A/N: Alright, so here is the next chapter. I know that I told you all that I was going to start the mission in this chapter-- but, unfortunately, I didn't get to it. Trust me, every part of this chapter is important to the mission somehow. And I did foreshadow a little at the end. But I do promise that next chapter will be the mission, plus a few large surprises. And if anything seems rushed in this chapter, trust me, I will expand on it all in the coming chapters!!
haha, alright, I have written a bit too much for one A/N. Hope you enjoy this chapter!!
Why, Why love
Chapter 16
Sam hadn't really known what would have happened after the day in the library; but she definitely didn't expect for everything do just go back the way that they had been before. Artemis wasn't avoiding her and Jin anymore, but he wasn't treating her any different than he always had.
"I don't get it," Sam asked, falling down on Killian's bed. As of late, Sam found that Killian was the only person that she could talk to about her problems.
"What is there not to get?" Killian asked, sitting down on the floor next to his bunk.
"It's been two weeks since I confessed to Artemis and…well, he's not treating me any different at all", Sam said looking down at him.
"What did you expect to happen?" Killian asked, "Surely you weren't planning on becoming the new golden couple of SB? You know that the two of you have to keep your relationship mum".
"That's it!" Sam said, getting up, "we don't even have a relationship! I mean, I never expected for us to hold hands and be lovey dovey towards each other all the time; but it would at least be nice of him to acknowledge the fact that he cares about me".
"Well, he actually talks to you in full sentences," Killian said, shrugging, "I suppose that is his way of showing that he cares."
"What? How in the world can he think that would be enough?" Sam asked, "isn't he a genius, shouldn't he know about these kind of things?"
"Please, Artemis could write a whole book on interpersonal relationships; but when it comes to his own relationships, he is hopeless. Tis the curse of a genius, I suppose," Killian answered.
"You're a genius, though," Sam said, looking up at him, "how come you aren't a complete loser when it comes to relationships? You aren't even human and you have better sense than that boy!"
"It is because I have spent my whole life observing human interactions," Killian said. He padded over to the fridge and opened it. Sam sighed and leaned back against the headboard of the bed. This whole business with Artemis really was getting annoying.
Killian walked back over to the bed and threw a can in Sam's direction. Sam caught the can and looked at it. It was beer.
"What in the world is this for?" she asked.
"Just get Artemis drunk," Killian said. He had heard all about the boy's reputation. "That should spice up your relationship for you."
"Killian, how desperate do you think I am?" Sam asked, tossing the can back to the boy.
"Well, I don't know. I just wanted to help you get over all of your relationship troubles so that you can focus on what's really important," Killian said.
"Really important?" Sam asked. The vamp sighed deeply.
"The mission! Have you forgotten the whole reason I came here? Seriously, sometimes I think you couldn't get any slower," Killian said. Sam frowned.
"You might have studied humans your whole life," she said, "but you still don't seem to have learned anything about tact".
"And you've been in school your whole life yet you still seem to lack a brain," Killian retorted, "we need to get prepared for winter break—it is next week!"
"Next week!" Sam cried, sitting up quickly, "is it really next week?"
"How can you not be keeping track of these things?" Killian groaned, looking down at the girl. Sam shrugged her shoulders.
"I've been distracted," she answered, "what with Artemis being distant and Jin always complaining about Melinda…"
"Well stop being distracted," Killian said curtly, "do you understand how prepared we need to be to go up against someone like Chairman Lai? Have you even read on Taiwan or Chinese business yet?"
"No," Sam mumbled, "I already told you I have been distracted". Killian grabbed the small girl.
"We're going to the library right now," he muttered, dragging her down the hallway
Meanwhile, Artemis was in his room, busy preparing all the plans for the upcoming break. He turned his head slightly towards Jin, who was bouncing his soccer ball against the wall in a steady pattern.
"I am trying to concentrate," the boy said. Jin caught the ball.
"I am just trying to relieve some stress," Jin said, "that she-devil Melinda came to our campus today to…"
"I really could care less," Artemis said, looking back down at his papers, glad that the incessant dribbling had stopped.
"Well I have nobody to complain to," Jin continued on, seemingly oblivious to Artemis's tense mood. Artemis sighed deeply. Jin was like a male form of Sam but without any of her endearing qualities.
"Why don't you just go complain to Sam then," Artemis said, "isn't he your best friend? I am sure he will ne able to stomach your drivel"
"Sam is with Killian again," Jin said, his voice tinged with jealousy, "he had been spending all his free time with him, it seems."
"Killian?" Artemis said, looking up, frowning slightly. What was Sam doing spending all of her time with him? What was that vamp trying to do now?
