Chapter 2 – The Revelation
Sam sleeps in to around 11 AM on Sunday. Her dreams all night were of Matt. She reviewed the Prom in her mind often that night, especially their time together by the lake, and smiled. It was the perfect weekend, and Matt was the perfect date! As she gets up she quickly dresses and heads downstairs.
"Well, my Buttercup has risen to greet the sun!" teases her Dad.
"Daddy!" says Sam in fake exasperation, and she then starts to laugh. Her Dad joins in.
"So, how was the Prom, dear?" asks her Mom.
"It was WONDERFUL! I'll never forget it as long as I live!" Sam says happily.
"You know, Buttercup, seeing you come down those steps reminded me of your Mom," says her Dad.
"Oh, Vance!" says Sam's Mom.
"Gabby! I told you back then you were unforgettable, and yesterday just rekindled that cherished memory!" and Vance gives Gabby a warm kiss.
"I'm sure," continues Sam's Dad, "that Matt felt the same way yesterday, Sam."
"Well, he DID say that Dad, but he was unforgettable to me!"
Later that afternoon, Sam calls Matt. She, Matt and the other two couples decided to catch up on lost sleep on Sunday, so they are all home.
After Sam dials Matt's number, she doesn't hear a ring. "Is the line dead?" she asks. In response she hears, "Hello?"
"Oh, Matt! I didn't hear the phone ring!"
"Neither did I, Sam! I was calling to thank you again for a most unforgettable weekend! Sam, I'll cherish yesterday for all my life! You were a Renaissance Master portrait coming down your stairs! I couldn't believe that you were actually going to the Prom with me!"
"Matt, when I saw you at the bottom of the stairs, you took my breath away! I was so excited! Thank you for a memorable weekend and an especially unforgettable Prom. I'll cherish our time in the garden forever!"
"You are most welcome, Sam! Do you think I could buy a DVD copy of your Dad's video? I'd really like a copy!"
"I'll bring one to school tomorrow for you."
"Thanks, Sam!"
"By the way, Matt, have you decided on the college you'll be attending?"
"I haven't made a final decision, yet, and I know I'll have to before the week is out, but right now I am leaning toward the University of Fort Lauderdale to study Oceanography! How about you, Sam?"
The happy phone call suddenly turns sad, as Sam answers, "Oh! I haven't made a final decision either, but I was leaning toward the Boston Technology Institute (BTI) to study Engineering."
Now it is Matt's turn to feel sad, "Oh!"
This is the first time that Sam and Matt realized that they would not be going to the same colleges together. Now what do they do?
Matt really likes Sam a lot. He believes that their friendship could grow into a long-term relationship in time. But with Sam in Massachusetts and he in Florida, that's going to be hard to do. And it isn't fair to expect Sam to do no dating while she is at college.
Matt swallows hard, then says, "Sam, maybe we should put our relationship on hold indefinitely, and return to just being friends. We can still stay in touch by e-mail, but I don't think its right that a great girl like you should try to stay true to me, when we can't see one another, except possibly on breaks."
Sam answers sadly, "As much as it hurts to say so, I agree with you Matt. It isn't right for you to wait for me! Too much can happen in four years! Let's just be good friends! We will stay in touch by e-mail!
"By the way," whispers Sam, "do you still want a copy of the Prom movie my Dad made?"
"Yes, Sam," says Matt, "what we have just discussed doesn't change what we experienced at the Prom!
"That is, if you are ok with me having a copy."
"Sure, Matt! When I see you tomorrow, I will give it to you!"
"Thanks, Sam. Well, I best be going!" says Matt. He is having a hard time controlling his emotions. He finally found a girl he really liked, and now he has to let her go! It is tearing him up inside, but he doesn't want Sam to know it.
"Ok, Matt! See you tomorrow. 'Bye!" says Sam. She is happy Matt wanted to end the call. She breaks down and cries silently to herself. A guy with so much in common with her, and she has to let him go! Life isn't fair! Within 24 hours, she has gone from the top of the world Saturday night, to the depths Sunday afternoon. But she also realizes that their joint decision to scale back their relationship to friends again was the right one; it's just going to take some time to get over it. At least she has Clover and Alex!
