In Your Arms

by Becky Andrews

  PhilyCheeseSteak: He said all that in one line of gibberish?

  SamIam: Yes, kids have a lot of imagination these days. So what are you going to tell him?

  PhilyCheeseSteak: You can tell him I’ll be there tomorrow. I mean I have to pick you up anyway. I might as well come over earlier and play with him.

  SamIam: Don’t come just because he wants you to, come because you want to.

  PhilyCheeseSteak: I do want to come. Why wouldn’t I?

  SamIam: Wait, did you say you’ll pick me up?

  PhilyCheeseSteak: Yeah. We’re going ice skating, right? Or did you change your mind already?

  SamIam: I haven’t changed my mind, I just wasn’t sure you would go after Tracy told you what I said. And also what I said to you

  PhilyCheeseSteak: Well, she shouldn’t have provoked you.

  SamIam: I shouldn’t have stooped to her level. Now I have to go put Benny to bed so, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

  PhilyCheeseSteak: Sure, talk to you tomorrow. Tell Benjamin I said good night.

  Sam logged off her account and walked Benjamin to his room.

  “All right, Benny, get into bed,” Sam said as she pulled back the comforter.

  Benjamin climbed into bed. “Do you like Phillip, Sammy?”

  “Why do you want to know, silly?”

  “Cause you were smiling when he was talking to you.”

  “Fine, silly, I like him. Will that make you go to bed?”

  “Does that mean I’ll get to see him more?”

  “No, Benny, because he doesn’t like me back,” Sam explained.

  “Oh…why?”

  “I don’t know, maybe you should ask him yourself,” she joked. “Okay, it’s time for bed.”

  “Where’s Thomas?” Benjamin asked.

  Sam searched around for Benjamin’s stuffed Thomas the Tank Engine. He couldn’t sleep without it. “Here it is,” she said, handing it to him.

  “Thanks, Sammy,” he said, squeezing the stuffed toy to his chest.

  “All right, goodnight, Benny. Have sweet dreams.”

  “Night, Sammy. Love you.”

  * * *

  The next day, Sam arrived at school earlier than usual. As she passed through security, she noticed Josh talking to Billy. It looked like harmless banter, until she noticed how angry Josh looked and how scared Billy. Josh met her gaze, and he frowned, the pulled Billy by the collar into an empty classroom. Josh shut the door, and Sam continued down the hall, trying to ignore her deep fear. She shouldn’t have let him see her looking at him. Every time she did, she knew she reacted oddly. Soon, he was going to realize something was up and become suspicious of her.

  “Hey, Sam,” Alex said, coming up behind her.

  “Hey, where’s Michael?”

  “He’s around here somewhere. So I see you have Phillip’s jacket still.”

  “Yeah, he told me to give it to him today,” she said, hanging the jacket up in her locker.

  “Well, you ready for Mr. Stevens? Do you think you’ll treat him any different now that you know he’s dating Tracy, or whatever you would call it,” Alex said as they walked into the classroom.

  “Shh, not so loud, someone might hear you.”

  “Well, will you?”

  “No, of course not, at least I’ll try not to treat him differently,” she said as they sat down in their seats.

  The bell rang moments later as the rest of the students filed into the classroom.

  “All right, class, settle down,” Mr. Stevens announced. “I’m going to pass out the quizzes you took yesterday, and may I say, most of you will be very disappointed.”

  “Great job, Sam,” he said, setting her quiz on the table.

  “Now how did you manage an A?” Alex asked, displaying her own F.

  “I don’t know. I study, maybe.” Sam smiled.

  “Hey, I study too.”

  “Maybe you should ask Michael to tutor you,” Sam said. “Although I don’t think you would be doing much studying.”

  Alex narrowed her eyes.

  “Excellent job, Tracy, your math is really improving,” Mr. Stevens said.

  Sam and Alex exchanged glances and for the rest of the period Sam could hardly concentrate on Mr. Stevens’ lecture without noticing preferential treatment toward Tracy. Why hadn’t she figured it out before? It was so plainly obvious.

