by Anna L
“What the heck are you doing here?” Brent asked Sam. “I am not supposed to see you until Wednesday.”
“Just messing with you,” Sam replied, taking a step into my house.
“Were you the one knocking on the windows and doors?”
“Yeah, I was just seeing your reaction.” Sam laughed.
“It’s not funny.”
“Well, I thought it was.”
“You woke Catherine up from a nap.”
“Oh. Sorry Kate.” Sam actually looked sorry. Sam stepped all the way into my house and shut the door.
“You don’t mean that,” Brent said.
“Actually I do.” He started to move towards me and Brent followed him.
Sam sat down on the couch next to me and Brent sat down on the opposite side. I didn’t know what to do.
“You can fall back asleep if you want, Catherine,” Sam said putting his arm around me. It felt so right for it to be there. I was instantly tired and wanted to lean on Sam and fall asleep.
“Yeah, on my, shoulder.” Brent leaned over and wrapped his arms around me and pulled me away from Sam. I was now on Brent’s lap and his hand was pushing my head into his chest. I closed my eyes and relaxed.
“She can trust me,” Brent whispered to Sam.
“She will learn how to trust me in time,” Sam said. He stood up, grabbed the remote to the T.V. and sat back down. He muted the T.V. afraid of waking me up again, the two boys sat there and did nothing, while I slept.
I didn’t know what time it was, but I must have been sleeping for a long time. The sun was setting in the west. I was still on my couch, but Brent must have moved me off his lap. I was sitting on the couch with my head on his lap. He was relaxed and he was watching T.V. Sam was still there. He was on the other side of me. I was surprised that Brent hadn’t made him leave awhile ago.
The boys must have noticed that I was awake, because they turned the T.V. volume down and began whispering. I was still too tired to comprehend what they were talking about.
“Cat, you awake?” Brent asked very sweetly.
“Yeah, still tired though,” I replied. “What time is it?”
“Around 6:30 P.M. When does your family get home,” Sam asked.
“They should be home by now.”
The room was silent as I was thinking, but then I remembered.
“But, William had a football dinner. Thomas and Oscar had a party for a kid in my class, right after school, and Margaret had a date tonight. Did she leave?”
“Yeah, she left right before you woke up,” Brent said to me.
“Oh. Okay. My mom has a late shift at work today, after her meetings, so she won’t be home until 8:30 or so. She should be the first one home,” I said to the boys.
“So we are home alone until 8:30?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, but don’t get any crazy ideas. Why are you still here?”
“I was never asked to leave,” Sam said.
“Oh. Okay.” I relaxed my head again.
The room was silent for a little longer. I was thinking about what we were going to do for the rest of the night. My stomach growled and we all laughed.
“Should we get sleeping beauty something to eat,” Brent asked.
“I think we should,” Sam said, standing up.
I sat up and I had a major headache. I was still very tired. Who cared if I was hungry? I still want to sleep.
“Come on,” Sam said to me. He put his hands out offering to help me up. I took his hands and he pulled me up.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
“No problem,” Sam said as he walked towards to kitchen. I turned around to help Brent.
He grabbed my hands, but instead of me helping him, he pulled me back down. I was sitting on his lap again. We both laughed and then he pulled me closer to him for a tight hug.
I climbed off his lap and I offered to helped him up again. He took my hands, and I helped him up. He let go of my hands on the way up and grabbed my face between his hands. He kissed my very softly on the lips. The kiss was unexpected, but very sweet. That was what I liked most about Brent, how sweet he was.
“Do you two love birds want something to eat?” Sam’s voice sounded happy but irritated at the same time.
I pulled away from Brent and walked over to where Sam was. “I am very hungry, Sam,” I said.
“Yeah, I thought you would be.” Sam smiled at me and I had no choice to smile back.
“What do you think we should have for dinner,” I asked Sam and Brent.
“I don’t really care. We could order pizza or something,” Sam said.
“That doesn’t sound bad,” Brent agreed.
“Okay then. Let’s order some pizza.” I went over to the telephone and called the pizza shop that was downtown. The boys mouthed what they wanted and then we went back on the couch to wait for the pizza.
About 20 minutes later the door bell rang. I got up to get it, but Sam pulled me back on the couch and Brent stood up to get to door.
“What the heck? I was going to get the door,” I snapped at Sam.
“Don’t worry about it. Just relax,” Sam said to me. He patted the couch space next to him, but I just stood up and went into the kitchen.
Sam had no idea how badly I wanted to sit down next to him with his arms around me. But I couldn’t here, not with Brent in the house.
Chapter 24
The pizza was good that night, but there was too much on my mind to really enjoy it. I was worried about Wednesday. I didn’t want Sam to come on the trip to Italy, because I was scared that I was going to actually start to like him. I used to hate him, he kissed me, things changed. I really like Brent and I can’t find any reason to “break up” with him, not that I am planning on it anytime soon.
After dinner I cleaned up and put everything away. It was 8:00 P.M. when I sat back down on the couch in between Sam and Brent. Brent put his arm around me. Brent wanted to make sure that Sam wasn’t going to touch me. I smiled to myself and laughed in my head.
