See me when you look at me

Chapter 2

-Samantha's POV

″Sammy, are we almost there?″ I hear my sister Emma ask.

″Yes, we’re almost there.″ I answer with a sigh.

″And how long will we be staying with aunt Laurel?″

″I don’t know, Em. I really don’t know, but remember my promise.″

Emma nods and I pull her on my lap. ″Can you tell me what I promised you?″

″That everything was going to be okay, because you would make sure of that.″

″That’s right. I will take care of you, Em. Always have and I always will. Now for the last time, why do we not talk about my past?″

″Because it will bring us in trouble and then we have to move again.″

I give Emma a kiss on her head and she snuggles against me. We watch the cars that pass the bus and we count the red ones, anything to keep us entertained. Five hours on a bus was a lot, but five hours on a bus with a four year old was exhausting.

I knew I had to be more patient with Emma. She didn’t understand what was going on. Moving was normal for us, but this time it was different. This time I made the decision to move and I told my mom that Emma was coming with me. We needed a new start after everything that happened.

I close my eyes and I force myself not to think about my old life. That life no longer existed, I made sure of that. Emma needed me, since I was all she had ans she was all I had.

″Look, Em! That sign says we are almost in Riverstone!″

Emma smiles and I place her back in her seat. We soon reach our stop and I grab our stuff. I then grab my phone and I look up aunt Laurel's address. I knew it was close to the bus-stop and I’m relieved. It is only a ten minute walk and I grab Emma’s hand.

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-Samantha’s POV

We stand before a big house and again I grab my phone to check if we are in the right place. We are and suddenly I feel very nervous.

I haven’t seen my aunt Laurel or uncle Thomas in years. It was so strange to realise that they were once such an important part of my life, since I used to live here with them. After the fight between my mom and aunt Laurel, we moved far away. Never saw my aunt and uncle after that, my mom made sure of that. How weird was it that I now returned with Emma, who is not much older since they last saw me? So weird!

″Ready?″ I ask Emma. 

She nods and she grabs my hand. I rang the doorbell and I hear a girl cheer loudly. Moments later, the door swings open and a girl looks at us.

″Not the pizza!″ the girl yells, clearly disappointed. ″Can I help you?″

I look at the girl and I smile, this must be Mia.

″Samantha?″ I hear a woman say. ″Samantha, is that really you?″

Behind Mia now stands a woman and she looks at me with tears in her eyes. I recognise aunt Laurel and I smile.

″It is really me, aunt Laurel.″

″I can’t believe it!″ my aunt Laurel yells and she pulls me in for a hug. I just let her, but I don’t leg go of Emma’s hand.

″I thought you were coming next week, dear.″

I frown and then I sigh. ″Mom and the social worker were supposed to call you.″

″Don’t worry, don’t worry! I’m just so happy that the two of you are here!″

Finally my aunt lets go of me and she turns to the hallway.

″Tyler!″

″What?″ I hear a boy yell back.

″Come meet your cousins and help them with their luggage!″

A boy comes to the door and he smiles.

″Tyler and Mia, these are your cousins. Samantha, I really can’t believe how much you grew and Emma. It is really nice to meet you, dear!″

Emma is suddenly shy and she hides behind me.

″Maybe we should let them in, mom.″ Taylor says with a grin.

″Yes, come in! Make yourself at home, because you are home!″ aunt Laurel says while she wipes away her tears. 

″Leave them, I got it,″ Tyler says and he grabs our bags.

I smile and I follow aunt Laurel with Emma still trying to hide behind me. In the kitchen I see another boy sitting at the table, but he stands up when he sees us come in.

″The pizza’s are here!″ Mia yells and she holds three large pizza boxes in her hands.

″Pizza?″ I hear Emma ask and I smile.

″Go help with setting the table, Em.″ I let go of Emma’s hand and she follows Mia.

″Have a seat, dear. You must be tired after such a long trip! Can I get you anything to drink?″

″Water would be great,″ I say as I sit down.

″Here you go,″ the boys says and he offers me a bottle of water.

″I’m Alexander and would you like a glass with that?″

″This is fine, thank you.″

I hear Mia telling Emma what kind of pizza’s they got and apparently Emma is not shy anymore.

″I want a piece of everything!″

I grab my bag. ″Em, you know the drill.″

″No, I don’t want to!″

″Then no pizza,″ I say stern and it works. Emma walks to me and she raises her shirt. I put the needle on the insulin pen and I set it to the right amount.

″What do we do now?″

″I let two units out, check the pen and the needle. I check the amount again and then I can inject myself’,″ says Emma wearily

″Good girl.″ I give Emma the pen. She follows her own instructions and she gives me back the pen.

″Can I have pizza now, Sammy?″

″Yes, lovey. You can have pizza now, but pace yourself!″

Emma giggles and she walks back to the kitchen.

″Can I choose your pizza, Sammy?″

″Go nuts.″

I shake my head and I put everything away. When I look up I see that my aunt is watching me. Tears roll down her cheek and her fists are clenched, definitely no tears of happiness. My aunt holds in a sob and she excuses herself from the table.

Did I upset her?

″I will be right back,″ I mumble before I follow aunt Laurel.