Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated this story in almost a year. So many crazy things have been going on and I didn't have any ideas on how to continue it. But thankfully one day recently I got an idea and have been going with it, so I hope you all like it. Also I want to thank everybody who has reviewed this story so far and stuck with it. It means so much to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I already have the next chapter typed up so if I get enough reviews I'll probably upload it yet today. Enjoy!!

Chapter 6: The Ride

Once Sam got home from school she quickly went upstairs and changed into her work clothes. She did her chores very fast and was done with them by 3:45. That left her 15 minutes before she had to meet Jake. Sam dashed back into the house and changed into her riding clothes that didn't smell like horse manure. By the time Sam got downstairs, Jake was just riding into the yard. He looked so good to Sam sitting on his mare Witch. Sam was excited and a little nervous about going for her ride with Jake. She knew that he would bring up everything involving her and Quinn.

As Sam was walking out the door she kept telling herself that she had gone riding a million times with Jake and she shouldn't be nervous at all. After all she was only Jake's friend and not girlfriend, so there really wasn't anything to be nervous about anyways. As much as Sam tried to remember her useful advice she couldn't help but forget about it and was a little nervous around Jake. As she walked towards Jake and Witch she plastered a big, confident smile on her face. She smiled at Jake and stopped by him on Witch.

"Hi Jake," said Sam. To her ears she sounded like she was breathless and hoped that Jake didn't notice. "I have to go and saddle Ace," she quickly told him. She knew she had started to blush a little and was glad to go to the ten acre pasture to go get Ace. She let the cold wind cool her flaming cheeks. She caught Ace quickly and got him saddled.

"Where are we riding to?" asked Sam.

"I was thinking of riding out towards War Drum Flatts," said Jake.

Sam nodded her head to let Jake know that she had heard him. For the first ten minutes they rode in silence. Sam didn't like the silence between them, but knew if she waited long enough Jake would eventually tell her what was on his mind. She was determined not to make a sound until Jake talked. Sam had played this game many times with Jake and would always be the first to make a sound because she wasn't very patient. Today however, Sam won the game. They were halfway to War Drum Flatts when Jake decided to break the awkward silence between them.

"Why are you going out with my brother?" He asked Sam quietly. Sam could've sworn there was sadness in his voice but dismissed it to her imagination. She only thought she had heard it was because she wanted to believe it. She decided to give Jake her truthful answer.

"I needed a date for the Valentine's Dance," replied Sam calmly. All of a sudden Jake stopped Witch and turned toward Sam and in a very serious tone asked

"Are you in love with Quinn?" Sam was taken aback by the question and before she could she could think of a clever comment, instead blurted out

"Do you love Kate?" Sam realized her mistake and quickly mumbled 'sorry'. She took a deep breath and answered Jake in a surprisingly calm voice

"I love your brother, but only as a friend. The person I love is yo…is someone else," replied Sam. She couldn't believe she had almost told him that she loved him. Luckily she had been able to catch herself in time before anything atrocious could happen. Sam realized she had to think before she opened her mouth or even better maybe keep her mouth shut. Sam knew that she would never be able not to talk, but she could think before she acted.

Jake looked towards Sam curiously. Jake felt immensely relieved that she didn't love his brother but was still wondering why Quinn and Sam were hanging out so much at school and acting all 'coupley' with each other in the halls. He decided to ask Sam about that.

"If you don't love Quinn, then why have you been acting like you were going out with him at school?"

"Well… I've acting that way with Quinn because I needed a date for the Valentine's Dance and I begged Quinn to take me, otherwise you can't go to the dance without a date," said Sam. "I also have been acting that way because I thought if I kind of fake dated Quinn the guy I like at school might notice me, but I was wrong."

Sam looked a little sad as she said that part. Sam also realized that Jake hadn't answered her question about if he loved Kate or not, so she decided to ask him again

"So you never answered my question from earlier about Kate," said Sam.

