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"Sam?"
Sam stormed past Violette and Jen who were as she expected, standing by the window.
"I'm fine. I'll see you guys tomorrow," she said without stopping. She hurried up the stairs and into her room hoping that Violette and Jen had enough sense to leave her alone for the night. Apparently, they did. Sam heard them arguing downstairs before the screen door slammed behind them leaving the house silent.
Sam just stayed in her bed, not falling asleep, not bothering to get change, she just lay there not sure if the feeling that she was feeling was heartbreak. If it was--it sucked. She heard boots stomping on the porch and for a heart lurching moment she thought of Jake, then she heard Wyatt call goodnight to everyone.
Sam groaned and rolled out of bed shuffling to the bathroom. She went through here bedtime routine like a robot. Brush her teeth. Brush her hair. Rip out her hair. Wash her face. Scrub tear stains off her face. She hated this routine. A knock on the door made her jump, splashing water all over the front of her shirt.
"Yeah?" She squeaked her voice sounding too high pitched.
"I just wanted to say goodnight...are you ok, Sam honey?" Gram called through the door.
Sam swallowed. "I'm fine, you just scared me. Goodnight."
"Ok," she said not sounding too convinced. "See you in the morning."
Sam listened to her shuffle into her bedroom and shut the door behind her before she crept out of the bathroom. Only to run into her dad.
"Sam."
"Huh?" Sam moaned internally. She knew his tone, it meant either there was an interrogation, or a lecture. She felt like having neither of those at the moment.
"What's going on with Jake?" He asked making Sam want to scream. Why did he have to ask about him?
Sam shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know."
Wyatt raised a brow, that inquired he knew she was lying. "Really? He didn't seem right tonight."
Sam snorted though she wasn't amused. "That's because he isn't right."
"Ah, are you two still fighting? I thought you made up already." Sometimes he got them too much.
"Why would I want to make up with a buttlick like him?" She asked harshly earning a look from her dad.
"Sam." Her dad said warningly.
"Yeah, I know...be nice," she tried to shuffle back to her bedroom too but he stopped her.
"Honey, what is it?" He asked his tone softening almost making Sam want to leap into his arms like a baby and tell him everything. Almost.
"Nothing, he's just being a jerk. Can I go to bed please? School comes early," sadly, she thought.
"Do I need to talk to him?" Wyatt's face turned to stone.
"No!" Sam answered a little too quickly. "No, it's fine. I can handle it."
Wyatt wrapped her in a hug and ruffled her hair. "I know you can. You're a Forster."
Yup, that made her want to cry. Instead she smiled at him and quickly went to her room shutting the door behind her.
x-x-x-x-x-x
Sam stood at the bus stop the next morning. It was starting to get cold and she thought that she might literally, freeze her arse off. And to think, it was only fall. She hopped from foot to foot hoping to get herself warm but it wasn't working. She was regretting not taking Gram's advice to bring a coat.
She heard the roar of an engine and hiked her bag higher onto her shoulder waiting to see the bus. But it was Jake's truck. Her heart leapt only to plummet again as he drove past. She wanted to ground her teeth angrily but they were chattering to bad.
"Stupid-d ki-id." She muttered through a shiver as she watched his truck pull farther and farther away. A horn honked behind her making her jump. She hadn't even heard a car coming. She spun around and was shocked to see Gabe smiling at her from the driver's seat of some kind of shiny black car she had never seen before.
Gabe rolled the window down and stuck his head out. "Geez, it's freezing out here!"
Sam rolled her eyes. "T-tell me ab-bout it!"
"You know, this car has a toasty heater," he could hardly finish his sentence before Sam was standing by the passenger side door.
"Well you b-better unlock it then!"
He laughed and Sam heard a click as he unlocked the door. She climbed in and greedily put her hands in front of the heater. She sighed contentedly.
"I didn't even hear you pull up," she said when her shivers finally seized.
"Yeah, it's a hybrid. They are pretty quiet," he said turning the heat up for her a little more.
At least Sam knew why she had never seen one before. Nobody in this part of Nevada probably even knew what a hybrid car was.
"Ok well you might want to hurry up and get out before you miss your bus," he said and Sam glared at him noticing he could hardly contain his grin. He pretended to wince at her glare. "Or I could drive you."
Sam smiled. "Yeah, I like that idea more."
He put the car into gear and Sam couldn't even hear the engine as he accelerated. It really was quiet.
"So how come you don't go to school?" Sam asked.
"I have a private tutor. Man, that really can make someone sound like a royal douche," he said shaking his head. "I wish I went to school, but it's impossible."
Sam snorted. "Trust me, you are not missing much. Beside, you get to experience the only part anybody likes about high school--homecoming."
He smiled crookedly and Sam couldn't help but smile too. "Yeah, thanks for that by the way. I really appreciate it."
She shrugged and was about to say no problem, but she didn't feel like lying. "I've had more people ask me to go with them this year than I've ever had in my entire life! Even some girls asked me to be their date," she shuddered at the last part and Gabe laughed. "It's not funny!"
He still laughed. "I know sorry. I guess I'm just glad I got to you before Patricia," he said chuckling.
Sam huffed and crossed her arms across her chest like a pouty two year old. "Oh, shut it," though she couldn't help but still smile. He thought he was lucky.
They drove in silence for a while and Sam realized they were almost to the school. "Hey, the homecoming game's tonight. I wasn't planning on going but if you want, we can both go?" She offered as they pulled into the car parking lot.
For the hybrid not being a loud car it sure did get a lot of stares.
"Really? I mean you don't have to go if you didn't want to," he said seeming excited by the idea none-the-less.
She rolled her eyes and unbuckled. "Well no duh. I want to go if you do, honest."
He nodded and parked the car right in front of the school. Way to not draw attention, she thought sarcastically.
"Then yeah, I'd really like that, do you want me to pick you up?"
"Well unless you want me to walk, then yes," she laughed and he smiled.
"Tempting..."
She slapped his arm and he held is hands up in surrender. "Ok, ok! I'll be there to pick you up at...?"
"Five," she supplied.
He smiled. "Five." He paused but looked like he wanted to say something else. Pulling off his expensive looking pea-coat he handed it to Sam. "It's freezing out there."
Surprised, she took it and without a thought climbed across the car to give him a hug. "Thanks."
She put his jacket on and climbed out of the car. "See you later!" She said before shutting his door and turning towards the school to find practically everyone staring at her.
Including, Jake.