"You can't tell me that you haven't noticed," Jin asked, giving Artemis an exasperated look.
"Notice what?" Artemis asked, turning around and looking at Jin.
"The fact that Sam and Killian have been attached at the hip since the pageant," Jin answered, "gossiping like old women all the time when they are together, it is disgusting. But then again, I am not surprised that you haven't noticed."
"Why wouldn't you be surprised?" Artemis asked, "I would like to think that I knew about the whereabouts of my roommate".
"Oh please," Jin said, shaking his head, "it is obvious that you don't care about Sam. You spend more time with your books that with him. I mean, you don't treat him like anything special. I don't even know why I considered you to be my love rival…"
Artemis droned out the rest of Jin's babbling, turning back towards his desk. It was obvious that he didn't care about Sam? Did that girl really believe that he didn't care about her?
Artemis immediately closed his book and got up. He grabbed his sweater and walked out of the room, leaving a very confused Jin in his wake.
Jin frowned as Artemis left the room such a hurry. Where is that boy off to now? Jin wondered, confused. It seemed that lately Artemis was in an odder mood than usual. Sighing, Jin climbed onto his sofa and rested his chin against the windowsill. His thoughts filtered back to the fight he had earlier with Melinda.
Subconsciously, Jin chuckled a little at the thought of the little spitfire who had sparred with him so fiercely. He couldn't help but smile at the recollection of how livid she had been; how bright her blue eyes got; how red her cheeks became when she got angry. She is actually rather pretty when angry, he thought lightly.
Suddenly, Jin's eyes opened wide.
"Wait! What am I thinking?" he said out loud, "how can be thinking these thoughts when I am chasing Sam?"
Jin buried his head in his hands, groaning loudly. He had just accepted the fact that he was gay and that he was in love with Sam. How could he think that a girl was attractive? Especially if that girl was Melinda. She was his sworn enemy; a bitter, nasty tempered enemy.
"Jin get a hold of yourself," he said, shaking his head, "you love Sam, and only Sam."
Sam, however found herself being sucked into the romance problems between Melinda and Jin as well. In fact, as Killian was forcibly dragging her to the library she happened to run (literally) into Melinda.
"Ouch! Killian watch where you are dragging me!" Sam cried out as she unwillingly collided with the pretty blonde. Killian turned around and gave Melinda a sheepish smile, immediately letting go of Sam.
"Very sorry," Killian said Melinda.
"I am the one you should be apologizing to!" Sam cried, hitting the vamp hard on the shoulder.
"No problem," Melinda said, formally, "I actually came here to look for Sam".
"For Sam?" Killian asked, confused, "what business would you have with him?"
"It…it is rather personal, if you don't mind," Melinda said quickly. Killian's eyebrows shot up at the remark.
"Sam is already involved in a relationship," he said. Sam frowned at the vamp's words.
"I am not," she said bitterly. A relationship meant that both parties liked each other equally. And while Artemis had said that he wanted her to stay with him, none of his actions matched his words.
"Oh, I don't want to ask Sam to date me," Melinda said quickly, "I just needed to talk to him."
"Well in that case, I will let the two of you have a littler girl talk," Killian said. Melinda looked up questioningly at Killian while Sam cast him a murderous look.
"Girl talk?" Melinda asked. Killian grinned down at Sam, who looked as though she would have stabbed the vamp had there been anything sharp in sight.
"Sorry," Killian said smoothly, "it is just that Sam is so much like a girl in looks and temperament that sometimes I forget that he is a boy".
"Alright, Killian," Sam said, pushing the vamp away, "how about you get away from here before you cause even more harm or embarrassment, okay?"
"Fine, fine," Killian answered, "I will be waiting in the library for you, okay?"
"Alright," Sam said, shaking her head and turning back to Melinda, "please forgive Killian. He really has no tact at all. He just says whatever comes to his mind."
"It's fine," Melinda said, nervously playing with the hem of her skirt. Sam frowned slightly, wondering what was causing the girl's odd behavior.
"Is everything okay, Melinda?" Sam asked. She didn't like seeing such a beautiful girl in such a worried state.
"I think I have a problem," Melinda said. Sam nodded her head, urging the girl to expand on her statement.
"I have been chasing after Artemis for three years now," Melinda said, "I have tried everything to get him to notice me. And even though he ignores me all the time and has been nothing but cold towards me, I can't help but love him."
