The Green Rose bxb

Chapter 2

Sam's POV

When I got up this morning, I did my usual workout before getting ready for school, making sure I was wearing the music note necklace under my shirt. I grabbed my stuff and went to the garage to get my bike before meeting up with Leah and Ash. The only semi-new event to occur in all of the school day is getting suspended until next Tuesday.  Not fun but not out of the ordinary.

Leah had me get her some candy before heading over to her garage so I stopped by the candy store. As I was waiting to pay a boy bumped into my back, dropping his things. I helped pick up what he dropped as I recognized him from school.

He had brown hair that's combed neatly so it's out of his face. His eyes looked like milk chocolate as they were filled with confusion. His white button-up shirt was tucked into his jeans and the sleeves were rolled halfway up his arms.

Now he's running out the door, panicked.

"I'm gonna give him a ride," I get up. "Be back in a bit." I follow Oliver's path to find him running down the sidewalk. Quickly, I get on my bike and pull onto the road to follow the boy. I pull in front of him, careful not to hit him as he stops.

"Need a ride?" I ask, holding my helmet out to him.

"I can walk," he protests.

"Nonsense. You're already late, you'll be more late if you don't take the ride," I tell him and he sighs, taking the helmet and putting his glasses in his bag before sliding it on. 

"Thanks," he calls over my engine as he gets on behind me. I give him a smile and nod as he holds onto my torso again. As we pull onto an almost empty street I decide to pop a wheelie, causing Ollie to tighten his arms around me even after both wheels are back on the road.

When we get to his house I stop as Oliver gets off, taking the helmet off and handing it to me. "Wanna get ice cream tomorrow?" I smirk. What!? He probably doesn't even want to talk to me after I made him late!

"M-maybe," he's so cute as he plays with his bag strap. "I'll have to see what punishment I get for being late, I might be grounded."

"Okay, meet me at the park down the street if you can and if you don't show up I'll know you've been grounded." He nods with a shyly cute smile as I put my helmet on.

"Oliver Smith." A bigger balding man in a stained shirt and jeans stands with his arms crossed and a stern expression at the front door.

"I-I have to go," Ollie looks a bit scared. "I'll try to see you tomorrow."

"Yup," I smile and give him a slight wave as he jogs to the man I assume to be his father. When the door closes I take off down the street.

That man does not look like fun. I hope Oliver can come for ice cream tomorrow. Who am I kidding?! He's probably getting in trouble right now because I HAD to invite him to hang out. I roll my eyes behind my visor as I turn the corner. 

Maybe he actually does want to hang out. But maybe he just said that to get rid of me. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. 

Why would he want to associate with me? The guy everybody at school thinks is a bad influence and hates everyone. I mean, I hate most of the school but not everybody. And just because I don't follow the rules sometimes, it doesn't mean I'm a bad person. Does it?

Schreech!!!

Hooonk!!!

I quickly turn and regain balance into my own lane of the road before pulling over and turning the bike off for a minute. Resting my arms on the front of the bike I put my head down to take a few breaths. 

"Dumbass," I mutter as I sit up and start the bike and get back on the road. I drive more carefully now, going back to the garage. I park in the same spot and set my helmet on my handlebars before going inside.

"How much trouble did you get him in?" Leah grins as I sit on the floor.

"No idea," I shrug. "He said he might be grounded."

"You get his number?" Ash asks.

"No, shit," I curse. "I just asked if he wanted to get ice cream tomorrow."

"Smooth," Ash rolls their eyes.

"Shut up," I barely kick their foot from my spot.

"So, what's the deal with that kid?" Leah asks. "You like him?"

"I don't know," I play with the laces of my boots. "I barely know him."

"Let me guess," Leah starts. "You barely know him, but you think he's cute and you wanna be friends with him?"

"Yeah, that's about it," the three of us laugh at how accurate Leah is before we start talking about random stuff. After a few hours, Ash and I let Leah go to bed and we go back to our houses. As I drive down the streets, I pass my house.

I should check on him. He's probably passed out in a giant mess. I drive to the old trailer-like house I can barely call home anymore.

As I get off my bike I set my helmet in the same spot on the handlebars before taking a deep breath and walking up to the front door.

What the hell? The door is cracked about an inch as I push the door open enough to poke my head in.

"Jeff?" I ask the dark room. No response comes so I come the rest of the way and turn on the dim lamp by the couch. It gives off enough light to see all the beer and whiskey bottles lying on the floor, some of them still have some of the toxic drink at the bottoms.

As I search the small area, a pair of old, ripped shoes with a big toe sticking out of one from behind the counter by the microwave find my vision. I sigh and go over, stepping over a few bottles and plates with half-eaten food on them.

"Hey," I lightly kick one of the man's legs. His hair is turning grey and his eyes are closed but I know they're the same grey as my uncle and grandfather's. He's in stained, ripped jeans and a shirt that used to be white with holes in it.

"Jeff," I repeat the name again. "What would you do without me?" I mutter before going over to grab his shoulders, pulling him partially up with a few grunts. I manage to pull him to the couch before taking his shoes off, gagging a little as I drop them at the end of the couch. 

This place smells like alcohol and BO! 

Going to his room, all I find is more bottles and an even worse smell. "Fuck," I quickly close the door and pass the bathroom. I'm not even going to look into that.

"Hey! Who's there?!" The familiar, moderately deep, voice calls as I go back into the room.

"Relax, it's just me," he barely opens his eyes before laying back on the disgusting couch.

"Oh, Samantha," he smiles slightly and I roll my eyes. I haven't been called that in years.

"Sam, remember," I tell him. "You should clean this place up. You'll get bugs."

"I already have 'em," he yawns, obviously still drunk from drinking all day.

"Seriously?" he just nods and starts going back to sleep. "I told you I'm not cleaning up after you anymore. It's been five years and you can't even remember that my name is Sam."

"I said Sam!" he defends, finally opening his eyes more.

"No, you said my deadname. The one nobody's heard referring to me in six years," I counter. 

"Why'd you have to change your voice? It was so pretty before," he slurs a few of his words. 

"Because it wasn't mine," I put my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

"You look so much like your mother, did you know that?" 

"Yes, Jeff. You tell me that every time I come here," I roll my eyes.

"Good," he reaches for my hand but I pull it away before his grubby hands can touch me.

"Go back to sleep," I scoff in disgust before I walk out the front door. As I get on my bike I pull the necklace out from under my shirt, looking at the little silver music note hanging from the chain. I hold it between my fingers trying to push the memories away before putting it back under my shirt and putting my helmet on.