Chapter 12

The next two days passed by slow. Chores, rehearsals. Rehearsals, chores. And worst of all no Jake. Sam hadn't seen or heard from him since he had interrupted her "stress relieving bath".

Sam was getting frustrated. She had to know what Jake had told her Dad. She didn't even have Jen since Miss-Smart-Mouth got grounded for talking back.

"Damn it can't she learn to stay quiet!" Sam said angrily to the stack of hay she was supposed to be moving.

"You know talking to yourself is a sign of insanity." Jake's voice came from behind Sam.

"Jake!" Sam exclaimed dropping the stack of hay. Jake chuckled.

"If you keep sneaking up on me, YOU'RE going to make me become insane." Sam rolled her eyes as she picked up the stack of hay and began moving it. Jake just smiled.

"Why are you so happy?" Sam asked annoyed.

"Just." Jake said with his tomcat smile.

"Where have you been lately?" Sam asked even more annoyed.

"Around." Jake answered as he sat down on the barn floor.

"Did you come to see Dad?" Sam asked trying to start a conversation.

"No." Jake answered, pulling his Stetson down over his eyes.

"Did you come to take a nap?" Sam asked getting really frustrated.

"No." Jake answered; he could feel Sam's patience boiling.

"Then why are you here?" Sam tried to remain calm.

"Just." Jake answered and he couldn't control the smile the spread through his lips.

"Did you go to college to learn mono-syllable words?" Sam asked with attitude dripping on every word.

"No." Jake answered smiling even broader.

"Fine then!" Sam turned around and began storming out of the barn.

"Brat wait. Come on, don't get mad." Jake called after her catching up to her in three strides. "Hey I was just teasing. I'm sorry." Jake said as he caught her arm and turned her towards him. Sam took a look in those mustang eyes and forgot why she was even mad.

"No, I'm sorry. I've just been very irritable lately." Sam said exhaling deeply.

"You want to talk about it?" Jake asked seriously concerned.

"Not really, but I'm going to anyways." Sam said in a very defeated tone.

"You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to." Jake said, "You can talk to Jen. I can take you if you want." He added his eyes searching for Sam's but she wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Can't. She's grounded. Besides she's not the one I need to talk to. You are." Sam said a bit of her perfect façade falling down.

"Me?" Jake asked wary now.

"Yeah you." Sam met his gaze for an instant then looked away. "Hold on."

Sam ran towards the house and wrote a quick note saying she went for a ride with a Jake and that she'd be back before dinner then she ran back towards where she had left Jake standing.

"Can we go for a ride?" Sam asked him without looking at him.

"Sure." Jake answered.

"You can borrow a horse." Sam told Jake as she went towards the pastures.

Once on their horses they began riding. Jake said nothing and neither did Sam. Both where deep in thought. Sam didn't know why she decided to take him to the spot where so many years ago he had broken her heart without even knowing.

Maybe he'll know what I want to tell him without me having to say anything. Sam thought to herself.

They reached the river and dismounted. Sam stared at the horses drinking and Jake stared at her.

"So what do you need to talk about?" Jake asked rubbing the back of his neck. "And why did we have to come all the way here to talk?"

Mom, please give me strength. Sam thought to herself as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she turned around and stared into those mustang eyes that had haunted her many nights.