Read Online In Your Arms by Becky Andrews - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Becky Andrews
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stay here a bit longer? I don’t really feel like going home yet,” Phillip asked.
“Uh, yeah, sure. We can go back upstairs if you want. My mom’s busy anyway, and Ben is helping her.”
Sam and Phillip made their way back upstairs. “We can hang out in my room. That is, unless you want to keep drawing. You know, to improve on your artistic abilities.”
Phillip laughed. “No, your room is fine. I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one day.”
Sam shut the door behind them and showed Phillip to her bed, the only other surface besides her desk chair that was suitable for sitting.
“So,” Sam said, feeling confused and flustered by his presence in her room. “Why don’t you want to go home yet?”
Why did she ask him that? What kind of answer was she hoping for?
“Well, it’s just my parents—”
“You don’t have to tell me. I don’t even know why I asked,” she interrupted.
“No, it’s fine. We’re friends, and besides I’d like to tell someone. I’m just tired of hearing my parents always fighting over the same things. But here, it’s peaceful. Here there’s a homey feeling, I can be myself.”
“So you can’t be yourself at school?”
“Well, there are lots of reasons I can’t be myself at school. The team for one, Tracy, and not to mention the entire student body.”
Wait, Tracy? He couldn’t be himself around Tracy? What did he mean by that? She didn’t have the guts to ask him though.
“I see. I guess when you’re popular, there is that expectation to act a certain way,” Sam said instead.
“Yes, but when you’re around, everything is different. Everything is easier,” Phillip said.
Sam smiled. “What can I say? I was born to please.”
Phillip laughed at her. “This is nice. I like it when you make me laugh.”
“You mean when you laugh at me.”
Phillip shrugged. “Yes, but I only admit it because you know it.”
“I know you didn’t come to my house just to talk about how funny I may or may not be. So, what’s on your mind?”
“Well, the reason I came was just to check on you, to see how you were doing, you know, after the…” Phillip trailed off. He obviously couldn’t even talk about it. How did he expect Sam to say something about it?
“I was on my way to English when it happened,” she said, looking down. “Those shots terrified me. I just froze for a moment, you know. I couldn’t believe it was happening. Then I just ran, as fast as I could, but I kept hearing those shots behind me. I was so scared.” Sam fell silent. She hated lying about what happened, but she didn’t want to risk her family’s lives or Phillip’s. His best friend had shot Chris. If Phillip knew, what would he do? Would he confront Josh aggressively and end up murdered just like Chris?
Maybe he would confide in Josh, after all, they were best friends. After all, if someone told her something like that about Alex, she would never believe it. She would immediately tell Alex what had been said. Anyhow, it was still early days and she hadn't told anyone else, so why start with Josh's best friend?
To her frustration, tears welled in Sam’s eyes and streamed down her cheeks.
“Sam? Are you okay? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you relive the…”
“It’s okay, really,” she mumbled.
Sam couldn’t seem to hold back the tears, no matter how hard she tried. He got up and sat closer to Sam.
“It’s okay, Sam. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he kept saying as he held Sam in his arms. She continued to cry softly on his shoulder, remembering all the images, the things that had happened, and the fear of dying, or worse, seeing her family and friends in danger.
Sam calmed down and looked up at Phillip. “Thank you. I’m sorry I started crying.”
“No, it’s my fault.” Phillip looked into Sam’s eyes, then reached out and wiped a tear that had just rolled down her cheek. As he continued looking into her eyes, she felt like she was lost deep in the
“Uh, yeah, sure. We can go back upstairs if you want. My mom’s busy anyway, and Ben is helping her.”
Sam and Phillip made their way back upstairs. “We can hang out in my room. That is, unless you want to keep drawing. You know, to improve on your artistic abilities.”
Phillip laughed. “No, your room is fine. I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one day.”
Sam shut the door behind them and showed Phillip to her bed, the only other surface besides her desk chair that was suitable for sitting.
“So,” Sam said, feeling confused and flustered by his presence in her room. “Why don’t you want to go home yet?”
Why did she ask him that? What kind of answer was she hoping for?
“Well, it’s just my parents—”
“You don’t have to tell me. I don’t even know why I asked,” she interrupted.
“No, it’s fine. We’re friends, and besides I’d like to tell someone. I’m just tired of hearing my parents always fighting over the same things. But here, it’s peaceful. Here there’s a homey feeling, I can be myself.”
“So you can’t be yourself at school?”
“Well, there are lots of reasons I can’t be myself at school. The team for one, Tracy, and not to mention the entire student body.”
Wait, Tracy? He couldn’t be himself around Tracy? What did he mean by that? She didn’t have the guts to ask him though.
“I see. I guess when you’re popular, there is that expectation to act a certain way,” Sam said instead.
“Yes, but when you’re around, everything is different. Everything is easier,” Phillip said.
Sam smiled. “What can I say? I was born to please.”
Phillip laughed at her. “This is nice. I like it when you make me laugh.”
“You mean when you laugh at me.”
Phillip shrugged. “Yes, but I only admit it because you know it.”
“I know you didn’t come to my house just to talk about how funny I may or may not be. So, what’s on your mind?”
“Well, the reason I came was just to check on you, to see how you were doing, you know, after the…” Phillip trailed off. He obviously couldn’t even talk about it. How did he expect Sam to say something about it?
“I was on my way to English when it happened,” she said, looking down. “Those shots terrified me. I just froze for a moment, you know. I couldn’t believe it was happening. Then I just ran, as fast as I could, but I kept hearing those shots behind me. I was so scared.” Sam fell silent. She hated lying about what happened, but she didn’t want to risk her family’s lives or Phillip’s. His best friend had shot Chris. If Phillip knew, what would he do? Would he confront Josh aggressively and end up murdered just like Chris?
Maybe he would confide in Josh, after all, they were best friends. After all, if someone told her something like that about Alex, she would never believe it. She would immediately tell Alex what had been said. Anyhow, it was still early days and she hadn't told anyone else, so why start with Josh's best friend?
To her frustration, tears welled in Sam’s eyes and streamed down her cheeks.
“Sam? Are you okay? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you relive the…”
“It’s okay, really,” she mumbled.
Sam couldn’t seem to hold back the tears, no matter how hard she tried. He got up and sat closer to Sam.
“It’s okay, Sam. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he kept saying as he held Sam in his arms. She continued to cry softly on his shoulder, remembering all the images, the things that had happened, and the fear of dying, or worse, seeing her family and friends in danger.
Sam calmed down and looked up at Phillip. “Thank you. I’m sorry I started crying.”
“No, it’s my fault.” Phillip looked into Sam’s eyes, then reached out and wiped a tear that had just rolled down her cheek. As he continued looking into her eyes, she felt like she was lost deep in the
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