Love From Death Book 1

Chapter 2 Breaking Point Almost Reached

Chapter 2

Breaking Point Almost Reached

Crossing through the courtyard of the school, Samantha kept herself relaxed, never minding to the other students passing by. Laughing at a terrible joke or hearing guitarists and drummers practicing outside play to an unfamiliar beat trailed each footstep Samantha took. The sweat of her episode beading down the side of her face, threatening her to face what she didn’t want to.

She let the life of a college student invade her senses, trumping the gleam of her overactive sense of danger scream to her that she needed to get inside. Taking a quick look at the morning hustle of the campus, she noticed a certain someone making their way to a table of a few well-dressed people either leaning or sitting causally on the table provided. The one person she always wanted to talk to but could never build up the courage to.

Jason Walden

His black short hair combed and groomed to a handsome wave, steamy grey charcoal eyes clamoring to his handsome face. The curve of his perfect features that his face gave was proof that there was a god and he made him perfect. His tight shirt rest over his marble like chest, shaping his pecks and stomach to a divine cavern leading to his all too easy to see abs. Whatever he was doing to keep his figure, Samantha didn’t want him to stop.

Before her thoughts could drift to something more sultry to speak of, she felt a slight tap on her shoulder, causing her to jolt back to reality, jumping slightly at the sudden shock of contact she was not expecting. To her relief, it was only her best friend, Cameron.

They had been friends for as long as she could remember, breaking rules in the past and sharing a few moments that made them closer. She saw Cameron more like a brother than a friend. Someone she always wanted in her corner and she knew she would always be in his.

Samantha smiled happily, letting the relief of being near someone she knew so well calmed her nerves and any other indecent thoughts that she was thinking. His charcoal skin peeking through his long grey sleeve shirt. His pants in a nice shade of dark blue jeans, complimenting his outfit so well. She always loved his style of fashion, though she knew it was his mom helping him out just a bit to impress the women on campus.

Well, only one woman he wanted to keep, his girlfriend Jenna. Though, given that the men around the school were either in tune with how to dress or only wanted to wear sweats and a hoodie to just go to school then back home was not much to compete with. Samantha understood it in a way, she never slept much and did not care how she looked to others, but she did care when it came to Jason.

“Staring at Jason again?” Cameron asked. Samantha blushed slightly to his question. She tried pushing her head further into the top of her jacket, trying to hide from her shame.

“And what if I was?” Samantha rebutted. Cameron smiled slyly at her, making the embarrassment she felt worse.

“You need to just talk to him. You have been pining for that guy the whole semester. Just talk to him.” Cameron said, repositioning his backpack over his shoulder to be in a more comfortable spot.

“I can’t. Remember the last time mom caught me with a boy? She nearly exploded!” Samantha said. The look of anger and rage on her mother’s face was more than enough to keep some amount of distance from any men for a while.

“That was years ago, and your mom was just shocked. Did not expect goodie too shoes to have a boy in her room.” Cameron said, air quoting the words ‘goodie too shoes’ to Samantha like a scholar at Duke.

“Trevor was nice, and he didn’t do anything I didn’t want to.” Samantha argued, gripping her backpack, continuing her way to class.

The realization that she had not finished her report was a smack to the head, as she only had thirty minutes to finish it and needed as much time as possible to do it. Samantha grabbed hold of Cameron’s sleeve and made him follow her.

“Trevor was a player. He was well known throughout your neighborhood to be smooth with any girl he met.” Cameron said. Samantha rolled her eyes at his argument. He always sided with her mom somehow. It irked her sometimes because she was always right.

“So what? I was happy he was paying attention to me for once.” Samantha said, letting Cameron go, more like he pulled his sleeve out of her grip and followed her anyway.

“Been over this, Sam. He was only using you to make Jessie jealous. Man was shallow as hell and would do anything to rub dirt into the wound.” Cameron said. Samantha sighed slightly. She knew he was right.

Not completely. She knew he was using her, to a point. She remembers him telling her that he wished more girls were like her. Thought about him more in a way that would not hurt him. She thought she had seen his soft side for a little bit. The side that she thought was trapped inside of him because he was too scared to let it out.

