Chapter 16

Sam's heart thudded louder than the rhythmic tick of a grandfather clock. Her hand was permanently glued to Jake's and her legs cramped painfully.

Jake was crouched down in the same awkward position as she, but even more uncomfortable, since he had to conceal his taller body. Sam almost laughed at the hay that covered his thick black hair.

"Now you're a blonde!" Sam dared to whisper, forgetting that the sheriff was somewhere within hearing distance.

Jake's look was of pure rage. "Samantha Anne!" he hissed, shaking hay off of his clothes. "This is not funn-"

Just then, a creak of floorboards was heard. Sam dug her fingernails into his palm. "SHH!" she mouthed, hunkering forward.

Sheriff Lawrence walked down the length of the barn, glancing around with a confused expression. He thought he'd heard something….

Jake's eyebrows shot up as he pointed at a crack in the floor right next to his left boot. There, Sam could see hair, a crew cut, of the sheriff. He was right below them!

"Ew Maw Gawwwshhh." Rachel exclaimed, once she was seated in her Porsche. Daisy smirked and reapplied her Strawberry Lip Jam.

Rachel giggled. "Look out Hollywood!"

"That was fantastic." Daisy smiled at her friend. "Even Sheriff Lawrence was captivated."

"I know. Am I good or what?" cried Rachel. "Jake Ely is not going to want a prego girlfriend. Then he'll dump her and come for me, which will probably end up being the best thing that has ever happened to him!"

Daisy didn't argue with her, even though she wasn't sure Jake would fall for the Brit beauty that willingly.

And she did feel jealous that Rachel had to be in the spot light 24/7, and she was just Rachel's tagalong blond BFF, like a forgotten Beta of Darton County.

Samantha Forster was lower down than a Beta, though, Daisy told herself. She's like, one of the most unpopular girls at Darton High. Then why did Jake like her so much?

Suddenly, Daisy was lurched out of her seat and into the dashboard. The Porsche bumped a bit into the air, but the airbags stayed put. "Ow!" she complained, turning towards her friend.

Rachel was completely focused on the road, her full lips open in a horrified grimace. Daisy tried not to look out onto the road, but she couldn't help herself.

What she saw made her sensitive stomach do handsprings and her strawberry shake come back up her throat.

"Anyone here?" yelled Sheriff Lawrence. "Samantha? Wyatt?"

At the sound of her name, Sam wavered. Her boot moved slightly above the hole, making a small but noticeable squeak.

Jake swallowed, completely frozen, and didn't look at Sam. Sam tried to stop fidgeting, but it was nearly impossible. She settled for leaning against Jake and gulping in big breaths of fresh country air.

Fresh country air full of hay and pollen dust, Sam thought irritably, trying to muffle a sneeze.

Jake grabbed her shoulders and shoved her down farther into the hay, causing Sam to curse mentally. Jake practically dove on top of her, and if the situation hadn't been so nerve-wracking, Sam would've turned crimson.

Two seconds later, footsteps heavily clomped up the wall rungs to the haymow.

Full of adrenaline, Sam strained to be quiet. She almost succeeded, when Jake reallocated, the effect making Sam need to cough- bad.

I can't hold it back! Sam screeched inside her head. He's gonna find us! And Dad will kill me!

Just as a heavy wheeze burst out of Sam's lungs, Womanizer by Britney Spears blared out of some unknown object.

Sheriff Lawrence embarrassedly retrieved a Samsung cell out of his pocket and answered it as soon as possible. His prankster brother must have changed his ring tone, he thought in out-rage. His normal ring was a curt, business-like beep.

Jake's brown eyes stretched wider than Sam knew were possible. Other than that, he had no reaction.

Sam, on the other hand, had to control herself, as usual, to not peek over the hay bales.

"Hello, Sheriff Ron Lawrence." the police man announced after he had clumsily dropped the phone on the wood floor causing it to up the volume on the ring. After a few awkward seconds, he'd finally opened it.

"This is Ra- Rachel Slocum." stuttered a nervous voice. Jake and Sam could hear her quite clearly, since the volume was so high.

Rachel Slocum, Lawrence thought, thinking hard. Ahh- yes. The modelistic adolescent who's father was the naïve Lincoln Slocum. In fact, she was the one who was listening intently to Daisy in Clara's.

"What can I do for you, Rachel?" Sheriff Lawrence said reluctantly, hating to leave his case.

"It is an emergency. Daisy Roberts and I have collided with a ferret. I'm in my Porsche on Rural Route 2200."

Sam's eyes locked with Jake's. A ferret?