Change of Heart
Chapter 18

They walked in silence for a while as they tried to get past all the students who were staring at Sami like she was the most interesting person on campus at the moment, which she might be considering that by the time her sister Carrie told the story to her sorority sisters, not to mention the entire cheerleading squad everything would all be turned around to how horribly Sami treated her sister. Sami sighed; she never caught a break when it came to Carrie, the beautiful sister, the popular one, the wonder child at home.

"You know it isn't the end of the world," EJ noted as they walked further away from the scene of the fight.

"Just wait until I hear the lecture from my mother," Sami's brow creased into a frown as she began to mimic in her mother's tone of voice. "Sami you know better than to aggravate your sister. Sami why do you always want to cause a scene? Sami why can't you be more agreeable like your sister Carrie?"

"I take that it's hard to live in your sister's shadow?" EJ posed the statement as a question.

"That's an understatement of epic proportions," Sami answered wryly. "I mean look at her, Carrie is the face of Basic Black, the president of Kappa Delta sorority and co-captain of the cheerleading squad and I'm just, just…"

"A bright and unique young woman, who is just as pretty as her sister if not more because you my dear have something which is…"

"A big mouth apparently," Sami interjected doubting anyone could see any redeeming qualities in her when put beside her older and far more popular sister.

"Well that part may be true," EJ gave her a smile and a wink and before Sami knew it she had punched him on his shoulder in reprisal to his comment and then her eyes widened.

"Sorry Dr. Wells, I didn't mean to hit you again," Sami shook her head, for a moment she had forgotten he was her teacher and just a friend instead that she was venting to about her frustrations where her sister was concerned.

"Samantha, you know I'm not made of glass," EJ remarked as he stopped walking and reached for her arm to face him. "I won't break if you hit me and besides I think I may have deserved it this time for trying to tease you. I just want you to know that I think you're spectacular in your own right. You don't have to convince me that you are worthy of my time or attention."

Sami looked at him like he had lost his mind, which apparently he had because almost everyone with the exception of maybe Jamie enjoyed being around Carrie more than her. She was used to it, coming in way behind her sister; Carrie was the shining star whereas she was just Sami.

EJ looked at the doubt already clouding on her face, but if she could only see how amazing she looked in the fading light of the autumn afternoon with the sun shining through the brightly colored leaves of the maple trees she would be able to see what he saw, a young woman who was absolutely stunning. It was almost like she ignited his muse and it made him want to go back to his flat and write on his novel because he now knew what direction he wanted to take his story in and that was a heady feeling for him especially since he had been stuck for months on what he needed to write.

"Dr. Wells are you all right?" Sami asked when he had stopped from walking with her and was staring into her face.

Instead of answering her he reached out to tuck back a stray piece of hair that had fallen then it felt like her heart was beating rapidly just by the sheer intensity of his stare, he retracted his hand almost reluctantly from her face.

He was about to answer Sami when from out of nowhere the shrill voice of Lindsey Davenport broke in calling to EJ from a few feet away as she made her way to them pausing briefly to give them both a strange look when she finally reached up to them.

"Hi," Lindsey began even though it was apparent neither EJ nor Sami were acknowledging her presence at first. "Am I interrupting something?"

EJ shook his head, making sure to step back away from Sami so as not to give Lindsey the wrong impression which he thought she might have from the question she posed to both of them. "No, of course not, Samantha and I were just…"

"Talking about the paper he instructed the class to write this week," Sami interjected when EJ seemed to be at a loss for words which really appeared to be a first for him.

"Oh, that's all?" Lindsey pushed her way to stand between them addressing Sami with almost a sneer, "Having trouble in class and needing some pointers from the teacher?"

"Nothing of the sort Miss Davenport," EJ hated the look that arose on Sami's face as soon as Lindsey had began talking to them.

Lindsey pressed her hand to EJ's chest and laughed somewhat falsely, "Call me Lindsey. There is no need for us to be so formal with each other. We are colleagues after all."

"Sure," EJ agreed somewhat warily, wishing Lindsey would go on and leave them alone, but apparently his wishes weren't going to come true.

"Great then EJ, I wanted to see if you were interested in joining some of us tonight for dinner and drinks. I know you told us before you've been busy, but you need to go out with us and make some friends your own age," Lindsay went on talking to him as if Sami wasn't even standing next to them.

"Well I was hoping to go to my flat and write some this evening," EJ admitted hoping Lindsey would take the hint that he wasn't interested without being rude, yet this bit of information didn't deter her in the least.

"You can do that later," Lindsey wrapped her arm in his and proceeded to walk away with him, leaving Sami to stand there all alone.

"But I was speaking with Samantha," EJ stopped mid-stride looking back to Sami in hopes she would say something to keep him from going with Lindsey.

Sami gave him an understanding smile, "It's all right Dr. Wells. I was just going to go work on those suggestions you gave me for my paper. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"See Sami needs to go study," Lindsey echoed and pulled on EJ's arm again so that they would continue walking with one another.

EJ gave Sami one last look back before Lindsey began talking non-stop and they walked away from where she was standing. Sami watched them go, pretending it didn't bother her that he was walking away with that skanky ho of a teacher. She rolled her eyes as she tugged on her backpack, situating it so that she could carry it better.

She turned to go back to the dorms, but only after she took another glance in their direction. For the first time Sami wished she was older and more sophisticated because if she was maybe Dr. Wells would be interested in her instead of Lindsey Davenport.

She shrugged thinking she was an idiot for even wishing such things, but it had been nice walking and talking with him after the fiasco with Carrie and Austin earlier. She needed to get a grip on things because Dr. Wells wasn't interested in her as a woman; she was just another student in his class that was all, nothing more.

The sooner she got the hell out of Salem the better he life would be. Well that and passing English Lit would be good, but she doubted either one of those things were going to happen anytime in the near future. Sometimes life just sucked, it truly did.