Memory

Sam's frustration seems to deepen at Rudy's question. He takes a moment to collect his thoughts before responding. "Yes, the case was closed, but there were some unresolved aspects," Sam says, his tone serious.

Rudy, still trying to piece together the situation, asks, "What exactly is wrong with Susan? I saw her acting strangely—talking to herself and then reacting oddly when you approached."

Sam's expression hardens, and he replies sharply, "You can ask Mathew about the details. It's not my place to explain everything right now. Given what you've seen, it's clear you need to be careful. Go back to Mathew and report everything you've observed. He can give you more information and tell you how to proceed."

Rudy feels a mix of frustration and concern but nods in understanding. "Alright. I'll head back"

Sam watches Rudy leave, then returns to Susan's house. He studies the windows, After a few moments, he shakes his head and turns away, heading back to his own house.

As Sam walks away, he casts one last wary glance over his shoulder before disappearing from view. The tension in the air lingers, leaving both Rudy and Sam with a sense of unease about the situation.

"Maria didn't call me back should I text her," Sam says with concern if she has found anything about Susan

As Sam walked to his house, he felt a growing sense of urgency. He had witnessed enough strange behavior to know that Susan's situation was complicated. He took out his phone and decided to send a text to Maria, hoping she could shed some light on the situation or at least confirm if she had found out anything new about Susan.

Text to Maria:

Hi Maria, it's Sam. Have you found out anything new about her? Please let me know when you can.

Sam hit send and waited anxiously for a response. He hoped Maria's investigation would provide some answers. Meanwhile, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong.

As Sam waits for Maria's reply, he's left with a gnawing sense of worry. The situation with Susan is more complex than he initially thought, and he's anxious to learn what Maria might have discovered. He heads to his house, his mind racing with possibilities about Susan's behavior.

When Sam arrives at his house, he sits down at his kitchen table, his phone lying on the surface in front of him. He tries to focus on anything that might distract him from his growing unease—flipping through some paperwork or tidying up—but his thoughts keep drifting back to Susan and the troubling observations he and Rudy have made.

As he waits, he takes deep breaths to calm his nerves, reminding himself that Maria might be busy and that he needs to be patient. He checks his phone periodically, hoping for an update that will clarify the situation or provide some much-needed guidance.

The minutes tick by slowly, and the tension in the air seems to tighten. Sam's concern for Susan grows with each passing moment. he then remembers the past which led him and her so apart.

Sam's thoughts drift back to simpler times, and he recalls a memory from years ago that now feels bittersweet. He remembers the day he reached out to Susan with a friendly invitation to go to school together.

A few years back:

"Hi Susan, let's go to school together," Sam had said, his voice filled with the genuine friendliness that had characterized their early years.

Susan, looking a bit worn and distracted, had greeted him with a faint, tired smile. "Hey," she responded, sighing softly.

"What's wrong? You seem tired," Sam asked, his concern evident. He already had a sense of what might be troubling her.

Susan sighed again and said, "My parents are at it again, early in the morning."

"Man, whenever they get any free time, it's either they're arguing or flirting with each other. I feel so embarrassed whenever I'm at your house," Sam said, his expression reflecting his discomfort.

Susan looked at her friend, noting his discomfort. With a teasing smile, she said, "And yet you still come whenever I call you."

"Well, what would I do? You can't do anything without me. We're already in 7th grade," Sam replied, shrugging playfully.

"So, what were they arguing about today?" Sam asked, curiosity piqued.

Hearing this question made Susan lose her smile. With a sad expression, she said, "Nothing new, just the same old stuff, I guess."

Sam looked at Susan, noticing her sadness. Deciding to change the subject, he said, "Did you read the book I recommended to you?"

Susan's expression brightened slightly. "Oh, yeah! I did. It was really interesting, but you know I'm not really into all that romantic, gooey stuff."

Sam grinned and said, "It was good, right? So stop complaining about the things you like."

Susan laughed softly. "Come on, I just felt the story was good, but I don't really connect with the characters or the romantic stuff. It's not really my thing."

As they talked, their conversation drifting from one topic to another, they arrived at school. The familiar sight of the building and the buzz of students rushing to their classes marked the end of their walk together.

"Well, we're here," Sam said, glancing at the school with a playful smile. "You should have studied more; you could've been in the same division as me."

"Shut up, or I'll punch you," Susan said, a teasing glint in her eye.

Sam laughed and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright!"

Susan nodded, her earlier sadness momentarily forgotten. "Thanks for walking with me, Sam."

"Anytime," Sam replied. "Catch you later!"

As they were walking to their classes, Susan called out to Sam, "Sam, I need to tell you something. Could we walk home together after school?"

Sam glanced at her, noting the seriousness in her voice. "Sure, no problem," he said. "Is everything okay?"

Susan gave a small, reassuring smile. "yeah, it's just about my parent's fight. See you later!"

Sam nodded, watching as she headed towards her classroom. He felt a flicker of curiosity and concern, wondering what was on Susan's mind.

As they parted ways, Sam couldn't shake his mixed feelings of curiosity and concern about Susan's request. He headed to his class, and the usual chatter of students around him helped him momentarily forget his worries. He figured their argument might have been about something trivial again.

The school day passed in a blur, When the final bell rang, he gathered his things and waited by the school entrance for Susan.

As he saw her approach, he gave her a reassuring smile. "Ready to head out?" he asked.

Susan nodded, looking slightly relieved. "Yeah, let's go."

As they walked, Sam glanced at Susan and noticed she seemed hesitant. To break the silence, he said, "So, I almost fell asleep in class while taking a nap."

Susan laughed softly. "You always do that. I just don't know how you still end up with higher marks than me."

Sam grinned, teasing her a bit. "I'm smarter than you, of course."

As they talked, they almost reached their homes. Susan looked at her house and then at Sam. She hesitated before speaking.

"I think my dad got transferred to another branch," Susan said, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Sam turned to her, concerned. "where, will everyone will be going?"

Susan shook her head. "I don't know. Mom doesn't want to move."

Sam looked worried. "That sounds tough. Do you think it'll cause problems at home?"

Susan sighed. "Yeah, it might. My parents have been arguing a lot about it, and I'm not sure how things will work out. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"Your mom always wins the arguments, so I'm not too worried," Sam said, trying to lighten the mood with a bit of humor.

He then murmured to himself, "I don't want you to move."

Susan looked at him, a soft smile on her face, though her eyes betrayed a hint of concern. "Thanks for saying that. I guess we'll see what happens."

Currently:

sam sighed and thought, "If only I could go back in time to stop her from moving."

Lost in his thoughts, he was jolted back to reality by the sudden ringing of his phone. He glanced at the screen and saw that it was a call from Maria.

He quickly answered, "Hi, Maria. Do you have any updates for me?"

There was a certain eerie vibe over the phone as Maria suddenly said, "Help me, Sam. I think someone is following me."

Sam's heart skipped a beat at Maria's urgent tone. "What? Maria, what's going on? Where are you?"

"I'll explain everything, but first, come here. I'm currently in a cafe, but it's closing soon," Maria said, her voice trembling slightly.

Sam's heart raced as he processed Maria's urgent message. "Alright, I'm on my way. Stay safe and don't leave the cafe."

Maria replied, "I won't. Just hurry, please."