∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆Sammie's POV∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Back at their apartment, the TV was on, the bottle of alcohol and the ripped up bits of its label were still on the living room floor. The place was just as they'd left it only an hour ago, but it felt surreal to be standing here now.

Sammie threw her shoes near the kitchen entry. She could get them later for training. As long as she remembered to get them.

Alex paced aimlessly in the middle of the living room, as though he wanted badly to escape but couldn't commit to a single direction.

“I fucking fucked up.”

Nothing had been in the trees when they'd checked, and the light rain that was happening right now would ruin their tracks. There was nothing they could do about the destroyed tree other than wait for the rain to cover it and hope no bus passengers took much notice of the damage.

“I fucked up,” Alex repeated. “That was stupid.”

“No one was hurt. You handled it,” Sammie said, saying what she knew he needed to hear and would not accept. She wouldn't have accepted it, either.

Predictably, he shook his head. “It shouldn't have happened. I know better.”

It wouldn't have happened, Sammie knew, under normal circumstances. Alex's control was ironclad. Half a bottle of alcohol had messed that up somewhat, and as quickly as he'd recovered, Alex wouldn't tolerate even a brief slip any better than Sammie was handling her own difficulties.

"I keep making things worse." He muttered.

"I'm fine," She said, mostly truthfully. Her hand was no longer freezing. At least she had a good idea of what that attack actually did, terrifying as it was. Knowing was better than not knowing, and finding out this way was better than finding out on her own. She was badly shaken (and also shaking badly), but she would be alright.

Alex peered up at her. His eyes searching for something in her face.

"Yeah, you know," he said, "you took that pretty well. I was kinda expecting to have a meltdown."

A weak laugh slipped out between his teeth. Sammie scowled, lost in thoughts of what could have happened. But she'd more or less kept herself in check (and while drunk, no less!) It made her feel a little…good. Hopeful. Like she wouldn't be this way forever.

She could almost look forward to practice. Depending on how long the mending of the dresses took her. She wouldn't have to worry so much about hurting anyone by accident.

And Alex wouldn't have to worry about being hurt.

"Anyway," he said, through the growing awkwardness, "it's pretty obvious we don't need to be messing with that tonight, so…" He shrugged and crossed his arms. “Maybe you could just call it good until tomorrow?”

"I'll stay in," Sammie said, making sure not to break eye contact with Alex. She knew what she needed to do. What she had to do.

A skeptical look passed over Alex's face. "The whole night? Really?"

She nodded, and smiled. "Promise."

Guilt gnawed at her as she watched Alex relax and smile for real. I'm so sorry, and I haven't even done it yet.

"Finally!" Alex reached over, wrapped her in a hug. She couldn't help but notice how he smelled of alcohol still. "You have no idea what a relief that is. Thanks, babe."

“It's okay, I'm tired anyway.” After such a trying day, Alex deserved a break from his constant worrying. And it was especially important that he stayed in the house tonight, no more danger.

That's what Sammie insisted to herself, anyway. Lying was simpler and easier than another argument.

Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

The rest of the evening(night?) passed in a sort of drowsy haze. Neither of them had energy for much beyond lounging on the couch and half-watching the news. Sammie went to her room early, under the pretense of wanting to sleep off the alcohol. Alex, unfortunately, did not. The appointed hour was getting close, and he was still in the livingroom. It was possible that he'd fallen asleep watching TV, but she didn't want to chance waking him, if so.

She'd be late if she didn't get going soon. Damn it.

She eyed her room's single window appraisingly. If she couldn't leave by the door, then maybe… She nudged her picture frames aside to make room. One of her parents, from before she was born. A couple of Angela's pictures of her in uniform. Another few of her and Alex, either playing or in a tree.

She felt guilty staring at them. As if they all knew what she was doing, and begged her not to.

She turned them all face down. Forgive me.

She leaned over the desk, and opened the window. They lived on the second floor. She used to hate the ugly tree that blocked her view of outside but now she was thankful it was still there.

Trickier was climbing outside without knocking anything over, but she managed. Dangling from the windowsill, she looked down and gauged that she only had around eight or ten feet to drop. Perfectly okay if she fell. She jumped to a nearby branch, then slung to a lower one.

Suddenly all that time in trees as a kid paid off. Soon she let go, and landed, rolling over in the grass. It wasn't until she hit the ground that she remembered she didn't have shoes on. Too late now.

Under different circumstances, she might have been proud. She dusted herself off and set out, a bit unsteadily, for the woods.

