Chapter Four
Danny had a busy day in school. He had three essays to read, one book to finish and ten pages of homework that he hadn't finished because the day before he was busy pretending to be Sam's boyfriend. The worse part was that Kyle still came after her and she had gone missing until last period.
He put his hands on his pocket and wandered around the corridors, hoping that he could cross by his brokenhearted pretend girlfriend, but he wasn't lucky. His feet took him absently across the hallway through the nurse's office.
"Mr. Fenton?" He turned around to see the nurse peeking out of the door with a sweet look that could coax many students into going there and saying they were sick just to spend two minutes by her side. Yeah, the school nurse was a real beauty. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Of course." Danny said, his eyes widening. 'She knows my name!' his brain screamed in joy. 'Wait, you have to find Sam.' but before he could think of an excuse to go away from the office, the nurse interrupted him by commanding him to sit down on the other side of her desk.
"I wanted to talk to you about your girlfriend, Samantha Manson." She smiled. Danny paled immediately. Was Sam really feeling sick? Was she in there?
"Is she alright?" He asked, worried.
"Oh, she's fine, she came in complaining about cramps and I let her go." The nurse smiled, seeing how worried the poor boy was the instant she mentioned Sam's name. "I was informed that you two are going out now…" She said, becoming quite serious. She noticed Danny's blush and took that as a yes. "Usually I don't do things like this, it's not my place, but since she was actually complaining of cramps and I received a call early this morning from her distressed mother I decided that maybe we should talk about 'protection'."
"Protection?" Danny echoed, feeling his face burn. He was sure he had never been so red in his whole life. He only hoped the nurse wasn't going to talk about…
"You see, I'm sure your parents already talked to you about condoms, right?"
'Oh crap.' Danny shouted in his head. He dropped his gaze to the floor and decided to study the floor patterns until it was finished. What the hell had he done to deserve this? No one deserved to have a sex talk with the school nurse!
"I'll take that as a no." The nurse said, raising her eyebrows, looking very upset at the poor job Danny's parents had done raising him. She opened a drawer and gave him a pack with ten condoms inside. "It's very important you use it, young man." She warned. "I was suspicious the cramps Sam was complaining about had something to do with sex since her period was last week."
"How can you know it?" Danny blurted out the words, blushing madly. He knew he made the wrong choice of words because the nurse smiled knowingly at him and continued.
"Because she came here asking for tampons, silly. I really didn't think you two had done it because I heard only yesterday that you were together, but her mother's call really stressed me out."
"Why would her mother be calling you?" Danny asked, fearing a conspiracy.
"She informed me of your behavior last night and asked me to perform a pregnancy test on Sam, actually." The nurse said. Danny's blush wasn't out of embarrassment anymore, but out of anger. Mrs. Manson knew how to lead a conspiracy. She was investigating them! "I didn't have the heart to tell Sam that because she really looked in pain so I simply dismissed her, but Danny, I must know if you two didn't use protection, you know how serious it is."
"We…" Danny's embarrassment had come back completely. How the hell could he explain to the nurse that they were faking it? He suddenly realized that he couldn't tell her that. Mrs. Manson was talking to her! The best thing he could do was to try to sound convincing and avoid anymore conversations like this. "We were going to, but we didn't." He said redder than a tomato. "Someone… interrupted us."
"That must have been awkward." She smiled sympathetic. "But I hope you were going to use protection?" She asked.
"Well… we…" He didn't know what to say, the words simply wouldn't come out.
"I know, you don't have to explain." The nurse said. "But please take these with you and in case you're embarrassed to go buy more, drop in my office and I'll give you another package, is it okay with you?"
Danny only nodded, shoving the package inside his bag quickly, as if it burned his skin with the slight touch.
"And be a gentleman to that girl, you hear me." The nurse joked, opening the door for him. "She's the only girl I've ever met who cares about frogs."
Danny would have laughed if he wasn't so embarrassed. He nodded and ran away from the office as quick as he could only stop when he was fifty feet away from school.
He heard his cell phone ringing and quickly picked it up. It was Sam.
"Sam where are you?" He asked, not giving her a chance to even say 'hello'.
"I ran to your house, I'm sorry." She said. "Nobody saw me coming here."
"Hang in there, I'm coming." He said. He looked around and saw a bunch of reporters running towards him. With so many people around he couldn't go ghost. He chose to run home instead, with lucky, get those reporters lost along the way.
It took him fifteen minutes running to finally arrive to his home (he had to take an alternative way so that no one would follow him). He closed the door behind him and locked it with his spare pair of keys. He ran up the staircase and entered his room to find Sam laying down his bed, looking like she was exhausted.
