Fallout

Chapter 36

Written by: Karen

Lexie returned to her hospital room and immediately went into the adjoining bathroom to freshen up. Marco had been right, the last thing Knox needed was to wake up and find her crying by his bedside. She looked at her reflection and scowled, she had dark circles and puffy eyes, definitely not one of her best looks she had ever sported.

Plus she was still dressed in this less than flattering gown the hospital had provided her upon arrival, then again the outfit she had been wearing before she and Knox were involved in the wreck was without a doubt the ugliest combination of clothing ever. While she hadn't asked her father to bring her something else to wear home surely he would do so.

She wanted to burn those clothes as soon as possible where they would never be resurrected in any kind of combination, but there was also some silly idea she wouldn't be able to get rid of the clothes. They were the clothes she was wearing when Knox had kissed her almost senseless in while they had been in the kitchen of his home.

Knox knew how to cook, the boy had made her breakfast and it had been edible, in fact it had been downright delicious even though she rarely indulged in eating pancakes. Most days, breakfast for her was oatmeal along with some kind of fruit to go along with it.

When he was able to leave the hospital she would return the favor and have him over for a meal. She hoped there would be lots of opportunities for them to spend time together. Knox had opened up her eyes to the possibility of them having a relationship and she wanted to pursue that with him even if she had acted less than receptive to his advances beforehand.

That was all going to change though, she was ready to open up her heart and take a chance on Knox. She would let him know each and every day how much she cared about him. Literally the wall she had built up against him and his charm for all these years now lay crumbled in pieces at her feet.

She took a washcloth, wetted it and after wringing out the excess water, she washed her face being careful not to pull at the skin where the cuts were visible. She looked back up in the mirror and smiled, today would be the day she would begin to be open and honest with Knox. He deserved nothing less from her than the truth.

Sami had been thankful to have Chad in her classes because the whispers about the wreck Knox and Lexie were in together abounded all morning long. It was difficult to act like she didn't hear the rumors which seemed to be growing with each hour that passed.

Outrageous rumors, ones that made her inwardly cringe even if she didn't allow her features to show how upset it made her. Kristen had told them to pay no attention to these uninformed people and she would do as she asked of her. Sami wouldn't let them get to her and show any sign of weakness or distress even if she wanted to scream at some of them for being so ignorant.

Another terrible thought began to form in her mind, one she tried to will away most of the morning while she struggled to pay attention in class. If the rumors about Knox and Lexie were this awful, how terrible would it be if something got out about her and EJ being in a relationship, especially a sexual one?

She needed to tamp down these fears, no one knew about them, had no clue of what they felt for each other or what they had done with one another. By the time lunch rolled around Sami's stomach was in knots over worrying so much.

She needed to see EJ, he would calm her down, talk her off the mental ledge she had perched herself upon. He had that way about him, he made her feel safe and secure and most importantly he made her feel loved even when she felt unlovable.

EJ would arrive in the lunchroom about fifteen minutes later than she would so she opted to head to Lucas' table where he was already eating lunch with Spencer and Connor. Sami didn't want to sit at the table with Chad since she was sure she would catch snippets of conversations that contained untrue information about Knox and Lexie.

Sami could depend on Lucas not to buy into the rumor mill, the good thing about him was he avoided the gossip that went around school, and he didn't get into the popularity scene that prevailed at Salem High. She let Chad know she was going to eat with Lucas and they parted ways.

Lunch tray in hand, Sami approached Lucas with a smile, but before she could even place her tray down on the table and take a seat across from him it looked as if Lucas was ready to bolt. She sat down anyway even if she wasn't getting the warm reception from Lucas that he always gave to her when they ate lunch together.

"Lucas, is everything all right?"

He shook his head no and looked around the lunchroom momentarily before turning back to face her, "Uh Sami, are you sure you want to sit here with us?"

Sami looked perplexed, "Why wouldn't I want to sit with you? We eat lunch together almost every day at school. You're one of my best friends."

"Well your boyfriend told me to stop taking up your time during lunch, and that you were only being nice to me because you felt sorry for me."

Sami's face went paler than normal. Oh my god why would EJ ever say anything about them, especially to Lucas? She felt as if she could throw up right here on the spot. Her worst fear was coming true right here in the freaking Salem High lunchroom.

Lucas continued onward while Sami sat there speechless, "You don't have to act pretend you like being around me anymore. I completely understand beautiful girls rarely befriend me beyond Lexie anyway."

