Chapter 36
Jake noticed that Sam glanced at him a lot out of the corners of her eyes when they were together training Blackie, riding or just goofing off. He was confused by it.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," Sam blushed scarlet, turning her face away quickly.
He was curious about the blush. Jake was still thinking about it when he rode into Three Ponies. Something was different about Sam. She rarely looked at him fully anymore, rather glancing at him when she didn't think he'd notice.
"What are you so deep in thought about, little man?" Nate asked. He had just come in from an after school activity. Nate would soon be sixteen and had his driver's permit.
"Huh?" Jake jerked his head up.
"I asked what you were thinking about," Nate said.
"Sam's acting weird," Jake dismounted and started taking the tack off of his horse.
"Weird how?" Nate wondered.
Jake told him what he had observed.
"It's like she's looking at me sometimes like she doesn't know me," Jake shrugged.
"That is weird," Nate agreed. "Has she had a bump on the head recently?"
"No," Jake shook his head, taking his tack and going into the big stone barn.
Nate waited for him by the door. Jake groomed his horse and turned him loose into the pasture. Nate waited while he worked a bit with his almost two year old filly. Jake would be getting on her back soon. Nate didn't envy his little brother. Witch had started cycling and was cantankerous when she was in season. She was living up to her name in every sense of the word, but Nate knew Jake enjoyed the challenge.
As the two fell into step going to the house, it dawned on Nate what might be going on with Sam. She was now in the sixth grade. He would bet money that she either was in or just had sex ed classes. He remembered how he had looked at all his friends of the opposite sex afterwards, trying to picture them as the teachers had described them.
Nate put his hand on Jake's arm. That's when he noticed Jake was almost as tall as he was. Gosh, when had that happened? Of course, Jake had turned thirteen in October. He wasn't a boy anymore. His little brother was becoming a man.
Jake stopped and looked at Nate, surprise on his face.
"How did you feel towards girls after you had your sex ed classes?" Nate asked Jake.
Jake rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged.
"Did you look at Sam and wonder about her since now you knew about females?" Nate continued.
He saw Jake's eyes flick to his briefly before looking away again. Jake gave a very slight nod.
"I think Sam just had the classes and is wondering about the changes us guys go through," Nate told him. Jake's eyes widened.
"She's been pretty sheltered," Nate explained. "She has to wonder if you're some kind of sex deviant. She prolly doesn't have to wonder about the twins."
The two guys laughed.
"That makes sense," Jake said quietly, looking up at the house briefly.
"Just remember how confused you were," Nate reminded him. "We were all confused when we found out about the facts of life. I mean, we all grew up about breeding animals, but it can be difficult equating it to humans."
Jake nodded, rubbing the back of his neck again, remembering how weirded out he felt at knowing that his parents had sex. Now, if he allowed himself to see it, he could tell they still did. Jake tried not to think about that though.
"Thanks Nate," Jake said. "I'll try to ignore it when she looks at me like she has been."
"I think that's the best way to deal with it," Nate nodded. "Let her work it out in her head and I'm sure she'll start acting normally around you again."
Jake thanked him again and the two brothers went into the house together.