"Sam?" He called, wondering if she was asleep.
"Finally," She said, not moving a muscle. Her eyes were closed.
"Are you going to hide here until it's over?" He asked, sitting down by her side.
"Do you have a better idea?" She asked, tiredly. "The most innerving thing is that he hasn't done a single bad thing to me. He was nice all the time."
"I understand, but don't worry about him; I promise you I won't let him get ten feet close to you." Danny said. He saw a small line of flesh that was showing on Sam's stomach. Her shirt and her skirt didn't cover her bellybutton. He started drawing invisible patterns on her flesh, seeing that it tickled her, especially when he touched her with the tip of his fingers, barely touching her skin.
"Stop that." She laughed, trying to squirm away. "And I'm worried about you, too."
"Me?" He asked, surprised.
"I really don't want to see you getting in a fight. Kyle is not the fighting type." She said, finally opening her eyes.
"I don't want to fight, either, but he is getting on my nerves." Danny said, looking upset, remembering that morning. "He touched you quite roughly and your lips are still bruised." He said, leaning forward to take a better look at her healing lips.
"I bit my lip, he didn't do it." Sam said, moving away from his hand.
"Let's hang out like he doesn't exist." Danny grinned, trying his best to cheer her up.
"Like it would work." She rolled her eyes, finally sitting up.
"No, I mean it, really." Danny said. "Let's go out on dates, let's do romantic stuff and let everyone see us!"
"I think it's better if we stay home." Sam said. "Think of it as quarantine." She said when Danny shrugged. "Really, I mean it, Danny, Valerie figured out we're faking our relationship." She saw Danny's eyes lit up with hope and fought the urge to roll her eyes again. "She said we act like a married couple."
"What?" Danny asked, not understanding. "It's supposed to be a good thing then, why hide it?"
"You are not a very observant person are you?" Sam asked, already knowing the answer. "When couples get together they share a burning passion, you know." She tried to explain. "They don't act like they're used to each other, it's more like they can't get enough of each other."
"Yeah, I know…" Danny said. "It's like when Dash and Paulina got together, they would steal kisses even in class."
"That's why I say we should stay home." She concluded.
"And I say we should go out and be all over each other." Danny said and blushed the moment the words left his mouth.
"Why do you say that?" Sam eyed him suspiciously. "You understand I'm not talking about simple pecks right?"
"I know." Danny chuckled, finding her face hilarious at that moment. "But I got some news… yesterday your mother was so shocked with 'a simple peck' that she called the school nurse to give us a 'sex talk'."
"You're kidding!" Sam said, her eyes looked ready to pop out of her face. "But I went there today to be dismissed and…"
"I know and she didn't say anything because she took pity on you." Danny explained, trying to not laugh. "But she called me there when I was passing and… well… it WAS awkward." He blushed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Danny…" Sam apologized, touching his arm as if it would comfort him somehow.
"Well, I didn't deny any of what she implied, though." He blushed, looking away when he saw Sam's blushing, too. "Now she thinks we're… well… you know."
"And she's going to tell my mother." Sam looked horrified. "Oh my… I'm going to get grounded."
"Do you think it would get Kyle off your back?" He asked.
"Why would it?" Sam asked, confused.
"You know… if it's an arranged marriage then if you're not… not… if your first time is not with him, I guess, maybe he'll lose the interest?" Danny was regretting getting into the subject when he saw Sam's mouth hanging open while she stared at him incredulously.
"… a male mind is really a paradox." She commented, as if she was not talking to him. "It's complex to perform a single thought, but really simple to understand."
"What are you blabbing about?" He asked, slightly offended, but not sure.
"It's all about egos. You boys are so shallow!" She said, standing up with a smile, teasing him. Danny pouted. "If I hurt your ego you make a storm out of a cup of water." Danny still was waiting for an explanation. "I mean you're a genius, a naïve one, but still a genius."
"Great." He smiled. "Now explain to me what it means."
"It means we're going to put some spice in our relationship." She said, smiling and blushing in embarrassment at the same time. "If Mr. Miles thinks we're sleeping together, then he might think I'm not suitable to be his son's wife."
"You mean, we're going to kiss in public?" Danny asked, blushing, too. "And by kiss I mean not just a peck…"
"Yes… unless you don't want it, of course." Sam said, quickly.
"Well… it's not like it's going to ruin our lives, I mean… we are comfortable with each other… right?" Danny was so nervous that he stood up, walking away from the bed so that he wouldn't feel the warmth that was emanating from her body.