  * * *

  It wasn’t until lunch that Sam was able to give Phillip back his jacket. He came up behind her while she was opening her locker.

  “Hey, Sam,” he said, leaning against the wall.

  “Hey, I have your jacket.” Sam reached into her locker and pulled it out. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks, but that’s not the only reason why I came here. I mean I wanted to ask you if I could come over after school. We don’t have practice, so I was thinking it would leave more time to play with Benjamin.”

  “Yeah, I think that would be fine. Benjamin would love it.” Benny wasn’t the only one!

  “Of course, so I’ll just follow you in my car then. I mean, I’m still planning on taking you to the ice rink.”

  “Okay, just meet me here after school then,” Sam said.

  “See you later, Sam,” Phillip said, turning to go into the cafeteria. Sam watched Phillip walk away, shortly joined by Tracy, who gave Sam a dirty look before following him.

  Chapter Eight

  “Samantha Baker!” Tracy yelled from across the hall. Sam had successfully managed to dodge Tracy since lunch. It wasn’t until Sam was making her way to Biology that Tracy had found her, like a lion hunting its prey.

  “What do you want, Tracy?” Sam really did not want to deal with her. “We’re going to be late for Biology.”

  “Oh, is someone scared to be late to Ms. Hatchet’s class?” Tracy asked in a sarcastic tone.

  “Come on, Tracy, what is this really about? Come to harass me some more? Yesterday wasn’t enough for you?”

  “I want to know what you were doing with my boyfriend before lunch.”

  “Didn’t you ask him yourself? I saw you walk off with him.”

  “He told me he was getting his jacket from you, but I know you Sam Baker,” Tracy snapped.

  “You know me? What makes you think that you know me at all?”

  “There’s nothing to you except your book smarts and your desire to be with my boyfriend.”

  “And there’s nothing to you except a backstabbing bitch.”

  Tracy glared. Good thing she wasn’t carrying any beverages this time. “You think you’re something special, don’t you? Well, I’ve got news for you. You are nothing but a slut who can’t get her own boyfriend.”

  “Congratulations, Tracy. You’ve just proven me wrong. See, I thought you were all beauty and no brains. But, you thought of that one all by yourself.”

  “Well, you’re…you’re…a retard.”

  “Just keep talking, Tracy, maybe someday you’ll say something intelligent,” Sam said, on a roll. These were all the things she’d kept inside for years.

  “You may be smart, but I’m the hottest girl in school.”

  “Not with all those surgeries,” Sam retaliated, unable to stop herself.

  Tracy raised her arm and slapped Sam across the face.

  Sam held her hand up to her cheek, which was now stinging in pain. Tears swelled in her eyes, but she wasn’t about to let Tracy have power over her. Not this time.

  “You’re going to be sorry you did that, Tracy,” Sam said slowly through the pain.

  “Oh, really? Because I thought you were just a loser with no friends. Oh wait, a loser with two friends, who are just as pathetic as you are.”

  “They aren’t the pathetic ones, you are,” Sam said, letting go of her cheek. “You really think you’ve won, don’t you?”

  “I always win. Life is about winners and losers, and I always will be a winner, while you will always be a pathetic loser.”

  Sam readjusted her backpack and pushed her way
past Tracy and began to walk up the stairs. She had enough stress in her life right now. She really didn’t need this.

  “So little Samantha is walking away scared,” Tracy taunted.

  “If I were you, I’d stop while I was ahead,” Sam said, turning around to see Phillip walking up behind Tracy.

  “Why, you can’t handle anymore?” Tracy laughed.

  Sam walked back and stood in front of Tracy. “Are you always so bitchy, or is today just a special occasion?”

  Tracy narrowed her eyes. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you? Well, I have news for you—”

  “Tracy, I believe you were trying to say something but it just came out as ‘blah blah blah blah blah’,” Sam said, smiling to herself. Her smile was short lived however, when Tracy slapped Sam again with even more intensity than the first time.

  “What are you going to do, cry to your mommy?” Tracy laughed.