☆☆☆☆☆☆Samuel's POV☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Samuel watched as another wave of green flames cruised past him, missing by inches. He could feel the heat of its passing.

"Gee, Sammie," Samuel said. "You're all over the place tonight. Not feeling well?"

This wasn't the first attack Sammie had whiffed, and he was well aware why that was. The silly idiot was putting up a valiant effort to maintain some kind of coordination, for all the good it was doing.

In recognition of this effort, he kept his attacks on the manageable side, just this once. Watching Sammie stagger around with that look of earnest concentration on her face was comedy gold.

"I might be, er, a little under the weather," Sammie said, looking up.

She smelled like liquor that had met a sorry fate. Why did people always assume others didn't notice these things? Sammie had always been better than most about not talking down to him or being otherwise patronizing, but even she wasn't without these occasional slips.

"That's one way to put it, I suppose." Samuel rolled his eyes. Sammie truly was stupid. "I don't see the appeal of drinking, myself, but then I'm not a stupid."

When Samuel needed to distract himself, he preferred altering the states of other people, not his own.

Sammie shifted nervously. "Sorry," she muttered. "I don't normally-"

"I know, sweetheart. You don't need to apologize." He moved closer. "Just don't let your dumbass roomate drag you down to his level. You're better than that."

As far as implications went, it was heavy-handed, but then again Sammie was firing on fewer cylinders than usual.

A brief, mutinous glare flashed across her face, but she nodded obediently.

"Speaking of your roommate," Samuel said, moving on to the main business of the night. "Who would have guessed he could summon an attack like that, huh? God damn!"

The idea that Alex could do anything the least bit impressive was laughable. Samuel wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. That thing had been cool. Who would have figured that Alex was the blue magical this whole time!

Sammie tensed. "Like what?"

Samuel laughed. "Oh, you know which one I'm talking about, silly samitch! Now, what was it called?" He put a finger to his chin in thought. "A…Mirroring Soul? What a funny name!"

Very funny. He didn't know why, but something about saying that name tickled the back of his mind in an odd way, as if the words were resisting being thought about. It felt weird. How lovely!

Sammie stared up at him, guarded and silent. She was getting better about not tipping her hand at the first sign of trouble. Samuel would go so far as to say she was developing some small measure of cunning. How marvelous!

"Pretty rude of him not to make mention of it until now," He said, smirking. "It would have served him right if you'd let yours fire on him. After all, you didn't know what to expect, thanks to him.” He nodded to himself. “That would have been poetic, I think."

Oh, if looks could kill.

"I never even got to see yours, though," he looked at her. "I bet it's way better than Alex's."

"I don't know how to summon it," Sammie said, taking a step back. He briefly wondered if she'd try to run, but of course she knew better than to try something foolish like that.

"Don't be silly! You've done it before, right? So," he said, "we just need to jog your memory."

Flames whipped out around Sammie's ankles, making her run forward towards him. Samuel grabbed her, and gave her a rough shake, watching her struggle. He shook her again, mostly to hear the whimpers she made. Ha. Like a puppy.

"Hmm, nothing?" Samuel frowned. "Gee, this might be kinda hard, huh? Good thing we have lots of time."

"No!" Sammie said, kicking wildly. She clawed at his hands, but he only lifted her higher off the ground. Poor little Sammie. She managed to bite him. Not that the bite hurt, of course, but it did break the surface.

Samuel laughed and tossed her away. She did her best to catch herself, but falling at that speed meant her shoulder roll became a tumble that halted only when her back struck up against a large pine tree trunk with a sharp crack. The needles fell in clumps around her from the tree's lower branches.

Sammie staggered to her feet, groaning. She rubbed her back, as if to pull on something.

"I want to see it, Sam." He reached out to push her, making her stumble to keep her footing. "Are you even trying?"

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, she balled up her fists.

"I told you, I don't know how!" She shouted at him.

Was that anger Samuel detected in her voice? Well, well. Finally progress!

He shoved again, knocking Sammie to her knees. Beautiful.

"Stupid fucking Alex got to see it," he said. "I'm feeling very left out. Aren't I your best friend?"

An hour passed in this way.

Sammie hit the ground for the umpteenth time with a frustrated huff. She scrambled upright again, grumbling. It was a welcome change from her habitual shaking and sniveling, though in all fairness that had been tapering off more and more. Fear was now shot through with anger.

She was too cute when she was angry; it was like being growled at by a tiny puppy. No threat since all it took was a kick to sent it flying.

"Let me see it, Samitch."

