OMG I am back! I had a blast in Mexico but i am happy to be back and writing again. I am hoping to pull this out a few more chapters than i thought i would so bare with me. Also, i put Sams dress on my profile so go check it out. I think it's awesome. Please be kind and review or no christmas cookies for you! ha i am evil...j/k

I love ya all and love the reviews. It really is what keeps me going. No,i have not forgotten about shadowkiss for those of you wondering, i am just having really bad writers block for that. But i promise i am working on it and trying to get back to it. So review and make me feel loved. best Christmas present ever!

Chapter 21-

Our first stop was Macy's. The others went wild while I just watched them with interest. "This would be a great discovery channel show," I thought to myself. "Teenage girls let loose in a store with unlimited funds. That would get some reviews." I shook my head and smiled turning to follow Adrian. He was my charge after all. I crossed my fingers that the girls wouldn't notice my absence and insist upon changing things up. I really didn't want to be stuck shopping with them. That was just scary. Of course I don't think Adrian is going to be much better. I watched in amazement as he walked through the jewelry department and bout seven, yes, seven watches. Who in the hell needs seven watches? And who knows how many he already has. I shook my head and checked my surroundings. Dimitri, Stan, Alberta, Eddie and Jenkins were all visible. I nodded at Eddie and smiled when I saw him look my way.

"Sam, you're blushing," Adrian informed me.

I glared at him. "I am not! Now go back to swiping your card and taking it from pure and clean to dirty and unwanted," I said pointing to his credit card.

Shaking his head he smiled. "Nope, this one is yours Sam."

My jaw dropped. "Oh hell no," I said pushing his hand away from me. "There is no way in hell I am taking that thing from you."

"You have to," he whined.

"Yup, you do," said Rose coming up behind me and plucking the plastic out of his hand. "Because he the one buying your new wardrobe and he is not going to be with us," she said with a smile.

"He is my charge," I said huffing. "Of course he is going to be with us. And I don't need his money. I am here to learn, not shop!"

Lissa rolled her eyes. "You are here to shop with your friends. Why do you think we have so many guardians with us?"

"Liss, we only have four actual guardians and three novices. And considering that we have three royals with us, that's hardly enough in my book."

At this point Adrian was getting frustrated; probably from not having any booze or nicotine in his system. "Sam, I am ordering you to take this wonderful piece of plastic and swipe it until its purity has been tainted. And since I am a high ranking royal…you have to do as I say."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "That is so not fare Adrian and you know it." I turned on my heal and walked away from them. If I didn't have to be here to learn than I was going to sit this day out. I headed towards the women's room needing to get away. I just didn't understand why they were forcing me into doing something I had no desire to do. I detested shopping.

I sat down on a bench and sighed. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes trying to get my head on straight. A few minutes later I heard the door open and someone sit down beside me. "Sam, why did you leave your post?" Alberta asked.

I opened my eyes to look at her. "Didn't realize I was actually here to learn. I was under the impression I was here to shop like I had the money to do so and have a ball buying things that are completely unnecessary." I sighed. "Sorry, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but this just isn't me. And when Adrian tried to tell me I had to use his credit card to buy whatever. It just really made me angry."

Alberta's eyes went wide. "Lord Ivashkov ordered you to use his credit card?"

I nodded. "Yup, and I walked away."

"Sam, you can't disobey and order from a royal. Especially Adrian Ivashkov."

I shook my head. "That is completely not fare. Why should I have to obey an order that is nonsense? It just doesn't make sense to me."

"Sometimes things don't make sense, but we have to go with it because it's what we have to do. Sam, I am not going to tell you to go out there and have fun, because I know you won't, but I do want you to go out there and at least get a few things for homecoming."

"Yeah, sure, why not?" I said with a sigh. "Suppose it could be worse."

"That a girl!" Alberta said smacking me on the back. "You go get em tiger."

I raised my eyebrows at her wondering where the hell that had come from. Shaking my head I walked out of the bathroom and back towards the clothing section and my waiting friends.

