Happier // s.w *ON HOLD*

3

Sammy

"I was a walking disaster. Fans would constantly come up to me and ask me about you, but I was so ashamed and upset to say I had left you because of this other woman. On the outside, I looked fine. Everyone thought I was strong but in reality I was a mess, Sammy. I always wanted to be alone, I didn't want to be Albany Whittmore anymore. Emily tried so hard to fix me, I give her so much credit for putting up with me for as long as she did. But, like everyone else— she didn't want to handle me anymore. The fights became a weekly thing and we rarely spoke to each other. She told me she would leave if I didn't get help, but I didn't think she'd actually do it, y'know?"

Albany sniffled and was so caught up in spilling her feelings that she didn't realize she was going 90 in a 55.

"A-Al, pull over. You can't drive like this, you're gonna hit something."

She obeyed and pulled over on the side of the road. She placed her exotic car in park and kept her head down. She picked her legs up and sat criss-coss in the driver's seat.

"I was alone for a while, physically and mentally. Being without you shattered me into millions of pieces. I couldn't stop thinking about you with S-Stas. I hit rock bottom for those couple of months, a new low I didn't even know I could hit. It was horrible, I didn't know what to do with myself. Yeah, my aunt and Vince were around but they didn't know what was going on at home. T-Then one day at a photoshoot, these two goofballs walked in. Cameron and Aaron. I was surprised at myself once I started falling for Aaron because I was certain I was never going to get over you. The two of us hit it off and the next thing I know, we're together. It was like he had relit the match inside of me, he became my light at the end of the tunnel. He's my best friend and someone I love very much. On social media and in public, i'm happy. But I swear to you, not a day has gone by since that first week into senior year where I haven't thought about you."

I almost choked, on nothing.

"All this time I had convinced myself that you were done with me, so sitting here with you right now proves that there's still something between us." The words flew out of my mouth before I could think about what I was going to say.

"I don't know about that, Sammy. But, there's something about you that I just can't shake." She said softly, playing with her finger tips.

"Do you love him?"

For the first time in a while, she looked at me in the eyes.

"Do you love Aaron?" I repeated.

She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it. She nodded.

"Do you love me?"

"Sam-"

"Please just– answer the question, Albany."

"I always have."

"I can't let you do that to me, it's not fair."

"Sam..."

The way my name rolled off her lips made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. She had no clue what she did to me.

"You can't love me and be with him."

"You can't love me and be with her." She retorted, making a point.

"I want you back." I breathed, finally getting it off my chest.

"I can't do that to Aaron, Sam, it's not right." She whispered.

"Fine, but I want you back in my life and so do the Jacks. Please let me see you again, let me talk to you and make you laugh and smile because that's what I miss the most."