Chapter 5

• I've been here for three days and haven't done anything productive. For example, this afternoon, I spent three hours sitting on the couch watching Rick and Morty, and I only got up because I was hungry.
• I turned off the TV and went to the kitchen to get something to satisfy my craving. I'm not eating well lately; I miss my brother and my home. Sitting here on the couch all day isn't pleasant or fun.
• I haven't seen Nick since yesterday afternoon when he locked himself in his room. I know he left because I heard his door open, but I didn't see him return.
• Will he be in his room? Should I go and check? Actually, the idea of being alone in this house scares me. It's huge for one person, and every step I take, the sound resonates throughout the house.
• I know it's childish, but I've seen many horror movies, okay? Bad things always happen in houses like this, and I don't want anyone to come after me, at least not for now. If I know there's someone else in the house, I won't be so afraid of Jack the Ripper coming for me.
• I climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway until I reached Nick's room. I knocked on the door a couple of times, but no one responded. I opened the door slightly and saw Nick lying on his bed with a blonde girl, her large breasts exposed, and her head off the bed. My eyes widened, and my heart started beating rapidly.
• When I saw Nick move, I closed the door too quickly and too loudly. I'm sure he heard it. I ran back to my room and locked myself in there, pleading with Nick not to come and ask me why I opened his door because I don't have an explanation.
• I touched my chest and felt like my heart was about to burst out. I don't understand why I react like this. It's not the first time I've seen a scene like this with a man and a woman; I've seen my brother in such situations many times.
• I tried to clear my thoughts when I heard a slam and a girl's voice behind my door.
• "You're such a pig!" she shouted. It was the same girl I had just seen in Nick's room.
• I heard her steps dramatically descending the stairs. I wanted to go out to make sure she was gone.
• As I turned the doorknob, I started to have doubts. What if Nick was behind my door? I'd die of embarrassment. He knows I snooped into his room. I did it because I was scared, but that doesn't make it right.
• Letting out a deep sigh, I lay down on my bed and tried to sleep, even though it was only four in the afternoon.
• Before I could fall asleep, my phone started ringing, startling me and causing me to fall off the bed.
• My arm took the impact, and all my weight fell on it. When I got up, my arm hurt a lot, but that didn't stop me from picking up the phone; it could be my mother.
• "Hello," I groaned, trying to sound friendly and not show how much pain I was in.
• "Samantha? Honey, are you okay?" Marcos' sweet voice made some of the pain disappear, and I sat back on the bed, probably with a silly smile on my face.
• "Yes, I just fell off the bed," I said, downplaying the situation, even though my arm felt like it was about to break.
• "Isn't Olivia or your stepfather around?" Marcos' concerned voice made my heart ache. I wish he were here with me.
• "I'm fine, don't worry," a pathetic attempt to keep him from worrying, even though I knew he would continue to worry.
• "It's hard when you're eight thousand kilometers away from me," I didn't know what to say to reassure him. I know he's angry inside because I left, but I hope he understands that I needed to.
• "How's everything at home?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
• "Fine, but it feels strange without you, and Millie keeps asking about you. She still can't bring herself to call you," I heard Marcos opening the refrigerator and grabbing a can of... I don't know, something. "You have to call her, Sam."
• I didn't want to call her just yet; I know she'll cry, and I would want to cry too, and I don't like that. I hate crying.
• "I know, I will, but not just yet," I mumbled the last part.
• I knew he was going to give me a lecture about friendship. He's just like my mother in that sense, always trying to make me change my mind or become a better person. His attempts were pathetic, and to me, the time he made me listen to them was time wasted. I won't change.
• "Sam, listen to me, I know you don't like it when I say these things..." Just before he could continue with his "Do the right thing" talk, someone knocked on the door.
• Sometimes, that door was a blessing.
• I opened it, thinking it was Olivia, but no, luck was on my side; it was Nick. I raised my index finger to signal him to wait a second.
• "Who is it?" the disrespectful Nick and my boyfriend asked at the same time. I covered the phone so Marcos wouldn't hear me.
• I don't think it's good for him to know there's a guy in my room. He's never been jealous, but I don't want him to start being one now that I'm so far away from him.
• "I'm talking to my boyfriend. So, if you can keep quiet for at least five more seconds, I'd appreciate it," Nick nodded and started counting with his fingers. I turned around and sat on my bed.
• "It's no one. If you see John, tell him I miss him and that..." Before I could continue, I saw Nick open his palm and spread his fingers to show them to me. I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore him, but I saw a defiant look on his face. I lifted the corner of my mouth, and what followed almost made me want to rip his face off.
• "Oh, Samantha, come to bed with me! Leave your stupid and chubby boyfriend and let's go for the fifth round, or was it the sixth? I think there were more, but who knows. You're wild, girl, and I want more of your ass on me..." I hung up the call before he could continue. I looked at him, and he was laughing.
• I was furious. I grabbed the pillows from the headboard of my bed and started throwing them at Nick's head with all my strength. He was so distracted laughing that he didn't see the "pretty hard" pillows about to hit his head. When they did, Nick almost fell.
• "You don't attack someone when they're distracted," he argued with unnecessary indignation. He was staring at me, trying to intimidate me.
• "You deserved it! I told you to shut up, and instead, you put me in a tight spot with my boyfriend," I defended myself, crossing my arms, trying as much as possible to avoid eye contact. Every time our eyes met, my heart threatened to jump out of my chest. It wasn't a feeling I wanted to have often. Actually, never.
• "What's the problem? They'll be over soon. Probably, the inevitable will happen sooner," my eyes widened.
• "Excuse me?" I asked, gritting my teeth. "Tell me, who are you to meddle in my affairs?"
• "And who are you to enter my room without my permission? I think we're even," I intended to reply, but he was right. I couldn't argue with him.
• "What do you want, Nick?" I wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible.
• "I wanted to tell you not to enter my room again."
• "It's okay. I'm sorry, I was just scared, and I wanted to know if you were home. I never imagined you'd be with a girl,"
• "It doesn't matter what the reason is. Just don't do it," he turned around, left my room, and went downstairs. I didn't stop until I heard the sound of the front door opening and closing.
• Nick is one of the rudest people I've met in my life. When we were kids, he was the sweetest boy I had ever known. Now, he's one of the most unpleasant people I've met. How can a person change so much?
• My mind is focused on the jerk when I should be calling Marcos to apologize for what just happened.
• Damn, I'm such a great girlfriend.