Over the next several hours we went store to store buying them out and putting up their out of business signs. Okay so not literally, but close enough. I bought a few new sets of work out cloths and two new pairs of jeans. Lissa and Rose however, bought everything that they looked at. I was beginning to wonder how we were going to get this all home. Guess Adrian would have to be tied to the roof rack or something.

After the second store the boys went their separate ways leaving Rose, Lissa, Alberta and I alone. I was a little envious knowing they were headed to the book store and then to Best Buy. Damn them. I really needed a new IPod and some new books. I had actually set aside my own money for those purchases. "Sam?" Lissa called.

"Hmmm?" I said turning around.

"Adrian told me that Eddie asked you to prom. Do you have a dress?"

I groaned. "Not exactly. I was just going to wear a black skirt I have and my red button down shirt."

She and Rose both started shaking their heads. "That is not going to fly," they said dragging me towards a formal wear store.

"Guys, no! Really, I am fine with what I was going to wear."

"You are not going to wear a skirt to homecoming. You need to look awesome for Eddie. He really likes you," Lissa said already pulling dresses off the racks and putting them in a room for me.

I froze. "What?"

Rose and Lissa turned around with confused looks on their faces. "Come on Sam, you had to know that," they said smiling.

"Ummm, no I didn't. And I don't think he likes me like that."

"Trust me," Rose said. "He does like you like that. I have known Eddie for years and he has never looked at a girl like he looks at you."

I laughed. "What like a beached whale?"

Rose punched me. I could not believe she freaking punched me. "What the hell was that for?" I yelled at her.

"For being an idiot," she said. "And if you don't knock this shit off, I'll hit you in the face next time."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Sam, you talk about yourself like you aren't worth anyone's time. You are really pretty and smart and funny and Eddie likes you and I am not going to let you or anyone else hurt him. So get over whatever the hell is going on in your head and just go for it!"

"Sam?" Lissa asked. "I know you like him too. I can tell. Why won't you let yourself be happy?"

"Because the last time I put myself out there, I was the one who got hurt." I frowned remembering my freshmen year of high school. There was a boy in my history class that was amazing. Or so I thought. He had asked me out and I said yes only to find out later it was a dare and he told everyone I was a heifer and not worth anyone's time. He asked me out to win fifty bucks.

I shook my head after telling them the story. "I guess I never got over it."

Lissa pulled me into a hug. "Sam that is awful. But I promise Eddie is a good guy. He would never hurt you like that. I think it's time to try again. You disserve it and so does he."

I sighed and nodded. "Maybe you're right. It is time to try again. If he asks me, I will go out with him, but you two had better not say anything to him. I want him to do it on his own."

They both nodded and crossed their hearts. "Trust me though. You really need to find a killer dress for prom, because I happen to know that's where he is going to ask you," Rose said.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, let's start playing Barbie Sam. I leave the choosing up to you," I said walking into the dressing room that had at least twenty dresses in it.

Two hours later and nearly thirty dresses later I walked out and Rose, Lissa and Alberta all got wide eyed. "That's the one!" Lissa and Rose said. "No need for anymore, that is it."

I smiled and spun. I really liked it too. Scratch that, I loved it. It was a multi colored Ombre halter. Even with heals on the dress would fall to the floor. The halter had small multi colored jewels sewn onto it that matched the colors of the dress. Its design was perfect. I was not skinny so it hid the little tummy that I still had and slimmed in all the right places. I couldn't have picked a better dress.

"It was made for you," Lissa said coming up to me and walking around. "It doesn't need any alterations at all."

I smiled. "Do you think Eddie will like it?"

"He's going to love it," Rose said. "Now go take it off, I'm hungry and want to find the boys so we can eat."

After purchasing the dress we headed off to find the boys. I was actually feeling better about myself and excited about homecoming. Thinking about Eddie gave me butterflies. I really did like him a lot, but I never thought he liked me as anything more than a friend. I bit my lip hoping that maybe this time; I got to be the happy one.