Choices

Chapter 3

"Hey, Sammy!"

I looked up from from my book to see my big brother waving at me with his usual goofy smile. His hair was all messed up probably from looking for me.

I was under my favorite tree at the nearby park, reading a book I didn't hate but also didn't love. I was only reading it to pass time.

My brother kept running toward me and stopped, panting right beside me.

"We've... been... looking... everywhere for you!" He said in between deep breaths. "C'mon, I've gotta go soon. Let's spend the last few hours together."

"No!" I screamed.

He looked at me with a sad face. His blue eyes melted me as he seemed really sad to hear me say that. His dark brown hair was lazily folding over his eyes a bit and I could clearly see his small muscles through his thin t-shirt. He was built a little but not so much.

"I don't want you to go! So I thought if I ran away and hid you wouldn't leave."

I was 16 and my brother was my only good friend. Sure I had a boyfriend but he could never be like my brother. But he had to go away. Go to college. 6 states away. I couldn't do it. After all these years he's been a crutch for me. I don't know how to do things without him.

And I didn't care if I was acting childish about this situation.

"Oh, Sammy. You know that I would still go to college without you. I would regret it but, it's taken me about 2 years in order to get into this school. It's my dream school, you know that."

I saw the pain in his face. I held down my head starting to feel guilty for my selfish want to keep him here with me.

"I know. I'm sorry," I sighed getting up. He immediately smiled and cheered up.

He put a hand on my head and pulled me close into a side hug.

"Hey what's with the long face? Don't tell me your going to miss me that much. I mean,b I k m ow everyone's gonna miss since I'm that amazing."

I pushed Justin from his dumb response and tried to hold back my smile.

"C'mon. Let's go back before mom foes something crazy."

Together we walked back home and ate our last meal together. Well, for a while at least. He did promise to visit.

Dad stood up and cleared his throat.

"I just want you to know Justin, that I am very, very proud of you. After you failed the first time I thought you were going to give up and try to go somewhere else. But no. You got back up and tried again and again, saved up money and finally reached your goal. Congratulations my son."

He smiled a tender smile and looked at my brother with kind eyes. Justin was blushing a little.

"Stop it dad. Not with mom here," he whispered. Mom was lightly crying.

"My boys all grown up," she sobbed. I smiled as I looked at my happy, warm family.

"Okay, you got everything?" My dad asked as he moved my brothers bags and boxes of stuff into the car.

"Yeah I doubled checked. Nothing I'm forgetting," he answered looking at the boxes.

After all of the boxes and bags were packed into the car, dad and Justin came back in. I ran up to Justin and hugged him tight, tears streaming down my face.

"You better come back! Promise me!" I cried looking up at him.

He kissed the top of my head and squeezed me. After he let me go dad hugged me.

"I'll be back in the morning kiddo," dad said opening the front door. Dad walked out and to the car. Justin stood there looking at me.

"Come here Samantha. I need to tell you something."

I froze. He never calls me by my real name.

"W-what is it?" I nervously asked. He pulled me to the other room away from mom.

"I want you to break up with your boyfriend and just be friends with him."

I was shocked.

"What why?!" I screamed. Justin would never ask of this.

"Just... trust me," he whispered.

I looked at him. He had a serous face but with a smile on.

"Fine. I promise if you promise to get me something for a souvenir," I said with a smirk on.

He laughed. "I promise."

Dad walked back in as we walked back to the door.

"C'mon Justin! You'll miss the flight!"

Justin and dad ran to the car as I stood at the porch waving back.

"Bye! Drive safe!" I screamed before they turned around the corner. Happy and confident he'd come visit, I walked back in and closed the door.

Little did know that that would be the last time I saw them both.