"No." I stood up and started picking up our trash. "It'll be fine. It will." I stopped on my way to the kitchen and turned around. "I won't stay long. I promise. And I'm sorry for bringing you into this. Honestly, I didn't even think about it when I came here, Sam. I just needed you. Needed to get my head on straight before I went to see my parents. But if it's too much, I can go to a hotel. It's not an issue. Really."
Sammy scrubbed her face with her hands, then dropped them to her sides and gave me "the stare." The one she gave me when she thought whatever I was about to do was the worst idea she’d ever heard, but she was gonna support me anyway because she was my ride or die and that's what we did. "You can stay as long as you want. I love you. You know that. I can't just throw you out there to the wolves."
No. She would never do that. Not like he did. I gave her a small smile. "Thanks. And I love you, too."
"But I'm putting you on the chore list," she called out as she plopped back down onto the couch. "And you're chipping in for groceries."
"I'll even pay you for the water and electricity I use," I told her as I came back for the last of our takeout containers. "As soon as I can pull out my money."
But Sammy waved away the suggestion. "I'm just fucking with you. I'll loan you a little to get a phone. You can call your parents and whatever else you need to do. Then we'll worry about everything else."
Walking over to her, I bent over and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm lucky to have you."
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
I smiled as she picked up the remote to find us something to watch. Even though tomorrow, neither one of us would remember what it was.