****Disclaimer****
I do not own Popular and I am not making any money from this.
Popular is the property of the WB and other people.
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AN: This fic is set after the most recent episode. I'm not sure what it's called, but it's the one where April Tuna 'dies'.

You can check out my page at:
http://minakofics.bannerless.com/
It's not a Popular site, though. It's a Sailor Moon page.

*Worth the Wait*
By: Minako01 (minako01@hotmail.com)

Harrison's POV

It had been three weeks since the 'talk' that Sam and I had in the hall. The day of April Tuna's 'memorial'. The day I lost the most important person in my life.

Samantha McPherson. She was the one person that I never had to worry about impressing. She was my best friend, my confidant, my source of confidence and the only stable part of my life. I never had to pretend around her, never had to hide what I was feeling. Until, the day I fell in love with her. I knew I couldn't say anything. I was afraid that it would ruin our friendship, which it did in the end. I could get angry at myself for forcing her to choose, but I don't. I needed her to, for my own good. I couldn't keep living a lie, and I couldn't keep on lying to the person who mattered the most.

I almost died. I fought a long, hard battle and came out of it alive. I am not going to waste this second chance. That was why I told her. Everything comes into focus when your life is on the line. As I fought with the leukemia, I realized that Sam meant everything to me. She was the one thing that I couldn't live without.

You might say that I am now living without her, but it's not true. We don't talk anymore, we hardly even greet each other in the halls. However, I still watch over her. I'm not hovering, just waiting for her relationship with George to fall apart. I don't really want that to happen. I just want her to be happy. The only reason why I said I couldn't be her friend anymore was because I wouldn't be able to stand hearing about how happy she was with George. I repeat, I want her to be happy, but I just don't understand why I couldn't be the one to make her happy.

Today was a different story. I watched from a distance as Sam and George argued in the courtyard. I knew what was going on. George was wondering why Sam was in such a horrible mood, and Sam didn't want to talk about it. Sammy could get so stubborn when she wanted to. I knew that today, George would never be able to calm her down. He would eventually give up.

Sure enough, he left the table they were sitting at two minutes later. I watched her sitting alone, a look of melancholy and loneliness apparent on her face. I couldn't take it anymore and walked over to her. Not giving her a chance to look up, I took the seat next to her.

She was startled by my arrival. As she looked at me, surprise came onto her face. I couldn't believe the look she gave me. I knew that things weren't great between us, but to think that she could doubt me this much.

I didn't need her to say a word. "Sammy, you have to know that no matter what's going on between us, I will always be here for you on this day. Nothing, will ever change that," I said. I placed a comforting hand on her left hand. Her right was holding on to a picture.

She looked at me, her eyes filled with tears. I wrapped an arm around her and she leaned against me, as we did every year on this day ever since… I rubbed her arm and whispered to her, "Everything will be all right, Sammy. He's watching over you right now, loving you like he always has and always will."

I could feel her shaking with the strength of her sobs. "It's all right, Sammy. Let it out. I'm here for you," I said.

We sat there for the rest of the lunch period. When the bell rang, she looked up at me. "Thank you, Harrison. I don't know what I would do without you on this day," she said.

"Lucky for you, you'll never have to find out," I replied. "If it gets to be too much, call me. I'll come over after school. We can do whatever you want. We can watch tv, we can cook something, or you can borrow my shoulder and cry for as long as you want. Does that sound good to you?"

She gave me a nod, and a strong smile. "You're the best," she said.

"I wish that were true," I responded with a sad smile. "I try my best though, because nothing is good enough for you, Sammy." I gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Don't over do it today. And give me a call if you need me."

I walked away from her, heading to my next class. I knew that I would be getting a call that night. I always did on the anniversary of her father's death. It's like I told her. I will always be there for her on this day, no matter what. I want her happy, and I know that I am the only one who is able to help her through this day. If that's the only part I can play in her life right now, I can live with it.

I can live with it because I am alive, and I am strong, because she gave me a reason to keep living. I can wait for her because she is worth it.

**THE END**