Saving the Heart

♥ Chapter Seven ♥

♥ Chapter Seven ♥

    “Sam,” I begged as I followed him down the hall.  He was busy acting the same as he had all week, snooty and deaf.  I was getting sick of it.  

    I grabbed a hold of his shoulder, forcing him to man up and face me.

    “What the heck is going on with you?”  His response was a disinterested glare.  “I’ve been trying to talk to you all week.  Why are you avoiding me?  I didn’t tell anyone if that’s what you’re thinking...heck, I don’t know who I would tell.  Did I do something wrong?”

    “You should have left me on that floor.”

    “So you could die, that sounds fine.  I’ll keep that in mind next time.”  Sam rolled his eyes.

    “You would take it like that.”  He grumbled as he turned from me to leave.

    “Oh no you don’t,” I reprimanded as I grabbed a hold of his wrist, yanking him back around. “Honestly, all you’re doing now is acting like the boy I always thought you are.  I don’t think this applies to you, college, but college has deadlines.  If you can’t suck up a fainting spell and get over it to help me out like you promised, then I’ll go looking for someone else to tutor me.  Tell me it’s over and I’ll move.”

    “See, that’s what gets me.  I’m not pissed because I fainted, I’m pissed that you ran it in because I can’t afford another bill coming home.”  My eyebrows drew together.  “Happy?” He asked, taking a step back and holding out his arms.  “I’m broke.  Flat on my ass, alone with enough going on as it is.  Yes, I have HVC, but that doesn’t slow me down.  I’d rather live as I am, broken with two jobs trying to catch up to that sad train over staying back in a shelter.  Sorry if I wasted your time.” And with that he left.  

    I couldn’t help the expression on my face, the open mouth, the glazed eyes.  What?  

    “Sam,” I groaned, jogging to catch up to him this time over actually forcing him to face me.  “Sam, I’m sorry.  I didn’t think that you had...money issues.”

    “Don’t act like you can’t tell.” He told me, not meeting my eyes as we walked through the crowded school halls.  “You’ve judged me ever since I came here, I’m not blind, nor deaf.  I get it.  I’m different.  Big whoop.”

    “HVC...like hyper-”

    “-trophic cardiomyopathy, yeah.  I would say I’m surprised that you knew what that was, but then again it’s you.  The all glorified daughter of a doctor, only girl of seven kids.”

    “Yeah,” I awkwardly hugged myself, not quite sure what more to add.
    “Look, Kennedy, it isn’t that I’ve been entirely avoiding you, I just...this tutor thing isn’t going to work out anymore.”  I met his eyes, my confusion and pity quickly replaced with something completely different, anger.  “Thanks to you I’m even more in the hole, I took up extra hours at Main Street Pizza and Jack’s helping me out at the rink.  I just don’t have time.”  He shrugged, as if what he had just told me was an adequate apology for destroying what I had been trying to build

    “I’ll fix this.” I told him, nodding to myself.  

    “Kennedy, I told you there is nothing to fix.” I shook my head, backing away for him.  I owed it to him.

    “My dad, he takes in kids with disabilities, gets them on out insurance, gets them taken care of.”

    “First off, like I have already told you multiple times, I don’t take charity.  Second, what makes you think I want a family, and third.  No.  I’m nineteen.  I’ve been through enough foster homes to know that seventeen is the limit.”  My face fell.  Well poop.  “I get that you want to help,” he added as he took a step away from me, shrugging.  “But you can’t.” And with that he fell back into the crowd of people scurrying out of the building.