Sam, though she was a bit angry with Artemis, couldn't help but feel a flair of jealously at the girl's words. Melinda, with her caramel curls and captivating blue eyes, was the most beautiful girl that she had ever seen. Plus, Melinda was quite sophisticated and usually had a very gentle temper when Jin wasn't around. How could I possibly compete with a perfect girl like her, Sam though bitterly.
"So your problem is that you love Artemis and he doesn't love you back?" Sam asked.
"Maybe," Melinda said. Sam frowned at the girl's answer.
"Maybe?' she echoed. Melinda turned towards Sam and pinned her with her sparkling eyes.
"Is it possible to be in love with two people at once?" Melinda asked. Sam's eyes widened a little, a bit taken aback by the girl's words.
"Two people?" Sam asked, "who else are you in love with?"
Melinda turned away, frowning. The girl looked as though she was in a deep turmoil over her thoughts. Her winged eyebrows arched together and her lips were pursed, as though she didn't want to say the name other second love. Sam looked at the tormented girl and immediately knew who it was. It seemed as though a bitter hatred had blossomed into a sort of love.
"It's Jin, isn't it?" Sam asked. Melinda's head snapped towards her.
"How would you know that?" she demanded, "guys are never that intuitive".
"It was just a guess," Sam said, making up an excuse quickly, "Jin is my best friend. I know that it is hard for any girl not to fall for him".
"Jin is overemotional and aggressive," Melinda said, "but…"
"He is rather lovable," Sam said, shaking her head and smiling over the thought of the amusing boy. Sam knew better than anybody else that nobody could stay mad at Jin for long. Even though Melinda and Jin had been at each other's throats since the pageant, she had seen the passion in their eyes whenever they argued with each other. Even Patrick had commented that the attraction between the two of the two of them was so thick that it couldn't even be cut with a knife.
"But I don't know if I like Artemis or Jin," Melinda said, "I came to you because they are both your roommates and your best friends. You should know them better than anyone else".
Sam looked at Melinda, wanting to tell to chase after Jin, just because she didn't want the beautiful girl to be going after Artemis anymore. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it. After all, it wasn't as though Artemis cared about her. Why should she care about him?
"Go after whoever you have greater feelings for," Sam said quietly. Melinda frowned and turned around, gasping suddenly. Sam looked up, confused at to the reason why Melinda had gasped.
Sam saw that Melinda's eyes were open wide and that she was staring at something. She followed the girl's eyes and saw Artemis walking down a path near them. The boy looked up and saw the two girls standing there. For some reason, Sam thought that he looked relieved when he saw her. Why was he out here?
Melinda turned towards Sam.
"I know what I am going to do," she whispered.
"What?" Sam asked. The girl smiled brightly.
"I am going to go and tell Artemis that I love him," she said. Sam gaped at the girl. That was an awful idea. What is she steals Artemis away, Sam thought quickly; surely he wouldn't be able to resist the girl's gorgeous looks. Especially compared to Sam's average appearance.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Sam asked, looking over Melinda's shoulder. Artemis was walking up to them.
"If I can say it and actually mean it then that means that I still have feelings for him" Melinda said, "but if I don't actually mean it then that means that I should go after Jin".
"Melinda, wait…" Sam cried; but it was too late. The girl had already made her way over to Artemis, who was standing about three feet away. Sam breathed hard and looked away.
"Artemis," Melinda said, "I like you. Please go out with me".
Sam balked a little at the girl's straightforward confession. Artemis just looked down at Melinda.
"I am sorry," Artemis said quietly, "I am already in a relationship".
Sam looked up suddenly at the boy's words. He was in a relationship? Did he really mean it?
Melinda just looked at him for a moment, before breaking out into a smile. Artemis was a bit taken aback by the girl's reaction. Had she gone mad?
Melinda turned towards Sam, who was still gaping at Artemis.
"Sam, I said it but I didn't mean it," Melinda said. Sam broke out into a weak smile.
"So you know what to do now?" she asked the girl. Melinda nodded her head happily. Sam's smile grew a little stronger. She could tell that Melinda really did care about Jin, and she was glad. Jin deserved someone like Melinda. Someone beautiful and sophisticated, and most importantly, somebody that would be able to love him back.
"Good luck, then," Sam said to Melinda. The girl nodded once again.
"Now if you would excuse me," Melinda said to the two teens, "I have some planning to do before I tell Jin".
"Of course," Sam said. Melinda waved bye and walked off, leaving Sam and Artemis by themselves.
The two teens looked at each other awkwardly. Sam shuffled her feet a little and Artemis looked down at the ground.
"I came out to look for you," Artemis said finally. Sam continued to look at her feet.
"Why?" she asked. The boy frowned a little bit.
