iBeautifulDisaster

Chapter 12- iSchool

Chapter 12: iSchool (updated spelling and grammar)

SAMS POV:

"What?" I stammered in disbelief. How could it be her? What was she doing here? How had she found me? Did she know? Panic tightened its grip around my chest, making it hard to draw in a breath. My vision blurred, and my breaths grew shallow and rapid until Freddie's hands enclosed my head.

"Sam, look at me. You're okay. It's okay. I'm right here, princess," he reassured, his voice a comforting anchor in the storm. His touch on my cheek was gentle, grounding me in the present moment. Slowly, as I focused on his words, the fog in my mind began to lift. I had never experienced someone helping me through an attack like this before, and his presence was a soothing balm, easing the tightness in my chest.

But before I could fully regain my composure, a loud, insistent knock at the door shattered the fragile peace.

"SAM! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE. OPEN UP," my mom's angry voice demanded. Freddie squeezed my hand, offering silent reassurance, before opening the door to confront her fury.

"Good evening, Ms. Puckett," Freddie greeted her, his tone calm despite the tension crackling in the air.

"You. Don't you even dare talk to me, you bastard," my mom spat, her finger jabbing accusingly.

"Excuse me?" Freddie's confusion mirrored my own.

"You heard me. How dare you," my mom shot back, her anger boiling over.

"Hold on. Maybe you're confused. How dare me? What did I do?" Freddie's confusion only added to the chaos swirling inside my head.

"You married my daughter. Yeah, I know things. How do I know? Well, apparently after you sign a certificate to get married, they notify the state and guess what... they took her off of my monthly checks. You've been married for all of ten minutes, and they sent me a letter in the mail that I can't claim her, and the money I would be getting to support her is no longer going to be attached to my check. So how dare you," she bitterly spat at him.

I observed his response carefully, noticing the visible rage brewing within him. He shifted his stance, taking a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking. Meanwhile, anger surged through me, hotter and more intense than I'd felt in a long time. Support checks? She receives support checks for me, and I haven't seen a penny of them? I chose not to dwell on it and spoke my mind.

"Whoa! SUPPORT CHECKS? You receive support checks and yet you don't even spend a dime on me? I've been buying my own groceries, necessities, and school supplies. I even paid for my own college application fee. I've been paving my own way since I was 10! How could you? What kind of a mother are you? I mean, I knew you were sending Mel to a private school, but what about me? You couldn't even buy me pencils for middle school? Get out. Don't ever talk to me again. My husband and I don't welcome you here in our home," I declared, crossing my arms over my chest and fixing her with a steely gaze. Tears welled up in my eyes once more, but this time, they were fueled by frustration and resentment. I was exhausted from crying. I despised her. How could she? Shock registered on her face, perhaps from the fact that I was finally standing up to her, and that it seemed Freddie and I were determined to stay married.

"Your husband? Your home? Get this through your head, Samantha. Your so-called 'marriage' is destined to fail. Once this boy is finished exploiting you for who knows what, he'll 'divorce' you and move on. You're just a white trash delinquent. He doesn't love you," she spat venomously at me. And that's when Freddie could no longer contain his fury.

"Get out of our home, Pam. Sammy doesn't need your lies and toxicity. I love her with every fiber of my being, and I'm not using her. She's my entire world. I'm sorry your marriages failed, but ours is built on genuine friendship and love. I trust Sam with my life. We support each other and we'll face life together. If you have something to say to Sam, you can talk to me. Your negativity in her life is unfathomable. How can you even call yourself a mother? Sorry about your support check nonsense, but understand this: our marriage is beautiful, and we don't want you to be a part of it. Get out. Goodbye," he stated firmly, escorting her out as her hurtful words continued to reverberate in my mind, sowing seeds of doubt. How could she be so cruel?