Sammie glared up at him. "I'm trying!"

Samuel laughed. If anger was the key, he had to accept getting yelled at a few times, but he found he didn't really mind. She was so funny! She even stamped her feet now and then.

But despite how much fun Samuel was having teasing poor Sammie, the night wouldn't last forever. He really wanted to see that attack. He'd seen Sammie really pissed off once before, and he wasn't quite there yet.

"Maybe you're right after all," Samuel sighed. "Maybe you really can't do it by yourself. Maybe we need to ask for help."

She blanched at that. She knew what he ment.

"No," she stammered. "I-I can do it! I just need a moment!"

He pretended not to hear her. "I bet your roommate can explain it, right? I mean he got to see it. So why don't I just go and get him?"

"No! Don't! Leave him alone!"

"What's that word I hear, Samantha? Be careful," Samuel cautioned.

She cringed back, hands raised in front of her. “Just...just...”

“That's right, Samantha.” he grinned. “I'm going to go to your house, and I'm going to drag your dumbass roommate out of whatever window is most convenient, and we're going to come right back here and get this mental block of yours all straightened out. I bet he'll be so happy to not be utterly useless for once.”

Samuel moved, as if to leave. Sammie darted in front of him, blocking the way with a wall of fire. She said nothing this time, wild-eyed and quivering. Almost there.

"You silly samitch!" Samuel laughed. "As if you can stop me." He started to walk past her. "I'll say hi to your roomie for you!"

Faster than he could blink, a beam of raw magic punched through him, bright and colder than death. It was a huge green flame. It resembled giant bird. This is great!

Sammie hasn't failed him so far. When the pain faded, he could make out the shape of it as it changed to a huge beast-like flame hovering over Sammie like a wrathful mother over its child.

It seemed to stare into and through him. Implacable, unfeeling, and lethal. It was the most glorious thing he'd ever laid eyes on. Who would have thought that sweet little Sammie had it in her?

This time around had been his best ever, no matter what became of it in the end. He hadn't been this entertained in a long time. Secret magic and Sammie, of all people, looking like she really could take down anyone she pleased. Whatever happened, it would be an ending Samuel had never seen before. The possibilities were intoxicating.

Sammie gave him a look at sent a shiver of excitement up his spin. Her brown eyes were filled with hate, and  anger. She snarled at him. Finally, she looked like she ment business.

Finally, she looked like a cold blooded killer.

Though it didn't last long, magic drained her of energy. She fell to her knees, woozy from the quick drain of magic. The flame beast dipped down as if to shield her even as it began to dissipate. And then it was gone, showering its master in spent magic. The magic falling like snow around Sammie. Her breathing came out labored.

Samuel's body and the area of burning grass around him were the only evidence it had existed at all.

Samuel actually got scorched by it, but he didn't notice. He laughed harder than he ever did in his life.

"See?" Samuel said brightly. "I believed in you, all the way!"

He drew close, crackling as he moved. Burnt bits of his clothing fell from him, leaving a trail. Shivering with exertion, Sammie struggled to focus on his face.

"Are you," she said, teeth chattering. "Are you alright?"

Sweet, simple Sammie. For a few brief moments she'd looked like a proper monster hunter. Her flame beast would be embarrassed if it were still present...and capable of thought.

"I'm more than alright, friend! You did very well." Samuel patted the her head.

"T-tired," Sammie stuttered. She was shaking hard enough for her teeth to rattle. Clearly, there would be no repeat performance tonight, no matter how riled Samuel got her.

Samuel hummed. "Well, I suppose we can take a break. You have just made a major improvement, after all."

Nodding, Sammie shifted to sit fully on the ground. Samuel held her loosely, feeling her tense up.

"Easy, sweetheart! We're just hanging out," He said. "You've had a pretty heavy day, huh?" He tightened his arms briefly in a hug. Sammie sat stiff as a statue. "It must be hard having to deal with such a high-maintenance person all the time. Alex really shouldn't lean on you so much."

Sammie stood still except for her shivering, and stared off at the mud patch the blast had burnt.

"That was pretty awesome," Samuel said, following her gaze. "I bet a monster would sizzle right up after something like that! You're getting so strong."

He gave Sammie another light squeeze. Positive reinforcement was important, too! He had read somewhere.

His favorite toy seemed to be out of batteries for the night. Minutes ticked by as Samuel kept up a one-sided conversation. She said nothing in reply, and, in fact, gave no indication she even heard Samuel speak. Oh, well.

