SAM
I’m still in shock with what I’ve found out. Sandy finally tells me everything, and I just listen closely to every word she says to me, but she makes me promise that I can’t tell anyone. But I may have to tell someone about it because I’m not good at keeping secret especially when the people I care about is involved.
“Your phone is ringing, Sam.” Sandy’s voice jarred me out of my thoughts. I dug my phone from my bag. Our supposed to be an Arrow marathon turns to be a telling of her life story. I look at her when I check out my phone screen. She nods.
“Handsome, miss me?” I answer.
“You have no idea, beautiful. My cock is in need of your attention. I missed you, princess.” I can clearly hear the cheerfulness in his voice.
How will he react if I’ll tell him the truth? God! It’s hard to be in this position.
“Are you coming already?” I ask, biting my lip.
“On my way, beautiful, it’s just three bl
PHOENIX I wake up with the warm limbs draping over me. Samantha is still snoring in my arms. I slowly slip out my body from her warm cuddle. No matter how much I want to stay and cuddle her all day, I already have plans for today and for the whole weekend. I’m secretly talking with Sandy for these last three days. I still didn’t tell her that I knew she is my sister. Hawk will kick my ass to the other part of the continent if he will find out I’m hiding this kind of secret from him. I start packing our clothes that’s good for three days. I bought some clothes and swimsuits for Samantha and tanning or sunscreen lotions women these days are using. I drag our two travel bags to the front door. I pick up my phone and scan Sandy’s contact that I stole from Samantha’s phone. Phoenix: Get your ass ready. We’ll be there in about an hour. A few seconds later my phone buzzes signifying a message. S
UNKNOWN Somewhere in the neighborhood... I slumped myself down to the worn-out bed after kicking off my ten-dollar high heels. My eyes are focused on the white boring ceiling that is almost yellow, and the paint is cracked at every corner of my small bedroom. This place is too old and needs remodeling, but I can’t even afford to do that. I release a deep sigh, sniffing at the overused dress that I wore almost every day to the diner where I work for over a year now. I wince at the smell of grease, sweat, and a cheap perfume I bought last week after receiving my salary. This isn’t the life I want—I always dream so high when I was a kid. I dreamt of owning sky-high buildings, fashion and cosmetics lines, and of course a yacht. I love places like Greece, France, and the Caribbean—I’ve been to those places many times, and it all suddenly changed. Patience is the key. I chuckle.
SAM The two-story beach house owned by Abby is beautiful—it’s a gift for her husband on her nineteenth birthday. I can’t help but appreciate the magnificent view that catches my eyes. An azure blue sea in a seemingly calming current, and the sounds of the rippling of waves hitting the seashores. fluffy white clouds drifting up in the sky, the seagulls squabbling overhead. I can taste the salty smell of the breeze. “This is the best part of the house,” Abby says proudly while we girls are leaning against the concrete balustrades of the balcony. We run over here as soon as Abby announces that she will show us the patio, leaving the guys behind us. “Aside from our bedrooms, this is the best,” Izzy agrees, giggling with Abby. “You two stop with your innuendos. Sandy is single, and I need you two to arrange blind dates for her,” I retort. Sandy elbow me with a grunt. “Oh, sister-in-law it’s been taken
PHOENIX It’s almost sunset—the colors of blue and violet scattering the sky with yellow-orange and red are covering most of it. Everyone gathers at the shore, sitting at the beach chairs to witness the sunset. The chopped woods are already piled for the bonfire later. The smooth sand caresses my bare-foot in every step I make. The sound of waves rippling softly at the shores is so calm as I walk hand in hand with my fiancée, Samantha through the shoreline. This is the best feeling in the world—at this moment all I can think is I am such a lucky man—being loved and in love with the same woman. She is kicking the small waves every time they reach our feet—it feels like a soft massage. I can’t help but smile at how she laughs when the seawater hits me. “Childish,” I mutter, grinning. She doesn’t care. I can see how much she enjoys doing it, and I’m beyond happy watching her laughing freely because i
SAM My body is shaking with fury when I see Gabrielle at my apartment door. Those things she did to my relationship, to Phoenix, and to myself make me want to strike into her, grab her hair, and drag her down to the lobby, then kick her to hell. I don’t know what stops me from doing things like that, perhaps I’m a better person than her? If this only happens before Phoenix is back into my life I already punch her face. But she is not the bitchy Gabrielle—the insensitive, empathetic, and vicious woman. Right now, she cowers down while Phoenix is grabbing her and growling on her face. “Let her talk, Phoenix,” I say calmly to Phoenix while rubbing his back. He is losing his temper on her, but I can’t blame him though because we both had suffered a lot in her hands. “I’m done listening to her, Samantha. She almost ruined our relationship, and now that we are back together, she shows up again, and this time on our do
PHOENIX My heart is still pounding in my chest since I saw the News about an hour ago. I don’t know why I feel guilty even if I’m not the one who hurt her—maybe because we had a history, and I loved her once somehow? Or perhaps I’m one of the reasons why that woman manipulated her into doing something horrible? I feel Samantha gripping my hand tightly. She kept telling me that Gabrielle will be okay throughout the ride to the hospital. I take a deep breath when we step inside the hospital lobby. According to the News, Gabrielle was the one who called 911 before the drug dealer killed Suzanne right in front of her own eyes. She must be so terrified and shocked, and she will never forget that extreme brutality of the murder of once she believed was her mother. I feel so bad for her, and I can see based on that News earlier that she was also beaten by those assholes. “Phoenix, are you ready? That’s her room.”