  Sam glared at Tracy. She badly wanted to punch her back, give her a black eye, but she didn’t want to stoop down to Tracy’s level again, especially in front of Phillip. Sam picked up her bag and walked into the girl’s bathroom.

  “That’s right, Sam, run away. It’s what you always do,” Tracy said from behind her.

  Sam ignored her. When she looked in the bathroom mirror, she cursed loudly. Her skin was so pale, the outline of Tracy’s hand on her cheek plainly showed. She had slapped her twice, which Sam knew would leave some kind of bruise.

  The bell rang, making Sam late to class, again, to top it all off. Sam opened the door and began to walk up the stairs.

  “Sam!” Phillip called out.

  Sam jolted a little. “You scared me.” She smiled, immediately regretting it. She placed her hand on her cheek, hoping the pain would stop.

  “Are you okay? I saw what happened.”

  “Oh.” Sam was embarrassed. She had provoked Tracy. She could have just walked away, but Sam had to come back with something witty. “I’m sorry. I provoked her. I should have just walked away.”

  “You shouldn’t be sorry, Sam,” he said as they both continued up the stairs. “You didn’t deserve to be hit.”

  They reached the top of the stairs, and Phillip turned to face Sam. “She got you good, though, didn’t she?” he said, gently touching her face, moving her head to the side. “Does it hurt?”

  His touch was so soft she could hardly focus on what Phillip had just asked.

  “Sam?”

  “Huh?”

  “I said, does it hurt?”

  “Only when it’s touched,” she joked.

  “Oh...I’m sorry. I hope—”

  “No, I was joking. You were fine. I mean it felt good. I mean it didn’t hurt,” Sam stuttered.

  Phillip smiled at her. “Are you ready to brave the witch?” he asked, referring to Ms. Hatchet. They were late again, the second time this week.

  “Are you ready to be murdered?”

  “Who, me? Murdered? I think you should worry about yourself. I mean I’m not the one she hates.”

  “Hey, now.” Sam smiled, forgetting all about the sting in her cheek.

  Before either one of them had a chance to prepare, the classroom door swung open and there, standing in front of them, was Ms. Hatchet.

  “You two are late,” she said sternly.

  Sam looked inside the classroom and saw Alex, who gave her a thumbs up when she noticed her standing with her crush.

  “What are you smiling at, Ms. Baker?” Ms. Hatchet snapped.

  “Um, just how lovely you look in that dress.”

  The entire classroom gaped at Sam as they realized what she had just said.

  “Excuse me?” Ms. Hatchet said, a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

  “I said, you look ravishing in that dress. I think my grandma has one just like it.” What was Sam doing? Why couldn’t she stop herself? The stress of the past days, the fight she’d just had, and a hotpot of emotions engulfing her body.

  “Well, I’ve had it with you and your snide remarks. Take this slip and report to detention.”

  “How can you say it’s a snide remark?” Phillip asked, stepping forward. “She could very well have been paying you a compliment, but I guess when you dress like that, you have to know it was a sarcastic remark.”

  Sam’s mouth opened, wider than anyone else’s.

  “And take Mr. Corinodi with you!” Ms. Hatchet yelled, slamming the door on the couple.

  “What was that back there?” Phillip asked Sam as they made their way back down the stairs to detention, the second time this week.

  “I could ask you the same question,” Sam said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Well, you really got her good.” Phillip’s voice held a touch of admiration.

  “No, we got her.” Sam smiled at him. “By the way, thanks for standing up for me back there.”

  “Is that what I was doing?” He grinned, giving her the oddest look.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” Sam asked. “Is my cheek bruising?” She brought her hand to her cheek.

  “No,” he said. “It’s still just red.” He smiled and reached out and tucked a strand of Sam’s hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered at the bottom of her ear, brushing her neck.

  A shiver went down her back. “Well,” she said, turning to continue on their way, bringing both of them back into reality. “We should probably get going.”

  “Uh, yeah,” Phillip said, seeming flustered as he followed her.

  Sam opened the door to detention, only to see the surprised look on Mrs. Hutchinson’s face. “Not again, Sam.”