Then she saw EJ and Philip enter the lunchroom and if it wouldn't make a huge scene she would have gotten up right then and there to go confront EJ about this bullshit. How could he have been so careless? How could he be cruel to Lucas?

EJ glanced over at Sami hoping to at least garner a smile from her when he spotted her sitting at lunch with Lucas, but as soon as their eyes connected he could tell something was wrong. She wasn't reciprocating a smile to him at all. In fact, the look she was giving him was downright detestable.

What the fuck? Why is she looking at me that way?

EJ was about to leave the line to get a lunch tray and go over to Lucas' table and ask to speak to her privately. It wouldn't be out of the norm for him to do so considering how nasty the rumors had been concerning Knox and Lexie. He turned to Philip to inform him he was going to go speak to Sami; of course Philip volunteered to go with him, which was something he definitely didn't need to do.

EJ told him not to bother, he would be right back and began to make his way over to Samantha when he saw her expression change slightly and then he had the urge to go punch Lucas in the mouth when he saw Sami reach over and touch his freaking hand.

What the fuck was going on between his girlfriend and Lucas Roberts?

Sami returned her attention back to Lucas, "I do what I want; I don't have anyone to speak for me especially…"

She was about to say EJ's name when Lucas interrupted her, "Well Rafe seemed very serious about you being his girlfriend…"

"Wait, what did you say? Rafe said this to you?"

"Yeah, Rafe Hernandez, your boyfriend; specifically told me this morning…"

Sami let out an expletive before she thought better about how it might sound coming from her mouth. "You've got to be fucking kidding me. Rafe told you this nonsense."

"In no uncertain terms…"

Sami reached across the table to touch Lucas' hand, "Don't believe him. First off Rafe isn't my boyfriend and even if he was I would never let anyone tell me who I could or could not be friends with ever."

EJ caught the tail end of their conversation and hearing it made him more confused than upset. What the hell was Lucas babbling about to Samantha?

"Are you sure Sami? He seemed pretty adamant about me staying away from you."

"More than sure," Sami stated as EJ finally reached the table where he could talk to her.

"Samantha, sorry to interrupt your conversation, but may I speak to you alone for a moment?"

Sami looked up at EJ as if he was crazy, but she agreed to go with him, "Excuse me Lucas, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay, no problem, really please take all the time you need." Lucas stated as he looked nervously around the lunchroom again.

Sami gave Lucas a smile before she stood up leaving her untouched meal at the table.

"Let's go for a walk outside," EJ suggested as he resisted the urge to take Sami by the arm and lead her away from whatever bizarre conversation she was currently having with Lucas.

"Yeah, we need to go talk," Sami agreed with EJ's suggestion as he started to lead the way for them to go out a side door of the cafeteria.

While they were walking outside, Sami wondered where EJ would take her so they could have a modicum of privacy. They finally ended up sitting on the bleachers on one of the practice fields.

EJ sat down and reached for Sami's hand for her to sit beside him; as soon as she sat down she quickly withdrew her hand from his just in case someone was nearby.

EJ tried to take her hand back, but she wouldn't let him. He guessed he had better start talking before she decided they needed to go back inside. "First off, what was behind the death stare you were giving me when I walked into the cafeteria with Philip?"

"I thought you had told Lucas to stay away from me. That the only reason I was nice to him was because I felt sorry for him."

EJ asked in all sincerity, "It's not?"

Sami punched at his arm even if it probably hurt her more than it did to him, "No EJ! I can't believe you would even think that way! Lucas is my friend and it isn't because I feel sorry for him."

EJ leaned in closer to her, "You haven't looked this angry at me since the night of the Winter Formal when you threatened me with bodily harm while we were dancing after I stole you away from that clumsy oaf Rafe Hernandez. Damn, that was so hot!"

Sami looked irritated, "Would you be serious for two seconds?"

"Samantha, I'm very serious. You getting angry got me so hard."

"Shut up EJ! This is important!"

EJ tried his best to keep a straight face, "You making me hard isn't important?"

Sami cut her eyes at him as a frown began to form on her face once more that vaguely resembled how she stared at him when he had entered into the cafeteria less than thirty minutes ago.

EJ held up his hands in mock surrender, "Far be it from me to tell you how glorious you look when you are on the cusp of a full blown temper tantrum especially when it is directed at me."