I think that Brent knew that there was something going on between me and Sam. It wasn’t that hard to figure out. I still didn’t trust him, but when Sam looks at me I can tell he never wants to stop. I guess that kind of bugs me because I already have a boyfriend. I don’t want to have to worry about cheating, even though Sam has forced me to already.
As I was thinking this through the boys were talking about the trip to Italy. I didn’t really feel like listening so I kept to myself. I stood up and they stopped talking. I walked up into my room and lay down on my bed. I was really tired and didn’t really want to be with either of them right now.
It didn’t take long for the boys to realize they missed me. I was only in my room for five minutes before I heard a knock on my door.
“Come in,” I said, expecting it to be Brent.
The door opened and Sam walked in.
“What do you want,” I asked him.
“Brent said that I could talk to you,” Sam said.
“He must really trust you, then.”
“I told him that if I mess up I won’t go with you guys to Italy.”
“Oh.”
“Can I sit next to you?” Sam walked closer to my bed.
“Sure.” I moved away from where he was about to sit.
“I just want to talk to you.”
“Obviously.”
Sam laughed and then began talking again. “I just want to clarify what is going on between us before we go to Italy. There won’t be a lot of time that the two of us will have together and I thought that this was the only good time.” Sam paused for a little bit. “I like you Catherine, a lot. I want you to know that. The only thing that I am not looking forward to during the trip is seeing Brent claim you. I hate it when his arm is around you or anything. I just want to punch him in the face. It makes me so jealous.” He paused and waited for me to look at him. When I did, he began to talk again.
“I haven’t had that much time to get to kno
w you, but from when we walked through the forest, the last time we were in your room, and the incidents at school, I have grown to like you, a lot. I think that you might have noticed that.” I nodded and Sam kept talking. “I guess I just have a question for you.” I looked up at him and he smiled at me. “Do you like me?”
I took a deep breath before I answered this question. I knew that Sam was going to ask me this question sooner or later. I had my answer too. I just didn’t want to mess up anything that I already had with Brent.
“This is a hard question to answer, Sam.”
“I know, but I have been thinking about it all afternoon.”
“Yes.” I looked down at the floor. Sam grabbed my chin gently and forced me to look at him.
“You know, I already knew that. I just wanted to hear you say it.” He smiled again and I pulled my face from his hands, looking back at the floor. “Tell me more,” Sam requested.
“Okay. I used to hate you. That was obvious. Sometimes I think that you are just so mean. I started thinking about you after you ran into me in the hallway, and when you stood up for me in front of your friends. Everything changed after you made me kiss you. I realized that I liked you. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. But, Brent has done more for me. Yes, I enjoyed your kiss, but I can’t base who I like by how they kiss. It’s unfair. Also, I sometimes get confused. The incidents at school and during our kiss, you seemed really sweet, and I felt like I was under a spell. But, when we were in the forest you were so mean to me and that’s when I hated you. I like you, Sam, but I like Brent more. I want to get to know you more, and I guess that is why I actually want you to come to Italy with us.”I took a deep breath and waited for Sam’s response. I had been rambling.
“Can you say that again, please?” Sam was smiling.
“Are you serious. I don’t remember all of that!” I said.
“Just the part about you liking me.” Sam’s eyes were shining.
“Sam, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you and that kiss.” I said, looking down at my hands.
“I know. I haven’t stopped thinking about you either.”
“But, I still love Brent.” I said.
“Yeah, that makes sense. The first time I talked to you I was sweet, like you said. The second time we talked to each other, I was kidnapping you in the forest. I can see why you would be confused.” We both laughed.
“Thank you for talking to me Kate.”
“You’re welcome, but just because I agree that I like you, doesn’t mean that you can do whatever you want to me. What you did at the restaurant was not fun. Please do not do that.”
“I’ll try.” He smiled and I just shook my head. Maybe I liked that too; when he teased me.
We walked down the stairs and I sat next to Brent on the couch. He put his arm around me and I instantly thought of how much that made Sam jealous.
There was nothing that I could do about that though. If I moved away, Brent would think that I was mad at him or something weird like that.
I just sat there and thought. Everyone would be home soon and the boys would have to go anyways.
There was a knock at the door. I looked at Brent and he immediately got up to get the door.
I moved towards Sam who put his hand in my hand. As soon as he touched me, I forgot everything. I literally had to shake myself to focus on who was at the door. I recognized the voice. It was Loren.
“What is he doing here,” I whispered to Sam.
“I have no idea,” Sam replied. He ducked down so it looked like he wasn’t there.
“What are you doing here,” Brent asked Loren, who was waiting outside.
“What are you doing here,” Loren asked Brent.
“Catherine and I are hanging out.”
“Oh.”
“So, answer my question.”
“Oh, yeah. I just wanted to talk to Catherine, that’s all.”
“Why do you need to talk to her,” Brent asked.
“I wanted to talk to her about the Italy trip.”
“What about it,” Brent was getting very mad.
“Just please let me talk to her.” Loren was fed up too.
