We're Soulmates

I'm Not Sorry

In those three days, Ty waited for her. He would stay outside playing a game on his phone. He got excited when he heard the Pearson door open but calmed down when he saw it was only Mr or Mrs. Pearson, or that girl who looked a lot like Samiyah. He'd almost gotten tricked by that girl the first time, but even from across the street he could see that those eyes were not Samiyah's.

Samiyah peeked out of her window looking at Ty. She knew he was waiting for her to come back out. She looked at the magazine her mother had forgotten to give her the first time. Mrs. Pearson had asked her to go back over to Ms. Robison's when she came home from that horrifying moment. She told her mom she would deliver it, but she didn't. She was too terrified.

"Are you still staring at that boy?" Samiyah's 21-year-old sister, Jelena, asked. She shook her head at Samiyah. "Just go on over there!" She said frustrated.

"No! Go away!" Samiyah spat at her.

But on that third day of not being outside, Mrs. Pearson found the magazine sitting on Samiyah's desk in her room.

"Sammi!" She yelled not so happily. Samiyah came quickly from the kitchen and into her room. She saw her mother with the magazine and froze.

"Uh huh." Mrs. Pearson nodded her head. "Momma, can't Jelena take it?"

"I asked you to take and that's what you're gonna do!"

"Momma, please!"

"Why? 'Cause of that silly headed Lil boy? Girl, he ain't gone bite you! Take it!" She shoved the magazine into her arms.

He practically did, Samiyah thought to herself touching her lips. She dreaded this moment. She was thinking so hard about it, her head ached. She felt dizzy.

I just go over there and deliver it real fast, she thought. I don't even have to face him. I'll just ring the doorbell, drop it, and run! She saw that as a really good idea. She peeked out the window and saw that he'd gone inside. Thank God! She opened the door and rushed across the street.

   

Ty had gone inside to make himself a sandwich. He was in the middle of toasting his bread when he heard the doorbell ring. He ran so fast to the door his socks were coming off. When he opened the door Samiyah was already halfway down the driveway.

   

"Samiyah!" He yelled after her. "Dang!" He picked up the magazine and closed the door. He smelled something awful. The fire alarm began to go off. "Ah shoot!"

Once Samiyah was back in her house, she breathed slower. Jelena came around with a bowl of grapes and looked at her surprised.

"What happened to you? You look like you were running from wolves child." Samiyah rolled her eyes and went past her without saying anything.

"Just telling the truth." Jelena followed Samiyah into her room. She plopped on Samiyah's bed and ate her grapes.

"Don't you have a husband to go home to?" Samiyah asked her sitting in her chair picking up her book. "You don't want me here?"

"I'm not saying that, but... whatever." Jelena practically lived with them. She was over every day and even ate dinner with them at night. Samiyah didn't mind, though. She really did like having her around, but she just didn't know when she would leave. Jelena didn't know either.

"So, what's up with that boy across the street?" Jelena asked. "Nothing is up with him! Don't ask me that again," Samiyah answered quickly shutting down the conversation that Jelena was for sure gonna start.