Page 144 of Nocere

"One day, Sam, you're going to open your eyes and see that none of us are walking away from you." I kissed her cheek while holding her. "That all of us are reaching for you."

Her arms trembled around me and I kissed each of her closed eyes before brushing my thumb over her lips. She met my gaze, and offered me the faintest nod.

"Allowing yourself to love someone isn't going to harm them. Even if it's not forever. Even if it's your friends. Love isn't harmful."

"How do you know that?" she asked, her voice raspy.

"It hasn't gone wrong for me yet." I smiled at her and she let out a soft laugh.

"Sam?" A panicked voice called out from the living room. I sat up and Sam's brow furrowed. "Sam?" Stella's call echoed in the hallway and hurried feet followed. She burst into the bedroom, her eyes wide with worry, as she gripped the center of her scrub top when she let out a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong?" Sam sat up while I pulled the sheet around my shoulders. She clicked on the bedside lamp and Stella hurried into the room.

"I was worried. Neither of you answered me." Stella didn't seem to notice or care that both of us wore nothing from the waist up. She swooped in beside the bed and dropped her hand on the top of Sam's head. Her concern wrinkled her brow and she let out a few slow breaths. "Alice knocked on the door earlier when I asked her to, but I had your key with me."

"I'm fine. We're fine." Sam gazed up at her, confusion lacing her expression. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I was just worried about you." Stella smoothed Sam's hair in an almost-maternal manner before releasing her.

"I've never known you to be dramatic, Stell." Sam gestured to the space in front of her and I noticed that she didn't seem to care that Stella saw her topless.

Stella sat on the bed beside us, and when she calmed down, she started when she glanced between us, as if finally noticing that we weren't exactly adorning our Sunday best.

"Are you admiring my piercings?" Sam laughed at her and Stella's face reddened even in the dim light.

"I'm interrupting," she said, her eyes widening.

"Not much." A grin curved Sam's lips. "Wanna join us? Rosie won't mind." Sam nudged me and I burst out laughing.

"Go get Alice. We like quartets," I teased with Sam's urging.

"Oh my God." Stella laughed, but shot up standing. "Stop that."

Sam cracked up and Stella smacked her jean-clad knee. "Aw, Stell. We're just teasing you."

"Here I am freaking out over your safety and you're teasing me." Stella huffed and puffed, though she smiled through it. "Double jerks. And put a shirt on, Samirah."

"No way. You burst into my bedroom, expect to see tits. Sometimes in upwards of ten."

"Oh my God. Sam!" Stella's eyes widened again and she met my gaze. "Is she kidding?"

"Yes." I snickered. "We max out at eight."

"Rosie!" Stella squealed. "I'm leaving. It's clear my worry was unfounded."

"Not entirely, but we're okay," I said through a chuckle. We calmed down and Sam leaned back against the pillows while I tucked myself close to her, keeping the blanket wrapped around me.

Stella returned to sitting beside Sam's legs, and her expression fell to seriousness when she appeared to get a good look at Sam. Her puffy eyes and sad expression acted as a dead giveaway for our current emotional state. Stella gave Sam's forearm a squeeze. "Are you both really okay?"

I nodded, but Sam said, "It's been a rough few days."

"Neither of you have answered your phones or texts today," she said, glancing between us.

"Why are you so worried, Stella? What's the difference between now and before?" Sam's question held an edge to it now.

"Sami, you dropped a bomb on me in the middle of a dinner party and that timing told me that you're in pain. Someone I care about told me they'd been gravely hurt and you haven't talked to me since. Of course I'm going to worry. Of course I am." Stella's passion and intensity only added to Sam's emotional state. She stared at Stella, her eyes fixed and lips pursed. "I care about you."

"Did you tell anyone?" pressed Sam.

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