  “I know, but this time I really did deserve it,” Sam admitted.

  “What did you do, honey?” Mrs. H. asked, fighting to control her smile.

  “I might have insulted Ms. Hatchet. Well, just her appearance,” Sam said.

  “Did she give you that?” Mrs. Hutchinson asked, pointing to her cheek in shock.

  “No, of course not, Mrs. H! This was from someone else.”

  “Did you insult them too?”

  Sam looked back at Phillip, who stood a few feet behind her, then looked back at Mrs. Hutchinson and nodded her head.

  “Well, go grab a seat, there are plenty available,” she said, motioning to the empty classroom.

  Sam walked down an aisle and found a seat toward the back of the classroom. Phillip followed her and sat in the seat next to hers.

  “So you must think I’m horrible,” Sam said, unable to look at Phillip.

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because I was pretty nasty to your girlfriend,” Sam said, finally looking up at him.

  “I don’t think you’re a horrible person. I just think you were standing up for yourself. Besides, you tried to leave, she was the one who provoked you.”

  Sam and Phillip continued to talk until Mrs. Hutchinson told them they could leave. They weren’t held too much longer after the bell had rung.

  “All right, kids, behave yourselves,” Mrs. Hutchinson said as Sam and Phillip made their way into an empty hallway. Everyone had already left school and those who hadn’t were in club meetings or in tutor sessions.

  Sam went to her locker and got her books out, while Phillip did the same.

  “You ready?” Phillip asked, walking up to Sam.

  “Yeah, Benjamin will be really excited. He doesn’t know you are coming so early. Why don’t you have practice?” Sam asked, confused.

  “Well, coach lets us have the day after a big game off. Well, only when we win the game, of course.”

  “Oh, I see,” Sam said as they made their way into the parking lot. “Aw, man!” she suddenly exclaimed.

  “What?”

  “I forgot my Pre-cal book, in Mr. Stevens’ classroom, again.”

  “That’s fine. We can just go get it,” Phillip said as they turned back around to head back into the school. “Huh, that’s strange, Tracy’s car is still here. I wonder what she’s doing here.”

  Sam
stopped in her tracks. “On second thought, I don’t need my book. Alex can lend me hers.”

  “Sam, it’s fine. We can go get the book. We aren’t on a schedule.”

  “I know, but we’re already out here. We don’t have to go back inside.”

  “Come on, let’s just go get your book.”

  “Okay,” Sam said, somewhat reluctantly.

  As they made their way back inside the building, Sam couldn’t think of any way to stop Phillip from coming with her. How was she going keep him from finding out? Should she help keep the secret? Why shouldn’t she let Phillip find out?

  They were now only a few doors away. What was she going to do? What should she say?

  “Phillip?”

  “Yeah, Sam?” Phillip stopped and turned to face her, unable to see what was happening in Mr. Stevens’ classroom.

  “I just wanted to let you know, I mean, I just wanted to say thanks.”

  “For what?”

  “Well, for everything. You’ve been a really great friend.”

  “I can’t really agree with you, because I really haven’t been there for you. I shouldn’t have ignored you all these years, but I’m glad we’ve gotten to know each other more this year. Is that all you wanted to say?”

  “Yeah…” Sam said. She was so stupid! That’s all she could say?

  “Okay,” Phillip said, somewhat confused as he turned back to open the door. “It’s locked…” he said, then trailed off, now seeing what Sam had found out the previous Monday.

  “What the—” Phillip said before he proceeded to bang on the door, which caused Tracy and Mr. Stevens to spring apart from each other.

  “What do you think you’re doing, Tracy?” Phillip yelled when Tracy opened the door.

  “Baby, I can explain. I can explain,” Tracy kept saying.

  “He’s a teacher, you’re a student. You’re dating me!”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t—”

  “Just stop,” he said coldly.

  Sam didn’t want to stay and listen to their fight. She didn’t want to hear how upset Phillip was. Sam slowly made her way down the hallway. As she turned the corner and began walking toward the front entrance, she couldn’t hear anything. Maybe they had made up.