Though, immediately after her mom kicked him out, she got an email from Cameron saying he saw Trevor and Jessie together in her parent’s apartment. Hopes of maybe talking to him were out the window, seeing everyone make either sympathetic faces towards her or one that wanted to kill her.

Pushing the thought of another moment of embarrassment away, Samantha wanted to move away from any of it concerning Jason. He was not like Trevor in any way. She saw he was thoughtful to others and she never really saw him with a girl all the time. It made her think maybe he just wanted to go to school and nothing more.

She felt another tap on her shoulder, realizing she had zoned out and had ignored Cameron’s words, smiling a little to not seem so much of a bad friend.

“Zoning out again? Happening more often lately.” Cameron mentioned, his tone being a bit harsh towards her.

“Sorry. I haven’t been getting much sleep.” Samantha said, trying to be as apologetic as she could.

“It’s fine. I’m only messing with you.” Cameron said, laughing slightly at her. Samantha laughed as well, grateful that he knew how she was when she was bothered.

“I hate it when you do that.” Samantha said, letting her arms drop to her side a bit, almost looking as though she was defeated by a main character in a tv show, their response degrading and demoralizing to the opposing person.

“I have to! If I do not, who will? Then where would you be?” Cameron asked, chuckling as they made their way to class. Samantha shook her head, letting him play with her, making her feel better.

“At a bottom of a pit?” Samantha asked, playing back at Cameron in a way.

“Yeah. Maybe. You never know.” Cameron responded, shoving Samantha slightly, seeing her attitude grow better, before finally arriving at their class.

It was a basic size of a class, few desks scattered across the room, shelves of a few books to help students if they needed it. No one ever used it, going either straight to their phones or computers if anyone ever brought them. The teacher’s ‘desk’, if she could call it a desk, was crammed into one of the white corners forming the room in the worse kind of way. Posters of persevering through adversity were placed on different sides of the walls.

Completing the room with a poster of a famous person that had a quote that was well known to everyone, giving the reminder that they were just like everyone else when they came into the world, but one event or multiple events happened, causing them to jump from being a nobody, into someone that everyone wanted to be or idolized through out their lives. Samantha always wondered if maybe it was all smoke and mirrors for someone like herself or someone who was worse off than her.

Sighing to herself, Samantha pushed herself to think of better thoughts, one that was not so down on herself. Seeing a look of confusion cross Cameron’s face, his eyes looking at her then around the room as if they were teleported to another universe or that she was just very spacey in the moment.

“Hello? Earth to Sammie!” Cameron said. Samantha shook her head slightly, smiling again to hopefully ease his concern for her in anyway.

Cameron shook his head again and moved into the room with a bit of ease, letting Samantha stand outside for a moment before making her body move towards him.

“Come on. Let’s get our seats before the others show up.” Cameron said. Samantha nodded, shrugging off her backpack and picking a spot close to him, sitting in the middle of the class.

Placing her backpack on her desk for a moment, Samantha grabbed her laptop and placed it and her spiral note book out on the desk, sliding a slender black ink pen on top in case she needed to write anything down, other than what she needed to know right away or what was very important.

Which included, everything the teacher would say. Samantha opened her laptop, thankful for its low save system it has when she closes it. Seeing the main target of her argument for the history of Transylvania being a lead to the most superstitious location on earth was one she thought could bring a great amount of attention and debate with everyone in class.

Typing in the final touches, she could tell Cameron was looking over her shoulder, pushing himself up and leaning riskily over the support bar welded to the side of the chair, clamping the desk and chair together. He was curious about her paper and wanted to know how she did.

“You could just ask, you know?” Samantha stated, giving him a sly smile before turning her head to the left her to face him.

“Well, I was wondering if you did find anything about Transylvania. Everyone else chose easy places to report on.” Cameron said. Samantha shook her head and returned to her screen.

Ready to type up the finishing line, she felt herself freeze when she started to see small spots of black shadows cloud the corner of her eyes, creasing her field of vision. Creeping to the edges of her screen, shifting over each other and pushing to the center, hissing through the turmoil she was witnessing.

Samantha held in her fear, bearing with the pulling of the back of her head weighing more as the shadows danced to an unknown rhythm, shocking her back when she felt a hard grip on her shoulder pull her back again.

“Sam? You okay, Sam?” Cameron asked. Samantha looked over to him, grateful he was here with her.

