Wake up

NINETEEN

"It doesn't have to be." I said. "We can help you with this."
She scoffed.
"Doing yoga, eating better. Something is bound to work."

"Do you think that any of that stuff is gonna bring Izzy back? Will it take the scar off of my chest? Will it change the minds of my delirious bosses? Will it put everything back to the way it was?" She asked and I stayed silent.
"It's time to wake up and look at the world around you Tana."
I didn't know what to say. She looked into my eyes and I noticed tears form in hers.
"We don't live in a world where everything is happy. Why should I be anymore?"

"Sam. You don't believe that.." I said and she scooted closer to me.

"Should I?" Her voice cracked and a sob came out. I pulled her into a hug.

"No. You shouldn't. I refuse to let you believe that."
We stayed like this for the rest of the night.

The next morning I told her about school and she agreed to it.
My phone was blowing up with texts from the group chat.

"They freaking out?" Sam asked.

"Obviously." I said and kissed her.
My text read. 'Alright. Sam is on the beginning of recovery so she's gonna be laying low for a little while. I'll keep you guys posted. Love you❤️❤️'

"How're you gonna help me with this recovery huh?"

"Well. We can start with meditation. Every morning after lunch and before you go to bed. We will be doing this together."

"Okay." She said. "What next?"

"We're going gluten free for the remainder of the month and if you like it we'll keep going with it."
She nodded.

"Anything else?"

"A lot of cuddle therapy and kisses."

"Can we start with that?" She asked and I kissed her. I wrapped my arms around her and she snuggled into me.

Tomas walked in and he screamed. "SAM!" And started running towards her. She jumped backwards and tried scooting away from him.
He stopped and stood. He looked like he was about to cry.

She slid out of the bed and put her hands on his cheeks wiping away the tears that fell.
She moved her hands to his shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

I watched the siblings as they let go of their embrace.

"Are you okay?" He asked with genuine concern for his older sister.
She shook her head.
"Are you gonna be? Ever?"
She nodded.
"Do you promise?"
She nodded again.
"I love you."

"....i love you too." Her voice was low and soft but you could tell she meant every word.
I can say I've never seen siblings as close as these two.

"Ms Sam. You are all ready to leave."

She nodded and we walked out of the room. I drove Tomas to school and drove back to the house.

"Come on. Let's meditate."
We walked to the backyard and sat on the porch.
"Take a deep breath and listen to your surroundings. Let all of your thoughts go and relax."
I stopped talking and we stayed out there for a few hours.

We walked inside and Sam went to do her work.

"Sammy?" I walked into the room and she was getting her stuff for band.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Can I come to school with you?"
She nodded and we left.

I held her hand as we walked in. Drea ran to her and gave her a hug.

"How're you doing?"
Sam opened her mouth and then closed it.

"She's doing better." I said. "We've started doing meditation and went gluten free. And Sam will only be coming here for band."

"The stress?"

"Yeah." I said.
Sam looked at her phone. She looked up and said.
"Rudy."

I took her phone and read what her manager sent.

'Okay Sam. I need those new tracks that you've been working on. Do you wanna get dropped? No. Then I suggest you stop being so god damn lazy.'

Hell no.
I sent him a simple response.

'Okay Rudy. If you keep talking to her like that you will lose a client. You wanna lose money? No. Then I suggest you stop being a jackass and go shove it.'

"Savage." Sam said when she read it.

"I'm not gonna let the living troll doll talk to my baby like that."

"I love you." She said to me.

"I love you too." We smiled at each other.

"Y'all are so cute." Drea said and we walked to the band room.

"So this is the place that started it all." I said.

"Not exactly." Sam said. "I got my start at."

"Lot 787!" Her and Drea said at the same time and bro hugged.

"What?"

"I'll take you later." She said.

"SAM!" All of her other friends took her away from me. I sat awkwardly waiting for her.

"Who're you?" A short guy asked me.

"I'm sam's girlfriend Tana."

"Where ya from?"

"Vegas."

"Why're you here?"

"For Sam."

"Why?"

"Because I love her."

"Does she love you like him?"

"Nope." I looked up and saw Sam completely calm and acting like herself again.

I guess all she needed was a couple of good friends.
She looked at me and waved me over.
I walked over and she introduced me to all of her friends.

She still seemed okay until she grabbed my hand and looked at me. I knew she wasn't.

"You wanna go now?" I whispered to her.
She nodded.

"Alright homies. I've gotta go now. I love y'all."

"We love you too Sammy!"
We left and went back home.

We sat on our bed and she hugged me.
"You feel okay?"

"Better. But not good." She said and I nodded.

"You looked like you were having a good time with your friends."

"I love them but none of that was real.."
We laid down.

"wanna take a nap?"
She nodded and we slept.