"I noticed that you hadn't been around very often lately," he said. Sam looked up at him, frowning.
"Did you really notice that or did Jin have to point it out to you?" she asked. Artemis said nothing, and his silence was answer enough for her. Sam scoffed, walking up to the boy.
"Why did you even tell Melinda that you were in a relationship?" she asked him, "that is an obvious lie!"
"How is that a lie?" Artemis asked, looking up at her. Sam gave off a bitter laugh.
"How is it not a lie, Artemis?" she asked, "Do you even know what being in a relationship means? It means that you have to actually care about the person that you are with". Artemis sighed deeply.
"Can't you see I care about you?" Artemis asked. Sam looked at him through slitted eyes.
"No. " she answered bluntly, "I can't see that you care about me because you don't. You have barley said two words to me since the day of the pageant."
"I have been busy, there are plans to make," Artemis said.
"I know, Artemis," Sam said, "I care about the mission too. But I also care about you, and I am not afraid to show it. If you were planning on spending all your effort on yourself then you should have just let me go that day in the library".
Artemis looked at the girl, not knowing what to say. He had never really cared about anybody outside of his family before—and even with his parents, he never had to vocalize his feelings. He had never experienced a situation such as this.
"I envy Jin," Artemis said quietly. Sam just stood her ground, looking at the boy with raised eyebrows. Artemis envied Jin? That was impossible. Artemis hated Jin—there was no way that he could possibly envy him.
"I envy him because he can express his emotions," Artemis continued, "he knows what he is feeling as he knows how to show that to other people."
"It is not very hard to do," Sam said, "all he has to do is say 'I am sad' or 'I am happy'. It is not some sort of special skill"
"But the fact that he knows what he is feeling," Artemis said, "that is the thing that is enviable. I have never had to feel anything before—never had to feel anger or jealously or any other emotion. I had everything that I wanted, and if I didn't have it I relied on my genius to get it".
Sam looked at him, her frown lessening a little.
"But now with you, I found that I feel emotion only around you. Everything—anger, happiness, frustration, sadness, love. Only when you are around do I feel those things. And I never have felt them before, so I can't express them."
"Artemis…" Sam said, smiling slightly.
"And now look, you made me go and utter stupid, cheesy things once more," Artemis said sighing, "I don't know what about you makes me a flaming idiot".
"Artemis, why do you like me?" Sam asked. Artemis looked down at the small girl. That was the same question he had been asking himself for weeks. But now, looking at her large emerald eyes and hesitant smile he knew his answer. It was naiveté, her tenacity, her courage, her brashness. It was everything he wasn't.
"Because out of everything in the world, I can do 95% of them," he said, "and the 5% that I can't do, you can".
Sam smiled widely, "What a strange and non-romantic answer," she said. Artemis let out a little chuckle at her words.
"Well I am a bit of a strange and non-romantic boy," Artemis said. Sam laughed and shook her head.
"Artemis, I am glad I found you," she whispered. Artemis just pulled the girl to him and hugged her. He was glad that she had come back to him.
Jin stared out the window, thinking hard.
I like Sam, but I think I might also Melinda, he thought, shaking his head. He had been thinking about it the whole day, and this was his final outcome. This is so messed up, how can I be gay but also like a girl, he thought. He got up and started to pace the room.
What am I going to do?" he asked himself, "am I some kind of pervert, liking both Sam and Melinda at the same time?"
He growled a little and banged his head against the bunk, "I failed at being a normal boy, and now I am even failing at being gay. What good am I?"
But it doesn't even matter, Jin thought. I can love Melinda all I want, but she still hates my guts. I am already involved in a unrequited love with Sam, I can't handle another one. So even though I do like Melinda—I can't put myself through this again. Especially since, though he didn't want to admit it, he might actually like Melinda more. With Sam, I like his cuteness and his kindness, he thought. With Melinda it was different. She argued with him, she quarreled, she yelled-- but all the same, she brought out his passion and his emotions out more than anybody else had ever been able to. Jin felt that he was his true self around Melinda. And while Sam rejecting his feelings stung; he didn't think he would be able to deal with it if Melinda rejected him.
"I have to just stick with Sam, then," Jin said resolutely. He went to the bedside table and picked up his cell phone. Breathing deeply he dialed the number of his house.
His mother picked up on the second ring.
"Hello," a very formal voice said. Jin sighed deeply. His family was a very formal, very conservative one. His father was the most successful businessman in all of Taiwan. His mother was an infamous Korean heiress—the only child of one of the wealthiest men in Korea. In fact, the only reason why he had been sent to SB was because his father had felt that he wasn't manly enough and that spending time abroad with toughen him up.
