Chapter 12

Spring tried to push its way over northern Nevada. The breezes held the promise of the warmer weather to come. Sam though was sad. Spring meant that Jake would be leaving elementary school soon and they wouldn't be together in school for four years.

To Sam, it didn't seem to bother Jake much. He tried to convince her that they'd remain friends, just like they did when he started school and she was still too young. Sam knew it wasn't the same thing.

Jake would be meeting lots of new people at the bigger school and he could forget his friend left behind. Sam tried telling him this, but Jake blew her off. He told her she was overreacting.

His voice was starting to level out to a deeper tone. Jake had started growing too. He now towered over Sam, making her feel even more like a little kid. Jake was becoming a man. Would a man want to still be friends with a little kid? A little girl? Somehow, Sam had her doubts.

They argued a lot. For Sam, she needed his reassurances that he wouldn't leave her behind. For Jake, she was acting like he was going off to war never to return. When he tried to reassure her that nothing would change, she would still burst into tears, not believing it. Jake would throw up his hands in the air and stalk away.

Deep down, Sam was worried that he'd be around all those older girls and he'd not like her anymore. Once she faced her fears, nothing he said or did would placate her.

Plain and simple, Jake was growing up without her. Sam was still a child. Jake was becoming a man. Though Jake didn't seem to notice other girls, Sam knew it was only a matter of time before he did. Then what would she do? She couldn't compete with older girls. Girls who had breasts and curves while she was still flat as a board with no hope of developing any time soon.

All her thoughts made her depressed. Gram and Dad noticed and asked her what was wrong. She couldn't tell them. It made her sound like a baby, that she might be losing her best friend.

When she rode the bus with Jake, they didn't talk a lot of the time because she was afraid of saying something dumb that would make him mad at her. She was afraid that if he kept getting mad at her, he'd think that it was easier not to be her friend.

The days started getting longer again and she and Jake rode out sometimes after school. Sam would lay a track for Jake and wait for him to find her. As she sat waiting for him, her thoughts would go back to her worries and she'd get all antsy again.

She was driving herself crazy. She could just imagine how crazy she was making Jake.

Jake saw her eyes darting all over as they rode their horses on the playa. It was a bright, sunny Saturday and they had gotten their chores done early. Their mares were just about ready to foal and both were anxious. Jake knew though that there was something more going on with Sam and wished she'd just tell him what it was.

Who was he kidding? He knew what it was. Jake was sure it was her worrying they wouldn't be friends anymore once he started going to middle school.

He had to admit that they might not be as close since he would be doing other things, and have more homework to do. However, he couldn't imagine his life without Sam in it.

They had been friends for so long now. He thought back and was amazed it was six years.

"Do you know we've been friends for six years?" Jake said out loud.

Sam's head snapped around. "Really?"

"I was just thinking about that," Jake murmured.

"I wonder if we'll..," Sam broke off and turned away.

"Brat, we'll be friends forever," Jake vowed.

"You can't say that," Sam snapped.

"Bet me," Jake pulled up his horse.

Sam pulled up George next to him, her brown eyes meeting his dark brown eyes. "Bet you?"

"I bet you that in six years we'll still be friends," Jake said, his tomcat in the sun smug grin on his face.

"That's a dumb bet," Sam said.

"Why?"

"If we're not friends, I can't collect," Sam told him sensibly.

"But we will be," Jake said, a superior look on his face.

"Okay Mr. Bigshot," Sam stuck out her hand. Jake stuck his out and they shook.

"On your birthday in six years, we'll be friends," Jake said.

"Or what?" Sam wanted to know.

"I'll take you out for an expensive dinner," Jake responded.

"Okay and if we are, I'll take you out for an expensive dinner," Sam vowed. The two shook again.