A/N: Second chapter! I've been trying to work out the plot since it's going to be twisty and I think I finally got it. Now, I hope you like the chapter!

High Tension: Who Am I Really?

Chapter Two

Sam was lying on her bed about an hour or so after her talk with her parents. She was already wearing her black pajama shirt and pants. She was currently trying to read a book, one of her favorites too. The name of the book was: Killers of the Dawn, the ninth book in the Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan. She sighed and groaned, closing the book. "Why can't I concentrate!" she shouted, turning onto her back. She glared at the ceiling. "What did I do to deserve this?" she asked, laying the book next to her. "Why me?" She sighed with exasperation, bent on promising herself she would make Juan fear her so much, he wouldn't want to marry her anyway. But something deep inside told her bigger things were to come. Way bigger things. Rolling onto her side, the girl close her eyes, mumbling still. "Why me? I never did anything..." Before she knew it, Sam was fast asleep. At that moment someone opened the door.

"Sam, sweetie, Juan is coming tomo-" her mother stopped talking as she gazed at Samantha. She smiled fondly at the sleeping girl. She walked over to Sam and pulled the blankets over her. "Good night, sweetie," the woman whispered. "I'm sure you'll be pleased tomorrow."

Sam sniffled in her sleep, and turned onto her other side, grasping the hem of the blanket tightly in a fist.

The next morning was Saturday. Sam was still asleep, but began to stir at some whispering voices. She tried to force her eyes open, but it wouldn't work. She turned onto her back, becoming aware of the fact that her shirt felt twisted around her body. Not to mention she felt an unnatural breeze lap at bare skin where ehr shirt failed to cover her. Her blankets had been tossed to the edge of her bed at her feet. "Samantha?" came a voice. It didn't sound very familiar, but was recognizably male. "Samantha, wake up."

"What?" Sam murmured incoherently. She felt a hand being placed on her skin and she jumped, bolting straight up into a sitting position. No one touches Sam Manson while she's half asleep!

"Good morning," the boy laughed.

Sam straightened her shirt and looked at the amused male. "Who are you?" she shouted, or rather tried to shout. It came out more as a soft croak. The boy laughed in an amused manner and smiled at her.

"I'm Juan," he said. His voice was like one she'd never heard before. It wasn't deep, but not light either. It was perfect. Then her eyes met his own and she immediately felt lost within their color. Only the sound of a door opening reawakened her. Both teens turned towards it and Sam's mother peeked in.

"Oh, you're awake, Samantha," she said happily. "I see you've met Juan."

"Yeah," Sam said, feeling a little confused now. What had just happened? It was a strange sensation. Almost as if he'd been searching through her thoughts or something, reading and memorizing how she thought. It was just strange. Ever felt as if someone was watching you? Well, this is what it felt like. She looked at Juan, but he was standing now. He smiled at Mrs. Manson and said, "I was just talking with her now. But I think I'll leave her to get ready." Then he turned to Sam. "I'll be downstairs."

With that said, he nodded towards Mrs. Manson and exited through the door. Mrs. Manson smiled at Sam and clapped childishly as she walked over to the still sleepy girl. "Isn't he charming?" she asked delightfully.

"Yeah," Sam murmured, looking at the door. "Just charming."

Her mother helped Sam pick out clothes only to have Sam turn them down for her usual wardrobe. In the end, Sam ended up wearing her usual purple and black, sleeveless shirt and a her black skirt. Her stockings however, seemed to be missing so she ended up wearing regular purple-ankle socks. Just to add more to the mystery, her combat boots seemed to be temporarily misplaced so she wore black Vans instead. She had a feeling her mom didn't want her to look very Goth that day, and she knew why. Sam made her way downstairs in her semi-different clothing and gracefully and very rich girl-like jumped over the last four steps of the staircase and rushed into the kitchen. Maybe Juan was charming and cute and definitely confident, but she was not going to let that distract her from-

Sam froze. She stood in the dining room now. Instead of a roomy kitchen with just the family sitting at the table, there were three other people sitting there. One was a brown-haired woman who was clearly in her thirties. She had a white blouse and brown skirt that ended at her knees. She had white panty-hose and brown dress-shoes to match her skirt. A man with short, close-cut brown hair that was semi-spiked on his head. He wore a blue suit. The boy sitting next to them was Juan Vick, dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans. Over his white T-shirt was a green-striped and squared button-up shirt. His blue-green eyes watched her intently. Sam looked towards her parents which were sitting across from the Mr. and Mrs. Vick. A seat was empty, awaiting Sam to sit in it across from Juan. Sam, knowing her cue, went to sit down.