PHOENIX Six months later… Do you know it’s difficult to wake up someone who pretends to be asleep? And do you know when someone doesn’t like doing has always found thousands of reasons to avoid it? Well, yeah because I’ve been there—waking up someone who pretended to sleep, and gave me thousands of reasons every day. “Princess, I swear to God I will drag your sweet ass to the doctor if you won’t get up and get dressed right now!” I shake her shoulder under the blanket, but she never budges. She covers herself when I shout her name from our bedroom door. I’m already on my second cup of coffee, waiting for her to wake up until I decide to come to our bed and shake her. Now, I can’t wait anymore because I had to move our doctor’s appointment three times just for this week. “Go away, Phoenix! I need some sleep!” My wife slips her hand out of the blanket, gesturing to shoo me away. “Samantha,
SAM Mom looks in my direction and smiles when she notices me approaching. “Morning sweetie, I didn’t hear you came home last night. I must be in a deep sleep when you arrived,” Mom says, pouring coffee into my mug. “I’m sorry, mom. It was Amy’s birthday party last night. I couldn’t come home early because I carpooled with Maya and Garrett.” I take my plate of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and two strips of bacon she offers. She hands me a cup of coffee. “You didn’t mention to me about going to a birthday party, sweetie. You also forgot to send me a message.” She looks at me with her famous worried look. I sit on the stool of our small kitchen counter and start sipping my coffee. “Yeah, you worry too much. Did forget I’m twenty-one and not a twelve anymore? Don’t you have duty tonight?” I munch my breakfast quickly. I only have twenty minutes to get to the coffee shop where I work as a part-time waitress.
PHOENIX Six months later… Do you know it’s difficult to wake up someone who pretends to be asleep? And do you know when someone doesn’t like doing has always found thousands of reasons to avoid it? Well, yeah because I’ve been there—waking up someone who pretended to sleep, and gave me thousands of reasons every day. “Princess, I swear to God I will drag your sweet ass to the doctor if you won’t get up and get dressed right now!” I shake her shoulder under the blanket, but she never budges. She covers herself when I shout her name from our bedroom door. I’m already on my second cup of coffee, waiting for her to wake up until I decide to come to our bed and shake her. Now, I can’t wait anymore because I had to move our doctor’s appointment three times just for this week. “Go away, Phoenix! I need some sleep!” My wife slips her hand out of the blanket, gesturing to shoo me away. “Samantha,
PHOENIX My heart is still pounding in my chest since I saw the News about an hour ago. I don’t know why I feel guilty even if I’m not the one who hurt her—maybe because we had a history, and I loved her once somehow? Or perhaps I’m one of the reasons why that woman manipulated her into doing something horrible? I feel Samantha gripping my hand tightly. She kept telling me that Gabrielle will be okay throughout the ride to the hospital. I take a deep breath when we step inside the hospital lobby. According to the News, Gabrielle was the one who called 911 before the drug dealer killed Suzanne right in front of her own eyes. She must be so terrified and shocked, and she will never forget that extreme brutality of the murder of once she believed was her mother. I feel so bad for her, and I can see based on that News earlier that she was also beaten by those assholes. “Phoenix, are you ready? That’s her room.”