Clover sleeps until Noon, Sunday. All night everywhere she looked, she saw Clarence, especially in her dreams. When she dresses and comes downstairs, she catches her parents watching the Prom video they shot yesterday. She overhears her Dad, Kent, say to her Mom, "My little Flower was dazzling!" as he kisses Stella. "You still have the knack to make a woman unforgettable to a guy, Stella!"
"Thanks, dear!"
"Just like you are unforgettable!" and he kisses Stella again. They then notice Clover standing in the doorway, smiling.
"Don't stop on account of me!" says Clover with a smile.
"Clover, you were dazzling yesterday!"
"Oh, Dad!"
"I could tell Clarence thought so to!"
"So was he!" Clover sighs.
"Did you have a good time, dear?" asks her Mom.
"Mom it was a night I will NEVER forget!"
Clover's parents smile at one another, and then at her. Clover decides to call up Clarence, and see how he is doing today.
"Hello, Clarence?"
"Clover? I was just going to call you! How is my beautiful dream girl doing today?"
"I'm fine! And how is my dashing knight?"
"Still on his cloud, with you! At least in my dreams! Thanks again, Clover! I'll never forget this weekend, the Prom, and especially the alone time we spent together in the garden on the bench!"
"Your welcome, Clarence! And thank you for an unforgettable weekend! It was totally awesome!"
"Could you ask your Dad, if I could buy a copy of the DVD movie he took? I'll cherish it forever!"
"I'll bring you the DVD copy tomorrow.
"Clarence, have you decided on your college yet?"
"I'm still batting around two choices, but right now I'm leaning toward Baton Rouge State University, to study Medicine! How about you?"
"Oh!" says a now sad Clover, "I haven't committed yet either, but I am leaning toward Flint University to study Drama or Journalism."
"I see," says a now sad Clarence. Clarence thinks, what chance has he got of eventually winning Clover for his own if she is in Michigan and he is in Louisiana? A girl that pretty and talented; he can't expect her to wait for him!
"Clover, I think we should leave our relationship as friends for now. We'll be so far away when we go to college! I can't expect a girl of your charm and beauty to not date while you are at college. It's not fair to you!"
Clover answers sadly, "Nor is it fair for me to expect you to wait for me! We can still be friends! We can keep up by e-mail!
"Do you still want the DVD, Clarence?"
"Yes, Clover! It doesn't change this weekend, and I still want to cherish the memory! We are still friends, Clover! Well, I have to be going!" says Clarence. Clarence is hurting. Clover was everything he ever wanted in a girl, and so much more. She definitely was deeper than her '10' looks! She accepted him for what he was, even though he was no handsome dude. Now he has to let her go!
"Me too, Clarence! Goodbye!" says Clover. As Clover hangs up the phone, her eyes tear up. Clarence really was the only guy who cared about her as a person! Almost all the others treated her as a 'trophy girlfriend'; someone to be shown around and be seen with, but nothing more. He really cared about her, and now she has to let him go! She cries. At least she has Sam and Alex!
Alex has gotten up around Noon also. Her night was dominated by thoughts and dreams of Pete! She dresses and goes downstairs. Her parents are in the living room.
"Good morning, Sunshine!" says her Dad, Louis.
"How are you this morning, Alex?" asks her Mom.
"Fine, Mommy! The Prom was AWESOME!"
"You were awesome too, Sunshine! Pete thought so too!"
"Thanks, Daddy! I can thank Mommy for that! She helped me get ready!" and she gives her Mom a big hug and kiss.
"A guy doesn't stand a chance, when you women decide to gang up on him!" says Louis, as Alex blushes, and Carmen smiles. "Pete was a goner before he got here! Just like I was, when I saw you, Carmen, so long ago!" he continues as he kisses Carmen.