Samuel had already gotten what he wanted, for now.

☆☆☆☆☆Sammie's POV☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

The walk back home was long. More than once, Sammie had to sit and rest for a few minutes before continuing on. The magic left her soul feeling empty, almost hollow. Like the rest of her.

She knew it what was needed to keep everyone safe. The hollow feeling wasn't going to stay forever.

Catching her reflection in a glass window, she winced at the picture she presented. The shaking would hopefully subside by the time she reached her apartment, but she couldn't do anything about the rest of it. Her clothes were damp and grimy from tumbling through the forest floor, and she could feel a rip in the back of her shirt from her encounter with that tree trunk. That, and the fact that she was scuffed up and barefoot combined to make her look like some sort of homeless person.

It was with a sense of profound relief that she crossed the last block of old warehouses. They'd finished early; she'd been unable to do any magic after...after… And so after sitting together quietly for a while for reasons Sammie couldn't understand, (didn't want too understand) Samuel  had let her go.

Maybe she'd have time to shower and have something of a proper nap before Alex got up. That would be nice. Enjoy the little things.

Her feet were sore and her back hurt a lot. Her whole body ached, in fact. She wondered if it was magical exhaustion, or if she'd finally managed to achieve a hangover. Perhaps both.

She walked by the last building a daze. The sooner she was home, the happier she'd be. She wanted rest, and then she wanted to keep busy. She had a lot to avoid thinking about.

She stopped short when she looked up at the doorway of the apartment.

No way..

Alex was sitting on the front step of their apartment complex, watching her.

“Yeah,” Alex said, hoarse and tired-eyed. “That's what I thought.”

Sammie took a step back, saying nothing. Alex rested his head in his hand, face expressionless but pinched.

“Out for a nice walk? Do you know,” he said. “that I've been up all night? Same as you, I bet.”

This was bad.

“Alex, wait, I jus-” She started, she had to fix this.

“Just save it, Samantha.” He sounded more tired than angry. “I went to check on you since we drank a lot, and I wanted to make sure you weren't sick or something. But I find that you're not in your room. That you're nowhere in the fucking apartment."

He forced a laugh out, something about it made her shutter. She tried to think of a good cover story, but came up blank.

"You know what was in the house, though? Your phone.”

Reaching into his pocket, Alex pulled out Sammie's  phone. He tossed it and she nearly missed the catch, too tired and achy to move very fast.

"I'm so sorr-"

"Do you know how relieved I was when I heard it ringing?" Alex cut her off again. "I figured you must have just ducked out for a few minutes, went to the roof to think, or something. That I was overreacting! Nope! Turns out, you just left it on the kitchen counter.”

“I'm sorry. I must have forgotten it.” She mentally scolded herself.

Alex exhaled sharply. “That phone hasn't left your side longer than it takes to charge the battery since you got it. Even then, you use it while it's fucking charging!”

"I just.." Sammie started, only to stop. He wasn't going to believe her anyway.

“Anyway,” Alex went on, still staring her down. His eyes lingering on every inch of her. She never felt so self-conscious. “I'm getting pretty worried by now, right? So, I start looking around outside, and notice tracks behind the complex. Did you seriously climb out your window?"

She looked him in the eyes, his eyes were so full of hurt that she wanted to cry. She was the reason he was so down lately. She was the reason Angela worried all the time. She was the reason Melissa was trying so hard to talk to her.

"I'm sor-"

Alex continued, "After everything that went down yesterday, after you promised me you'd stay, you fucking vanished again! Just like that."

She flinched, closing her eyes. No amount of words make this right, that didn't mean she stopped thinking of a cover story though.

"You went out of your way to sneak out like a goddamn teenager and you lied right to my fucking face. I here thought that you never broke your promises!"

Going another round with Samuel would have been preferable to this. Alex wasn't even yelling at her. She hadn't seen him this upset in years.

“I'm sorry.” She whispered. Nothing else came to her mind.

Alex laughed. The sound hurt her ears. It wasn't any laugh she had ever heard from him.

"That so? Because I think you'd have slipped back in the house and played it off like you'd been here the whole time if you could."

She was looking at her feet, avoiding his eyes. It's true after all.

"If you were sorry, you'd stop pulling this shit. Yesterday's clothes. No shoes, even. And you look like you took a walk off a fucking cliff. What the actual fuck Samantha!"

She could think of no good reason for her to look this way, none that he would believe anyway. So she kept her mouth shut.