"Why, good morning. you must be Samantha," Mrs. Vick said, standing and stretching out a hand towards Sam. She took it and shook it once.

"Yes," Sam said. "'Morning."

"I'm Mrs. Vick. You can call me Jean. And this is my husband, John Vick." The woman pointed at the man beside her.

"A pleasure," the man said, standing and shaking Sam's hand as well.

"Pleasure's all mine," Sam said. It was habit to talk like that. She knew her parents hated it when she would say things like 'what's up?' or 'it's great to meet you!'. But she wasn't aiming to annoy the Vicks, she was aiming to make a fearful child out of young Juan Vick. He looked about her age, maybe a little older. Now that she looked at him more closely, she noticed that a small, straight scar stretched half-way across his upper-lip. She gazed at him.

"You've met Juan?" Jean Vick asked. Sam nodded.

"I did," she said. "You woke me up, right?" Juan nodded shyly. he sure hadn't seemed shy when he woke her up. Which, by the way, was not nice seeing as he touched her. She smiled fondly at him and his parents. "So, what's for breakfast?" she asked then, looking at what had been set over the table. There was toast, and...Well, that was all she recognized. Everything else looked so fancy. She never knew people ate this kind of stuff. She bit her lower lip and didn't make any effort to reach for breakfast. She knew her parents would want to say grace.

"First, we say grace, Samantha," Mrs. Manson reminded her. "Everyone, please join hands." Sam groaned as everyone stood slightly. They all held hands, meaning she had to hold Juan's hand, and hung their heads down slightly.

"Juan, if you may do the honor?" Mr. Manson said. Juan hesitated, but his voice soon drifted smoothly in the air.

"Lord, we thank you for this breakfast and the food you have presented before us. We thank you for letting us be in the company of one another. We hope you will be merciful as to let us live until tomorrow. Amen."

"Amen," the others echoed. "Well, everyone, dig in." Mr. Manson almost sounded normal just then. They all sat, but Sam had suddenly lost her appetite. As far as she was concerned, she didn't know where any of this food came from. For all she knew, she could be eating meat. She was afraid to not eat though so she took a piece of toast and ate that.

"What's wrong, Samantha?" Mrs. Manson asked. Mr. Manson and. Mr. Vick were locked in conversation over something. Mrs. Vick was eating as silently as Juan was.

"Not very hungry," Sam said. "Can I be excused? I need to go anyway."

"Where are you going?" she asked then.

"With Danny and Tucker to the park. I'm supposed to meet up with them there."

"Why don't you take Juan with you? Then you can introduce him to your little...friends," Mrs. Manson said.

"What?" both Sam and Juan exclaimed. Ashamed and embarrassed at their sudden out-burst, both teens' cheeks flushed red.

"Why, that's a splendid idea!" Mrs. Vick said. "A little get together sounds very nice."

"By all means, son you should accept," Mr. Vick added.

Sam said nothing. She knew she was going to have to take them even if she didn't want to. "Well, I...I guess," Juan murmured.

"That's wonderful. You two can run along now. We have some things to discuss anyway," Mr. Manson said.

"You're excused, Samantha and Juan," Mrs. Manson said. "Be back before dinner. And try to stay out of trouble."

"Yes, mom," Sam said and stood, pushed in her chair. Juan did the same and soon enough, both teens were out the kitchen and the building all together. Sam growled beneath her breath as Juan followed behind her.

"H-hey, wait up!" Juan said, running to catch up. Sam stopped walking.

"Oh, sorry," Sam said. "Listen, maybe we shouldn't go to the park. You wanna just walk around or something? I can show you around town." The boy looked at her. He was about an inch taller than Sam, but he looked so helpless just then.

"Uh, sure, that'd be great. But what about...your friends?" Juan asked.

"They'll understand," Sam said shortly. "So, what do you say?"

"That'd be great," Juan said again.

Sam nodded. "I'll just call Danny and cancel with him. One moment please." Sam turned and began to walk a few steps ahead of Juan as she took out her cell phone and dialed Danny. While she was explaining to Danny, Juan merely smiled when she looked at him. The smiled turned to a smirk and the boy turned to look the other way. Almost as if searching for someone, his eyes scanned over the area.

E/N: I don't say grace so don't kill if that killed it. Anywho...'til the next chapter, peoples!

--Airamé Phantom