"Hello, mother," Jin said.
"Oh Jin—darling, I have not heard from you some time," his mother said, her voice becoming more warm.
"I was just calling to talk to you about me coming home next week," he said.
"Of course. Your father and I are so happy that you will finally be back. We haven't seen you since the summer. And your younger brother is delighted to be seeing you again".
"You know I am bringing somebody, right?" Jin asked.
"Yes, your father told me that. Who are your bringing?" his mother asked. Jin closed his eyes and breathed deeply. This was it.
"I am bringing Sam," he said, "a classmate that I like".
"Oh, so he is one of your good friends?" his mother asked happily.
"No mother," Jin said tightly, "I like Sam"
"Like as in…"
"As in love, mother" Jin said. There was complete silence on the other end of the phone.
"You are bringing home a classmate that you love," his mother repeated finally, "… a male classmate?"
"I do go to an all boys school," Jin said. There was another long pause on the other end.
"Oh well… we will discuss it further when you get here," she said quickly.
"Mother, I… I am sorry" he said.
"Jin, don't… don't apologize. We will discuss this with your father when both of you come here," she said.
"Okay mother," Jin said, hanging up the phone, a pit growing in his stomach.
Just then, Sam and Artemis walked into the room. Jin looked up at them.
"Sam I just called my mother," he said. Sam looked at him and nodded.
"Okay, Jin," she said, not really knowing where this was going.
"I told her that I loved you,' Jin said. Sam stared at him, mouth open.
"Why would you do that?" Artemis asked. Jin groaned.
"Because I wanted to state it once and for all and get rid off all my conflicting feelings," Jin said.
"Conflicting feelings?" Artemis asked. Jin nodded his head.
"I am a monster and a pervert," he answered. Sam shook her head.
"I am sure you are not, Jin," she said. Jin looked up at her.
"Sam—I am in love with both you and Melinda," Jin said, near tears, "see how horrible I am? I declared that I was gay to chase you then I fell in love with Melinda!"
"If you are in love with Melinda then why did you go and tell your mother you love Sam?" Artemis demanded, "are you an idiot?"
"Because Melinda will never love me back," Jin said, "and I cannot stand to have unrequited love anymore! I thought it would be best for me to just stick with Sam. And this way, I can't go back".
"But Jin, Melinda does like you," Sam said, "she told me herself today".
Jin looked up at her, a large grin spreading on his face.
"Really?" he asked, "she really said that?"
"Yes," Sam said, her own smile growing on her face, "she was having conflicting feelings as well, but in the end she realized that she did like you".
"Then… then do I have your blessings to date her?" Jin asked. Sam laughed.
"Jin, there is nothing you can do that would make me happier," she said. Jin ran up and hugged the girl.
"Thank you, Sam," he said, "you were the best first love that I ever had". Sam just grinned at the boy.
"And I feel honored to have been your first love," she said. Jin shook his head.
"But does this mean that I am not gay anymore?" he asked.
"You were never gay, Jin," Sam said, "everybody says I look and act like a girl. You were probably attracted to the feminine side of me"
"Really, is that what it was?" Jin asked, skeptical. Sam nodded her head. She would tell Jin her secret, but not now. The boy already had enough on his plate to deal with at the moment.
"Go and get her," Sam whispered to Jin. The boy nodded his head and ran out of the room, smiling widely.
Sam stared after him, smiling widely. She went over and hugged Artemis.
"Isn't seeing that kind of love magical?" she asked dreamily. Artemis shook his head vigorously.
"In case you forgot, Jin still told his mother that he was gay and that he loved you," he said.
"Ah, we can just explain everything to his family when we get there," Sam said, "don't be so pessimistic."
But Artemis just frowned. He had a very, very bad feeling about this. He knew that Chairman Lai had sent Jin to SB in order to make him manlier. If he thought that Sam had turned his son gay, then the girl was in a whole world of trouble. And the man had already proved to be ruthless.
Artemis looked down at the tiny girl. He didn't know why, but he had a very foreboding feeling about this mission.
A/N: Alright, I told you that there was going to be a bit of foreshadowing. Maybe not the most positive foreshadowing, but foreshadowing nevertheless. And I do promise once again that the mission will start next time. Especially since the story is coming to an end, and I already decided what to do when I finish this one-- but that will be revealed in the final chapter =)
Anyways, as always, please comment and tell me what you thought, if I made any mistakes, or if you have any suggestions. I always love reading your thoughts, and every single one of your reviews truly help. Gracias y besos