Twenty-Two

Curiosity got the better of her. Or maybe she was just tired of being crippled by some stupid girl she hadn't even known. Or maybe she just plain wasn't thinking about it.

Sam checked her email.

And, of course, there was an email from Elena Harrison, this one dated two days after the first. In her heart of hearts, Sam hadn't ever expected that there wouldn't be another email. If there wasn't another email, why had she refused to check for half a month? She knew there would be another email, but Sam hadn't wanted to be met with any more of Elena's optional challenges. She was stressed out enough as it was.



Against her better judgment, Sam opened the email. This time, there wasn't any opening.

Forget it. It's not your problem. You are absolved.
E.H.

Sam hated that she actually did feel absolved. It actually was a relief to have the weight (though even Elena acknowledged it to be an optional one) lifted from her shoulders. Because she hadn't told, and that was okay, because Elena told her that she didn't have to.

God, but wasn't it all stupid? It was driving her absolutely insane, too. For two weeks she had been dancing around Madelyn Harrison--and her nothing but a freshman!--because there was news of her sister, and Sam couldn't share it. And it was probably insane that she hadn't said anything, but whatever.

Easily, very easily, Sam deleted both emails. Elena was no longer in her contacts, wasn't in her history--she even went back and deleted the messages from the trash, even though they would automatically delete themselves after twenty-four hours. Every trace of this stress business was gone. Going, going, gone.

From here on out, things had to get better. A return to normalcy.

When she finished answering her backlog of emails (her cousin in Montana was getting increasingly snippy as Sam didn't answer and didn't answer and didn't answer) Sam closed her email--leisurely. Who cared anymore? She was absolved, goddamnit.

And then she went downstairs and called Maddie Harrison to ask her if she'd like to go play some tennis.