“Cat, Loren wants to talk to you.” Brent yelled at me. I got up, leaving Sam on the couch and walked over to the front door, where Brent and Loren were.
“Hi, Catherine,” Loren changed his tone of voice.
“Hi,” I mumbled.
“Can I talk to you out here for a moment,” Loren asked me.
“No! You can both come in here,” Brent snapped. “I will leave the room.” Brent shut the door, sat us down at the table and winked at me. I knew that he remembered that Sam was on the couch, and would listen in, or help me if I needed it.
“So, what’s new,” Loren asked me.
“I thought we were talking about Italy,” I said.
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“I don’t want to talk to you, so let’s get this over with.”
“Fine. Do you have any questions?”
“Yes, but I don’t want to ask you anymore.”
“Oh, did he tell you everything?” I knew that Loren was talking about Brent.
“I don’t know.”
“Okay, can I tell you some things? There are some important details and I don’t think that anyone has told you them.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do you know about your dad?”
“That he was kidnapped.”
“Do you know why?”
“I think so,” I said hesitantly.
“So you don’t know for sure?”
“No, I don’t know, why?” I just wanted Loren to leave.
“I think that they left out something very important.”
“What do you mean?” I was very confused.
“Why do you think that you are going with?” He kept asking me questions.
“I don’t know I guess.” I was starting to get mad.
“They haven’t told you why you are going?”
“I don’t think so. I thought I was just going to help out.” My voice was shaky and anyone could tell that I was scared to death.
“Would you like me to tell you why you are going?”
“Sure,” I wasn’t sure what to say. I was shaking.
“Stop talking Loren! You are scaring her.”
Loren’s head snapped up in surprise. Sam sat up and walked over towards where we were sitting in the kitchen.
Loren was speechless. He had no idea Sam was in the other room. Brent came into the room as well. I think Brent heard Sam snap at Loren.
“What?” Loren was so confused.
“Sam said you were scaring her. And I don’t think that you need to be telling her that information,” Brent said. His face was serious. I wasn’t going to ask any questions. I was going to make Brent and Sam tell me later. I had to get Loren out of my house first.
“I know what Sam said. What is Sam doing here?” Loren snapped.
“I am hanging out with Brent and Catherine.”
“Right.” Loren seemed very angry. “You’re switching sides.
“I think you should leave now,” Sam said, ignoring Loren.
“We will tell her. She is going to want to know, now that you brought it up.” Brent was mad.
“Fine, I will leave then, but don’t be surprised if I check back in. She deserves to know.” Loren smiled and walked to the door. He let himself out without another word.
Once the door was shut and I was sure that Loren was gone, I stood up and went to the couch.
“What was Loren talking about?” Sam asked, Brent as I walked over to the couch.
“Nothing, you need to worry about, Sam.” Brent said, with no expression.
I wasn’t sure if I still wanted to know. This could be something bad, something I didn’t want to know. What I wanted to know was why I wasn’t told earlier and why Loren thought he could come over to my house and tell me about it.
Now I was 100% sure that Brent was keeping something from me. And I don’t think that Sam knew either, but for some reason I don’t think he knows what he is getting into either.
Chapter 25
I sat on the couch for about five minutes. The boys were in the kitchen talking, but I wasn’t paying attention to what they were saying. They had to shake me to focus, after they had been standing right in front of me. I couldn’t focus on anything right now.
“You okay, Cat?” Brent asked. He took my chin in his hand and forced me to look at him. I nodded my head and then laid down. I was suddenly tired. The rest of my family would be home at any time.
Brent didn’t try to keep me awake after I laid down. He seemed content to let me sleep.
I slept hard this time. When I woke up, someone was tapping me. I jerked awake and Thomas jumped.
“What are you doing,” I asked.
“I don’t know. I was seeing if you were awake.”
“Obviously I wasn’t. What time is it?”
“Around 10:00 P.M.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Brent and Sam are trying to distract mom from the kitchen. I think that they want to get her out of the house, maybe grocery shopping or something. William, Margaret, and Oscar are working on homework. And I am here, with you.”
“Oh.” Thomas had always been there for me. He was much nicer that Oscar and wasn’t always asking me questions about my personal life. He would occasionally, but not as much as Oscar did. Thomas was my favorite brother. He was my age, had the same interests, and actually cared about me.
I started to get up off the couch, but suddenly Brent was next to Thomas. He wanted me to stay sleeping.
“Let me get up.” I told Brent.
“No, you need your rest,” Brent replied.
“I just slept and I am hungry, let me get up!” I began sitting up, but another hand had rested on my shoulder.
“Lay down.” Sam’s voice was strong and convincing.
“Fine, but why?” I asked, giving in.
“You really need sleep, and the time difference is big between here and Italy.” Brent explained, but I didn’t buy it.
“Seriously.”
“Okay, seriously, he should be telling us something, but he won’t tell us until we are in Italy.” Sam said, looking at Brent, who didn’t make eye contact. Now, I was convinced that Brent was keeping something from all of us; not just me. Sam seemed oblivious to what Brent was keeping to himself.