Warning: Short chapter! Sorry. :( Please review!

Thirteen Years Later

(Sam POV) May 18, 2010

"I can't believe it's finally over!"

My best friend Jennifer Kenworthy giggled at my enthusiasm. But I had a reason to be happy. High school was finally over. The last four years had gone by slowly and I never thought this day would get here. I laughed along with Jen as we walked by the lockers and finally made our way out of the school doors for the last time. I then took in the beautiful scene in front of me.

The students that haven't went home yet, were scattered around trying to sign the yearbooks that they haven't gotten around to yet. I heard Jen inhale suddenly as she was pulled away by a girl in her science class. And while I was waiting for Jen to return to my side, I saw a girl with wispy dirty blond hair walking towards me.

Ally McClintock smiled and started chattering away. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe high school is finished! Will you sign my yearbook, Sam?"

I nodded and signed her yearbook with my messy signature. She said that she had to go and we hugged good bye. Jen then returned to my side and we started walking towards the parking lot to go home. But when we were halfway there, I stopped and gasped at what I saw. There he was. My other best friend was propped up against his Chevy truck and I looked him over. His old boots were slightly worn, his blue jeans were old, and his dark blue flannel shirt was on over a white wife beater. And I had to look at him twice to finally notice that he grew his hair out again. I finally came out of my daze with I noticed the old smirk that was still glued on Jake Ely's face.

"Jake! What are you doing here? Aren't you still supposed to be in college? Why are you here and not there?"

His white teeth stood out against his russet skin as he laughed at my questioning. "I got out early and I thought I might surprise you, Brat. But I guess if you want me to leave..." He opened the driver's door and pretended that he was going to leave me there. But I stopped him.

I realized that Jen was still beside me trying not to laugh at out exchange. "Um...Jen, do you mind if I..."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Sure sure. Ride home with Ely. I'll see you Saturday Sam." And with that, she walked off toward her own car. I watched her leave until Jake told me that we had to go.

"Why?" I asked with suspicion. He smiled and answered, "Well...I haven't had time to ride for a while and I would really like to." And I smiled at what he was trying to say.

River Bend Ranch

Forty minutes later, Jake and I were already riding through War Drum Flats enjoying the warm sun. On the Monday forecast, it had said that it was going to be warmer than this, but I guess that they were wrong. It was a perfect day. I glanced over at Jake's muscular figure atop his Quarter horse mare named Witch. And of course she was still as temperamental as ever. Gosh, you would think she had a period all the time.

"Let's let the horse's get a drink and take a rest." suggested Jake. I nodded my head in agreement and asked, "Hey, can we sit on that over there?"

Jake looked over to where I was pointing at a boulder that jutted out into the small lake. He nodded and as soon as we ground tied Tempest and Witch, we sat down on the boulder. But because of all the hard work I had to do on my last day of school, I felt sleepy. My eyelids were almost shut and I knew I was slumping on Jake now.

To keep myself from falling asleep and to get my mind off of my upcoming graduation, I started talking. "Jake, will you tell me an Indian story? Like one you use to tell me when we were little?"

I felt him nod above my head and he started reciting an Indian story like it was a well memorized poem.

"Okay. I'm going to tell you the story that use to be your favorite. It's called Suuntsaa'. The story began when the Shoshone Indians had just caught a fresh deer to eat. When they were eating that night, a new tribe was passing through and they asked if they could stay. Shoshones were friendlier than most Indians, so they let the Cherokees stay. As they were eating with each other, a Shoshone warrior whose name was Yanisin saw the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. A woman from the Cherokee tribe."

"The elders had warned him not to get too close to any of the Cherokees, but Yanisin could not ignore the woman's beauty and he chose to disrespect the elders. So after they had eaten, the young warrior went over to where the Cherokees were setting up to sleep for the night and asked the beautiful woman her name. She was called Waneta."

"Since the Cherokee chose to stay for about a week, Yanisin and Waneta saw each other secretly every day and night. They disrespected both of their elders by secretly meeting in the middle of night and talking to each other. Well, eventually the elders found out and they were ashamed. The Cherokees suddenly decided to leave and Waneta was never seen again. After everyone left, Yanisin was depressed for years. He did finally marry a Shoshone woman, but he was never able to forget Waneta."

"Years rolled by and all of a sudden he was ninety-one years old. He was gathering herbs one day and he had his back turned toward the valley. Yanisin jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked around and saw her. It was Waneta, but she was not normal. She was transparent and she was dressed in all white. Yanisin blinked to make sure it was real and when he opened his eyes, she was gone."

"He fell asleep that night, but he didn't wake up in his usual setting. His vision was filled with white and he saw everything. Everything in the world. He saw the lands in Africa, India, and just everywhere. His journey halted when he finally landed in a plain white land. Then before his eyes, he saw everything change. The white floors suddenly turned into luscious emerald grass, the ceiling turned into a bright turquoise sky filled with puffy clouds, and a figure appeared before his eyes."

"It was a woman again. It was Waneta standing there with a smile on her face. She reached out and hugged him. Yanisin knew that this was Heaven." concluded Jake. I smiled up at him when he finished the story.

"I think I know why I really liked that story when I was little. It was awful at first, but then it was really romantic! Aw, I hope that happens to me." I said. "Well, not the beginning. I meant the end."

He smiled down at me. "Thanks for getting my mind off of graduation. I needed that. If only there were another way to get my mind off of things."

As I yawned, he started speaking again. "Well, you know there might be a way."

I raised my eyebrow and he continued. "My grandparents actually suggested that my brothers and I get away from the ranch for awhile. Maybe I can talk them into letting you tag along."

A gasp escaped my lips. "Really! Oh crap, I really need that. Wait...when are you and your brothers leaving?"

"We're leaving tomorrow morning. And don't worry, we'll be coming back before your graduation Saturday." explained Jake.

Okay, I thought, If my dad and Jake's grandparents say yes...I will so have to do a touchdown dance in the kitchen!


Name Meanings:

Yanisin: Ashamed

Waneta: Shape-Shifter