Right Girl

Samantha Brooks:

After being absent for two days because Sabrina won’t let me go to school, Garrett picked me up in the morning. What an irresponsible sister I truly have.

“Hey, are you okay now? I mean, the truth, please” Garrett said.

“Of course, I am, Garrett. I can’t wait to go back to school, though. I missed a lot” I replied with an excited tone of voice.

“Good then. But if someone will mention that incident to you in a bad manner, just tell me, Sam” Garrett smiled.

I smiled back and nodded, “Sure, I will. But I can handle myself”

Garrett glared at me and sighed, “Sam, tell me”

“Okay, I will. I was just joking, Garrett” I giggled.

At school, the usual routine happened in the morning: he opened the door for me, grabbed some of my books and made our way to the classroom. But there’s also something weird, everyone was looking and whispering.

“Garrett, why are they like this?” I asked while we were walking.

“Don’t mind them” He replied.

We reached the room and a classmate of ours, came running towards me, “Sam! Are you alright?”

I looked at Garrett curiously, if he has any idea what our classmate is talking about. But he just looked away, “Of course, I’m alright! Why did you ask?”

“School rumor: someone almost touched you” He answered back.

I kept my stare at Garrett as my jaw was wide open and turned back to my classmate, “Who started to spread that shit?”

“Other batchmates that are present at the party too” He replied.

Garrett let go of my hand and kicked the teacher’s seat to get everyone’s attention while the teacher wasn’t there yet, “Hey, if you’re going to spread some shitty news about Sam, if I were you, I’ll just shut the fuck up! Or if you want the hard way, I can come to you” He shouted.

I pulled Garrett out of the classroom, “What are you doing?!” I yelled

“Can’t you see that they’re trying to bring you down again? Well, I’m not going to let that happen again, Sam” Garrett cupped my face and sighed.

“I don’t want them to hurt you, that’s why I’m doing this” He cleared.

I forced a smile. How can I not smile by this person’s sweetness? “Thanks, Garrett. Don’t hurt anyone, don’t hurt yourself” I stated.

He nodded and smiled, “I won’t, I promise”

When we saw the teacher coming, Garrett and I ran back to our room and to our own seats.

Garrett is so protective but I don’t mind. He cares so much and he doesn’t want people to bring me down because he knows I suffered enough when I experienced that before. Garrett likes to think of others before himself. He loves others than himself.

“So, Ms. Brooks is finally here” Mentioned by our teacher.

“Yes, I am” I answered back.

I felt very uncomfortable at our classroom. It’s like their eyes are all glued to me. They kept staring and glaring at me. Is it because of what happened at the party?

On my way to my next class, Lisa passed by and smiled. She pulled at the corner and hugged me, “Hey Sam, are you fine now?” She asked.

“I am fine, Lisa” I asked.

“Behalf of that jerk Kyle, I want to say sorry. I shouldn’t have forced you to come along the party. I forgot that Garrett was the jealous type” Lisa sighed and frowned.

“It’s alright, Lisa”

I hugged Lisa back and chuckled, “I’m going to be late for my next class. See you later, Lisa” I waved good bye and headed for my next class.

Walking by myself wasn’t good as expected. People I pass by started to whisper again and look at me. Did the news spread so fast that everyone at the building knows what happened already?

“Oh, look, she became a whore”

“I pity her for what happened. I hope she feels better soon”

But not all words coming from them are nice or are pleasant to hear. Calling me a whore even though I was the victim that night and calling me a slut for staying in a room and drunk with a guy I didn’t know. Is it my entire fault? I didn't even know that he didn't leave the room before I felt sleepy.

While the whispering and the harsh words become louder, I remembered my old self. The loser girl I used to be back then when Garrett was still the bully person. I changed so that people would look at me differently. They did, but in the wrong way.

I ran towards the laboratory room and thought of skipping my next class. I just sat there alone and started to reminisce all the memories I had since the beginning of my life when I transferred to this school and became the loser girl that everyone loved to play with.

I don’t know why I feel so weak but other people knew me from being strong. People just love to bring down their own kind, don’t they? Maybe I depend too much on Garrett for standing up for me and now that I’m alone in this room, I feel so weak without him.

“Sam?”

I turned around and wiped the tears away when I saw Garrett on the door frame. I didn’t know I was crying until he called out my name.

“Oh, Garrett” I forced a smile.

“Are you crying?” He asked as he walked forward and closer to me.

“I am not” I lied.

“Yes you are. I can tell. Why?” He replied after he pushed my face up with my chin.

“I feel so weak. This.. This isn’t me, Garrett”

“Why do you feel so weak?” He questioned.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class?” I tried to change the topic because I know Garrett is one of the persons who think I’m strong. Now, here I am, showing him my weak spot.

“Someone mentioned that you went here. Anyway, hey, what happened?” He said softly.