"Louis! The goal of any female is to be unforgettable!" chastises Carmen playfully.
"I'm sure Pete thought you were too, Alex!"
"He said so, Daddy! He was pretty unforgettable too!" says Alex dreamily.
"You made a very nice couple, dear!" says Alex's Mom.
Alex decides to call Pete. But before she can dial the number, her compowder rings. It's Pete!
"Pete! I was just going to call you!" says Alex happily.
"I wanted to call earlier, but I didn't want to disturb you! How are you today, Alex?"
"Fine, Pete! Thanks again for a most memorable weekend. The alone time we spent under the Maple tree will stay with me forever!!"
"Same here, Alex! You were my ray of sunshine all night! You were so radiant!! I'm sure every guy thought he was escorting the prettiest girl to the Prom, but I know there was only one prettiest girl: you Alex!" Alex blushes, although Pete can't see it.
"Alex, may I get a copy of the DVD from your Dad? I'll gladly pay for it!"
"I'll bring you a copy tomorrow at school, Pete! And Daddy won't charge you!
"Have you decided on a college yet, Pete?"
"I'm looking into three right now! I'll have to decide this week! I am currently leaning toward Aspen University to study Conservation and Forestry. How about you?
Alex's heart sinks. She replies sadly, "I haven't committed either, but right now I am leaning toward Tahoe University to study Self Defense, and get certified as a teacher."
"Oh, I see," says a now sad Pete. Why does this always happen to him? Every time he finds a girl he likes, and she likes him, some life event tears them apart! The girl of his dreams, and now he has to let her go! He knows he can't expect Alex to wait for him. He continues, "Alex, you're going to be in Nevada and I'm going to be in Colorado. Long distance relationships don't work. Maybe we should return to being just friends."
"You're right, Pete," says Alex sadly. "Do you still want the DVD?" she whispers.
"You bet! I'll never forget this weekend, Alex and that DVD will be a constant reminder. Are you ok with me having it?"
"Certainly, Pete! Well, I best be going!"
"Me, too!"
"Goodbye, Pete!"
"Goodbye, Alex!"
Alex quickly walks to her bedroom. She doesn't want her parent see her cry! Pete was the best! They had so much in common! Now they have to be apart. He was right! Long distance romances don't work. 'Loneliness makes the heart go wander!' At least she still has Clover and Sam!
The girls see each other Monday morning. After thinking about what their guys had said, they realize that it is best that they just remain friends.
"Wasn't the Prom the BEST?" asks Alex.
"Totally!" responds Clover.
"Couldn't have been better! All the activities were great!" replies Sam.
"Except Sunday!" says Alex sadly.
"What happened Sunday, Alex?" asks a concerned Clover.
"I found out Pete and I were leaning toward colleges in different states! We decided to return to being just friends," and Alex has tears in her eyes. She has already seen Pete and given him the DVD movie. They shared a goodbye kiss.
"So did Clarence and I!" says Clover sadly. She also saw Clarence this morning and gave him the requested DVD. They too shared a goodbye kiss.
"Bummer! Matt and I found out the same thing as well!" says a sad Sam. She saw Matt this morning and gave him a goodbye kiss with the DVD movie.
"Well, girlfriends at least we have each other! In four more weeks we'll be high school graduates! Have you decided on where you will be going to college, Sammy? Clover?" says Alex in a happier tone.
Sam responds, "Right now I'm leaning toward the Boston Technology Institute!"
Clover and Alex's faces droop. "What's wrong?" asks a concerned Sam.
"I'm leaning toward Flint University," says Clover quietly.
"I'm leaning toward Tahoe University," says Alex sadly.
This is the first time that the girls realized that the next four weeks will also be the last four they will spend together! They will start to drift apart as friends, as they will be so far away from one another! They quickly agree to share e-mail addresses and telephone numbers, but it won't be the same! They won't be able to hang out together. Well, at least they are still a team for WOOHP! Jerry will bring them together at least twice a week!