Stacey stood with her head against her locker trying to fight back the tears. All day she had managed to keep it under control. It was only when Claudia had asked when she was next visiting her father in New York that she had finally cracked. She had made an excuse to double back to her locker and now she pressed her face against it willing herself not to cry.

"Stace?" came a concerned voice from behind her. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she replied, her voice unnaturally high. "I'm fine."

You are fine, she said to herself, get a grip Stace. She sniffed as the tears began to fall.

"No you're not," Sam replied, his hand now resting firmly on her back. "Tell me," he demanded yet his tone remained gentle.

"My Dad, he-he's moving away," she sobbed. "He's leaving this week and he only just told us."

"Come here," he said softly before pulling her into a hug.

God how she'd missed this. She stood pressed against him with his arms wound tightly around her waist whilst he rested his head against hers.

"I know what it's like losing your Dad," he reminded her. "You'll be okay."

"How could he wait so long to tell me," Stacey sobbed. She felt a little guilty as her tears began to create a wet patch on his shirt but he didn't seem to mind.

As Stacey managed to calm down she remembered that Sam hadn't even heard from his own father in years.

"You must think I'm being stupid," she sniffed, still resting against him.

"Not at all," he replied. He dropped one of his hands from around her waist to reach up and wipe her remaining tears away with his thumb.

"What the hell is this!" yelled an enraged female voice.

Stacey's head snapped up to see Rachel Somerson glaring daggers at her.

"Nothing," Sam snapped back, not moving the arm that still held Stacey's waist.

"It sure as hell doesn't look like nothing!" Rachel hissed.

"What? Stacey's my friend," Sam defended himself.

"She's your ex-girlfriend Sam," Rachel continued after lowering her volume a bit. "I'm not an idiot."

"Think whatever you want," Sam snapped back, clearly annoyed. "Come on Stace," he took her hand, "let's get out of here."

Stacey let him pull her down the hallway and out the doors to the steps in front of Stoneybrook High School. "She's gonna think we're together," Stacey said, pointing back at the school.

"Let her," Sam huffed. "God she and I are barely together. I only took her out a few times and she's already annoying me."

Stacey couldn't help but laugh. "You're so...you," she sighed.

He smiled at her. "I miss you Stacey," he said, moving his hands to hold her hips.

"Yeah well you dumped me," she reminded him, there was no malice in her voice, just sadness.

"I know," he said lowly before tilting his head and closing the distance between them so he could kiss her lips with his own.

He had started slowly, gently but as his kisses increased so did the force behind them. She responded in earnest. She felt his hand slide down her hip and over her ass, reaching under the skirt of her dress to separate her thighs before pushing his leg between them.

Stacey felt her face flush, there was a desperation in him that she had never felt before. She was feeling both nervous and excited when her head suddenly jerked sideways from the force of someone smacking Sam in the head.

"Jesus Claudia," Sam said, holding the side of his head. "What the hell was that for?"

"You dick," Claudia said loyally. "You broke her heart and now your messing with her feelings again?"

"No I'm not," he replied defensively, still wincing. Stacey supposed by the way that Claudia was clutching her sketch book that it had been her weapon of choice.

"I heard the whole thing!" she fumed. "Oh I miss you," she said so sarcastically that Stacey couldn't help but laugh, "God your such a jerk."

"I do miss her," Sam replied hotly.

"Yeah well pick up the phone then," Claudia snapped back. "Then maybe I might believe you."

"Whatever Claudia," Sam huffed before walking back into the school.

"You didn't need to do that," Stacey said as she looped her arm through her best friend's.

"Are you kidding me," Claudia broke into a wide smile, "he was all over you Stace."

"Yeah I guess," Stacey trailed off. She didn't know how to explain that...maybe she hadn't minded.

"What's up with you today?" Claudia suddenly stopped walking.

"What makes you think there is something wrong," Stacey mumbled.

"Well," Claudia cocked an eyebrow, "your doubling back to your locker under totally false pretences."

Stacey tried to interrupt but Claudia held up her hand and continued. "and you are kissing Sam Thomas who clearly took advantage because you've clearly been crying. What's up Stace?" her tone softened. "Do you feel okay? You're not sick or anything are you?"

From her tone Stacey guessed she was talking about her diabetes. She sighed. "It's nothing like that Claud, it's just my Dad. He's moving away."

AN: A little bit of BFF from Claudia here. I had to include her, she's so awesome.