Sam reasurres me.
  
I cross my arms over my chest as i watch Sam, very slowly, climb out the truck. He looks like he is having such a hard time. He winces and his breath hitches everytime he moves in a painful way.
  
"I dont know how you're going to make it all day like this, Sam. You can hardly move. Im going to call your mom," i say and pull out my phone.
  
Sam places his hand over the screen, "No!"
  
I yank my phone away. Why wont he just let me fucking help him? He is obviously in alot of pain. You cant mask it that well bud.
  
We start walking slowly toward school. I continuously glance over at Sam, he winces with every step.
  
Jackson is on the opposite side of him, he eyes me suspiciously.
  
And then before i know it, Sam has fainted and is laying in a heap on the pavement. I shout his name as his legs give out and he falls. Then i am kneeling on the ground beside his motionless body, cupping his face in my hands, begging him to wake up and come back to me. His face is a scary pale color.
  
I shout at Jackson to call an ambulance as people stop and stare, wondering whats going on with Sami Tucker.
  
I hear the crowd whispering to eachother, asking eachother questions like: IS he dead? Did his girlfriend drug him?
  
Do people really think that i could harm Sami?
  
I sit beside him on the pavement, gently stroking his face and squeezing his hand. I dont want to let go, what if he drifts away as im letting go?
  
This better not be it. I wouldnt be able to live with myself knowing that i could have made him go to the hospital. He better be okay, or im going to flip shit. I cant believe he refused to let anyone take him to the hospital. Now look where that got him. Hes fucking passed out on the pavement in the school parking lot.
  
I wipe the tears that are threatening to escape down my cheek. I have to stay strong, for Sami. Im not going to let him go.
  
Someone must have gone inside and gotten the principal because he comes running out of the building followed by our schools two officers.
  
They start asking me questions that i am not able to answer. I know the answers, its just that when i open my mouth to speak, no words will leave my tongue. Im speechless.
  
The ambulance arrives five to ten minutes later and the paramedics load Sam into the back of the ambulance.
  
I climb back into Jacksons truck, and he rushes us to the hospital.
  
He ends up calling Sams parents on the way there, becuase i am in no shape to talk to them. Id be crying and only be able to mutter Sams name, and they'd think that theirson has died or something.
  
I send Jackie a quick text, and she texts back saying that she'll meet us at the hospital.
  
When Jackson and i get there, the recepcionist says that Sam us in surgery right now and that hs parents are in the waiting roomto the left.