Chapter 34
Sam watched Ann watching Jake during lunch. He never acknowledged either of them as he sat with his small group of friends.
"Maybe he'll wait until recess," Ann sighed.
Maybe you'll be waiting forever, Sam couldn't help but think.
Should she tell Ann that she doubted Jake had even given her valentine a second thought? She opened her mouth to do so, but then shut it again. No, she decided not to say anything. Why, she wasn't sure. She glanced over at Jake.
Jake felt the eyes on him and turned his head, meeting Sam's gaze. He saw confusion there and wondered at it. He happened to see Sam's friend Ann look at him with what could only be described as gooey eyed and he quickly averted his eyes again.
He had been surprised when she had handed him an envelope. He surmised it had to contain a valentine, but he hadn't opened it. Jake did open Sam's once he had gotten to class. Darrell had seen the soft smile on his face as he had glanced at Sam's valentine and had snatched it out of his hands.
"Oh, a valentine from the girlfriend, huh?" Darrell had teased.
"She's not my girlfriend," Jake had snatched the valentine back.
"Sure seems like it," Darrell told him.
Jake shrugged. "She's eight years old."
"So?" Darrell laughed. "I got a valentine from an eight year old today. A cute eight year old."
Jake rolled his eyes and had stuck the valentine back in his backpack. That's when he saw the one from Sam's friend and a few others that he had gotten from girls in his class. No way he was opening those in school!
He glanced over to where Sam was sitting with her friend. The friend had gone back to eating her lunch, but Sam's eyes met his as she took a sip of her milk. The confusion was still in her eyes. Was he supposed to respond to her valentine? He never had in the past, so why the confused look now?
Jake ended up leaving the lunch room at the same time Sam did that day.
"Uh, thanks," he rubbed the back of his neck, thanking her for the valentine.
"Okay," Sam didn't really look at him as she headed for her classroom to get her coat.
Once out on the playground, she played a type of tag game with some of the girls in her class. Jake played basketball with Darrell and his friends, his eyes straying to Sam every once in awhile.
Sam chased one of her friends and bumped into a body.
"Omph," she grunted. She felt the arms reach out to steady her.
"Trying to hug me, Sammy?" Quinn's amused voice asked.
"No," Sam gave it back to him. "I'm trying to knock you down."
She ran around him and after her friend.
"Why do you even talk to her?" one of his blond girlfriends asked.
"Why do I talk to you?" Quinn wondered. "She's family. You're not."
"I didn't mean anything by it, Quinn," the girl said.
"Whatever," Quinn muttered, ignoring the girl.
Bryan gave a snort as he followed his brother, leaving the girl to look after them as they caught up to Sam.
Quinn grabbed Sam and picked her up, spinning her around as Sam pulled his nose. Both of them were laughing. Quinn literally tossed her to Bryan who ran down the playground with her tucked under his arm.
"Samball," Quinn laughed as Bryan tossed her back to him. "Go out for a pass, Bryan." Quinn made a motion with his hands as if he were telling Bryan to run for a pass from a football. Sam's peal of laughter could be heard all over the school yard.
"Looks like you've been replaced by a third grader, Daisy," one of the girls commented.
"Well she's only a fourth grader herself," another sniffed, lifting her head and giving Daisy a look.
The girls followed Quinn and Bryan at a distance, leaving Daisy to stand by herself and watch.
Jake heard Sam's laughter and looked over to see his brothers passing her back and forth between them. He wondered what they were doing since they normally didn't play with her while at school. He saw the girl named Daisy watching separately from the rest of the group, a calculating look on her face.
Jake was curious to know what was going on, but stayed where he was, shooting baskets with Darrell and his own friends.