“Yeah. Sorry. I haven’t been getting much sleep like I said.” Samantha stated. Seeing Cameron release her shoulder, she returned to her report and waited for the ringing of the endearing morning bell to go off. One she both hated and loved at the same time.

“I hope they find mine to at least be interesting.” Cameron said. Samantha looked over at his laptop, noting that his paper was well done and only missing a final sentence to end on, just like her.

“You chose Japan, right?” Samantha asked. She watched as Cameron pointed to one of the pages depicting the causes and effect of ancient traditions throughout Japan and she could see that his writing was getting better.

“I wanted Singapore, but Melody took that one. Gave me the crazy eyes when I tried to pick it. What was I supposed to do?” Cameron asked. Samantha smiled, knowing all too well that Melody was a bit on the wild side to be confronted by anyone.

“I think she said she’s wanting to travel there. See the sights and experience their culture.” Samantha answered. Cameron shrugged his shoulders.

“It was either Japan or Russia and I am not going to write about Russia anytime soon.” Cameron said. Samantha laughed at his response, chuckling hard as she gripped her sides to keep them in.

“Bad territory, okay?” Cameron asked. Samantha wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at Cameron.

“Just because Silvia was not interested in you, you banish Russia?” Samantha asked. Cameron shook his head at her.

“She tried twice to get me into that club. I would not have said no if she had not brought more friends to the party. Not the kind that just sit there and make nice talk.” Cameron said. Samantha chuckled again, remembering the look on his face when he showed up at her door, confused and kept saying, ‘she is way too open about stuff’.

“Well, at least you knew in the beginning. Would have sucked if you found out on your wedding night.” Samantha said, chuckling at the end slightly. Cameron rolled his eyes at her, letting her get all her laughs out before he could talk again.

“That is why, no Russia. At least for a while.” Cameron said. Samantha nodded her head, letting her giggles die down and look more at his paper.

“Japan was actually pretty easy. But I think people will only look at recent events and not look to where they came from.” Cameron stated. Samantha nodded her head. She understood his worry. Japan has a lot to offer, but some would only look back on specific moments.

Samantha was sure that he wrote a well thought out report, but he only needed to make the grade. Just like she needed to. Reading through the paper, she could tell he was thorough in his research and his viewpoints were more than enough to get the grade. Samantha smiled and nodded her head at him, sure in her confidence in him.

“It’ll be great, Cameron. I really think so.” Samantha said. She could feel Cameron relax, his shoulders relaxing and sighing deeply, letting the pressure that was building at a quick pace, steam and release from him.

“Let’s hope that the teacher likes it.” Cameron said. Samantha nodded her head and took her seat.

“They will. I know they will.” Samantha said.

As the bell rang in for the wonderful day of learning to begin, the class filled with either dread or great anticipation, glossing over their fears to talks of mistakes from history and achievements born from simple communication. Samantha was enthralled by the energy around her. The students in her class were spirited in their research and brought more to the table when bringing up points in where they would change things if they were given the same knowledge the leaders had at the time.

It was a matter of being in someone else’s shoes, being able to see the facts laid at their feet and making decisions on that knowledge when the answer wasn’t so clear. Talks of what they could do or what should have been done was far from in between, but she was glad to talk about it with them.

The class seemed to fly by to Samantha, placing her worry of the mornings incident behind her completely was something that she needed. Clearing her conscious and moving forward with the day. Her first class ending on a high note, grabbing her laptop, notebook, she put them away in her backpack and carefully slung it over her shoulders.

Waiting patiently for Cameron to finish his packing, the teacher waved to them, mentioning they needed to take a phone call at the office and bid them both farewell for the day. Samantha secured her jacket in her arms, tapping her foot to give a bit of fun pressure to hurry Cameron along.

Cameron chuckled at her actions, still taking his time putting away his things in the right places.

“Tapping won’t make my hands move faster, Sammy.” Cameron said, trying to slow down his movements, making Samantha act as if she was about to pitch a fit.

“Come on, Cameron. We got one more class then we get to go to Set Design. I really want to get that backdrop done today.” Samantha said. Cameron chuckled again but relented to her small pleas and followed her out the door, his backpack slung on to one of his shoulders.

They hurried down the hall, breaking out of the double doors as they headed to their next class, letting the breeze of New York caress their small bodies, going back and forth about the talks the class gave and what they could put forward in the future.

