Sam’s POV

“Sam?”

I looked at the door.

“Omg! It’s really you!” Before I could even react she ran towards me and hastily hugged me.

I froze. I couldn’t move for a second. And I quickly snap myself and pushed the girl away from me. I immediately regret it. But I had to do it. I looked at her and Isabella. My eyes are starting to tear so I ran out of the room. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. I don’t know where I am going. And then I stopped for a second.

“Breathe, Sammy. Breathe” I thought of Sophie. The tears are starting to fall. And I know some of the students are looking at me. I’m lucky there are just four students on the hallway.

I feel weak. My knees are starting to give up on me. I couldn’t control my breathing. I’m sweating bullets.

“Sam?” I heard someone.

Everything is starting to get blurry.

“Oh my god! Sam!”

That’s the last thing I heard. And then I passed out.

——————————

I can hear people talking. I am awake but my eyes are closed. I groaned.

“Mom she’s awake” I know that voice.

“I think” Sophie said.

“Sam?” That’s my mom.

I slowly opened my eyes.

My mom and Sophie are here. What are they doing here? I looked around. I think I’m in a hospital. No wait, I think it’s a clinic.

“Hi, honey” she smiled at me.

“Mom? What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Your Aunt Amy called me. You had an episode”

I tried to remember what happened. It was that girl. The girl who hugged me. I remember running in the hallway.

“She found you in the hallway. Thank god she was there”

“Hi, Sam. How are you feeling?” Aunt Amy asked.

“I’m good, ma’am”

They both laughed.

“I have to get used to that” she said.

“Are you okay now, honey?”

I nodded.

“What happened?”

“Someone hugged me. I think she knows me”

Cindy immediately enters my mind.

“It could be Cindy mom” I smiled.

“Cindy Jones?” Aunt Amy said.

“The one who lived across our old house?”

“Yeah. I think they still live there. I was looking for her when I heard the name, Cindy. Maybe she heard about me”

“You okay now, Sammy?” Sophie asked.

“If you give me a hug”

She climbs up the bed and hugs me.

“Are you sure you are okay?”

“Yes mom”

“Okay then. Sophie come here so Sam can get up now”

My mom hugged Aunt Amy.

“Thank you, maam” I said to her.

“Anytime. Don’t hesitate to come to me if you need anything”

I smiled.

“Come on, Sammy”

Sophie took my hand and helped me walk.

“You are so weak. You always get sick. Maybe you need more veggies and fruits. My teacher told me that they are healthy”

My mom and I looked at each other while Sophie won’t stop talking.

I can see she’s worried about me. She has a lot on her mind right now. And I don’t want to add on that. If only I can get better.

——————————

During Art class, Isabella keeps on looking at me. She probably thinks I’m a freak after what happened. I can’t blame her though. That’s what students in my previous school thought of me. I just have to continue being on the corner, minding my own business. I can’t wait to finish high school. One more year. Just have to survive one more year and you are off to college. I hope.

I was avoiding Isabella the whole morning. But I didn’t have a choice during our fourth period because we had to sit together.

We were all looking at Mr. Bilson while he was lecturing. I quickly glance at Isabella. She was writing something in her notebook. And then she placed her notebook in the middle for me to see.

Isabella: Are you okay now?

I just read it and looked back at Mr. Bilson. She wasn’t asking what happened. She just wants to know if I’m okay.

So I took her notebook and write on it.

Sam: Yes

We were trying not to get caught.

Isabella: Good. I was kinda worried.

I can’t help but look at her when I read it. She smiled.

Maybe she wasn’t just being nice to me because the Headmistress asked her to. Maybe she is really a nice person. I can see her sometimes being friendly to the students in the hallways. I always hear them talking about her. And guys can’t help but stare at her when she’s around. It’s hard not to with a face like that. She’s beautiful. She has a medium length wavy brown hair. She usually just let it loose. She’s really fit. I think she’s also into sports. I can totally tell she’s rich. And she’s smart. Yet she is really simple. She’s not like Regina George in Mean Girls. She’s actually really nice. I can’t help but think that she can be my friend. However, that’s not gonna happen. Remembering my situation, it’s better not to have friends.

“I’m going to check your journals on Monday. I hope you already started writing” Mr. Bilson said.

“Can our partner read our journal, sir?” someone asked.

“No. You will exchange journals on the 100th day”

“Have you started?” Isabella asked.

I shook my head no.

“We can meet tomorrow. I’m going to the mall. You can join me if you’re free”

Tomorrow? I don’t usually go out. However, I don’t have anything to do tomorrow. Besides, it’s for the project.

“Can I bring my sister?”

“You have a sister? How old is she?” she seems excited.

“Six”

“Cool! Write down your address. I’ll pick you guys at around ten?”

I wrote down my address.

“You’re like three blocks away”

“You also live there?” I asked.

“Yeah. We’re in Block Eight” she smiled.

That’s where we used to live. I go there every night. Since we moved back, I would go to our old house and just lay in the garden at the back. It’s a good thing they didn’t change anything about it. There’s a couple of planks on the fence that you can remove. That’s where I used to sneak out when I was a kid. I wonder which house she lives in.