It's Not You, It's Me

I woke up in an unfamiliar room.
“Morning or rather night.” Caleb said.
“Morning.” The guys said in unison.
I mumbled. “Where am I?”
“Caleb’s room” Tiffany informed.
I sat up and rubbed the sand out of my eyes. My stomach rumbled. I hope they didn’t realize it but they did. Caleb chuckled, Jake and Will smiled, and Matt laughed.
“Hey it’s only 8:30 so let’s go get some dinner.” Caleb offered.
I got out of the bed and walked outside with them. As soon as we got to the exit of the dorm, I walked in the opposite direction of where they were headed. Someone dragged me back to the direction they were headed.
“Again, Caleb? Why?” I asked
He chuckled. “You are part of our group. That means you hang out with us.”
“Just take Tiffany.” Tiffany straightened her back as though she was proud that I acknowledged her.
I struggled and wiggled until his grip let loose and I ran toward my dorm. I heard quick footsteps right behind me. I ran as fast as I could, but Matt caught me and carried me like a princess that I don’t deserve to be.
“Sam, you have to eat. You have to stop being so stubborn.” Matt said as I tried to squirm more.
“I will eat. I’m going with Ed and Nick.” I would rather tell a lie than go with them to have “fun.”
“They ate already.” Tiffany said. Dang. My lie seriously did not get far.
“Let me hold her and you get the car.” Caleb said. In the middle of passing me to him, I tried to wiggle more to get free but Caleb got me before I could get out of their grasps.
“Just leave her be. You can let her run to her room and swallow in her guilt.”
“Guilt?” Caleb asked, looking at me. I felt uncomfortable when Tiff was about to answer.
“Yeah, she believes she-“
“Never mind, if she wants to tell me, she’ll tell me. Nothing personal against you, but let her speak up for herself.” He answered. I felt more at ease.
Every High School Prep student that passed by stared at Caleb carrying me. I felt embarrassed that I stopped squirming, pulled the hoodie up, and buried my face into his chest. He muffled a chuckle.
BEEP BEEP. Matt honked the horn of his BMW 15 minutes later. Caleb put me in the back seat between Will and Jake while he sat in the front.
“Sam, please try not to escape while we are in the car. I actually want to sleep for ten minutes.” Jake said. I nodded my head and sat still during the car ride to McDonalds.
“Oh don’t worry about that. She doesn’t have the guts to cause trouble in the car ever again.” Tiffany mumbled as she squished herself into the back.
Those words were true but they hurt like a thousand thorns.
“Why are you crying?” Jake asked. Caleb turned around and I could see the sympathy.
I shook my head. Caleb put his sunglasses over my eyes and let me cry it out. What’s with the sunglasses?
I didn’t order any food because I wasn’t hungry. I just picked a table in the back and sat there for a few minutes.
“Here”, Tiffany tossed the burger and fries. I didn’t bother to eat or touch the food.
“No, than-“ Jake stuffed some fries into my mouth and I munched on it.
“There. Eat up or do I have to hand feed you?” A smirk came onto Jake’s face.
“Neither.” I said. I just want to stay in my room, alone.
“There is no neither. You have to eat.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Okay. Mouth feed it is.” Jake stuffed some fries into his mouth and came toward me with a playful yet serious expression.
I quickly stuffed as many fries into my mouth as I can and Jake stopped in his tracks.
“Happy?” I asked with my mouth full.
“More than that, I am extremely delighted.” Jake smiled. Everyone laughed so much at my expression when Jake was coming closer to me. Everyone talked and watched me eat. They told each other tales of their summer.
“Hey Tiff, how was your summer?” Matt asked.
“It was absolutely fantastic. I attended parties with my friends. Then I went on vacation with them. I also went to my old hometown with Sam to see our friends, since we live with our uncle.”
“Why your uncle?”
She looked down at the table. “my mom. . . died.”
“Sorry.” The table became quiet.
“Sam, how was your summer.” I just sat quietly and shook my head. I felt like I was on the verge of tears, but I didn’t want to cry in front of them. All I do is cry. I’m not that cry baby. I need to harden my heart and accept what I did. That’s that. The guys didn’t push further and Will changed the subject.
“Hey, let’s hang in the park.” Matt said.
He drove us to the park and I walked over to the swing sets.
“You must love swinging.”
I looked at Caleb and said, “Yeah, I do. It calms me.”
We sat on the swings a bit more until we had to start walking back to the car.
In the car, everyone was talking enthusiastically while Tiff was sleeping.
“Hey Sam, if I could rearrange the alphabet, I would put U and I together.” Matt said playfully.
“That’s really corny. If I could put letters together, I would rearrange them to read F and U.” I realized what I just said and closed my mouth shut. Was I reverting to my old self? “Sorry.” I mumbled.
All of the guys laughed. “You just got owned!” Jake said.
“Ah, so silent Cinderella starts to speak!” So this was Matt’s aim the time he said that corny line.
“Lady’s stop first.” Matt said as he stopped at the front of the entrance.
Matt chuckled. “Hey Tiff, wake up. You’re home!” She fluttered her eyes and looked around her.
“Oh I guess I am home. Thanks.” She said groggily.
“Here, let me walk you to your door.” Caleb offered.
“No. You stay here.”
We got out of the car and started walking. Caleb got out to walk us to the door.
“Did you have fun with us today?” Caleb asked.
“Yes. “
“Cool.”
“How about you Tiff?”
“It was awesome. I had an amazing time.”
“You don’t need to pity me.” I directed it to Caleb.
“Trust me. I have no pity for you.”
“And you don’t have to hang out with me.”
“Oh, please. We truly love you. It would break all of our hearts if you’re not with us.” He smiled.
“How many times did you use those lines on other girls?”
“Once.” He smiled and I just stared at him. “I used it on Will.”
I laughed at that tiny joke.
“She laughs! Ladies and Gentlemen, Sam can laugh!” Caleb announced loudly.
I didn’t pay attention to where I was going and I knocked right into someone’s chest, again.
“Sorry.” I mumbled.
“Nah, it was my fault.”
I continued to walk with Caleb, but the person grabbed my arm and turned me around. It was the guy earlier!
“Hey, you’re the girl who bumped into me earlier. Did you and your sister find your way to the big tree?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, we did.” Tiffany interjected.
“Cool. I’m Dylan, by the way.”
“I’m Tiffany.”
Dylan stared at me and I stared back.
“And you?”
“Sam.”
“It’s getting late. I need to get to the photo shoot. Bye Tiff. Bye Sam. Caleb. I’ll see you, girls, around.” Dylan gave a brief nod to Caleb before leaving.
“Bye” Tiffany dragged out in a fake, high pitched tone. If I didn’t know better, I think that’s her ‘I think I’m cute’ voice.
“This is your stop. Good night.”
He gave a quick hug to Tiffany. “Good night, Tiff.” In response, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Caleb gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Night, Sam.”
“Night.”