“I did not think Michael would actually side on some of the decisions that London made. Talk about surprise of the day.” Cameron said. Samantha nodded her head, keeping herself focus on their walk to class.

“I think I was happier with Brianna talking about the pros to a conformed government that Finland went through.” Samantha said. She was happy in their talk but noticed something more distracting.

Jason talking to the school’s own queen of the scene, Ashley. Ashley had the looks, the body, even the mind to catch anyone she wanted. She was the perfect image that put some of her confidence down to the dirt. Of course, she would talk with Jason.

They looked perfect almost together. Samantha nearly stopped to stare at what she would probably never have, till she was jumped from behind by a pair of small but powerful arms, grabbing both her and Cameron together in a tight hug.

Samantha could tell instantly who it was. Smiling gratefully, she turns as the arms released her and paid more attention to Cameron. Jenna. Cameron’s girlfriend for the past year now. Her contagious laughter and over the top attitude made the almost awkward moment Samantha nearly had crumble to nothing.

She was a bit smaller than Cameron, by a few inches, but it never held her back. The caramel shine of her skin blossomed with her light blue eyes, complimenting her brown chocolate curls to fall to the back of her shoulders. Her clothes were always on point in Samantha’s opinion, sport a dark red t shirt, a black graphic logo of a smiling clown bearing down and skinny black jeans gave her the curves she was sure she never needed to worry about.

“Hey guys! So, how did History go?” Jenna asked Samantha, crossing her arms over her chest in a joking manner.

“It went really great. Everyone was all over Cameron’s report.” Samantha said. A playful smile danced across Jenna’s face.

“Mr. Worry Wart over here,” Jenna pointed to Cameron, winking at him to help ease his shyness. “was up all night, thinking he was gonna bomb the damn thing.” Jenna said. Samantha smiled, looking over at an embarrassed Cameron.

“I was awake all night. You could have emailed me.” Samantha said. Her smile widening when she could see his cheeks were slightly flushed.

“That’s what I told him. You are up most nights anyway. That is what he told me. So, I don’t know what he was thinking.” Jenna said. Samantha giggled again and tried hard not to make anything worse for him.

“I was about to freak out. I thought if I shared it with you, it would only get worse.” Cameron said, putting a small amount of distance from the girls, to some how give his face a moment to relax if he was away from them.

“That doesn’t make any sense and you know it.” Jenna said, moving closer to him. The smile still playing on her lips gave Samantha another bout of laughter she was unsure she could contain.

“When would I ever make you feel worse? You know I wouldn’t” Samantha said. She didn’t understand what Cameron does sometimes, but she was sure he was nervous about it too much to share.

“Always reach out to friends, especially me.” Samantha said, seeing Cameron relax a bit, letting Jenna close in for a quick peck on the lips.

Samantha smiled at them, happy that her friend found someone that really understood him and can, for the most part, keep him in line and not give him too much trouble. For Jenna’s loud personality, she was the most understanding person she had ever met. She was not surprised when Cameron told her he was dating her; she was more thrilled that the two of them got along so well.

The types of girls Cameron choose was a bit too out there, being the Russian girl was one he thought would be a great relationship, but that of course backfired. Then, there was Rochelle in their junior year of high school. Put on a face to the girls around her, even to her, but was a snake in disguise when Cameron found out she was ‘having fun’ with three other guys in a completely different school.

His luck to Samantha, seemed to turn sour when it came to women, but that changed when he met Jenna, completely opposite to his other girls and exactly what he needed. Samantha smiled as she watched them pull apart, giving their final goodbyes before heading to class, interrupted by the shrill of a thousand hens screeching in the morning.

“Will you guys just go already? You are making everyone uncomfortable with all your kissy faces.” Ashley yelled. Samantha felt her joyful bubble burst, turning back to face the perfect goddess, not realizing she had made a quick dash to her, coming face to face with her instead of only being a few feet away.

“Keep the lovey dovey stuff at home, you dancing creeps.” Ashley said. Samantha could feel Jenna seething next to an angry Cameron who was not going to let any of what Ashley said slide.

