Dear Journal,
It's August 25th 2000 I'm Samantha Simmons and what happened today makes me totally believe that Destiny is some old man playing with dolls. He's putting us in these crazy and uncomfortable situations to test us. I mean how else does one girl go from getting dumped to being chased? It all began with a well less than normal day Lucas picked me up for school which is strange other than our usual banter about the weather and stupid songs most radios play it was ok. Then the subject of Sandie and John, how it's wigging us out and their whole testing the waters theory it's totally juvenile. I'm not jealous well not really but if you have those feelings from your past and you were together then well obviously you should just pick up where you left off right? So we get to school a bit early and walk into the building together and there is a letter on the main bulletin board for me.
"Hey Lucas, hold a sec please."
Lucas stopped and looked over to Sam as she ran up to the bulletin board and grabbed an envelope with her name on it. The two continued walking to Sam's locker.
"What is it?"
Sam shrugged as she opened the letter.
"I signed up to tutor but who would need one this early in the year?"
Lucas leaned over Sam's shoulder, "Well let's find out."
Sam nodded and unfolded the letter, as she made her way down reading it she stopped in front of her locker and ripped the paper out of her sight. She closed her eyes and winced.
"I'm tutoring Michael."
Lucas laughed and took the paper from her.
"Wow, talk about destiny biting ya in the ass."
Sam snatched the paper back.
"Lucas, this isn't good."
Lucas smiled as Sam twisted her combination on her locker and grabbed her books.
"Why not I mean John and Sandie are revisiting what they had Max and .."
Michael approached the two and Lucas halted his words as he approached and smiled teasingly at Sam.
"It looks like you're my tutor."
Lucas raised his eyebrows and excused himself to his locker Sam nodded.
"Yeah it's a bit early don't you think?"
Michael shrugged.
"Gotta start somewhere right?"
Sam looked around to the hallway she could see John and Sandie talking John's eyes were glued on Sam.
"What, you mean like today?"
Michael nodded, "I mean like everyday I have to beat Maria."
Sam laughed to herself and closed her locker.
"Sure we'll meet right after school at the Crashdown I have to work at 5 so we'll have some time to go over your notes."
Michael nodded.
"Right so I should start taking those then."
Sam smiled, "Yeah you should."
"Okay then the Crashdown right after school see you there."
Michael walked away as Max got to his locker, Michael made his way over to him. Sam watched half stunned, it was just yesterday that she had promised herself she would avoid Michael and now she was going to be tutoring him, alone. Sam could hear Lucas laughing behind her Maria, Liz and Alex were making their way over to the two.
"What's so funny?"
Sam play pushed Lucas into his homeroom.
"I've got some bad news, I've been recruited to tutor Michael this semester."
Maria stopped walking, "you've turned to the dark side?"
Sam shrugged, "Well you guys said I should join something so I signed up for tutoring."
Alex started to laugh Liz covered a smile.
"Wow Maria that caught up with us huh."
Maria shrugged, "Good luck Sam, the guy is an Island."
Sam laughed at herself as they parted to their homerooms.
As the three sat down Sam looked to Liz who was lost in thought. Alex was writing lyrics to guitar chords. Sam was gripping a sci-fi teen drama in her hands like it was her savoir.
So I had a lot on my mind today I just imagined tutoring Michael I mean spending all that time with him. Getting to know him again, all I could do was hope he wasn't anything like Rath. Inside though I knew that wasn't possible I could feel things for him and we had barely spoken. I was lost in thought I mean I took notes answered the questions but I wasn't there I just kept thinking about what it felt like to be Macaria to be in love with Rath. It was addicting and now that I was going to be spending time with him I felt my will to keep her at bay receding.
After negotiating a ride with Lucas and calling her parents to inform them of her new after school activities Sam found herself waiting for Michael in a empty booth of the Crashdown. Sam had decided that as long as Michael didn't remember who he was she could keep Macaria's memories locked inside of her she was determined.
The ring of the bell at the door made Sam's head jerk up as Michael walked in with his book bag slung over one shoulder he made his way to Sam's booth and sat down. Without saying a word Michael took out all of his books and notebooks and then looked to Sam.