"I really don't want you to feel pressured." Sam said, seeing that he had started pacing around the room. "I can hide here until it's over like I had planned."
"I'm not feeling pressured." Danny said. "I don't mind kissing you." He blushed.
"Okay…" Sam said, avoiding his eyes and trying not to show him her own blush. They were sharing an uncomfortable silence.
"Would you like to take a walk in the park?" He offered. "We could… act as a couple there."
"Fine." She smiled, standing up. "Do you think someone will see us?"
"Let's hope the journalists take a picture." He grinned, offering her a hand that she gladly accepted.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Danny and Sam were currently sitting under a tree in the park, watching the lake move lazily with the soft breeze. Sam let Danny play absently with her hand (that seemed to be his favorite toy) enjoying the comfortable and peaceful moment they were sharing.
Sam heard a strange noise coming from the bushes near them and looked around, staring at it suspiciously. The sun reflected on a round glass. She smiled nervously and poked Danny on the ribs.
"Hey!" He protested, looking down at her ready to start a tickling fight.
"We have company." She said, "In the bushes, I saw a camera."
Danny didn't have to look to believe her. He sighed nervously, never breaking eye contact. He licked his lips and Sam's heart started beating wildly inside her chest, anticipating what was about to happen.
He stared at her lips feeling the urge to make contact with them, like a fruit that he was going to taste for the very first time. He swallowed the lump in his throat and lifted his hand to frame her face gently. He noticed that she was completely frozen in place; that she wasn't going to move towards him, making it much more difficult to him. He had to take the first step.
He breathed in determination. He looked from her lips to her eyes and found her looking desperately to his eyes and his lips, not deciding which she preferred most. He felt his knees getting weaker and was very grateful that he was sitting down.
"Sam…" He whispered closely, for no reason at all other than the pleasure of saying her name. His breath tingled her lips and she parted them. Her eyes were half closed, expectantly. He finally closed the small distance between them and pressed his lips to hers, baking away half a second later to see her opening her eyes in disappointment.
He couldn't take it anymore, he didn't give her a chance to talk, he leaned forward once more and this time he pressed his lips harder. Her lips were soft. He had never pressed hard enough to actually notice it.
She hesitantly lifted her hands to his chest; they rested there for a minute before she continued all the way up to circle her arms around his neck. He hadn't moved his lips yet, instead, he moved his hands; one was on cupping her face while the other pulled her closer while sneaking around her waist.
His lips finally started moving against hers, he heard her moaning. He felt her lips part slightly and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue between her lips, tasting her cherry lip gloss. He plunged again, this time making her open her lips even more so that he could meet her tongue with his. It was beyond everything he had ever imagined.
If he had known that Sam would taste so heavenly, he would have found an opportunity to kiss her before. Wait! Was he actually enjoying this? Was he enjoying kissing his best friend? It wasn't supposed to be like that!
When he realized what he was doing he tried to break away from her, but she reached forward to meet his lips again. Her leg was moving against his bringing up a fire that Danny had never experienced before. To hell with the best friend thing. She wanted him to kiss her so he was going kiss her like there was no tomorrow;
His mouth passionately kissed hers, but that wasn't enough, he left her bruised lips and started kissing her jaw line, down her neck and up to her ear, capturing it with his teeth.
"Danny!" She moaned in desperation, her hands were back on his chest and she gently pulled him away. He let go of her and backed away, staring at her flushed face. Both were breathing so heavily that it impossible to talk for a few minutes. She didn't speak to not ruin their pretend game, but Danny could read her thoughts clearly in her eyes 'that was one hell of a fake kiss.'
Instead of speaking, she smiled reassuringly at him and buried her face on his neck, listening to his heart calmingthe racing beat. She gave him a hug; her fingers were playing with his hair on the back of his neck.
"I think they got more photos than they needed." Danny finally said, convinced that what they had shared was completely okay. He glanced at the bush and saw it empty. "He's gone already."
"I can't wait to see tomorrow's paper." She laughed, backing away just enough to look at him in the eyes. "You know, I have been thinking…" She said, becoming serious again and Danny almost panicked, fearing she was going to say that they didn't have to fake it anymore, that it was enough. "… a journalist, paparazzi or whatever that person in the bush was, what if they're not here to spy us for a paper?" Danny stared at her in confusion. "It may sound paranoid, but… what if my family or Kyle's family is paying a private investigator to follow us?"
"I can't see a difference." Danny said, sincerely. "We'll have to keep with the pretend for a month anyway."
"It's just that…" Her voice broke and the tears started once again pulling out of her eyes. "I feel betrayed." She said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I thought I could count on them, after all they're my parents, but they just don't understand. They're blind to my unconventional wishes."
