Sassy

          I didn't hear anyone knocking at the door. I didn't hear the door open. I was napping in my room when I finally woke up to my mother yelling,
          "Sam!"
          I rolled out of bed, quite literally rolled, and hiked up my pants as far as they could go. Last year they'd been two sizes too big for me, now I could only squeeze into them on a good day.
          "Samantha!" my mom screamed again. "Come downstairs!"
          "Yeah, Mom! Give me a minute." I brushed my hand through my hair once or twice, then headed downstairs. I wasn't prepared to see Zeal. I wouldn't have come down if I'd known he was there. I wouldn't have come down if I'd know anyone was there aside from my mom. And I didn't even recognize Zeal for the first few seconds I looked at him. Somehow, he'd gotten more gorgeous. College had given him greater muscle tone, a copper complexion and two more piercings. I'd gotten the freshman fifty.
          "Sassy!" Zeal said when he saw me, and pulled me into a tight hug, kissing my hair. His arms no longer wrapped far enough around my waist to tickle the sides of my belly. My throat tightened.
          "Hey," I said dryly. I noticed my mom had left the room. I was horrified and relieved. If she had stayed, I wouldn't have to face Zeal by myself, but now that she was gone I only had to be humiliated in front of one person. Besides, I hated my mom for letting Zeal in and tricking me into coming downstairs.
          Zeal pulled back to look at me and brushed a strand of hair out of my face. I was burning.
          "My beautiful, beautiful Sassy," Zeal said, his thumb rubbing against my cheek. "I missed you."
          And that's when I started sobbing.