"So how did it go?"
"Well, my bio teacher hates me."
Sam wrote down biology on her notepad.
"Okay well we can work on that anyways that's a good indicator that he'll pass you."
Michael looked right into Sam's eyes the fire in them reminded him of Maria, and the deepness reminded him of Liz. Ever since he had read her diary he wanted someone to feel the way she did about Max, about him. He was jealous of what Max and Liz had, Maria always wanted more from Michael and Michael never felt motivated enough to give her what she wanted. He loved the fire that she had but couldn't understand her, looking into Sam's eyes he never wanted her to look away. Sam tilted her head and narrowed her eyes.
"Okay, so is there anything that you don't understand quite yet?"
Michael shook off his thoughts and looked down to his notebook at his notes.
"Well yeah, I'm not quite sure about this whole J.F.K guy. I mean he sends his men and Cuban spies to do a covert operation yet sends no backup. No wonder he was assassinated."
Sam shook her head at Michael's words, he tended to say things that no-one else would and that made him seem heartless at times.
"What was that thing called Michael?"
Michael looked up realizing he was being harsh.
"Stupid J.F.K and the Bay of Pigs."
Sam sat up straight.
"Okay then, what would you have done differently?"
Michael scratched his left brow Sam's heart began to beat wildly.
"Well I wouldn't have let my men or allies go in there with no reinforcements like that.."
Sam closed her eyes flash Macaria was in a small tent with Rath. They were dressed in uniform in the middle of a great battlefield. The two were going over reports and discussing tactics.
"Rath if we send in our troops they will be expecting reinforcements just in case."
Rath shook his head.
"We'll hold back, Kivar's men won't dare attack on Zan's wedding day."
Macaria shook her head.
"We can't trust him."
Rath looked to Macaria, she was so beautiful so strong.
"I will not lead my men out into battle with out a full fledged tail coming from the flanks. We will loose to our own men, half the strength in battle is the willingness for your men to die for you. But to lead them into a blood bath alone we'd be cutting off our own heads."
Rath's hand met Macaria's their eyes met, he could sense something about her she seemed different.
"Don't you think so?"
"What. huh?"
Sam looked at Michael who was going into grave detail about the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Sam nodded and smiled.
"I think you're fine so far on history. Why don't you ask me some questions about bio."
Michael nodded and opened his bio book.
Sam was somewhere else just then her knew it. Even though Maria insisted there was nothing different about Sam Michael couldn't shake the feeling. There was a closeness between them like some unspoken language. Just as Michael was about to open his mouth Scott the blond senior from last night approached the booth.
"I thought that was Samantha Simmons."
Sam looked up awoken from her thought; she blushed at the sight of Scott.
"Hey Scott yeah it's me."
Scott nodded and looked to Michael.
"Hey Guerin."
Michael nodded shortly and eyed Sam.
"So your ex John showed up for tryouts today, he's gonna be our secret weapon a great quarterback."
Sam nodded and Scott smiled.
"Sorry about you two."
Sam shrugged.
"Well hey look Sam there's this dance on Friday the New Face dance and since it's practically in your honor I wanted to invite you to go. You know with me."
Michael cleared his throat.
Scott looked startled over at Michael.
"Dude we're in the middle of something."
Scott looked to Sam confused she soothed him with a smile.
"Oh, yeah I'm in the middle of tutoring but I'll be on the floor at 5 if you wanna come by we can talk then."
Scott nodded and smiled and excused himself to escape the weird predicament he found himself in. By the look of Michael Sam's name was practically tattooed to his chest.
Michael watched him go and shook his head.
"Who does that guy think he is?"
Sam turned to watch Scott cross the street.
"I dunknow he seems nice."
Michael flipped through his book annoyed Sam gave a sly grin.
"So are you going with him to the dance?"
Sam shrugged, "I don't know, unless someone else asks me first, he was kind of vague on the whole asking part."
Michael straightened up.
"Didn't you just break up with John?"
Sam rolled her eyes, "So?"
"So, you should give it time, stay loyal for like a little while."
Sam's blood began to boil, she had to avert the discussion and change the subject somehow.
"Well what about you and Maria?"
Michael looked at her pained slightly and shook his head.
The next hour was spent trying to avoid all personal topics and sticking to all the parts of a DNA structure and how they are formed. Maria walked in for her shift clutching cypress oil and inhaling it like it was her life. She sat down next to Michael and looked straight to Sam.
"We have to get Isabel here tomorrow without her knowing."
Michael shrugged, "Max has it all set up don't worry Maria."
Sam closed her books and Michael followed.
"So Michael how are things looking?"
Michael looked to Maria.
"I see Honor Society in my future."
Sam giggles as Michael got up to change for his shift.
"Oh and I'm making Izzie's cake tomorrow so it's official I called it."
Maria put her hands up to surrender. Michael went to the back and opened his locker Maria leaned in closer to talk to Sam.
"I'm so over Michael Guerin."
Maria giggled and tossed her long blond curls from side to side.
"Really but you guys were so."
Maria nodded.
"We fought all the time and it was just too much. I mean should you really have to work that hard to make a simple teenage relationship work. The guy should be part of your life not you entire life. I couldn't handle being away from him this summer and why? It was so stupid of me, I wasted a perfectly good summer watching Max do pull ups, while I moaned over Michael. I wanna date boys again."
Maria looked like a little girl at her birthday party, she could hardly contain her excitement.
"What's going on Maria?"
Maria smiled with a shrug.
"I have a date."
Sam's eyes widened.
"What, who and where?!"
Maria played with her hair a bit.
"The New Face dance this Friday with Lucas."
Sam sat back shocked.
"With Lucas?"
Maria nodded.
"We have like 4 classes together and have been just totally hitting it off. I mean with Michael there was passion, but I feel like there's this force between Lucas and me it's like he's my Max."
Maria smiled to herself at the thought.
Sam tilted her head, it was funny how the perfect guy was being considered to Max and yet Liz and Max weren't together really.
"And Sam, we talk, about like everything we're totally in sync with one another it's like nothing I've ever felt before."
Maria eyed Sam who was engulfed in her speech.
"But Maria, you and Michael are gonna get back together ya know."
Maria looked annoyed.
"Sam, it took me this week to realize what was wrong in my life. I had stopped writing music and you know how much I love my music. I barely picked up my guitar it was like my life was gone it was all about Michael. It's like I'm breathing again."
Sam looked down if Maria and Michael weren't together then things could get really complicated for them. Sam counted on their relationship to stay strong; if they weren't together then no one else could be with Michael either, Sam knew that about Maria, she would have a cow.
Sam just shrugged and started to tear up. Maria bit her lip.
"Oh geeze I'm sorry is it John?"
Sam shook her head and laughed.
"No it's just, I feel like things are upside down, no more you and Michael, Max and Liz are, just friends."
Maria grabbed Sam's hand.
"Things have to change it's the circle of life."
Sam smiled at Maria.
"Thanks Mufassa."
Sam composed herself they got up and went to Liz's room to bother her and get dressed. Liz was in front of the mirror getting ready for work herself. Liz smiled and turned to her friends.
"How do I look?"
They winked and smiled at Liz then plopped down on her bed next to her.
"Oh and, I flamed Max for walking Tess home, expect groveling."
Liz turned to Maria.
"Maria you didn't?"
Sam perked up.
"He what, walked her home, oh that's gonna cost him brownie points."
"You guys we're not together!"
Maria and Sam looked at each other and mouthed 'yeah right'.
Liz smacked them both with a pillow.
Work went by pretty nicely I didn't see Scott until Alex walked up to the counter while I was cleaning it off. He eyed Isabel and Tess who were in their corner booth then looked to me.
"I'm in phase one of the New Alex Whitman, but I realized I need help."
Sam smiled at Alex confused.
"Help with what?"
"Just whatever I ask you today can you say 'sure Alex I'd loved to?'"
Sam put her hands on her hips and swayed her hair around and about.
"What?"
Alex grabbed her hands the towel was sandwiched between them.
"Please Sammie?"
