Disclaimer: I heart American Dreams. But that doesn't change the fact that it's not mine.
A/N: Ah! I feel so guilty for not updating in so long! I just couldn't think of where to go with this story! I'm not sure of a plot, or big issues, or anything, except for the Smeg (heh heh)! And the past two new episodes that have aired totally make this AU, what with Chris and Meg sleeping together and such. So basically, this story contains events up to "Tidings of Comfort and Joy", and that's it.
I've got mid-terms all next week, and I'm going to New York tomorrow for the whole long weekend, so I don't think an update is going to be for another long while, since I'll have no time to write, which sucks, but that's life for you. Keep watching the new episodes!
Awesome reviews. You guys are great, and the feedback is much appreciated.
XXX
Minutes later, Meg stepped back, putting distance between she and Sam. She sighed. "We have to actually finish a conversation one of these times," she said.
Sam blushed. "Sorry."
"No, it's okay. I just…we just need to be clear on what we're doing before we…do anything else." Meg took a deep breath, and, being more forward than she was used to, ask, "Do you want to date me?"
Lifting his head to level his eyes with hers, Sam nodded slowly. "Yeah."
Meg tried to hide the smile that showed up as he said the word. "Yeah?"
"Yes," Sam repeated. He let out a breath. "I don't know how we're gonna make this work, but I really want to date you, Meg."
"Well I really want to date you too, so that's probably a good way to start," she said, still keeping her distance. After a moment of silence, she asked, confused, "So what did we just decide?"
"I think we just decided that we want to date each other."
"Okay."
"Okay."
John threw something at the bars of his playpen. The toy gave a feeble squeak, and then dropped to the ground. Meg had nearly forgotten the baby was there, and jumped a little when she heard the noise.
"What do we do now?" Sam questioned slowly.
Meg took her time thinking. "You should probably take me on a date."
Grinning, Sam took a step towards her. "Will you go out on a date with me this Friday night, Meg?"
Pretending to consider, Meg tapped her finger against her cheek in consideration. "Well…I guess." His smile made her giggle.
The clock- a loner from the store until their normal one was fixed- struck two, and let out a whistle. Both adults turned to look at it, before Sam jumped into action.
"Oh, I was supposed to be back ten minutes ago," he said quickly.
Meg nodded as he rushed to the door. "Alright."
Sam turned as he opened the front door. "I'll see you at the store tomorrow?"
Her grin faltered as she thought of the store, where Kyle was most likely going to be. But she felt like she couldn't say to Sam's sweet face. "Definitely."
He still stood at the door, so Meg decided to take a few quick steps forward and give him a fast kiss on the cheek; nothing big, just a peck. She watched as the truck pulled away from the outside of her house and disappeared down her street, back towards the center of the city.
John made some noises as he played with a toy airplane. Meg turned to look at him.
"You didn't see anything," she told the baby conversationally, smoothing her blonde hair.
He blinked at her in response.
XXX
"Are you okay, Meg? You seem a bit preoccupied," Helen said as she folded laundry with her eldest daughter later that evening.
Meg blinked slowly, and then nodded, folding one of Will's t-shirts. "I'm fine, there's just a lot on my mind," she replied.
"I know waiting for the letter from Penn must be nerve-wracking," Helen began as she added a pair of pants to her growing pile of clothes, "but it still won't be here for awhile. Just enjoy summer while you can."
Giving her mother a smile, Meg nodded. "I will."
The two kept folding laundry in silence. The house was empty, except for the two of them. Meg hardly noticed. She could only think about Sam.
"I talked to Mrs. Larson at the market earlier," Helen told her daughter. The Larsons were their neighbors who lived across the street and a few houses over. "She said she had seen Sam come in the house, and that he was here for awhile. Did he bring the radio back?"
Stupid gossips, Meg internally groaned, and prepared to feed the first of many more lies that would be used when it came to Sam. "No, uh, he thought he had it with him, but it was actually someone else's. Then I wanted him to see this new record I got," she finished confidently. Her time with Chris had forced her develop excellent lying skills.
"Oh," Helen said. "He's been helping your father out so much at the store, I don't know what he'd do without him."