“Before, when people call me names, I don’t care about it. Because I know that they don’t know me, only I, know myself. But now, when people call me names, I feel affected. I feel like I cared at everything they say even though they don’t know me. What’s happening to me?” I burst out.

“People have weak spots too. You’re strong, believe me. But sometimes, being strong can’t stay forever. People like you and I get hurt and sometimes, when it’s too much, we just have to let ourselves let the hurt out. We can’t keep that pain in our chests forever. That’s one of the reason people cry” Garrett comforted.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him, “But if you feel weak, I’m always here for you”

“Don’t I depend too much on you?” I questioned.

“No, it’s my own decision to take care of you because I know you’ve been in so much pain even before so I said to myself that I’ll do anything to protect you cause I…” He trailed off.

“Cause you?” I asked.

“Cause I love you”

I looked at Garrett and smiled, “You always know how to make me feel better”

“Because it’s the truth, Sam” He answered.

I kissed Garrett on the cheek and chuckled, “I love you too”

I felt the pain go away and it was replaced by a feeling called love. The bitterness was gone and all I can feel was happiness.

“I always thought that this wouldn’t happen to me. Like I would only see this in movies or dramas but I never imagined that it can also happen to me in real life” I confessed to Garrett.

“In the book of me and you, this isn’t the happy ending just yet” He replied.

“The book of me and you?” I asked.

“This is just another chapter of the book of me and you” He continued.

I shook my head and laughed. A part of me thinks it’s sweet, a part of me doesn’t get it, “I want our fairytale to be like Shrek. You’ll be Shrek” I joked.

“But I don’t have big nose and I’m not green. Damn you!” He answered with a laugh.

“I love your nose. It’s big” I joked again

“I’m going to hate you for saying that!” He exclaimed.

“I was just joking, Garrett. I love you for being you. No secrets are wonderful”

“How did you know I don’t have any secrets?” He asked.

“Cause I trust you” I answered.

“Right” Was his only answer.

During lunch time, Garrett and I were alone in the lunch table. I was eating my lunch while he was busy talking to John on his cell because John kept on bugging Garrett to go watch this movie with him.

“Ever since you had a real love life, you became such an asshole!” I heard John shouted on Garrett’s phone.

“You’re just bitter because Sabrina doesn’t fancy you. Poor thin boy” Garrett teased.

I laughed at Garrett’s joke to John which was in fact, real. But it was really funny to me because my sister doesn’t have really any interest on love as of now.

“Shut up, John! Stop being such a kid and watch the movie alone or if you want a good companion, ask Pat!” Garrett groaned from irritation.

“I’m going to kill him” Garrett mouthed. I laughed a little and smiled.

Two younger girls from the younger year walked behind me and said, “Is she Samantha Brooks? God! I pity her”

I sipped from my soda can and chuckled, “Yeah, I’m Samantha Brooks” I uttered in a whisper that only Garrett can hear.

I looked down on my food as I started to play with it with my fork, “Geez. When will they stop?” I talked to myself.

“Sam” Garrett called out.

I looked up and saw him looking at me suspiciously with his blue eyes. “Yes?” I replied.

Garrett groaned and grabbed his bag, “Garrett? Where are you going?” I asked in a shouting tone of voice.

“To tell people to shut the fuck up!” He answered back angrily.

“Oh shit. This is not good” I exclaimed.

I followed where Garrett went with my eyes but he was too fast to be get track. I finally saw him trying to stand on a lunch table in the middle of lunch area. “Oh my God. Please don’t!” I shouted to myself.

“Garrett?!” Lisa shouted from her seat.

“Shut up, Lisa. I’m going to say something!” He yelled.

“Hey guys!” He called out to everyone.

“Fuck this! Listen to me!” He shouted. I was even surprised that he got everyone’s attention which made the big room silent.

“You see that girl?!” He shouted as he pointed to my direction.

“She’s a very wonderful girl, okay. I like her so much and I don’t know if any one of you noticed that because I believe that my actions are notice-able. Anyway, Samantha Daniel Brooks is everything to me right now and I don’t give a fuck about what you all think of her. Stop saying shitty things to her because it’s not true. Don’t criticize her if you don’t know her..”

“Don’t make fun of her if there’s nothing to laugh about because if I heard that any one of you would try and talk shit about her again, you’ll be dead. I swear” Garrett continued and jumped of the lunch table.

"Garrett, you don't need to do that" I whispered when he sat in front of me.

"I know you would say that. That's why I did it without telling you because I know you'll stop me" He uttered.

A batchmate of ours came towards us with a smile, "How sweet of Garrett to do that with Sam. I hope you two will stay together in a long time" She said and smiled.

"Thanks" I replied.

Then another came, then another, and another, and another more.. I never thought just by Garrett's words, he can change the way people look at me all of a sudden.

Garrett, I love you... This is just another chapter of the book of me and you