"Samson Cameron Evans!"

Sam grinned and set down the frosting can, leaning up against the kitchen counter and putting his frosting-covered finger in his mouth. His mother rolled her eyes at him and went back to frosting cupcakes. It was one of those random occasions she decided to bake for no reason. He loved those days. Today it was white cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. His favorite. He stole a warm, freshly frosted cupcake off the counter, kissed her on the cheek, and walked off as she half yelled at him and half laughed.

His sister was watching TV on the couch, one of those Disney shows he secretly loved. "Missy, come here a minute," he said, mouth full of cupcake. She rolled her eyes at him, but followed him into his room, where he wiped his hands on his jeans and picked up his guitar. She took a seat on his bed - recently upgraded to a queen size when their mother found out his feet hung off the end of the twin - and listened as he told her what he needed.

You are the daydream in my eyes, there whenever I wake up
But the colors never crystalize, and I never get enough
Why do you kiss everybody but me, I just sit back and watch
Oh, but one day soon I'm gonna grab you by the collar
And kiss you all I want!

I can love you much better,
If you can't see it you're blind
I can love you much better,
Oh you know some day I'm gonna make you mine

He smiled as he finished, looking to Marissa for her opinion. She looked thoughtful for a moment, before shaking her head, and he sighed and sat down on the bed, setting his guitar beside him. "What's wrong with it?"

She took a deep breath, and he knew he was in for it. He probably shouldn't have asked for her help, but who else was there?

"Okay, so," she began. "First off, it's way too upbeat. You need a song that expresses your feelings, and from what you said this doesn't sound like it. It needs to be more calmer and more like, I don't know... Not about how you're gonna win him some day. I mean, have you even seen Aladdin? People don't like being prizes." Sam had to laugh a little. Marissa got most of her 'wisdom' from Disney movies, but he knew she was right. The song was too Hey I'm going to take you and you're going to like it.

He sighed again and lay back on the bed, and she started stroking his hair. It was an endearing habit she'd had since she was a baby and hadn't yet dropped, and it sort of calmed him. It told him that it would be okay, and he'd find the right song. "So what do I do?"

She shrugged. "Look in your heart."

How are you so smart, sis?

Over the winter break, he'd found himself a job. He was still paying off the bill for the repairs to his truck a few months back, and he was eating a hole in his small savings just buying gas. It wasn't the most glamorous job, but he figured it wasn't the worst, either. He was a waiter at the Denny's around the corner from McKinley. He'd been working there about a week now, and they were kind enough to adjust to his school schedule.

Which, speaking of, was starting again tomorrow, and he was anything but prepared. He'd promised to himself that he wouldn't delay, but here it was, the night before, and as he cleared the dishes off another table, he was thinking about the right song, which continued to elude him. He actually had several in mind, but he wanted it to be perfect.

"Sam," said Dylan, his manager, "Get the register."

"Sure," he said, rinsing his hands before heading to the front of the restaurant. Of course, the person there broke all his concentration - momentarily, at least. He broke into a wide smile. "Puckerone!" he said, performing one of those manly half-handshake half-hug things. Puck was there with a random girl. He was always with a random girl. Sam didn't even know there were that many hot girls in this town, but Puck always seemed to find them. This one looked a bit older than Puck and himself, but he thought nothing of it and led Puck to a booth.

"So got yourself a job now, eh lady lips?" Sam grimaced internally. He hated that name. It always made him feel cold and sticky, like the first time he'd ever heard him. Not a pleasant experience, but Puck would never let up, and he knew it. "Fancy."

Sam smiled. "Pays the bills." He set the menus and silverware rolls down on the table. "Need a kiddie menu, Puck?" He grinned.

"Yeah," Puck said, matter-of-factly, "and bring one for the lady, too."

Sam laughed and headed off, and came back with kids menus and crayons. "You know, I told you I'd hire you in my pool cleaning business," Puck said, picking up a crayon and immediately drawing filthy things on the children's menu.

Sam laughed. "You don't expect me to believe all you do is scoop leaves out of pools." His face fell as he realized what he'd just said, a moment too late. Shit. I probably shouldn't have said that in front of his date...or whatever. But she started laughing, and Puck looked unfazed. Maybe she was a customer of his? "Besides," he said, "I don't think the two dollars an hour you'd pay me would be quite enough." He smiled again. "Uh, so Jenny will be your server," he said, gesturing at a girl in the back with big hair and too much makeup.

When they were leaving, Puck stopped and chatted with Sam some more, ending with a smile and a fist bump and a "You're alright, man."

Sam smiled uneasily. "Hope you still think so after tomorrow," he said quietly, but Puck heard him, and turned back around.

"What's tomorrow?" he asked, with the usual blank expression.

Sam shook his head. "You just might...find out something that'll make you like me less."

Puck surprised him by grinning. "Look, I know you're totally gay for me, and it's okay." Sam laughed. "Just try not to stare at my ass to much when I walk out. You might freak out the other customers." He clapped Sam on the shoulder and turned and left, but not without putting a little extra sway in his hips for Sam's benefit. Sam laughed and shook his head.

The drive home was when it hit him, that perfect song he'd been in search of, and all the time it had been right in front of him - or rather, in his glove compartment. He'd taken out the old cassette tape and put it in to listen to on the car ride home. It was an old mix of country songs his dad made when he was a kid. He couldn't help but smile and feel his heartbeat pick up just a little. This was it.

an: alright guys, I really hope you've enjoyed it, and I'm very sorry it took me so long to update! there's more to come very soon, my brain's a flutter with good Sam thoughts :) this next one may or may not be the last chapter...but if it is, not to worry! I'm considering continuing this in a sequel. so, let me know what you think, and whether you'd want me to continue. leave reviews! (: