The Boy from New York City

Samantha Rose Charleston

Any smart person would take this opportunity and tell him the truth. In any romantic movie, this would be the part where I would practically shout it to the world. It’s set up for me to just say what I need to say. But I’m not that smart of a person, this isn’t a movie, and the set-up seems too easy.

Plus, he just poured his heart out to me; I don’t need to add another thing to his list. “I know it’s hard to believe, but what you just told me is actually very helpful. But it’s also an extremely long explanation, one that I feel is necessary to hold off until tomorrow. So, for right now, should we watch some exciting TV?” I make a reach for the remote but Alexzander’s hand smoothly grabs my arm. I look up at him expectantly, only to find a new bit of curiosity in his eyes.

“I told you my ‘someday.’ Now it’s your turn.” My eyes widen and I start to panic internally. I should have seen this coming, should have known he’d want my secret too.

“Alexzander, please,” I beg, “please just wait until tomorrow. I promise, I will answer every question you have going through that mind of yours right now. I just, I need to think something things through first.”

“What? So that you can just figure out another way not to tell me?” He sounded angry and he had every right to be. But seeing how this isn’t our house, it wasn’t exactly a good place to get angry in.

“I swear to you that first thing in the morning you will know my secret. First thing. The minute you open your eyes, whether I’m awake or asleep, you will know. I just need you to trust me, to take my word for it.”

He looks into my eyes for a moment, searching for any bit of a lie. But he came up empty handed. “First thing.” He states, not allowing any further negotiation.

I nod, “first thing.” With that Alexzander and I decide to call it a night. He quickly slips into a deep sleep while I stay awake, waiting for the moment to be right. Once I know he won’t wake up at the slightest move, I slip out of the bed and into the hall.

Only a select few of us know that Lisa enjoys wearing wigs. Her hair is fairly thin so when she wants to have a different look she goes to wigs instead of styling. I’m sure if you really paid attention, it’s quite noticeable, but you can’t tell just passing by. The color wouldn’t be exactly the right color, but it would do for now.

And that’s how, about an hour later, I was back in bed, blue contacts out, skin scrubbed, and hair a dark brown. I was no longer just Sam. I was officially plain old Samantha. Again. Now, I just have to pray that Alexzander doesn’t have a heart attack. With nothing left to do I doze off playing out every scenario tomorrow would bring.

I slowly awake to the feeling of my hair being pulled. Or, well, the wig I was wearing. I stretch a bit to show that I was awake and Alexzander stops playing with the fake hair. “Sweetie, why are you wearing a wig?”

I take a deep breath. I wish I had woken up facing him so that I didn’t have to literally show him the change. “It’s my secret.”

Alexzander chuckles and runs a finger down my back, “we already went over the fact that you bleach your hair Sam-”

“-antha.”

“What?”

“Samantha.” I repeat, “I lied, my real name is Samantha.” Slowly I turn to face Alexzander in the bed, “Samantha Rose Charleston.” Alexzander’s eyes went completely wide. His mouth kept opening and closing as if he were completely speechless but wanted to say something. “Before you say anything, please, I beg you; let me tell my side of things."

“Samantha?”

“Yes.”

“My Samantha?”

I nod this time, not wanting tears to fall at his statement. He rolls out of bed and starts pacing the room. “But if you’re—then, where’s John? How are you here? What—what’s going on?”

“Deep breaths Alexzander. I don’t need you passing out on me right now.”

He stops for a moment and faces the window. I watch as his body relaxes with each deep breath. Finally he finds his voice, “So what’s you’re big secret?” I was surprised to hear the hint of humor in his voice at a time like this but also relieved.

“Asshole.” I mutter, slipping off the itchy wig.

“What was that?” Alexzander smirks, walking back over to sit on the bed.

“Nothing.” I reply, “Are you ready to hear me out?”

Alexzander stares at me for a moment, and runs a finger across my unstained skin. “In a second,” he whispers and then pulls me into a tight hug. We sat there for a few minutes, silent, just holding each other like we were long lost friends. Which is exactly what we were.

He pulls back and stares at me as if everything that had just happened was a dream. “You’re really here.”

“I am.”

“This isn’t just a dream?”

“God Alexzander, I wish.”

He nods as if understanding and situates himself to sit and listen. “I guess it’s your turn then.”

I smile and take a breath. “That night before Disneyland, I could barely sleep. I was so excited. Then, while wide awake still, my door silently opened and John came in. I don’t know if you remember, but John and I never got along so right then I got scared. He motioned for me to stay silent and to go into the closet. There’s a hidden door in there which is where we stayed while everything happened. I heard the yelling from both parties, and then they left. John practically dragged me out to the shed thing in the back. He cut my hair, dyed it and gave me contacts. He also gave me my new identity, both drilling it into my head and also on paper. I couldn’t sleep of course but at some point while I was spacing out John snuck away.

