Don't get me wrong. It's not like I can't swim or I have the fear of water. A lot of things have happened between Sam and me regarding swimming pools, that's all.

And no, this doesn't have to do with the time she masqueraded as some nasally secretary and told me my mother had driven her car into a swimming pool. This extends not too long ago, after the lie about my mom and her car.

Sam, Carly and I went to the local pool during the summer before ninth grade. We were having a pretty good time, even after Sam held my head underwater for a full minute. I'm surprised I lived. But that's not the treacherous part. Not even close.

Carly went to the snack bar and started chatting up this guy who I told her to go talk to, and they looked like they were hitting it off pretty well. So, that left Sam and me alone together. She was lying on a lounge chair, and I sat in an everyday chair because my mom thinks loungers are dangerous. I'm not kidding.

Anyway, I turned to Sam and decided to start a conversation. I wanted to know a little of what was going on in her head, but I was clueless on how to begin.

She fiddled with a pair of imitation D & G sunglasses and looked at me through them. Sam does care about how she looks sometimes, but I don't care how she looks as long as she's Sam.

"I can't believe it," she chuckled.

"What can't you believe?" I asked.

"You encouraged Carly to go talk to that guy. Do you not love her anymore or something?"

Sighing, I thought about telling Sam why I wasn't in love with Carly- because Sam herself was far too amazing to be ignored. Still, I could see her making my life living havoc, so I let it go.

"Well, I don't think so," I told her. "But it's really none of your business, is it, Puckett?"

Lazily, Sam laughed.

"Benson, anything regarding you is my business. I couldn't mess with you if it wasn't."

In return, I laughed. She wasn't being completely evil, so maybe now was the time to make my move. But that could turn on the wicked switch she had, so I figured I'd stay back.

"Yeah, well, whatever. I'm just glad that Carly actually went up to that guy. And by the looks of it, this could end up pretty well for her."

Not too far away from Sam and me was Carly, sitting on a high stool, flirting with a guy named Gabe. He looked about sixteen and the bad boy type- the kind of guy that seems ideal for Sam. But she didn't look all too interested in the guy. Thank heavens.

"Right," she said absentmindedly. "But it's all a sham, anyway."

"What's all a sham?" I asked.

"Love. I mean, you think you're going to get it, and you search everywhere for it. But you never find it. Look at Carly, for example. She seems into Snack Bar Boy, and he looks like he likes her, too. He'll give her his phone number, but she'll be freaked out and won't call him. Soon, he'll forget about her and move on. Love is just a stupid thing, and I will never be in love."

Her words made my throat go dry, and then I felt like I was drowning in sudden spit and potential speech. There wasn't a thing I could say. If I told her about me, I'd die. She sounded so… definite. But I would do whatever it took to change her mind.

"Uh-huh," I finally stuttered. "You're totally right."

She looked up at the sky and smirked.

"Even you see the point," she remarked. "I'm proud of you, Fredison."

I said nothing. But from then on, I knew I had to stay away from swimming pools. They only led to bad.

****************************

That's why when Alex showed up at my door wearing a pair of purple swimsuit shorts and a purple bikini top with blue and red polka dots, I was very close to slamming the door in her face.

Unfortunately, she used her awesome reflexes and opened the door with a single push. As she stared at me, I knew she was looking for words. After all, I'm a strange, strange dork.

"What's your problem?" she inquired, placing her hands on her hips. "I thought we'd go swimming today. Sam and Carly can come too, if they want."

I shook my head slowly, and Alex tipped her head curiously.

"Why not? Does your mom think pools are a hazard?"

"Nah," I chuckled. "I mean, she does, but that's not the reason I don't want to go."

Alex frowned and rushed past me, and when I turned around, she was sprawled out on my couch.

"Aren't you going to tell my why you insist on not going?" she questioned.

I sat down in a chair next to her and sighed.

"It's just that last time I went to the pool with Sam, she told me that she didn't believe in love," I admitted.

Immediately, Alex jolted up and looked me straight in the eye.

"Are you kidding me, Benson?" she sneered.

"No," I replied. "And why do you get to call me Benson?"

"Because that's just the way it is with us. And you are going to that pool and we are taking Carly and Sam with us. No questions asked."

I had to laugh at Alex's passion and energy. She could get me to do the weirdest things, but I don't wish she were any way else. If anything, all she does is replenish the fun-loving kid that's somewhere in me.

"All right." I stood up. "Alexis Jean, you win. Let's go across the hall and ask Sam and Carly if they want to go."

Devilishly, Alex grinned. I quenched her thirst for victory, and I loved doing it. People like Alex… people like Sam… they have that effect on me. Oh well. I'm just a pushover.

***************************

Just an hour late, I found myself at the public pool with Alex, Sam, and Carly. Let me be the first (and only one) to say that I was nowhere near thrilled to be there. However, I couldn't get over how truthfully beautiful Sam looked. By once glance at her, all the liquid from my mouth had been drained.

She wore a one piece, because Sam has never and will never wear a bikini. Still, she looked gorgeous, because the suit was a shade of blue- midnight blue that complimented her eyes so well. There was a rushing pattern down the front, and she looked, well, fancy. Sam apparently looks her best when she's going to find herself drenched. How odd.

Then I found out I was staring. A hand was waving in front of my face, and I floated down off my cloud to realize Sam was trying to get my attention.

"Sorry," I quickly apologized.

"You should be," she fired. "And I asked if you wanted to go diving with Alex and me while Carly's being all girly. Do you?"

"Sure," I answered, "but where's Carly, anyway?"

"Snack bar," Alex responded. "She's with a guy."

No, I thought. There was no way it could be. But it was. Carly sat on the very same stool, talking to Gabe, the same guy she met a whole year ago.

"Weird," I breathed. "Recognize him?"

"Yeah, I do," Sam said. "Let's go. I don't want Carly to be all humiliated by us."

The three of us headed over to the diving boards, and Sam did this amazing swan dive. Girl has too much time on her hands, but she definitely looks good.

Thinking about Carly and Gabe again, I swam over to Sam, was clapping as Alex somersaulted into the water.

"Sam?" I said, tapping her on the shoulder.

There was surprise in her eyes when I said her name. Strange- she's never shocked with me.

"What is it?" she snarled.

"The whole thing with Carly is weird," I began. "Remember how last year you said you didn't believe in love?"

She narrowed her eyes at me, not angry, but puzzled.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Don't you think, maybe, you should?"

There was a pause, and then she broke out into a toothy grin.

"I'll see what I can do."

And I believed her every word.

A/N: I tried really hard to get this up today, and I did. It only took me 40 minutes. Sigh. If you liked, please, review!