Miguel sped out of his last class of the day, walking the path to Sam's locker that he could probably follow with his eyes closed at this point. School that day was a drag, to say the least; he found himself glancing at the clock way too often, making time move even slower. But the final bell meant he could finally see her, and that made it worth it.
He turned the corner into the hallway that had her locker, where she'd normally be putting her books away. He smiled once he saw her, though her back was turned to him. He didn't notice she was talking to someone until he had taken another few steps forward, and that's when he saw the familiar build of a certain brown-haired enemy.
Robby.
The smile on his face quickly faded as he slowed his pace before stopping completely. How long had they been talking? The bell just rung, so it couldn't have been for long.
Why are they still talking?
Are they laughing? What the hell isso funny?
His mind immediately flashed back to the moment Robby kicked him off the balcony, and then the moment he saw him and Sam coming down the hill hand-in-hand. His pulse started to race, his fist clenching, and then just as quickly, Robby walked away, while Sam shut her locker and moved to lean against it, peering through the crowds of students filling the hallway.
She was looking for him.
Miguel swallowed hard, unclenching his fist and trying to mask his feelings before walking towards her. Sam noticed him when he was a few feet away, smiling instantly.
"Hey, you," she said cheerfully once he was in front of her, leaning forward to peck his lips. He greeted her back less than enthusiastically, and she read him almost instantly.
"What's wrong?" she asked him, grabbing hold of his hand. Miguel glanced at the ground, debating whether he should tell her he saw her with Robby.
But what he really wanted was for her to tell him herself.
"Uh, nothing," he responded, shaking his head. "Just, long day, I guess." Sam frowned. She started getting deja vu, and an uneasy feeling rose in her stomach. She knew how things went between them when they weren't honest with each other.
"Miguel," she spoke sadly, tugging at his arm. "Tell me." He met her gaze then, and she was giving him this look with her bright blue puppy dog eyes and he knew he couldn't just move past this. He sighed.
"How about," he started, intertwining their fingers together, "we get out of here. And talk about it at this burger place I know. I think you'd like it." Sam smiled.
After a short drive to the diner Johnny had introduced to him, they placed their orders at the front before Miguel led Sam to a table. He sat across from her, taking her hand in his over the table to mindlessly play with her fingers. She watched him curiously, playing along, while his gaze remained fixated on their hands- not her. The stress in her head downplayed the butterflies she got in her stomach, and she resisted the urge to move to his side of the booth and give him a hug in an attempt to erase whatever was keeping him so in his head. Though she wanted him to talk to her, she knew she couldn't pry it out of him. He'd have to tell her when he was ready.
A million different thoughts were running through his head as he twisted the rings around her fingers, taking them off and on again and again. Why hadn't she told him about her talk with Robby yet? Was she trying to keep it from him? Was there a secret? He couldn't help but feel threatened by him. He'd lost her to him before, what if Robby was trying to steal her back?
What if she wanted him to?
Miguel sighed, leaning back in his chair to finally look at her, only to see that she'd been watching him the entire time, concern written all over her face. Suddenly he felt guilty for even thinking she could do that to him. For not trusting her. She never gave him a reason not to, so why should he assume the worst?
He was about to speak when their orders were announced, and Sam moved in her chair to grab them.
"I got it," he said instead as he stood up, and she pressed her lips together. She watched as he picked up their milkshakes and fries when she remembered she actually had something she wanted to tell him.
"I forgot to tell you," she started when he got back. He looked at her as he sat down, his eyebrows raising. Please let it be what I want you to tell me.
"Yeah?" he asked in the best nonchalant voice he could muster.
"Robby came by my locker before you came," she told him while he held his breath. "He wanted to talk."
"About what?" he asked, sipping his milkshake.
"He was mostly just apologizing," she continued, "he said he felt bad about how everything went down and how things ended. But that he hopes there's no tension left or anything." Miguel listened intently, but he started to feel some of the tension leave his body.
"Did he apologize for shattering my spine a year ago?" he asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"Not exactly," she admitted. "I think he feels bad about it. But that's probably something more between you and him, you know?" Miguel shrugged. He guessed that made sense. Now he'd be expecting a visit from Robby at his locker.
But why were they laughing?
"Did he, uh, say anything else?" he asked, peering into his milkshake and stirring with the straw.
"Not really," she responded, and his heart sunk a little. Robby for sure was flirting with her.
"Oh, actually," she chuckled, "he told me how he missed my dad and wanted me to ask him if they could hang out again. I thought that was funny." Miguel leaned back in his chair after hearing everything he needed to, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders.
"Huh," he let out in response, "I guess that's pretty cool of him." He had to admit, that was probably the last thing he expected Robby to say. But it definitely cleared his worries of what he thought he said, which would've been much worse.
"I was gonna tell you right after it happened, but once I saw you it completely skipped my mind," Sam said, and Miguel couldn't help but smile in response at the fact he made her forget about Robby.
"So why were you so upset?" Sam finally asked. "Even though you look better already." He chuckled nervously, glancing down at the table and scratching the back of his head.
"It was actually about Robby," he admitted, and she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. He sighed before continuing. "I saw you guys at your locker, and I- I guess I just assumed the worst. I shouldn't have."
"What did you assume?" she asked him incredulously. He hesitated before responding.
"I don't really know," he answered, "I just got defensive. I thought maybe he was trying to steal you back."
"Steal me back? What, like I'm some kind of prize?"
"No, no," he shook his head, "that's not what I meant."
"Did you really think I'd go back to him that easily?" He looked at her sadly, and his lack of response was enough of an answer. She raised her eyebrows.
"Are you serious?" she asked him, letting out a laugh. "Miguel, that's crazy."
"I know, I know," he admitted. "You're right. And I trust you."
"Doesn't really sound like it." He could tell she was hurt from the way she spoke, her gaze now fixated on the contents of her milkshake. Miguel sighed.
"Look, Sam," he started, leaning forward. "You know I trust you. It's just- we've had such a good year so far. And I feel like it took a lot for us to get here, you know? And I know we both made mistakes in the past and everything, but every time I see him, I can't help but think about you two and how much it hurt when I found out you guys got together." Sam raised her gaze to look at him. He paused before continuing.
"I never told you this, but when we first dated, I showed up to your house one night. I wanted to introduce myself to your family." She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, wondering why this was the first time she was hearing about this.
"I saw Robby eating dinner with you guys," he told her. "And I remember just feeling so jealous and hurt that another guy had got to meet your family and I didn't, so I just went home." Sam met his gaze again, sadness in her eyes. So this was when it all started going downhill.
"I know I'm not perfect," he continued. "And I should've told you what I was thinking earlier. But when I saw you guys today, those feelings from that night just came rushing back, and I felt like I was losing you all over again." Sam frowned as he finished, pondering his words for a few moments before taking his hand.
"I'm not perfect either," she said then. "We've definitely made our fair share of mistakes, Miguel. And I can't change the past." He nodded slightly as she spoke.
"But what I can tell you," she continued, "is that I'm exactly where I want to be. With you." He pressed his lips together in a tight smile.
"Robby might've been my past, but you're my future. And I can't see that being with anyone else." His expression broke out into a wide grin then, and her smile mirrored his own.
"So you don't have to worry about that, okay?" She shook his hand gently. "I'm all yours." And that was all he needed to hear. He felt his heart bursting through his chest as he pulled her arm towards him.
"Come here," he told her, and she moved to his side of the booth where he wrapped her tightly in a hug, pressing a kiss into her hair. "Thank you," he mumbled softly, and she hummed in response against his chest.
"Our fries are definitely cold now," she stated then. Miguel laughed.
"Worth it."