Chapter 23

"Where's Jake?" Sam asked the next day at the bus stop. She had been surprised to just see Quinn and Bryan.

"He had a bit of fun last night and Mom decided he should stay home," Quinn told her.

"Huh?"

"Jake got mauled by a horse," Bryan explained.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"Bitten," Quinn responded.

Sam paled.

"He had to go to the hospital and have a shot and stitches," Bryan said.

They climbed on the bus when it arrived and the three of them went towards the back. Sam sat in the seat in front of the twins.

"Poor Jake," Sam murmured.

"Yeah, he was hurting pretty bad last night," Quinn told her. "They got home late from the hospital and he could barely walk."

They could see the alarm in her eyes as she looked at them.

"He'll be okay, Sammy," Bryan assured her.

Sam nodded, turning away before they could see the wetness in her eyes. It wasn't quick enough. Bryan's and Quinn's eyes met.

"Really, he will be okay," Quinn said. "I bet he'll be back to school tomorrow or the next day."

"Hey, I know," Bryan put his hand on Sam's shoulder. "Maybe Kit can pick you up on his way home and bring you over to see Jakey."

Sam perked up, causing the twins' eyes to meet again. They knew that Kit had said something that he felt that Jake and Sam would end up together when they got older. Adam had said the same thing. Seeing the way Sam was reacting to the news that Jake had been hurt, made them wonder if their older brothers were onto something.

"We'll ask him later," Bryan promised. "I'm sure he'll come over to get you, or maybe your Gram can bring you by and he'll drive you home."

Quinn nodded and Sam gave a weak smile.

It was strange for Sam to be at school and not see Jake. She saw his friend Darrell at lunch talking to Quinn and Bryan. She waved at them as she and Ann went by their table.

"Try not to pick on the older girls today, Sammy," Bryan teased. "Jake's not here to protect them."

Sam snorted. "I'll try."

"That one is a handful," Darrell said admiringly.

"Yeah, she is," Quinn agreed. "She's a good kid though. Even for a girl."

"I never thought I'd ever see Jake friends with a girl," Darrell murmured.

"She's a tomboy," Bryan told him.

"He'd never give her another thought if she was a prissy thing," Quinn said.

"The only thing prissy about Sam is her pink backpack," Bryan laughed.

"She'll be in high school and still have that wussy pink pony backpack," Quinn predicted.

The three guys laughed, picturing it in their minds.

"Ready to punch anyone out who dares make fun of it," Bryan put in.

"Oh, yeah," Quinn nodded.

The three guys looked over to where Sam was sitting and eating her sandwich. She glanced up to see them looking at her. She stuck her tongue out at them causing the guys to laugh.

"She's sassy," Bryan said.

"I hope Jake likes 'em sassy," Quinn laughed.

"Jake?" Darrell wondered.

"Yeah, Kit and Adam are betting that he and Sammy will end up together when they're older," Quinn told him.

"Really?" Darrell murmured, looking back over at Samantha. Well, Jake did seem awfully protective of her. Maybe his older brothers were right.