A Summer of Discovery

Chapter Nine

2004

Sam finally arrived back in town with only two weeks left of the holidays before school started up. He came straight over with gifts to hand from Atlanta. His silly grin was plastered over his face as he scooped me up on the front porch.

"I have missed your ugly face" I said with my eyes closed tight and a smile spreading across my lips.

"Oh god me too" He replied putting me back down in the doorway.

"Emery you look ... What have you done? New hair? Makeup? You look weird?" He asked looking me up and down with a funny look on his face.

"I'm a little flushed at the moment" I said holding my cheeks in my hands hoping they would cool down.

"Have you been out running track? Are you ill?" He asked concerned.

"Oh god no" I had to laugh. Sam had perfect timing id give him that.

"Since when did you wear crop tops" He said staring at my naked navel.

"It's not a crop top it just got ripped" I said placing my hand there instinctively to hide my flesh from his gaze.

"Oh yeah" he said eyeing up the white fabric threads hanging from the base of my vest.

"You look pretty... hot actually" He said eyeing up my petite bed shorts, messy hair, torn clothing and red cheeks.

"I think so" Lilly said rushing down the stairs in her white washed denim shorts and pink bra.

Sam's eyes popped out of his head as he looked at the half naked sight of Lilly. Her beautiful blond locks sitting messy on her waist.

"I told you to wait upstairs" I begged Lilly embarrassed.

"Sam here isn't embarrassed are you Sam?" She asked knowing the answer.

He looked at me with agitation. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing" I said desperately trying to undo the horror on his face.

Lilly walked over to me and placed her hand in mine.

Sam watched her. "You're not with her are you?" he asked backing up on the porch and letting the screen door close between us.

I didn't know what to say. I got my words caught in my throat. Through the discolored white mesh door his eyes found mine and I felt my heart sink into my stomach at the hurt I saw there.

"Emery what are you doing are you crazy? Your Pops would kill you if he knew not to mention everyone else in this town. I told you to stay away from her"

"Shut up Jerk face, just because you don't have a girlfriend doesn't mean Emery can't have someone. Who cares what people say? She's just turned seventeen give her a break and let her be happy"

"Lilly" I warned

"If he's not accepting that you're happy Em, let him leave"

Sam turned to walk out but I pushed the screen door open with a bang and grabbed him by the wrist. "Please don't be like this Sam... I... love her"

"You don't love her Em"

"I do" I said hanging off his arm.

"I got to go. I'll see you soon"

"Please Sam don't tell Pops" I begged.

He walked over the yard dropping a travel size bottle of whiskey and a snow globe. I walked out and grabbed both from public view before I slammed the bottle down on the kitchen counter. I held the snow globe at eye height and flicked it with my wrist upside down so the glitter fell around the globe on the city of Atlanta.