Sam nodded as Alex winked at her and walked over to sit with Isabel and Tess. As he sat down Scott came in through the doors with his friends at his heels. They sat in Sam's section. He winked at Sam as she brought over Alex's orange soda.
"Hey Sam."
Sam looked into Alex's eyes.
"Yeah."
"Would you like to go to the New Face dance with me on Friday?"
Sam smiled
"Sure I'd love to."
Alex smiled triumphantly and Sam eyed Isabel whose eyes were turning a shade of green. Sam went over to her other table where Scott and his friends were laughing about something. As Sam approached they quieted down.
"Hey Sam did you think about what I asked you?"
Sam shrugged and flashed a flirtatious smile. She didn't notice Michael's eyes had been on her all night.
"I already said yes to someone Scott I wish you had asked sooner."
Scott shrugged trying to hide his disappointment.
"Well you'll save me a dance then?"
Sam finished taking their drink orders and sashayed away from the boys gave a wink to Scott and said.
"You bet."
As Sam was filling in her drink order Michael rang his bell and called her name. She grabbed her order as Michael held onto one of her plates.
"Are you really going to the dance with that guy?"
Sam looked at Michael and gave a sour face.
"No."
Michael looked relieved and released the plate from his grasp.
"I'm going with Alex."
Sam turned her head with a sly grin. She didn't see Michael's eyes tense he didn't know why he should feel angry or jealous but he did and this was now directed at Alex. It wasn't the same crazy feeling he had when she was talking to Scott this was Alex Whitman. This was someone who could really capture Sam's heart and that made him nervous.
By the time Sam's shift was ending Max came in from the UFO Center and sat with his sister. The place was thinning and they were just about to close the restaurant. As Sam was cleaning her section and averting Michael's glances Liz walked in saw Max sitting with Tess and ignored him as she made her way to Maria who was behind the counter. She looked amazing and that wasn't an accident. Max called her name and jumped up quickly to talk to her.
"Liz!"
Liz tried to ignore Max.
"Yeah I have to talk to Maria so."
Max gently turned Liz around with a light grasp to her arm, her eyes closed in a flash. She hid it and turned to face him.
"Liz I'm sorry what you saw last night wasn't."
Max looked at Sam who tried to hide her interest.
"It wasn't what it looked like."
Liz shook her head.
"Max, I'm okay we're just friends remember."
Max leaned in and smiled.
"Sure friends for now, but I'm going to change your mind, I'm coming for you Liz."
Max looked down shyly realizing everyone's gaze was on them. He left the restaurant silent and confident.
Closing the restaurant was an uncomfortable task; Tess gave Isabel a ride home Alex waited for Sam to get off of work. Michael was keeping an eye on them. He felt for Sam, he wasn't really sure where it was coming from but he knew he didn't want it to stop. He had never felt this way about anyone before.
He kept looking at her to make sure she was really there. Alex was getting too friendly in his eyes.
"So Sam are you ready to go?"
Michael looked up at Sam and watched her leave with Alex.
He finished up in the back and hurried to get home too. Meanwhile Sam was feeling weird around Alex now.
"So are you ready for your dance tomorrow?"
Alex winced slightly.
"Ya know I was going to try and weasel my way out of that."
Sam laughed and tried to get over the weird silence that was filling the car.
"So about this Friday, are we really going together?"
Alex smiled and looked to Sam.
"Yeah, you still want to go with me right?"
Sam nodded.
"Yeah I just didn't know if that was more for Isabel's benefit or mine."
"No, it's been something I've wanted to do for a while."
Sam looked to Alex who kept his eyes on the road.
"You wanted to ask me out for a long time?"
Alex nodded, Sam couldn't help but entertain her thoughts about Alex.
When he finally dropped Sam off they parted like nothing was different.
"So I'll bring you to school tomorrow okay?"
Sam nodded and went into her house.
The thing about living in Roswell is that anything can really happen. I mean when I woke up this morning things were a little complicated but now they're really complicated. Maria's interested in Lucas, Max is going stalker on Liz, Michael's having feelings for me, John and Sandie are developing their relationship further. And then I find out Alex has had feelings for me for a while. It's like we're pioneering this whole other plane of existence.
