Creep Book 1, Charlie-Charlie

CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1

"Its okay nurse she's with me." The appealing disembodied male voice dismissed. I felt my temperature skyrocket at the mere whisper; confusion, frustration, hurt and worry fueling my rising rage. Of all the people from my past to run into, it had to be him. The one person I wanted to avoid like the plague, the one person I had blocked out of my mind for the past 18 years. That fact however, did not distract me from the matter at hand though,

"SON OF A... I SHOULD'VE KNOWN HE'D HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH NINA'S CALL." I exploded; I felt flushed, my heart rate speeding like an out of control train. Spit and slurs flying through the air as I lashed out, whereas he just stood there looking all confused and handsome.

"He?"

My muscles tensed, "I swear Cooper, if he has done something to land my sister up in this hospital so help me God, he will not live to regret... and this time he is not going to get away with it either." I continued my illogical one-sided argument. His body language more mild-mannered than I expected, "Whoa Sammy, calm down." He looked at me as though I had just declared myself to be a jewel incrusted, flying pig; tilting his head slightly to one side, the way a dog does when its confused.

"You're not making sense. Who are you ranting about?" His mystified expression amplified by the slight crease, which was developing across his brow.

"DON'T, don't you dare tell me to calm down. You-you hear me, a-and s-stop calling me Sa-Sammy." I could see his thoughts come to a screeching halt, a clear indication that my behavior not only shocked him, but worried him too.

"I'm a grown ass woman, a-and my name is not Sam o-or even Sa-Sammy, it is Samantha. It has always been Samantha and it will be Samantha long after I-I," I shouted as my eyes glazed over with darkness.

"Steady now, here I've got you." His soothing voice growled; two arms wrapping tightly around my waist, pulling me closer, then pouring me into a nearby chair. He had changed a lot since I saw him last; the once cocky jock had actually turned into a good-looking man.

Damn his warm touch, damn his hypnotic gaze and most of all damn those red lips. The moment I laid eyes on him again, I knew I was screwed; even though I had tried to deny it, he still had a profound effect on me. My eyes drifted between his tousled hair, his deep amber eyes and those bottomless dimples, which went in and out as he grinned at me. His upper lip raised in a gentle slope, "Here, sit down and take a breath will you. Nurse could you bring Miss Vance a glass of cool water and a cold cloth please?" He ordered and she could not be more obliging.

"I-I'm f-fine, I-I have to g-go. Ni ... my sister needs," I protested, trying to push myself up, even if that meant falling down again. God knows if my legs had not decided to turn to Jell-O I would not have ended up in his arms; the last place I would ever have expected.

"Your sister is well taken care of, which is more than I can say for you. When's the last time you took a rest or even eaten?"

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself thank you," I knew he was right, but I did not need him to know that,

"You-are-not-going-anywhere, SAM that's not a request. Now either you stay down voluntarily or I'll hold you down, myself." He did not need to apply a firm grip though. I was so weak that his stern words alone were enough to keep me pinned to the chair. That being said, it did not mean I needed to be mature or happy about it, "F-Fine," I mumbled. Just what the hell did he think he was doing ordering me around? I was not one of those passive women and he would soon find that out, the hard way.

"Here drink this, and put this behind your neck." He sure had gotten bossy, I thought, as I gulped down the cold liquid.

"Slowly, slowly, that's it. Better?" His helping hands assisted; wiping away the excess droplets, which ran down my jaw.

"I-I'm fine I told you. Can I please ... I want to see Nina,"

"I told you, Nina's fine, she's been sedated for now, but if ..." He attempted to explain.

"And how exactly do you know that, when I as her sister I could not even get in to see her? What are you doing here anyway? Unless, unless your delinquent brother had something ..." My combative side resurfaced.

"Sammy ... Samantha, my brother has got nothing to do ... he hasn't been home in almost a year. He had me sign his enlistment papers the day he turned 18. As for me being here, I'm Nina's Doctor."

"DOCTOR?" Projectile water spewed out like old faithful, "You-You mean like a medical Doctor, Doctor? A-A real Doctor?" I stuttered caught completely off guard.

"As opposed to what Sam, a fake pretend cartoon Doctor?" He smirked his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Y-Yes, I-I mean No ... I ... sorry,"

"Look, don't worry. Most people around here had the same reaction when I came back ... well minus the exploding water fountain that is." He was clearly more amused than upset.

"G-Got back?" I continued my barrage of questions, hoping like hell he would not bring up my behavior ... my less than adult behavior.

"Pardon me Doctor Amel," Another smitten over exposed nurse interrupted just in time, "Mr. Elise is waiting for you in pre-opp." Cooper lifted his left arm staring tensely at his watch,

"Shhhhoot I completely ... thank you nurse, I'll be there in a minute." Well I'll be, I thought. No wonder all the nurses were so helpful; buzzing around him like bees around honey they were clearly all trying to, impress the handsome Doctor. Not that I noticed myself though.

"Hey, seeing as Nina's not going to be awake for a while, why don't you go home, unpack and ... I take it you're staying around for a bit?"

"Uhm ... I ... yes until my parents come back,"

"Good," He nodded,

"Okay, so go eat, freshen up, take a nap and we'll meet back here in let's say an hour?" He asked on the run turning only once.

"Oh, okay I-I guess." My God, Cooper Amel a Doctor. Why hadn't my parents told me, it would have saved a lot of embarrassment, mostly on my part, okay entirely on my part.

"And Sammy," He paused, "Coffee, isn't food." His crooked smile made its début, the same crooked smile, which used to get me into so much trouble ... so very long ago, and would again soon. Damn him and damn that crooked smile.

When I arrived at my parent's house the front lawn was layered with beer cans and polystyrene cups; rose bushes and hedges broken or bent to the side. Even the old oak modeled tendrils of toilet paper.

"What in God's name?" I voiced, marching up the stained paved walkway. I was disgusted, absolutely repulsed, not so much as I would be when I stepped across the edge of the gaping front door though.

The odor of stale beer and smoke turned my stomach inside out when I entered; empty pizza boxes, half-smoked butts, more beer cans and several torn and burned bits of papers covered every inch of the room. I could not believe Nina could have allowed this place to be vandalized like this. My parents would have had a fit if they saw the place in such a state. What was Nina thinking?