Chapter 39

Sam was saying goodbye to Ann and her other third grade friends. Even though she and Ann didn't live that far from each other, Sam knew she probably wouldn't see Ann again until next fall.

Sam had been to Ann's house once and Sam had been bored. Ann liked dolls and other girl things and Sam didn't. Sam much preferred her time playing with Jake and spending time either on her ranch, his ranch or riding with him. Sam just wasn't a girly girl.

Gram blamed it on the fact that Sam had basically been given free rein to spend with the Elys once her mother had died. Sam had grown up as a tomboy and wasn't about to change anytime soon.

As Sam was running down the hallway to her bus, someone put their leg out and tripped her. She was helpless as she crashed to the ground, her pink My Little Pony backpack flying off her shoulder to slide across the floor.

She felt the pain in her knee as she turned her head to see the blond fourth grader who used to be part of Quinn's harem. Sam thought Daisy was her name though at that point she didn't care.

"It's your fault Quinn doesn't like me anymore," the girl sneered.

"I'm glad he doesn't," Sam snarled, getting to her feet and rushing at the blond girl.

"You're nothing but a filthy brat," the other girl mocked, taking a few steps back, a terrified look on her face as Sam came after her with her fist raised.

"Nobody but Jake can call me that," Sam lunged.

She felt the arms grab her in mid-air. She struggled against them, intent on giving it to the blond who had tripped her.

"Whoa Brat, slow down," Jake's voice told her as he tightened his arm around her.

"She tripped me," Sam kept trying to grab the blond's hair, clothes or anything within reach.

"If you get in trouble for fighting you can't go campin' with us," Jake reminded her.

Just like that, Sam gave up. She nodded and Jake put her down slowly, her feet hitting the ground, millimeters at a time. He remained close and kept his arm loosely around her in order to grab her if she went after the blond again.

"What happened?" Quinn and Bryan were there.

"She tripped over her big feet and blamed me," Daisy said sweetly.

Jake grabbed Sam just before she launched herself at Daisy again.

"Hey Bry, grab her backpack will ya?" Jake asked his older brother as he carried Sam away from the blond and outside to where they would wait for their bus. Sam was looking over his shoulder at Daisy and giving her dirty looks. Darrell was following them and laughing at the spunk of Jake's friend.

"If you ever touch her again, you will regret it," Quinn said quietly to Daisy, so quietly that nobody else over heard him threaten her.

"What are you going to do, hit me too?" Daisy taunted. "Do you hit girls, Quinn?"

"I won't hit you though you wish I had," Quinn promised. "Remember what I said."

Quinn turned and walked out of the building to where his brothers, Sam and Darrell were standing.

"Did she trip you?" Quinn asked Sam when he had reached them.

"I think so," Sam said. "I didn't see her but she was there."

"You let me know if she bothers you next year," Quinn told her.

Jake gave him a look. "What are you going to do about it in middle school? I'll still be here."

"Me too," Darrell said, surprising everyone but especially Sam.

"Daisy's doing this because of me," Quinn reminded them.

"She's mad you broke up with her," Sam told him.

"I never broke up with her," Quinn laughed. "We weren't going together to break up. It was wishful thinking on her part. She's always just been a hanger on."

"My bus is about to leave," Darrell broke in, reminding them that he was there. "See you guys."

"Bye, Darrell," Jake called to his friend.

Their bus arrived and Sam started to climb on. She found herself picked up by Bryan and carried down the aisle, tucked under his arm.

"You're not going to throw me around on the bus are you?" Sam asked.

"Nope," Bryan dropped her on a seat and sat behind her.

"I am going to miss you guys," Sam said.

"You have all summer to hang out with us," Quinn reminded her as he plopped down next to his twin. "You're going camping with us, right?"

"Yeah," Sam looked at Jake with a grateful look. "Someone reminded me of that before I clocked what's her blond name."

Jake's mouth twitched before he finally gave up and grinned at her.

"What's her blond name?" Bryan burst out laughing. His voice squeaked, reminding Sam that his voice was going up and down like Quinn's.

She glanced at Jake, wondering when his would start doing the same thing. Sam couldn't imagine him with a deep voice. Would he still be her friend then? She wondered but didn't want to think about him not being her friend.