“The night before he told me what to do, how to survive. But for the most part he just told me I’d figure it out. So I did. I left the house and everything behind. Knowing that it was not safe there. And I just kind of walked. John was just about finishing up college then, and knowing him he’d have talked his way into some fancy job. That’s where I walked to, the businesses. But day after day I never saw anyone resembling John. One night, I remember it was fairly cool for late summer, Doug found me. He was living with his older brother at the time. I moved in with them that night. They’ve always done some shady shit, and I would never participate. After all, I’m still a Charleston and I couldn’t have that on my record. School started up again and I forced myself day in and day out to go. It was public school and worthless, but I got through. Doug never understood that, neither did his brother. At one point they thought I was too good to be living with them, too smart they told me. That’s when I started pick-pocketing and stealing worthless items. It was kind of my payment for living there. And, well, better than some other ways of paying.

“Doug’s brother died when I was about fourteen. Doug and I were barely making it when that happened. I started working at the strip club soon after.” Like expected, Alexzander’s eyes pop out. “Wait, no, not like that. I was the janitor of sorts. Made sure the place stayed spotless. Pay was terrible but it helped a lot. I still went to school during the day and when I wasn’t at either place I spent my time searching for my brother. Doug started to get into some really shitty business and that’s when I took my saved up money and moved out. Well, moved to the other crappy apartment across the hall, but you know what I mean.

“That really brings us up to when you and I met. I was just coming home from picking up dinner. By then I had been stripping for about three years and had gotten used to walking up to Doug doing some stupid sale at night. But I always warned the rich people about his useless drugs. Never know who they’re connected with. To be honest, whenever I saw a guy in a suit, I’d hope it was my brother and then get disappointed when you all turned out to be otherwise.”

“Why did you want to find John so much?” Alexzander asks, just as confused about the situation as me.

“Well, who else had answers? Let’s put it this way, the whole thing was planned and somewhat known about. If it weren’t, the dye wouldn’t have been in the shed; John wouldn’t have entered my room before everyone. John knew something and I wanted answers.”

“That day I ran into you…?”

“The coffee run in was me trying to find him. I would literally just walk around the rich areas, the business buildings, hoping to spot him. Instead I found you. That time you found me in front of your building. Well, it was partially to look for John, partially because I was missing my dad, and partially because I was looking for you.” I admit, surprised at my own words.

“Me?”

“Well, yeah. I figured, if I really wanted to figure stuff out I needed to get back into that lifestyle. I was thinking of what I could offer you when you found me standing there.”

He laughs, “And instead I’m the one proposing something.”

I shrug, “it worked out in the end though.”

There was a moment of silence between us as Alexzander took in my words. I wasn’t even sure what I meant by them but there was definitely something there. “Did it help?”

I look up at him, blinking in confusion, “What?”

“Did joining me, reentering the lifestyle, help you?”

Staring at Alexzander I realized that, even though it was all planned, it did give me the answers I was looking for. “Yes. I found everything I was searching for.” Of course, not realizing it as the words left my mouth, this meant I would have to tell Alexzander yet another secret. “Wait, I mean—”

“Everything? You said you were looking for John. Did you find John?”

“Please don’t hate him.”

“Sam, who are you talking about?”

“My brother. His name is Jonathan Liam Charleston. At the engagement party, I—I thought I recognized the name. He was charming and nice and I didn’t think anything of it. Then, when we got engaged. Rose, she kind of let it slip.”

“Rose? The Rose that calls me Uncle Alex?”

“That would be the one.” I felt bad about all the lies, all the secrets I was keeping. It was for my own safety—our safety, but I still felt guilty. “That night she told me that she was named after her aunt who she looked exactly like according to her father. Again, I didn’t think much of it at the time. But then Liam—he let it slip. He told me I was as stubborn as dad because I wouldn’t leave you, I wouldn’t do what was safe.”

“And then you passed out.”

“Yeah.”

“So Liam, my so-called best friend, Liam, is your brother?”

“I’m positive.”

“And you, my so-called wife, is my best friend?”

“If you’ll still have me.”

Alexzander stands up and pulls me up with him. He holds me for a second, letting the few tears trickle down my face and onto his chest. “I love you Samantha Rose Charleston.” He whispers into my ear right before pressing his lips firmly against mine.
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So I had a big urge to just end the chapter at least where she's saying that her brother's last words were 'You're Sam, Just Sam.' But I thought that would be extremely mean. but cool. I mean, come on, end it with the beginning? It's not like I've never done that before--hehehe (The Time Capsule--Go read it!)

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the quick summary of Samantha Rose Charleston's life. I know it is once again a filler but I felt the need to write these two interactions, they seem couple-y building type times.

Have an amazing week. I hope not to be this long between updates again. And for those of you starting school soon, have fun with that ;)

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