"Sam is great," Meg agreed honestly with a small smile, which she thought her mother didn't notice.
Helen, however, watched her out of the corner of her eye. "So how's Roxanne's new job?"
"Fine. She's working almost every day at the salon. She's almost got enough to buy her own apartment."
"That's nice," Helen commented sincerely. "Tell her she's always welcomed for dinner."
"She knows," Meg said, her mind still wandering.
Helen was becoming more curious as the seconds ticked by as she watched her oldest daughter. She'd raised this girl herself; she knew when something was on Meg's mind. She had a feeling it might have to do with Sam.
"So Sam is going to be a junior at Penn this year?" she asked casually.
Meg's eyes flickered for a moment. Her mother had never really shown an interest in Sam before. "Uh, yeah. As long as he keeps running track, he maintains his scholarship."
"It's nice that you two have stayed friends for so long. He's a nice boy," Helen baited, finishing her folding.
"Yes, he's a great friend," Meg replied, completing her own pile of laundry. She stood as soon as she placed the last shirt on the top of the tall stack of clothes. "Well um, I told Patty I'd go with her to pick up Will from his friend's house…"
Helen smiled at her daughter. "Go on, I think she's on the phone in her room."
"Alright." Meg flashed a quick grin towards her mother, and practically rushed up the stairs. Patty was eager to get out on the road, so it wasn't hard to exit the house.
Meg had a sneaking suspicion that her mother was going to be prying a lot in the coming days.
XXX
"Turn right," Meg instructed her sister as they drove out of their neighborhood. She and Patty had never really gotten along, so the silence between them was normal.
"Hey Meg?" Patty asked tentatively, making Meg turn and glance at her.
"Yeah?"
"When you wanted to get Luke to notice you, what did you do?"
The question shocked Meg. Her sister was asking her for advice? "Well, Patty, it's a little late. Luke left last fall after Roxanne and I went to California," she joked.
Roxanne and Luke had rekindled their romance for a few months, before the two girls decided to follow Bandstand the summer before. Luke had said he'd wait in Philadelphia for Roxanne to get back. He didn't.
"Ugh, never mind."
"No, no, okay, tell me." Meg wanted to be nice.
"Alright," Patty agreed carefully. "So…I like Grant."
"Take a left. Wait, Grant Stevens?"
"Yes. And Emily said that Grant's best friend Hank told her that Grant said that he likes me."
Meg shook her head slowly, trying to understand. "Okay, so, Emily said that Hank said that Grant said that he likes you? Take another left. And you like him?" she reiterated.
"Yes, I do. But I'm not sure what I should do. I've never really liked a guy this much ever since I skipped a grade and went to East Catholic."
"You should just tell him."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because what if he doesn't like me? I don't want to tell him, and then have him laugh in my face, ruining the tiny bit of a reputation I've gained," Patty said matter-of-factly.
"Patty, that shouldn't matter. Just tell him. If he does like you, like Emily says, then it could be a great thing," Meg told her honestly.
Patty considered this for a moment, then turned to look at her older sister for a brief second. "You know, you've been a lot nicer since you've come back from California. Before, you never would've even listened to me."
"That's not true," Meg defended, then pondered the statement. "Alright, maybe it is true. But being in California, away from everyone…made me miss you all."
"We missed you too," Patty said quietly, keeping her eyes on the road. She turned into the driveway of Will's friend's house.
Meg took the moment to examine the sixteen-year-old beside her. She was so used to her annoying, bratty little sister, that it was hard adjusting to this semi-mature, almost cool teenager.
Patty looked at her and gave her a half-smile. Meg shot one back as Will hopped into the backseat of the car.
"Hey," he said, noticing their identical looks. "What'd I miss?"
"Nothing, Will," Patty dismissed, putting the car in reverse and backing out of the driveway. "You're too young to understand."
Meg just shook her head, laughing to herself. Who ever thought she'd be getting along with Patty?
And as they drove home, she realized that she hadn't thought about Sam at all for half an hour. Of course, once that crossed her mind, it was all she could concentrate on for the rest of the night.
XXX