SAM My body is shaking with fury when I see Gabrielle at my apartment door. Those things she did to my relationship, to Phoenix, and to myself make me want to strike into her, grab her hair, and drag her down to the lobby, then kick her to hell. I don’t know what stops me from doing things like that, perhaps I’m a better person than her? If this only happens before Phoenix is back into my life I already punch her face. But she is not the bitchy Gabrielle—the insensitive, empathetic, and vicious woman. Right now, she cowers down while Phoenix is grabbing her and growling on her face. “Let her talk, Phoenix,” I say calmly to Phoenix while rubbing his back. He is losing his temper on her, but I can’t blame him though because we both had suffered a lot in her hands. “I’m done listening to her, Samantha. She almost ruined our relationship, and now that we are back together, she shows up again, and this time on our do
PHOENIX It’s almost sunset—the colors of blue and violet scattering the sky with yellow-orange and red are covering most of it. Everyone gathers at the shore, sitting at the beach chairs to witness the sunset. The chopped woods are already piled for the bonfire later. The smooth sand caresses my bare-foot in every step I make. The sound of waves rippling softly at the shores is so calm as I walk hand in hand with my fiancée, Samantha through the shoreline. This is the best feeling in the world—at this moment all I can think is I am such a lucky man—being loved and in love with the same woman. She is kicking the small waves every time they reach our feet—it feels like a soft massage. I can’t help but smile at how she laughs when the seawater hits me. “Childish,” I mutter, grinning. She doesn’t care. I can see how much she enjoys doing it, and I’m beyond happy watching her laughing freely because i
SAM The two-story beach house owned by Abby is beautiful—it’s a gift for her husband on her nineteenth birthday. I can’t help but appreciate the magnificent view that catches my eyes. An azure blue sea in a seemingly calming current, and the sounds of the rippling of waves hitting the seashores. fluffy white clouds drifting up in the sky, the seagulls squabbling overhead. I can taste the salty smell of the breeze. “This is the best part of the house,” Abby says proudly while we girls are leaning against the concrete balustrades of the balcony. We run over here as soon as Abby announces that she will show us the patio, leaving the guys behind us. “Aside from our bedrooms, this is the best,” Izzy agrees, giggling with Abby. “You two stop with your innuendos. Sandy is single, and I need you two to arrange blind dates for her,” I retort. Sandy elbow me with a grunt. “Oh, sister-in-law it’s been taken
UNKNOWN Somewhere in the neighborhood... I slumped myself down to the worn-out bed after kicking off my ten-dollar high heels. My eyes are focused on the white boring ceiling that is almost yellow, and the paint is cracked at every corner of my small bedroom. This place is too old and needs remodeling, but I can’t even afford to do that. I release a deep sigh, sniffing at the overused dress that I wore almost every day to the diner where I work for over a year now. I wince at the smell of grease, sweat, and a cheap perfume I bought last week after receiving my salary. This isn’t the life I want—I always dream so high when I was a kid. I dreamt of owning sky-high buildings, fashion and cosmetics lines, and of course a yacht. I love places like Greece, France, and the Caribbean—I’ve been to those places many times, and it all suddenly changed. Patience is the key. I chuckle.
PHOENIX I wake up with the warm limbs draping over me. Samantha is still snoring in my arms. I slowly slip out my body from her warm cuddle. No matter how much I want to stay and cuddle her all day, I already have plans for today and for the whole weekend. I’m secretly talking with Sandy for these last three days. I still didn’t tell her that I knew she is my sister. Hawk will kick my ass to the other part of the continent if he will find out I’m hiding this kind of secret from him. I start packing our clothes that’s good for three days. I bought some clothes and swimsuits for Samantha and tanning or sunscreen lotions women these days are using. I drag our two travel bags to the front door. I pick up my phone and scan Sandy’s contact that I stole from Samantha’s phone. Phoenix: Get your ass ready. We’ll be there in about an hour. A few seconds later my phone buzzes signifying a message. S
SAM I’m still in shock with what I’ve found out. Sandy finally tells me everything, and I just listen closely to every word she says to me, but she makes me promise that I can’t tell anyone. But I may have to tell someone about it because I’m not good at keeping secret especially when the people I care about is involved. “Your phone is ringing, Sam.” Sandy’s voice jarred me out of my thoughts. I dug my phone from my bag. Our supposed to be an Arrow marathon turns to be a telling of her life story. I look at her when I check out my phone screen. She nods. “Handsome, miss me?” I answer. “You have no idea, beautiful. My cock is in need of your attention. I missed you, princess.” I can clearly hear the cheerfulness in his voice. How will he react if I’ll tell him the truth? God! It’s hard to be in this position. “Are you coming already?” I ask, biting my lip. “On my way, beautiful, it’s just three bl
SAM Phoenix’s mouth hangs open as he stares at me for a good minute, then he finally blinks and laughs out loud. A whimper slips from my lips, and as fast as lightning, I am pressed underneath him, and he is grinning like an idiot. “Shouldn’t you at least say it back?” I raise a brow. “Nah,” that’s all he says before he crashes his lips on mine and kisses me slow, sweet, and innocent. “Sorry, princess but I’m not having sex with you tonight.” I fake a pout. “Not even a dry humping?” “Are you that desperate, my love?” I nod, biting my lip, then we burst into a laugh while our bodies pressed together. “I love you, Samantha. So fucking much!” “Good, Phoenix,” I reply. He then kisses my forehead, my eyes, my nose, my ch