༄ SAM wished she didn't know she was about to get yelled at the second she stepped inside that house.

Sadly, she did know. And that was why she tried to linger around Minho just a little longer.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" He asked softly when she hugged him.

Sam shook her head. "It's only gonna get you into more problems. My mom doesn't have to know I was with you."

"Alright then." He let go of her. Placed a kiss on her forehead. "Good luck, Sammy."

"Thank you." She stared at him for a few seconds, eyes bright from happiness. "Dad's home now, so I think I'll be able to watch practices and everything again."

"Okay." He took her hand before she walked away. "Hey— don't be afraid to tell your dad what your mom did, yeah?"

"Yeah." She nodded, squeezing his hand. "Bye, Minho."

"See you, Sammy."

She crossed the dark street and walked up the veranda. One last time, she looked back at Minho, smiled, and then grabbed her keys.

If maybe she could be quiet when she entered and just pretend—

The door opened and she got pulled inside with a rough movement.

Great!

She'd expected her happiness to overtop the fear of getting yelled at, but it didn't. The second her mother pushed her into the living room, her smile was gone. It did come back when she saw her dad standing in the corner, but Edith held her arm so tightly she had no way to hug him.

"Where the hell were you?!"

She looked up at her mother. "Would you just not ruin my mood for once?"

"Would you just listen for once?!" The grip on her arm tightened, and Sam winced. "Where were you, Samira? It's eleven PM! You've been gone since maths class!"

At least Jorge hadn't snitched.

"Can I greet dad first?" She urged. Edith did allow that, but with a cold gaze. Sam hugged her dad as tightly as she hugged Minho before, and felt her heartbeat steady.

"Good to have you back, Cheeri." He patted her on her back. "But where were you? Your mom and I were both so worried."

"I was just—"

"Were you with that exhibitionist?"

Her eyes closed for a second. An exhibitionist. "No, I wasn't with you, Mom."

A gasp left the woman's mouth. "Samira—"

"Sam, Honey." Her father stepped closer. He attempted to lay a hand on her shoulder, but she shook it off. "Let's not—"

"Mom locked me up and stole my phone," she said. Then it came flooding out of her mouth. "She didn't allow me to go anywhere and made me do nothing but study and do chores. She threatened that if I texted Minho, I wouldn't be seeing anyone soon, and she didn't allow Jeff to visit in the weekends. I haven't seen him in weeks. She didn't care that I only caught two hours sleep a night, or wasn't eating dinner anymore, or wasn't doing well at all. She's called me a failure. The most horrible daughter someone could wish for and in the beginning of this school year, she said she loved me because she had to, not because she liked me."

When she finished speaking, her eyes had already filled with tears at the memories.

Sahil looked up at his wife. "Is that true?"

She took a step back, eyes narrowed. "No, of course not— Honey, why would you believe I'd ever—"

A part of Sam wanted to yell what she had told Minho after he finally shared his issues with someone, but she didn't.

Family problems aren't an excuse to pointing someone's self-harming out at all, she remembered herself thinking a few hours ago.

"Then explain why she would lie about this," her father added. "Why would my daughter accuse her mother, my wife, of saying those things if it weren't true?"

Edith's eyes flicked from Sam to Sahil. "Because she's an attention seeker, just like her boyfriend."

"See?" Sam choked on a cry. "That's what I mean. She's calling me an attention seeker while I've never told anyone about the fact you've been calling me a failure since I had my first bad grade."

Once the yelling started, Sam fled upstairs. She locked her door behind her, and almost immediately grabbed her phone.

Min ❤️

How'd it go??
Lmk x

Parents r yelling
Maybe it's good
Dad finally knows about the things my mother said.

Need anything?

I'll make it, thanks
And also, thank you for today. I really liked it.
<3

Ofc
See you tomorrow, then?
Practice starts at four

I know
I'll be there
Night !

Good night, Sammy

A knock on the door right after she put her phone down. Sighing, Sam opened it.

"Honey, can I—"

And she closed it again, without a word.

If her mom was gonna apologize for isolating Sam only because her husband told her to, Sam wouldn't accept it.

"Samira—"

The girl grabbed her book, not listening to any of the words coming out of her mother's mouth. With her phone and book in her hand, she walked out of her room, bumping her shoulder into her mother's, and then disappeared into Jeff's room.

"Can I stay here?" She plopped down on one of his bean bags.

"Sure." He looked up from whatever game he'd been playing with whoever. "Good to see you again."

"You too." She nodded. "...Rat," she added. "Who're you playing with?"

Jeff hummed. "Thomas and Fry. But it sounds like Newt's with Thomas."

That image caused Sam to smile already. Then, she opened her book and started reading. Yet her mind kept wandering back to Minho. She couldn't really concentrate, even after getting yelled at.

Like, she kissed him again! She was in a relationship with him now. A real one, and it made her feel like a girl in her books, though Minho was a better man than the ones in her books, and a year ago, she thought that wasn't even possible.

"Jeff?"

"Hm." He continued gaming.

"I kissed Minho."

"I don't feel the need to know that."

"I'm dating him."

"I'm aware. Hey— are you sick? Memory loss?"

Right. Of course. Jeff had always believed Minho and Sam had been dating for real. And now... they were.

But she was too happy to realize, and let herself fall backward on the bean bag. "I really like him."

"Minho's my friend and you're my sister. Please don't—"

She let go of a dreamy breath. "And he's very awesome."

"Yeah, alright. I've got enough info now— and freaking hell— Newt, stop doing whatever is causing Thomas to sound like this. Frypan, get me out of these couples."

A few seconds of silence.

"Oh, Minho's joining too?"

Her face lit up, and her ears made sure to pay better attention.

"Hey, dude," Jeff greeted his friend.
"How're you— yes, I know you spent the day with Sam. And I know you're dating her. It's old news, man. Focus on the game."

Sam smiled even brighter.

"Her lips are soft like clouds— Minho, what the actual— she's my sister! She's beautiful," Jeff repeated. "No, she looks like a rat, man."

Sam didn't even hear the insult.

"I don't need to know what you feel when she touches you, alright?! Funny it feels like electricity, but I will really shoot you now. And not in the game."

A few seconds of silence.

"Minho, you can't catch a laugh in a bottle. Shut the hell up."