Jake was quiet for a moment and than replied "Of course I love her. Why wouldn't I love my girlfriend?"

Sam nodded her head to Jake's answer and felt even sadder than she had before. She knew that would most likely be Jake's answer, but she secretly had been hoping that he would tell her that he didn't love Kate and that he loved Sam and only Sam.

While Sam was wishing for a different answer from Jake, Jake was lost in his own thoughts as well. He was wondering if he had told Sam the truth. Kate was his girlfriend and he certainly liked her, otherwise he wouldn't be dating her. But did he truly love her? If Jake was being honest with himself he knew deep down in his heart that he didn't love Kate.

The other thing that Jake couldn't get his mind off of was who Sam liked at school. She had said that she liked somebody at school, but they didn't like her back. He couldn't help but feel a little upset that the guy Sam was pining for didn't return her affections. What guy wouldn't love Sam? thought Jake a little darkly. He would love to make the guy Sam liked see what a wonderful girl Sam was by punching him or something.

By this time the two friends had made their way to War Drum Flatts. They were still silent lost in their own turbulent thoughts. They both didn't feel like stopping so they turned back around and headed back to River Bend Ranch. Finally Jake broke the silence between them again.

"So who's the guy you like at school?" asked Jake casually. That question had been running through his mind for the last twenty minutes and decided to ask it.

Sam laughed before answering Jake "Why would I tell you who I like?" Sam couldn't believe that he had asked her that question. She couldn't possibly tell him the truth without it being a little awkward. She was also amazed that Jake was talking so much today. Usually Jake was so silent that it was like pulling teeth to get him just to say a sentence.

(A/N: Jakes is in bold when talking and Sam is in normal font.)

"Do I know the guy you like?" asked Jake.

"Yes," answered Sam smiling to herself secretly.

"Is he in your grade?"

"No."

"Is he one of my friends?"

"Could be."

"Come on Sam; just tell me who he is already."

"I could tell you, but I don't feel like it."

Jake was getting frustrated and realized that it was useless to ask Sam who she liked. She was the most stubborn girl he knew and it was pointless to argue with her. A sudden thought entered his head.

"You don't like Darrel, do you?"

"WHAT!!" exclaimed Sam loudly. "No way. He's too annoying for anybody to like. The guy I like will know it someday and won't be that stupid."

Jake was once again relieved that Sam didn't like Darrel, but it was going to bug him until he knew who Sam liked. Jake also wondered why he was so obsessed with who Sam liked. Could it be because he secretly loved her but wouldn't admit it? Jake banished the thought almost as soon as he thought of it. But for some odd reason that thought wouldn't leave him alone. Funny thing about the truth is that it never leaves us alone when we don't want to admit the truth is right.

Later that night Sam was in her bedroom finishing up her Algebra II homework. Sam didn't real care that x was bigger than y. To her Algebra II was a lot of nonsense. When would she seriously ever use Algebra II again in her life? Probably never but she still had to do the pointless homework. As she finished the last problem she slammed the heavy book shut and laid back on her bed sighing in contentment. She was finally done with the dreaded homework. She could now relax and let her mind wander freely.

She turned her radio on which was tuned to one of the many country stations that she loved so much. Sam heard the radio DJ say

"The number one song on the top 8 at 8 is Taylor Swift with her current hit 'Teardrops on my Guitar '."

With that the song started to play and Sam listened to it contently. That song reminded her of Jake and herself. How she wanted and needed what Jake was to her. Funny how this song describes my situation with Jake, Sam thought a little bitterly. She loved the song even though it made her feel a little sad. After the song finished Sam kept thinking about it, about Jake, about how she probably would never end with him. But Sam didn't like to give up on things. Maybe that song did describe her and Jake, but she would make their story end up with a happy ending instead of nothing. Sam was suddenly determined that the dance would be special and that she would end up with Jake before it was over. She couldn't wait for that night to come.

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