“You know what,” Samantha started, getting Ashley to look right at her. “It’s a free country. You don’t like it? Move your ass somewhere else.” Samantha said. The blood flushing her face bright red, feeling her guts of glory shrink when Ashley gave her the ‘b***h’ stare.

“I wasn’t talking to you, sheep.” Ashley said. Samantha gripped what little patience she had and backed away before clearing her throat.

“Leave them alone, Ashley. It’s no different than you making goo goo eyes at every guy that walks into your radar.” Samantha said, the grip in her fists digging into her palms, diminished when she noticed a certain someone walking up behind Ashley. Jason came walking over to them. Of course, he was. She had just bad talk his girl and he was pissed.

Samantha stepped away at first, feeling as though she may be in big trouble, but was relieved when Jason came to stand between her and Ashley, his back facing her, giving her a very welcomed look at how toned and broad his shoulders and back looked.

“Enough, Ashley. Just leave already.” Jason said. Samantha stayed quiet for the longest time, watching a flabbergasted Ashley stammer and fumble for her words.

“But don’t you think its just too much? All of the touching and kissing?” Ashley asked him. Samantha almost wanted to slap her but kept taking smaller steps away from them.

“Doesn’t matter. You do not get to tell people what to do. Just go.” Jason said, sternly. The little dignity Ashley did have left shattered as she shoveled away from them quietly, as much as she could, towards the other buildings on campus.

Samantha looked back at Cameron and Jenna, seeing their face of relief was welcomed, though she could still tell that Cameron was miffed at Ashley and she could understand that.

She froze somewhat when Jason turned to face her. Her inner self was screaming with joy about. His handsome features up close and in great viewing point before she could realize he was talking to her and her friends.

“Sorry about her. She was wanting me to join her Drama club for a production and I guess thought watching you two,” Jason gestured to Cameron and Jenna. “would make me feel uncomfortable when it didn’t. I should have stopped her.” Jason said, his voice sounding as if it was touched by angels.

“No biggie. I was more worried about this guy over here.” Jenna said, keeping her hand in Cameron’s hand.

“Still, I’m sorry.” Jason said. Samantha let the chills flow from her and tried to move away from him but was caught in another trap.

“You didn’t even think twice to get between them and her. That took guts” Jason said, giving her a compliment, she did not think she would ever get.

“Wasn’t really thinking when I did it. Was just wanting to help my friends.” Samantha said softly, keeping her eyes to the ground.

“I like that. I thought it was pretty cool.” Jason said. Samantha looked up at him, feeling her cheeks burn from his comment.

“Well um…. Thanks. I guess I will try not to think about things next time.” Samantha said, regretting it the moment it left her lips. Her embarrassment rising higher by the second.

She could hear a bit of snickering from her friends, gripping her heart a bit, sending them a silent prayer to help her get out of this situation. She looked away from him again, not wanting to keep her slip up in the air for much longer.

“Well, next time you do, give me a holler. I’ll come see it.” Jason said, taking a step away from her and widening the distance from her as she could finally feel her lungs working again.

She nearly dropped to the ground from the rush she felt. How could she be so stupid? What in the hell was she saying? What the hell did he mean by holler for him? Her head was spinning as she turned towards her friends who were more than ecstatic about what happened.

“You talked to him!” Jenna said exclaimed. Samantha quickly trying to shush her, grabbing her flailing hands and looking to Cameron who was smiling ear to ear.

“Will you guys just chill? It was nothing big.” Samantha said. Jenna would not stop jumping up and down and Cameron was chuckling at the sight of Samantha’s burning cheeks.

“Hey, if I had to put up with a stuck-up b***h to get you to talk to him more? Let’s line these girls up!” Cameron said. Samantha laughed nervously at his joke.

“Can we please just get to class? I don’t want to talk about it right now.” Samantha said. Jenna grabbed her arm, pulling her close to her side before giving Cameron a wink.

“Off we go to explore what’s next, all the while giving Sam a hard time for finally talking to Jason!” Jenna said, feeling Cameron’s arms envelope both of their small forms.

Samantha laughed and smiled all the way to their next class, feeling the butterflies in her stomach flutter up and down, making her heart pound in time with her sudden adrenaline rush, letting her friends play with her about finally, while it took a somewhat brash way for their first interaction, she had finally talked to him.

Her first sentence to him was something stupid and she knew she was never going to hear the end of it.