"You weren't at Snowberry hill, either, I checked." His grin took on a bitter edge. "And I can't very well search the whole forest, so I decided to keep a lookout here in case you came back. Only had to wait three goddamn hours."

Unable to meet his gaze, she looked towards the builds she had just passed by. She didn't know what to say to make him even slightly less angry with her. She'd really stepped in it this time.

"I was here feeling like a moron for taking you at your word, when that used to be one of the only things I never had to question.” Alex's voice shook. "You never broke your promises before!"

She wanted to cry, but it wouldn't help. She wanted to hug him, tell him everything, and make it up to him. But she couldn't. Not without endangering everyone.

“I went insane wondering where you went this time, and why. Waiting for fucking hours not knowing if I would be able to see you alive again."

Sammie stared at her feet, all muddy and cut up. She couldn't say anything.

"Do you have any idea," he said, "what that feels like? What if you got raped and killed? How would I be able to protect you then?!"

"I'm sorry," She mumbled again. It was completely inadequate, but it was all she had.

Alex stood up, and she couldn't help flinching back at his approach. Alex frowned at her reaction, and circled her, studying her with an air of judgment.

"I mean," he said, "is this some kinda sick kick you get, or something?"

She wasn't the sick one, Samuel was.

"You can't skip it for one night?"

Not if she wanted everyone safe, she couldn't.

He stopped directly behind Sammie, no doubt looking at her torn shirt. She kept her eyes closed, not wanted to give anything away.

"How the fuck did you get that stuck in your back?"

Before she could wonder what he ment, Alex took hold of something and yanked it out. Sammie yelped loudly, tears flooded her eyes. It wasn't as horrible as burning, but everything hurt enough as it is.

"It's a huge chuck of wood," Alex said, feeling with his thumb along the her back. It stung, but she stood still. Alex circled back around to shove the bark in her face. It was a sizable piece. It was the size of a quarter.

"What the hell are you doing? Why are you hurting yourself?"

"It was just an a-accident," She stammered. "I fell during a jog and it ju-just happened."

"Goddamnit this town just lost two people our age about a month ago, and you're going down the same path they did! What the hell is happening to you?" His voice cracked.

"I am not!" Sammie yelled, then suddenly shut her mouth. Her magic was weak at the moment, but she didn't want to get mad at him.

"Yeah," Alex scoffed. "You messed up your fucking back during a jog, how stupid do you think I am? What if you'd really got hurt, how long would you have been lying out there before someone found you? If anyone ever did! Remember Mary and France? They're still missing!"

Sammie looked down at the ground. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"Really? Because you're getting pretty amazing at it. A class all on your own."

Alex scrubbed at his eyes with his sleeve, sucking in a deep breath. She kept her face as blank as possible.

"At least tell me where you went. Please, that's all I ask."

Sammie crossed her arms, disgusted with herself but resolute. She couldn't give him that information. Coming up with a fake answer was as bad as refusing to answer at all, if not worse. Alex would see through the lie now that he was expecting one.

Alex threw the piece of bark as far down the road as he could with a choked yell.

"You know what? Fine!"

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he knocked roughly against Sammie with his shoulder as he stormed past.

"Where are you going?" Sammie asked, letting the momentum of the hit turn her around. Was he giving up on her finally? She felt both relieved and hurt.

"Martin's apartment," Alex snapped without looking back. "I'm tired. Do me a favor and stay the fuck away from me for a while."

Sammie watched him go, wanting to call after him or follow him or just stop him somehow, but...it wouldn't do any good.

She forced herself to get cleaned up, though she wasn't looking forward to any part of the day anymore. Her back and her many scrapes stung under the spray of the shower, but she took her time. Too tired for anything else, she settled down to try to sleep.

She shifted uncomfortably in her bed for a few minutes before going to Alex's bed. It smelled of him.

Her mind kept her awake despite her exhaustion. It was as though each problem were fighting over her attention, trying to outdo one another.

She cried into Alex's pillow, trying not to think. She remembered getting increasingly upset and afraid while Samuel tossed her around like a rag doll. That was a feeling she'd become used to; it no longer held much of an edge. But threatening Alex, and it had been a threat without any doubt... that had sparked a kind of frantic, helpless anger that overrode conscious thought. That was something Sammie had never in her life had much occasion to feel. Until recently.

That was rage. Rage that had burned hotter than it had that night on the hill. She didn't know what came between her feeling that way and the magic existing. It happened so fast. All she could recall was a strange sort of…liberalizing feeling. As though her soul had cried out, and something answered.

Something protective, something loving.