"Parents are supposed to make your life harder." Danny tried to joke, but he wasn't successful.
"You know what I mean." She said, impatiently. "Parents are supposed to complicate your life if you're choosing the wrong path, but tell me Danny, what is wrong in choosing a career over a marriage?"
"I think they are only overreacting because Miles is filthy rich, when it all pass, they will understand and support your decisions." Danny said, helping her up. The sky was getting dark, which meant it was time to go home, separately first, only to join again afterwards. "You must agree that it is an opportunity of a lifetime, that man can become president one day (I really hope I'm wrong), his power is what blinds your parents now. You just have to be careful for a while."
Sam smiled, holding his hand in hers while walking out of the park towards her house. She didn't have to answer for Danny to understand he had comforted her enough. She was already acting like everything was okay.
They didn't say a word until they reached her house. She climbed up the stairs and brought him with her, stopping right in front of the door. She leaned forward on the tip of her toes to reach his height and kissed him sweetly on the lips.
The door opened abruptly, surprising the couple. They broke away to see a fuming Mr. Manson.
"Samantha, we have to talk." He said.
Sam looked at Danny, scared.
"Can I say goodbye, at least?" She asked her father.
"One minute." He said, closing the door again.
"Sam, stay calm, they're not going to hurt you; they're your parents." Danny said, seeing that she was about to panic.
"Oh my, he's so mad, Danny." She said.
"Go inside, I'll be here if you need me." He said, "I'm going invisible and I'll stand right here, if you need anything you just have to call me, okay?"
"Okay." She nodded, biting her lip nervously. "And thanks for today."
"Hey, aren't you coming over?" He asked, confusedly, because she was sounding like she wasn't going to see him again that day.
"I just felt like saying it now." She said, then freed her hand that still was in his and entered the house, closing the door slowly, as if afraid to break their eye contact.
Danny sighed and waited.
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"Samantha, sit down." Mr. Manson said, pointing at a chair in the middle of the living room. He was alone in there and there wasn't a sound in the house indicating that somebody else was there.
Sam obeyed him and sat down.
"Your mother talked to the school nurse today." He said. Sam felt her heart skip a beat. "She said you weren't feeling very well and that you were dismissed."
"That's true." Sam said. "I also took the opportunity to hide from all those journalists that came out of nowhere."
"Anyway," Her father continued. "She said you and Danny were getting intimate." He didn't need to say anything else; Sam understood immediately what he meant. She nodded and he continued. "You know that underage sex is forbidden by law." It wasn't a question. She nodded again. "You realize you're putting us in a very delicate situation." He said, once again not questioning her.
Sam looked up to meet her father in the eyes. He looked hurt. That look broke her heart completely. It shattered in a million pieces.
"You're my only daughter." He said. "I hoped I had raised you right. First you refuse to dress properly, then you refuse to go to the parties, you don't talk to us anymore, you never open up. The perfect opportunity for a brilliant future shows up and you won't take it." He said. "I understand you never saw him before and I am almost grateful you actually gave him a month to prove himself, but he can't do it if you keep refusing him."
"Dad, I don't want Kyle." She explained. "I am already in love with someone else."
"You said to me you don't believe in love." Her father stared at her, seeing right through her. "Why would you change your mind in such a convenient time?"
"Fine." She gave up trying to fool him. "I'm trying to stay away from him."
"By going with that Fenton boy?" Mr. Manson returned to the point he had almost missed.
"Dad, give Danny a chance…" Sam begged, asking herself why she was doing that in the first place. It was supposed to be just pretend; she didn't have to ask such awkward things.
"I'll give Danny a change if you give Kyle a chance." Mr. Manson finally came up with what he thought was a fair play.
"But that's not fair!" She had tears in her eyes now.
"It's not fair how you're treating him! John is my best friend how do you think it will affect our friendship? We were dreaming about the moment you and Kyle would marry even before you were born. John still thinks you're suitable for his daughter-in-law, even if you're not loyal to the wedding's nuptials tradition" He explained, tiredly. "I'm just asking you to go out with Kyle and know him better."
Well… maybe that she could do.
Did I take too long to update? I'm so sorry! I had to defend the project of my film on the stage in front of the whole college (12 teachers were there taking notes!). I have stage-fright! And well, they approved my film! There were 16 scripts and only 4 were approved, which means next months I'll be really busy shotting my movie and drawing it (it's an animation).
Anyway, Now I'm better (uncountable sleepless nights) and here is the next chapter. I hope I made it up for the delay.
See ya and don't forget to review!