Sami started to get up from the bleachers, but EJ pulled at her to sit back down beside him again. "EJ, we don't have long to talk."

EJ did his best to look contrite, "I apologize for being glib. So tell me exactly what happened that made you upset."

"I came into the lunchroom and decided to go sit with Lucas since his table wouldn't be gossip central."

"True, it's hard to get in those tidbits of maliciously false rumors when your main goal in life is to be the Dungeon and Dragons champion."

Sami tilted her head at EJ with enough of an angle that he stopped disparaging Lucas and his cronies. "Please continue sweetheart, I'll try to behave."

"Before I can even sit my tray down at the table Lucas suggests that maybe I shouldn't sit with him since my boyfriend basically told him to back off from monopolizing my time at lunch."

"I didn't say that to Lucas although now that you mention it, you could sit with me at lunch and I wouldn't even talk about video games nonstop the entire time."

"That's beside the point EJ. Lucas said my boyfriend and I almost called out your name in response."

"Well, technically I am your boyfriend…"

"My secret boyfriend at the moment…"

"Secret for a while, but I promise to you that our relationship is going to last for longer than a moment. If I have my way, you'll always be my girl and one day we won't have to hide how we feel about each other. Wait a minute though, if it wasn't me proclaiming to be your boyfriend then who in the hell is saying that they are your boyfriend?"

"Who do you think?"

"It can't be Lucas unless he has a split personality and one side is telling the other to stay the away from you which would be kind of cool in a strange way."

"Did you derive this theory from one of those Lifetime movies you like to watch?"

"I'm seriously going to kill Kristen for telling you such lies. I do not watch Lifetime movies."

"Lexie said it too," Sami offered up with a giggle.

"Lies, all lies," EJ proclaimed matter of fact. "I only watch horror and action movies."

Sami suggested "What if I watch one with you sometime?"

EJ rolled his eyes, "You are just teasing me."

"Would you watch one with me?"

"I'll think about it, but first I need to go back and kick Rafe's ass."

"For him telling Lucas such a line of crap? Seriously Lucas looked like he was going to freak out when I sat down at the table with him, Spencer and Connor."

"No for saying he was your boyfriend when that honor belongs to me. You're my girlfriend and I love you."

"Shhh EJ, someone might hear you."

"Does this mean that you are all right with me kicking Rafe's ass for this pseudo belief he was going on that you are his girlfriend?"

"No, you can't kick his ass. It upset me that you punched him at Philip's party."

"Samantha, I know he took you to the dance, but you haven't kissed him or anything like that have you?"

"You think I would kiss Rafe?"

EJ shook his head, "No, but he wants you Samantha."

"He can't have me. My heart belongs to you my secretly sexy boyfriend."

"Wait, it's no secret that I'm sexy."

"Hmmm I wonder how much of the sexiness factor you think you possess might go down if the rest of the girls who are pining for your attention knew you love watching Lifetime movies."

"I told you my sisters were lying."

"I think it's sweet."

"As long as you don't think I'm a Nancy boy."

Sami looked him up and down, "Well I might need some more convincing."

EJ pulled her close to him, "I'll show you later."

Sami tried to pull back with little success, "After the basketball game tonight?"

"Damn, I wish the game wasn't tonight. I'd rather be cuddling up with you."

Sami finally was able to move far enough away from EJ in case someone came up they wouldn't think anything was going on between them beyond talking. "I've told you we've got to be careful."

"I know, but I wish things were different."

"Me too, but we just have to wait."

"I'm going to find a way for us to be together."

Sami reached out to grasp his hand for a brief moment, "Maybe one day, just not today. We need to get back."

"I wish I could kiss you right now."

"Me too, but we can't."

"Since I can't kiss you are you sure I can't kick Rafe's ass instead?"

Sami shook her head, "No fighting. I'll set Rafe straight. I'm sure this was all some kind of misunderstanding on Lucas' part. Rafe might not have meant it the way it sounded to Lucas."

EJ didn't believe it for a minute. Rafe Hernandez was a jerk and he was going to find a way to prove it to Sami along with everyone else too. He stood up and extended a hand for Sami to take to help her walk down. As soon as they reached the bottom step she immediately released his hand and they walked back to the cafeteria all the while EJ was thinking one day he'd be able to hold Samantha's hand anytime he wanted to do so, but like she said it would be one day, just not today.