Chapter 3: Parties, Punishments, and Books! Oh My!

The following night, the day of Mandy's party, Sam, Clover, and Alex were all getting ready. Sam was up in her room, blasting loud rock music, trying to figure out what bathing suit to wear.

Melanie and their mother, Gabby were downstairs finishing dinner. Melanie was collecting dish ware while Gabby was preparing the water.

"So," Gabby began. "I heard that you let Sam go to a party that you were invited to. By some girl named, Mandy."

"Yeah," said Melanie. "Even though they don't like each other," she muttered quietly under her breath.

"What was that, honey?"

"Oh, nothing." She stacked the dishes in the sink. "I'm going to go check on Sam."

Melanie headed upstairs to her sister's room. She loudly knocked. The music was turned down and then opened to reveal Sam wearing a green bikini top with blue dots and a pair of shorts.

"You're sure ready for a fun night," said Melanie.

"Yup." Sam embraced her sister. "Thanks again, Mel. You're the best."

Melanie smiled. "You're welcome." They let go. "Now go have some fun."

Sam smiled as well. "Sure thing."

xxxxx

Minutes later, Clover, Alex and Sam all arrived at Mandy's party. They traveled to the backyard to see crowds of people, inflatable furniture, a pool, fake palm trees and different colored lanterns.

"This is so cool!" Clover exclaimed.

"Totally," Alex added.

The girls strolled toward the snack bar, helping themselves to all kinds of food.

"You're sister is the best," Clover said.

"Yeah, and so are her friends," Alex put in.

Sam was beaming. "Well you know how she is. If I don't go, she won't go."

Just as the girls were enjoying their evening, up came Mandy and her friends ruining it all.

"What are you three doing here?" Mandy asked sternly. "And where the hell is Mel? I invited her."

Clover stepped through Sam and Alex and said, "Mel gave hers to Sam and her friends gave them to us."

"Well that was dumb," said Dominic. "They know we don't like you."

"Oh well," Clover stated, smirking.

Mandy frowned. "We'll let you stay here as long as you don't geek-up the place," she said. Then she walked away with Dominic and Katelyn.

Sam, Alex, and Clover all giggled.

"Well I'm getting something to drink," Alex announced.

She moved a few inches away, reaching for an empty red cup at the same time someone else did. She looked up to see a boy with blond hair, pale skin and green eyes.

"Oh, sorry," they both said in unison. They smiled, looking away.

"You can take it," Alex offered.

"No you," said the boy. "You were here first."

"But you grabbed it," Alex insisted. "You have it."

Instead of trying to offer it to Alex again, he found another vacant red cup.

"Here," he said, pushing it to her.

"Thanks," she said.

Alex studied his features. He had a small stubs of hair on his chin. Not to mention he had one of his eyebrows pierced. He looked much older than her. But then again, maybe he wasn't. She figured the real answer when she saw him pour beer into his cup.

"You got a name?" he asked.

Alex, who at the time was sipping on fruit punch, removed the rim of the cup from her lips, said, "Alex."

He smiled. "I like that name. Mines Avery."

"Cool. So what school do you go to?"

"Actually I'm out of school," Avery said.

"Really? How old are you?"

"Nineteen. What about you?"

She muttered something so low, Avery asked, "what did you say?"

"I said I'm seventeen."

"Wow," he said. "You don't look seventeen. I thought you might be a little bit older."

She smiled at that.

"So," she said. "If you don't go to Beverly Hills high, then--" but she was interrupted when Avery said, "actually my cousin goes to Beverly Hills, so he invited me."

Suddenly Avery noticed what he'd done. "My bad. Sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off."

"That's okay," Alex said dismissively.

"So do you get good grades?" Avery wanted to know.

Alex shrugged, taking another sip of fruit punch then said, "sometimes. I'm really good in sports though."

Avery chuckled. "I bet you could kick my ass in soccer."

Alex was astounded. "You like soccer?"

"Totally!"

She smiled. "Me too. I played with my little sister just yesterday morning."

"Cool. Maybe you'll play with me sometime."

"Yeah, maybe."

Just as Alex was enjoying her conversation with Avery, the only cutest boy she's seen at the party, that's when Clover pulled her away.

"What are you doing?" Alex demanded.

"This party totally blows. It's completely lame," Clover said. "There's no good food, no good music, and certainly no good boys!"

Alex released her arm. "Well for your information I was just talking to someone."

She turned around only to see him gone. But what he left behind was his cell phone number written on a napkin. Alex secretly tucked it away in her fist. With a fake smile she turned back around and said, "You're right, Clov. This party totally sucks. Let's hit the movies."

xxxxx

Two hours after the movies ended, Sam dropped Clover off at her house. As she bid her two friends farewell, she unlocked the door only to find her parents on the other side.

"Clover, where have you been?" demanded her mother. "You were suppose to be home hours ago!"

With her eyes wide, her mouth open, Clover was dumbfounded.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were going out?" asked her father, Steven.

"I was only with Alex and Sam," Clover protested.

The three made their way to the living room. Stella crossed her legs, then her arms.

"We don't mind that you were with your friends, but the fact that you didn't call us is the problem," said Stella.

"We were really worried," Steven added.

"I'm sorry," Clover replied. "Besides it's only the second day of school, it's not like I have homework or anything."

"That's not the point," Steven said. Then he groaned. "Just go to your room."

Clover obeyed, not bothering to speak another word.

xxxxx

Days later the weekend finally arrived and Clover was still on punishment, Alex pondered on whether to call Avery and did a few times while Sam pretty much stayed neutral. No boys. No trouble.

"I'm heading to the library," Sam announced Sunday morning as she headed down the stairs past her mother. Then she spotted her sister in the kitchen, sitting at the island and looking through the newspaper.

"What's Mel doing?" Sam asked to no one in particular.

"She's looking for a new job," answered her mother.

"What about the one she has now?" Sam questioned.

"She says it doesn't pay well and that she works late hours," Gabby said. She looked toward her second eldest daughter. "Melanie, you think you can pick Sam up from the library in a few hours?"

Still flipping through the paper, Melanie waved her hand dismissively and nodded her head.

Gabby looked at Sam. "That means yes. See ya later."

"Bye Mom. Bye Mel."

Once again Melanie waved her hand.

xxxx

Sam slowly scrolled through the various titles of books, until she found what she desired. She grabbed the spine just as someone else did.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you," said a light male voice.

Sam turned to see a boy with soft dark hair and dark eyes with freckles on his face.

"Um, did you want this?" he asked.

Sam was a bit lost in thought, but finally snapped to it.

"Yeah, but you can take it. I'm sure the library has another copy," Sam said.

"Are you sure?" said the boy.

"Yeah."

The boy noticed most of the books in Sam's hands.

"I see you like philosophy," pointed out.

"Yeah. I just adore it. It's fascinating," she said.

The boy smiled the extended his hand. "Ian Davidson."

Sam delightfully shook it. "Sam Harper."

Ian raised a confused eyebrow.

"It's short for Samantha," she explained. "So are you heading for the checkout desk?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

So both Sam and Ian headed to the desk, checking out their desired items and leaving the library in separate directions.