Chapter 1
"Hey Mikaela," a waitress called. "That's your table," she finished as she pointed across the room.
Mikaela turned and looked at the table her friend and co-worker was pointing at. She sighed.
"No, you take it."
"He said he wants to talk to you," Shaina said.
Mikaela sighed again. "Fine. But nothing good will come from this."
She picked up her tray and walked to where Sam was sitting alone at a table.
"Welcome to Stan's. My name is Mikaela…"
"Please let me make this up to you," Sam said, interrupting her.
"You forgot my birthday, Sam," she said. "And it's not like this was the first one since we've been together. Now, do you want anything?"
"Please let me take you out?" he asked. "Please?"
"No."
"Ma'am," Sam said, turning to the woman next to him.
"Yes?" she said, turning and looking confused.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Sam said, making Mikaela blush. "She's my girlfriend, but I screwed up. You should tell her to forgive me."
"He does look like a nice boy. Dear, you should hear him out," the woman said.
"See, Mikaela, even strangers think you should forgive me," Sam said.
"Fine. One dinner. But I make no promises to actually forgive you," Mikaela said. "I'm done in an hour. I'll call you then."
"I'll wait. He misses you, too," Sam said, motioning to his car. "We'll drive you back to your dorm."
"All right. Do you need anything?" she asked.
"No, I'm fine," Sam replied.
Mikaela smiled and walked back to the kitchen. Sam then turned around again to the woman next to him.
"Thanks, Grandma, I owe you," he said.
"You know the terms. You can come over and mow the lawn for your grandfather and I this weekend," she said. "And don't blow this again. Mikaela's a great girl."
The woman stood from her seat and left her money on the table.
"Here," she said handing him a fifty dollar bill. "Don't take her to McDonald's."
Sam tried not to be embarrassed as she hugged him then exited the restaurant.
Sam had royally screwed up. He didn't actually forget Mikaela's birthday, but he was embarrassed to tell her that he'd gotten a temporary second job in order to afford her birthday present.
They dated their whole senior year and decided to go to the same college. But it was becoming increasingly more difficult for them to spend time together.
Sam's main job was working at a video store. He was assistant manager and really hated it. But to supplement his income, he was working a very, very part-time job that he really hated: janitor at the mall. But he had to buy Mikaela the ring he saw.
But after another month, he'll have paid off the ring and then in six months he could quit. Hopefully.
What Sam really wanted was to save enough so he and Mikaela could get an apartment. But he was also slightly afraid of Mikaela's dad, who had recently come out of jail on parole and he didn't really want to discuss it with him.
"Sam?" a voice said, breaking his thoughts. It was Mikaela.
"Has it been an hour already?" he asked.
"No. Ten minutes. They're letting me out early," she replied. "Are you ready?"
"Sure."
He took her hand and walked her to his Camaro.
"Hey Bumblebee," she said softly, as the car door opened by itself for her.
She slid in and buckled up.
"I missed you Mikaela," Bumblebee said through the radio.
"Aw, thanks Bumblebee. I missed you, too."
Sam ran around the car and climbed in the driver's seat.
"Where to, Sam?" Bumblebee asked.
"My—" Mikaela started.
"That place we found yesterday," Sam said, cutting her off.
"I can't be out late, Sam," Mikaela said. "I have a paper to write."
"I promise what we're going to do won't take long," Sam said.
Mikaela's eyebrows raised at his statement and her expression became an amused one.
"That's not…I mean…we…just go, Bumblebee," Sam said.
The two drove in silence through the streets and finally, Bumblebee came to a stop at a deserted stretch of road.
"Sam, where are we?" Mikaela asked.
"I'm trying to be a little romantic here," Sam said. "Come dance with me?"
He smiled and stepped out of the car. She sat still in the car for a moment, thinking.
"Sam, I don't think…"
"Come on. It's just dancing, right Bumblebee?"
Immediately, the radio began playing a slow song, perfect for dancing.
"Fine," Mikaela said. She climbed out of the car and pulled off her work shirt, revealing a thin strapped tank top.
"I'm gross, but if you insist…"
"I do insist and you're never gross," Sam said as she stepped into his arms.
They stood dancing in the dark for what seemed like forever.
"So, on a scale of one to ten, how am I doing, forgiveness-wise?" Sam laughed.
"I thought I was getting dinner," Mikaela laughed.
"That's tomorrow. This is just part one," he explained.
"Your dad's going to kill me," Sam said, standing still.
"Why? I'm not pregnant," she smiled, laughing a little at Sam's expression.
Sam still looked nervous.
"Well, that's another load off of my mind, but okay, don't hate me," he said handing her the small box.
Mikaela took it tentatively and slowly opened it.
"Oh, Sam, it's beautiful. But what does it mean, exactly?"
There was silence for a minute.
"It's not a…"
But the moment was interrupted by several familiar vehicles arriving with their headlights blazing.
A/N: Please let me know if I should keep going. I'm not so sure.