The Old Song

Part XX

"Hey y/n."
She opened her eyes and came face to face with a worried looking Susie.
"What?" She said rubbing her eyes tiredly.
"It's been over three hours since Sammy's left the music room, and the door's locked so we can't get to him. He's been acting really strange since he had that meeting with Joey, and I was wondering if you could talk to him."
"Okay." she yawned.
Susie helped y/n to her feet and followed her up to the music room.
"Hey Sammy, you all good in there?"
.. No response.
"Sammy, it's almost time to leave."
They waited for a response that never came.
"I'll go shout at him from the projectionist booth."
"One minor problem, he locked that door too. He really didn't want us to know what he was up to in there."
"Hmm.. SAMMY LAWRENCE!"
Susie jumped at the sudden shout.
They could hear the sound of a metal door slowly opening and heavy footsteps coming their way.
"What could be so important- oh hi y/n."
"You almost sound disappointed to see me."
"I'm not it's just.."
"You've been in there for over three hours. What were you doing?"
"You really are nosey, aren't you Susie? I was doing my duty if you really must know."
She gave him a questioning look, and y/n was still to tired to process what was happening.
"Well it's almost eight, so can we go home?"
"I'm sorry my little sheep, but I have a good bit of work to finish today so do you mind if we stay over?"
"Fine." She said crossing her arms and pouting slightly.
He snickered and patted her on the head.
"You're so cute when your tired."
"Shut up!"
Susie smiled at how cute they were, but deep down she was still a tad bit jealous that he chose y/n over her.
"I'm heading home, see ya tomorrow little sis."
They waved and when she had left, Sammy pulled y/n inside the music room, locking it behind them.
"So what have you been doing in here?"
"I thought I already told you girls that."
"Yeah but I was expecting a different answer than what you gave Susie."
He shrugged and looked over his shoulder.
"You just stay out here and do whatever, I've got some private work to finish before we leave."
"Private work? Is that fancy for you're doing something you don't want me to know about."
"I can have things in my life that don't involve you, ya know."
Y/n felt a tiny pain in her heart when he said that. "Yeah.. I know.. I just want to help out anyway I can.. Sorry if I'm a nuisance.."
"Your not." He said and kissed her on the head. "I'm just tired and a bit frustrated, and I would like some alone time to some things."
"okay..." she muttered.
He turned away and walked into an instrument storage room. Y/n thought it was a little weird, but remembered how he used it as a "sanctuary".
She didn't know what else to do so she laid down in a row of the old wooden chairs. She could feel her eyes growing heavy again, but she was able to fight it off.
"Maybe a glass of water would help me wake up a bit."
She was going to tell Sammy, but decided it was best not to disturb him.
She left the room and as she turned the corner she ran into no other than Bertrum.
"Ah, good evening my lady. Where are you off to?"
"Water."
"Excuse me?"
"Water."
".."
She walked around him and upstairs into the break room.
"Aw.. Wally must have forgotten to refill the ice box."
"He has a tendency to do that, doesn't he?"
"Are you following me?"
"Precisely. I was interested in knowing what you meant."
"I wanted some water. Is that so hard to understand, or is your skull just too thick."
"Oh.. Well.."
"Exactly." She walked past him again, but this time he grabbed her arm.
"I must know, what is it you see in that lousy music composer?"
"A kind heart, something I assume you've never had."
She tried to pull away but he grasped her tighter.
"Are the rumors true? Are you carrying his child?"
"So what if I am? I know you're jealous but just get over it already."
She tried to pull away again but he was much stronger than she was.
"Can you let go of me?"
"What's so bad about me, huh? Just tell me and I'll try to change, please I beg you!"
"Let go of me!"
He threw y/n against the wall with such force she fell onto her back and hit her head on a table.
She scrambled to get up and run but he had already regained his grip on her wrist.
"How about we make a deal. You leave that imbecile and I won't get him fired."
"I'm sure he'd rather lose his job then me. I'm willing to make sacrifices, but he isn't ever going to be one of them."
"Why won't you just give up already?!"
He shoved her again but she was able to catch her balance and run down the stairs and back to the music department.
She had almost made it back to the room, but she got her foot stuck in an ink puddle.
"Stupid god damn pipes! Why now of all times?"
"It seems fate is on my side today."
Bertrum had an almost predatorial look in his eyes.
"Leave me the hell alone!"
"Now where would the fun be in that?"
She tried to get her shoe unstuck from the ink, but it was past her shoe line and at her ankle.
"What should I do to you first?"
"I said stay back!"
She put her hand in some of the ink oozing down the wall and threw it at his face, and it got in his eyes.
"AHH! Why, you little.."
He ran into her trying to get the ink out of his eyes, which caused her to fall back into the puddle.
Once he got most the ink out of his eyes he glared at her.
"Alright little sheep, we can leave now."
He turned the corner to be greeted by the sight of Bertrum and y/n.
Bertrum quickly grabbed y/n's hand and pulled her up.
"You really outta be more careful, Miss y/n."
She gritted her teeth at him and he just pulled her out of the sticky puddle.
"Well, goodnight you two." He said waving and walking away, flexing his hand in rage.
"Bipolar creep." y/n whispered.
"You can't go five minutes without me by your side, can ya?"
"Hm?"
"It seems like you are constantly getting into trouble when I'm not around."
"Well now that you mention it.."
"Come on, my little sheep. You need a bath."

Y/n felt a bit self conscious as she walked down the road covered in ink. Anyone who noticed starred, and kids would point her out to their parents.
"Sammy, can we walk faster?"
"Maybe next time you shouldn't be hanging around that Bertrum."
"I didn't want or mean to! He kept following me and I just wanted some water." she wined.
"He didn't lay a hand on you, did he?"
"Maybe.. It wasn't anything too bad just-"
"I'm gonna kill him one day."
A strange man who was walking down the sidewalk towards them stopped directly in front of the pair, eyeing y/n.
"Excuse me Miss, but what is all over your.. everything?"
"That is none of your concern, now move aside before I make you."
The man backed off, intimidated by Sammy who was now grabbing y/n's hand and pulling her along. 

They finally arrived home, and y/n instantly jumped in the shower.
"This ink is insanely hard to get out of hair.."
She couldn't tell how long she had been in the shower, but it felt like hours when she finally managed to get all the ink off.
She left the bathroom and was a bit surprised to see that Sammy wasn't already in bed. That's when she heard some plinks from the piano in the parlor.
Y/n looked at the old grandfather clock that sat in the corner.
"It's almost midnight, what are you doing still up?"
"Finishing work."
"Can't you do that at the studio?"
"Not enough time."
She sighed at his blank responses.
"Sammy, can't you just finish it tomorrow? It's been a long day and you need sleep."
"Just go ahead and go to sleep. I'll be there shortly."
She knew there was probably no way to change his mind and gave up.
"Goodnight.." she said as she left the room.