High School Romance with The Malek Brothers

Chapter Seventy Eight.

Sami rolled over onto his side and immediately woke up. He quietly slipped out of bed to use the bathroom and wash is face. He saw a sketch book propped up against the mirror. He moved it aside only to watch it flip open to a page in the middle. He pulled it closer to him and immediately saw his name scrawled all over the pages. Little hearts adorned the i's in his name. He thumbed through the sketch book to find that it not only belongs to Rykie but that she has been writing his name and little poems about him since 2017. For the past two years? He realized in astonishment.

His heart began to race. He instantly was taken back to the first time he saw her in class. It was actually on her first day, two years ago. The teacher had asked her to come up front and introduce herself to the class. As she started to walk up to the front of the room she nearly tripped over someone's backpack. She immediately began to blush and made up an excuse to leave the classroom. He so badly wanted to check on her and ask if she was OK. Except Sami was shy. Less shy than his twin brother, but still, plenty shy. He hated social situations and never knew what to say. So instead he'd just watch her in class and admire her soft, shiny hair from behind. Sometimes he'd try to sketch her in his notebook. It was always abstract but still, he knew it was her. Her lips and her smile, those were his favorite parts to draw.

Sami stood stuck in his own day dream when a soft knock sounded on the bathroom door. He was instantly transported back to reality. "Who's there?" He rasped. "Me." He heard Rykie's sweet voice respond. Sami unlocked the door and opened it for her. He sheepishly pulled the notebook from the bathroom counter and handed it to her. "I found this." He shot her a little grin. Rykie blushed. "Oh?" She asked. The nervousness clearly written on her face.

Sami walked over to her and pulled her close to him. He recounted how he had a crush on her from the very first day she arrived in his classroom. "I used to, uh, well... I used to sketch you." He mumbled now looking down at the floor. Rykie beamed at this. "I'd like to see them please." She begged. The excitement resonating in her tone. "Sure, maybe some time." Sami nodded. Rykie hugged him tight.

Just then Rykie's bedroom door slammed open. Margeaux came rushing in. She jumped onto Rykie's bed and yelled for her aunt to join her. "Sami too!" Margeaux added. They both sat down on the bed. Rykie grabbed for her niece and started tickling her.

Margeaux recounted her tale of visiting Mason at the hospital. "He liked his pancakes but was very naughty to the nurses. He yelled a lot." Margeaux said. Jacques walked into the room then. He explained that Mason was still in a bit of pain and seemed to be getting a touch crotchety. Everyone laughed. "That's our Mason." Chuckled Erik, Rykie's father, said as he too entered the bedroom.

Sami adjusted his shirt and nervously tried his best to avoid making eye contact with Erik. Erik seemed distracted by his granddaughter's tales to even notice the unmade bed and both his daughter and new boyfriend in pajamas and rumpled hair. Luckily, Jacques broke the tension in the air when he said we should all go downstairs. Lunch was ready and waiting for everyone. Erik left the room first with Margeaux in his arms. Rykie shut her bedroom door and took off her pajamas. She pulled on a fitted long sleeve shirt and her paint splattered jeans. Sami put his black t shirt and jeans on. And they both headed downstairs, hand in hand.