Sammy watched the fierce look on Richard’s face as he stood up to a furious Slater, who stood over him yelling. Sammy backed up and hit the door as Slater’s voice boomed through the kitchen. Her body started to shake, and her mind told her to run, to leave, and that Slater was someone she didn’t want to know. This was the second time he’d reminded her of Greg. Sammy had barely lived through her last relationship. She wasn’t risking herself again.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself she stepped away from the door, and as she looked up and was about to turn Sammy noticed Slater’s eyes on her. Her heartbeat picked up as his green eyes flashed, and she saw the bear come through. Nodding to him, she turned still firm on her decision, after seeing him yelling and towering over someone, that he wasn’t right for her and she wasn’t going to be in a relationship with someone like that again. Opening the door she walked out of the kitchen hoping the packed restaurant would stop any pursuit from Slater.
Sammy made it halfway through the restaurant before arms circled her waist, and she was carried back through the kitchen and out the back. When Sammy felt the cool night air on her she struggled to get out of Slater’s hold.
“Let me go now, Slater.”
Slater eased her to the ground and turned her so she stared up at him. The backdoor light shone on his face as Slater tucked a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear. “Did you come because you forgive me?”
“I did, but I don’t like what I just saw or what you did. Slater, I’m not going back to being in a relationship where I’m walked all over and yelled at. I can’t do it, and I won’t.” Sammy moved back. “I’m surprised actually. I thought Brock would be the one of you who terrifies me, but it’s you. What you did the other day and what I just saw is not for me. I’m sorry.”
Easing by him she walked down the alley towards the bus-stop. Sammy was surprised when he didn’t chase after her or even comment. She sat at the bus-stop, and for some weird reason her heart felt like it was hurting.
Sammy had a good fifteen minutes to wait until the bus came. She got out her phone and started playing one of her games, but as the minutes ticked by and Slater never came and the fifteen minutes felt like a lot longer she wondered if she’d been too rash.
Slater hadn’t been yelling at her at the restaurant, and the other day he’d been stressed with her driving and his safety. Sammy felt annoyed that after months and month of Slater and Brock begging her to go out with them Slater gave up on her so easily. The old Sammy, the Sammy before Greg, screamed at her to go back and fight with him and find out why he didn’t come after her and what he had to say about everything. But another part of her told her that she didn’t need this drama in her life and to stay safe and not take such a major chance.
Looking down at her phone Sammy saw she had five minutes until the bus arrived. She groaned because she knew if she didn’t get this thing with Slater resolved she wouldn’t sleep. Getting up she slowly walked back to Glaser only this time she went the back way.
When she turned down the alley way she noticed something massive hovering in the shadows whining. Moving closer at first thinking it was a hurt dog she gasped when the closer she got the bigger the shadow became. Halfway down the alley the huge form whining stopped and came charging at her. Sammy screamed as the animal dropped to all fours and came at her.
A bear. A big brown bear blocked her exit and rubbed itself against her. Sammy stood frozen as the soft rough fur brushed against her hands. The bear’s head nudged her hand, and his big wet tongue came out to lick it. Sammy shivered and came out of her shocked state.
“Oh gross. Well at least I know why you didn’t come after me. A massive hulking brown bear running after a woman might raise some eyebrows.” Sammy stroked Slater’s fur. “Do you understand me in this form?” The massive bear head went up and down. “Can you sit?”
Slater sat on his big bear hide, and Sammy got her first good look at his bear face in the backdoor light of the restaurant. “The only thing that gives you away from a real wild bear is that your eyes aren’t brown. They are a dark green with brown flecks.”
Sammy was surprised she wasn’t terrified, but oddly enough she felt safe. She glanced around the ally and saw the remains of Slater’s clothes. Reaching for a piece she placed it down and sat on it. Slater came down on all fours and rested his massive head on her lap.
“Is safe for us to just sit out here? Won’t someone came out and see?”
The bear huffed a couple of times and nudged her hand that had stopped patting him. “I’ll take that as a no.” Sammy ran her fingers through the soft fur. “I like you this way better.”