Thank you reviewers: cocorocks1, disneydork, MeggyandHaku, pebblepaw, stillstandingmyground, greeneyedvampire, boom-chicka-wah-wah, myforgottendream, and catie…!!!Thanks…don't stop!
The ride home was pretty silent and the few words that Sam and Jake shared were agreeing not to tell Wyatt or Bryanna about Sam's wild leap.
"What made you come back?" Asked Sam.
"You don't know?" Said Jake.
"No. All I remember was me calling for you in my head and just being angry at everyone and then I jumped, and then you were there," she said.
"Well I was at home for thanksgiving and I just felt like I needed to see you and when you weren't at home, I kind of heard you telling me that you were at the lake." Jake said, looking down at her from Sweetheart's back.
"Oh."
"Sam?"
"Yeah?" She looked up, hopeful not sure what she was waiting for.
"My mom's friend in Reno is having a formal Christmas party next month. Would you go with me? As a… date?" he said, looking embarrassed.
She looked up, studying his face for a minute. "Yeah. I'll go."
"Really?" He said, letting out a breath.
"Yeah."
They reached the ranch yard. Sam and Jake got off the horses and took them around to the barn, un-tacking them and giving them water.
Sam went upstairs and changed into dry clothes and came back down.
Wyatt and Bryanna were in the kitchen with Jake. Luckily Sam's hair had dried and she had pulled it into a ponytail.
"Hey Dad, Bryanna." Said Sam.
"Hi hon." Her dad said. Looking up from talking to Jake.
"Um…I'm going to a Christmas Party with Jake in Reno next month." Said Sam.
"Really?" Said Bryanna. "Is it formal? If it is, can I help you pick out the dress? Oh, this will be fun wont it, I think green goes great with your hair, and it brings out the color of your eyes."
"Good for you honey." Said her dad, patting her on the back.
Sam smiled in relief. "So." She said. "What are we doing for thanksgiving?"
"Since Jake's here we were thinking of inviting the Ely's and the Kenworthys over and everyone can bring something." Said her Dad. "So Jake, when you go home could you tell your folks for us, it'd really save us a phone call."
Jake nodded and stood up.
"I'll walk you to you're truck." Said dad, as Cody gave a wail upstairs.
Bryanna went up to take care of him, and Sam knew that they were going to talk. She followed them to the door. When they got outside, they started talking.
"Jake, this is the most I've seen Sam alive since the accident." Dad was saying. "I think it's because of you, thanks."
Jake nodded, and didn't speak.
"I'm just afraid that maybe if you leave again than she might just become depressed and everything." He continued. "With her Gram dieing and you leaving, I don't know why, but I think she loves you Jake, whether its like a brother or she has really loved you this whole time and she just hasn't realized it yet, I don't know."
They got to the truck and it was harder to hear them. But Jake said something that sounded like I love her too; I'm still not sure which way though.
Then he got in the truck and drove away.
Wyatt stood there for a few minutes, and then walked back to the house. "Samantha, why was your backpack in the barn?" He yelled.
"I left it there after school, sorry, I'll go get it." And she went into the barn, skipping and dancing as she went. He asked me to a party…he asked me to a party! She thought, hugging Ace, and giving him a treat from her birthday present, that she was just opening now for the first time.