Pill Popper {Book One}

Pill Popper { Eight }

{Chapter Eight}

Zane

      I DRUMMED MY  fingers against my desk steadily, tapping my foot with the beat. I was eyeing the door, watching tired high school students trudge to their first hour in Hell. Waiting for her. Waiting for Sam.

      Judging by the fact that she'd sent me an angry text last night saying 'we need to talk tomorrow. alone.', I figured she knew that I had messed with her stash. But what should I have done? Leave them? No. She could hurt herself. I couldn't live with myself if I let that even happen.

      Just before the bell rang, Samantha walked in. Even with anger and fury clear in her dark blue eyes, she was still beautiful.

      She walked over and sat down next to me, practically flinging her book bag on her desk. My eyes widen in amusement.

      She's cute when she's angry.

      "Zane," She nearly growled. "we need to talk." There was an edge to her voice. She was threatening me. I almost smirked but stopped myself; didn't want to push her over the edge.

      Miss Amber soon walked in with a chirpy smile clear on her slightly aged face. "Good morning class!"

      No one answered.

      The teacher rolled her eyes and let out a soft breath, "Oh, you guys are wimps. Come on! Liven up a little bit!"

      I sighed. School was not the best place to talk about this. We needed to he someplace quiet, a place where we could discuss this alone, without any disruption.

      Let's skip next period and go to the park. We can talk there. I'll drive. I wrote quickly on a note card, then I passed it to Sam without the teacher seeing.

      She wrote back quickly, hastily sliding the note card in front of me.

      Fine.

      I nodded to her and turned my attention back to Miss Amber, who I'd eventually began to tune out after about thirty seconds.

      After class, I met Sam at her locker. She had stormed out of the room before I even stood up. That's when I knew she was really, really pissed.

      "Ready?" I said as I casually leaned against the wall. She was putting books on the top shelf of her locker without even so much as glancing at me.

      "Yeah." She muttered. After she was done with her books, she slammed her locker shut. "Let's go."

      The both of us walked in silence out into the student parking lot. Sam was walking in a slow pace, careful not to be within a five foot radius of me. It was sort of comical, really. I know I shouldn't be taking this situation so lightly, because this is very serious. But it's how I deal with things I guess.

      Finally we reached my car resting at the very end of the lot. I unlocked it and we both got in, still silent.

     "You want anything to eat? I can stop and get us some lunch."

      She shook her head. "No." She was staring out the window with her knees pulled to her chest. I sighed. Okay, this is starting to get ridiculous. She can't ignore me forever.

      The car ride was quite. Uncomfortably quiet. The silence was killing me, so I decided maybe I could break the ice.

      "So..." I drawled. "how was your morning?" Smooth, Zane. Real fucking smooth.

      She turned to look at me. Her eyes were hard. "Why Zane?"

      "Because I wanted to see if you had a good day...?" I said, trying my best to sound clueless. I knew shit was about to hit the fan.

      "No. I mean why are you getting into my business?" Sam snapped.

      And here we go.

      "Its not good for you Sam-"

      "No, Zane. It is none of your business! You need to stay out of it!"

      I glanced at her, then back to the road. "I know it's not but Sam, I -"

      "You need to leave it alone."

      "Look, I know you're super pissed at me and I am sorry... but abusing pills like that is stupid and reckless. You could die!"

      "Do you think I care?!" She nearly screamed. I looked at her and saw tears running down her cheeks, taking bits of mascara with them. "Do you think I care if I die? Do you?"  My jaw dropped slightly.

       What does she mean? How could she even say that? She is sixteen years old... she has barely even lived yet.

      "No, Zane. I don't care anymore." She finished quietly, her voice audibly shaken.

      I was in full blown shock. Never in my life have I ever heard of someone so young, so beautiful, even think about dying.

      "Sam, please listen to me." I pulled over on the side of the road and turned to face her. "You are sixteen years old. You have so much to live for..."

      "No...no I don't." She sniffed. She looked as if she was going to break down.

      "Sammy..."

      "After my parents died.... I, I just haven't been the same..." A tear fell down her cheek and I wiped it away gently with my thumb.

      "I know its awful losing a parent," I said softly. "but what about Mikey? he needs you, Sam."

      She shook her head. "He is twenty-one years old. He doesn't need to be taking care of me... that's all he does."

      "And he is okay with that. Sam, I have a younger brother and a older sister. And If anything happened to them... I don't know what I would do." I said honestly. I don't even want to ever think about it.

      She looked at me, and now I could truly see the pain in her eyes.

      I cupped her cheek with my hand. "Don't give up Sam. Please?" I begged. "Please..."

      "How? Have you ever lost a parent? Have you been teased all your life at school? You don't know what its like, Zane." She spoke quietly.

      I bit my lip. "Maybe not me personally, but," I sucked in a deep breath. "My brother..."

      Even though I personally was not, my brother was. That's honestly one of the reasons why we moved. He just couldn't take it anymore. It broke him.

      "Your brother? " She asked.

      I nodded. "It was bad Sam..."

      Sam looked at me. "How is he now? "

      "Happy. You know why? Because it gets better." She looked up at me, still crying.

      How could a girl like that be so broken?

      It gave me the same physical pain in my chest that I've felt before with my brother. I love Sam. I don't want to see her in pain like this.

      Its only been a month, but something about her draws me in... I love her. Her smile, her giggle. Everything about her.

      Without thinking, I bring her face closer to mine. We were easily two inches apart. Her cheeks flushed and I smiled. God, she's perfect.

      "Zane, what're you-"

      Then I kissed her.