She wondered, if for a moment, if Samuel would be alright. He hadn't seemed fazed at all, but then again he didn't really feel pain. Not that that made it okay to injure him, but…

Not long ago, she wouldn't have continued that thought with a 'but.' It wasn't okay to hurt someone, no matter what the circumstances. Shame rolled over her in strong waves. The word clung to her regardless, refusing to be shaken off.

He was evil, cruel, and manipulative!

But…

Sammie found herself worried about him, too.

But…

Samuel had suffered violence and cruelty that no one, and especially not a child, should ever have to endure.

But…

He was confused, and not used to attention now that he had it.

But he'd threatened Alex.

Sammie still strongly believed that anyone could be good if they tried, that there was no such thing as a purely evil person. There was always a reason why someone left the narrow path, some wound that could still be healed. She believed this with her whole soul. She had to..

Samuel had been good once, loved his older sister once, was happy with his parents, felt happiness once.

Sammie truly felt that he could be so again, no matter how twisted and cruel he'd become as time passed and he lost more and more of himself.

But.

In the moment that Samuel had been leaving the clearing, leaving to go to her apartment, Sammie hadn't cared about any of that. In that moment, she'd just wanted Alex safe, no matter what.

She would stake her life on her belief over and over. She couldn't gamble with Alex.

…Alex.

Best friends fought. That was an immutable fact of nature. Friends that worked together, lived together, that had more or less raised each other fought, if anything, more often than average. Alex had routinely crossed the line from funny to infuriating, and Sammie knew she could grate on Alex's nerves. They'd done their share of screaming at each other over the years.

This morning had been different. This morning had felt like something irreversible was happening. For starters, Alex knew he was being lied to, that Sammie was throwing all attempts at help back in his face. She had heard his deepest fears, and had simply tossed them aside. That betrayal must have cut deep.

Being brave and honest had done Alex no good. No matter what he said or did, it would never be enough to get through to Sammie.

Being good didn't get you anywhere, it was only by lying, and pushing others away that you could get away with things. Sammie could never allow herself to say it out loud, but it was the truth.

The price was much too high to play as the hero, to play it safe. She had to do whatever it took to keep them all safe and sound.

She wouldn't gambling their lives.

If Alex started to resent her. If Angela grew annoyed and abandoned her. If Melissa eventually got tired and ignored her.

Sammie would understand. She wouldn't blame them if they gave up on trying to help altogether. As long as they was safe, nothing else really mattered. No matter how much it hurt her.

She wasn't sure when she'd finally fallen asleep, but she remembered making wishes before she fell into her dream. Wishes that she could prevent what she did in the past.

Like befriending Samuel at the coffee shop...

Like becoming so distracted that she knocked her sister unconscious...

Like hurting Alex with her lies...

Like ignoring Melissa's attempts at helping..

This book was exciting, Sammie had always loved who-dun-it's. She sipped her latte, her eyes still on her story.

"Hello, is anyone sitting here?" A soft voice asked, bringing Sammie out of her book.

A cute blond guy that she's never seen before gestures to the chair across from her.

"Uh, no." She blushed, and smiled.

"May I sit with you? I'm sorry if I'm coming across as forward, but I think you're very cute. May I ask your name?" He spoken calmly, and with a voice Sammie found herself liking a little too much.

"Sure! Take a seat, and I'm, um, Samantha. Oh, but please call me Sammie." She giggled. So wasn't used to boys trying to get to her. She found herself smiling widely.

"Sammie? What a lovely name." He sat across from her, smiling. He way he looked at her, made her feel beautiful. "I'm Samuel."

"Thank you. I've never seen you around, are you new? I can show you around if you are! This town is full of nice people, you'll love it here." She felt herself ramble, but she didn't care.

Her chest felt light. He laughed, it was a soothing sound. Something she felt she couldn't get enough of.

"A tour? With such a pretty girl? It must be my lucky day." His green eyes seemed to glow, excitedly.

She might be too easily smitten, but she felt this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Sammie opened her brown eyes, the dream that she had already forgotten. She never remembered her dreams anyway.

And she had the dresses to mend. She had no time to think of dreams. A few days in, and she hadn't even really tried to mend them. She had a dreadful headache that would be made worse by focusing on sewing, but, oh well.

After a few hours on sewing, she was forced to admit defeat. She couldn't see straight; even the needle looked doubled. She poked herself over ten times. The desk chair was hitting in just the right spot to aggravate her back, too.

It didn't matter, she had work to do. She can rest when she's dead.