All guys are stupid disgusting pricks!” She sat on the corner of her desk in her biology class staring angrily at the text she had just received from her best guy friend, drunk or not that was no excuse HE WAS DIFFERENT! “Sam, come on we will be late to lunch” Sam’s most hyper friend Annie giggled and jumped impatiently. Sam smiled and managed the nicest tone possible “I’ll be there in a few go on and save me a seat” the smile worked and Annie skipped down the hall and chatted with everyone on the way. Sam stood frozen in place and sighed “this can’t be happening!” she had known Adam Farris for three years and even when he was drunk he’d never even so much as made a pass at her and now he was asking to have sex with her. It didn’t add up at all and she was more confused with every glance at the cursed text message.

“This just can’t be happening to me.” She glanced up at the ceiling of the old rugged building and sighed “well that was a curveball” she groaned and shoved the phone back in her pocket. “Get to lunch Sam” Mrs. Keller her favorite teacher smiled and nodded at the door. “Yes ma’am Mrs. K” Sam loved her biology teacher and always obeyed her. She managed her fakest smile and walked down the dark white halls that were graffiti in spray paint and slung her backpack over her shoulder trudging to the place she so dearly wanted to avoid. She entered the cafeteria to all the usual noise and sighed as she saw her “click.” She laughed to herself because everyone in their group had nothing in common except they were the outcasts.

Samantha Montez or Sam to her friends was the senior who ran the school, or so everybody said. She was six one and had long brownish blonde hair and blue eyes. All the guys loved her and all the girls envied her. She was the kind of girl that you looked at and automatically fell in love with. Then there was her three best friends Corrie, Angel and Annie.

Corrie Star was anything but your typical teenage girl. She was tall about six two or so and was a crazy good athlete. She played basketball in middle school and part of high-school but had given it a rest this year to actually have a social life. She was beautiful like Sam but didn’t believe it. “Model material” they called her but she only laughed. Corrie was brought up in a small farm home on the outskirts of Georgia and smiled and laughed all the time there was never a dull moment with “miss crazy” around.

Angel Demarco was Sam’s most trusted and loved friend. They had been through so much together and were almost identical in personality. Angel was a short blonde with pretty blue eyes, but behind those soft eyes was a girl even Sam sometimes feared. Angel had been brought up as the only girl in the family after her mother passed away of cancer and she was left to fight for her own in a house of five guys. Angel was rough and dressed in dark clothes but you always saw that soft glow behind that scowling expression.

Then of course there was Annie Mason. Little Annie was the shortest of the group and the loudest. Sam was a great public speaker but she hated being loud outside of debate team. Annie on the other hand was loud all the time she was their little “hyper pill” as Corrie called her. Annie laughed and shrugged off the nickname.

The whole group was so different yet so much the same but Sam wasn’t focused on that she scanned the cafeteria for his soft green eyes and gorgeous blonde hair. She saw him and gulped, Adam Farris. He smiled when he caught her gaze and nodded toward the hallway. “Come on” he mouthed winking in her direction. Her stomach did somersaults inside her and she thought she was either going to burst with excitement or puke up her breakfast. She smiled and nodded the same direction and he got up dumping his tray. Sam glanced in her group’s direction and just as she’d suspected all of the girls were giving thumbs up. She laughed to herself and she walked with a new bounce in her step out the cafeteria and right into Adam.

“Yes” she said in her most happy tone smiling stupidly at her secret crush. Her mind raced with reasons he could have called her out but her mind settled on that text and nothing else seemed to matter. She had wanted to throw her phone across the room and scream. She had promised her best guy friend Grey that she wouldn’t date any guys till her freshman year of college. He had made her swear by that and although she knew it would come back to bite her in the ass one day she never dreamed it would be with her crush.

Adam inched closer leaving only a couple of centimeters of space between the two of them, “Your…” he cut his sentence short and pulled her into a long embrace. :I’m….” she said with confusion. “You’re amazing” he said the words as if they were the most delicate thing in the world and she automatically kicked herself for making that promise. He inched closer still and his smile made her head feel light. His perfectly white teeth and the slight hint of alcohol on his breath made her wanna kiss him senseless but she restrained herself. “Thank you?” she said making it sound more like a question than a statement. She backed up half an inch and hit the wall. He had her pinned and no way to escape and that was just what he wanted. He inched closer and smirked “why you running babes” he had called her babes since they were young but there was a new tone in his voice. Could it be? Could Adam Farris really like her? She shrugged trying to play it cool while figuring out what exactly to do. “Well, if you’re going to make a move you got a minute” she forced her most annoyed smile and he caught her belt-loop pulling her against him. “Don’t rush” his smile hinted at teasing and she was in no mood for that. “Ok tease,” she said sticking out her tongue. He pushed her against the wall silencing her complaining with a kiss and she wrapped herself around him kissing him in shock. The two pulled apart and for a second neither one said a word. Adam finally broke the silence “I love you” he said holding her to him by her belt-loop. She gulped “I can’t date I promised Grey…” Adam smiled “I know but you’re a senior, please Sam” Sam sighed as she sat on the steps and thought for a minute the kiss had been amazing and she’d actually kissed him back instead of shoved him away. “I can’t break my promise to Grey, next summer?” he shook his head and sighed holding her to him “military” he said kissing her forehead. She bolted upright and glared hard at him “THE WHAT!” she shouted attracting attention for a couple by passers.

She had always hated the thought of Adam going into military especially since Grey was leaving during the fall semester to enlist she couldn’t lose her best friend and the amazing guy standing in front of her. She’d been distraught when Grey told her he was joining but there wasn’t much she could do about it, as for Adam that was a whole different ballgame and one she knew how to play quite well.

She tensed in his arms and he could sense something was wrong. “What’s wrong Sammy” he was the only person in the world that got away with calling her Sammy. She drew in a deep breath and looked as if she was going to cry, she couldn’t fall apart in front of him it was way to risky she picked and chose who saw her cry and even though she trusted Adam with her life she wasn’t ready to cry on him yet. He kept trying to push her to talk to him damn it he could tell something was wrong why couldn’t she bring herself to tell him she loved him back as more than a brother as more than a best friend. She told herself she shouldn’t worry about what happened with her and John because it wouldn’t happen to her and Adam. John and Adam were two totally different people and she knew Adam had no intent to hurt her in any way.

Although Sam and John had dated for a year and had now been separated for about six months it was still hard for Sam to talk about John in front of anyone. To a degree she still loved John and she always would because he was her first love but she knew Adam was so much better for her and so much more like her. John and her had, had little in common with each other but her and Adam had just about everything in common with each other.

But then there was one slight issue with her picture perfect relationship with Adam and his name was Joel Demmer. Joel was six one, spiky black hair and the most amazing green eyes she’d ever seen. She had met Joel at one of the drama productions she was in and had instantly fell in love with him.

She was standing in front of Adam and had just kissed him yet suddenly she started thinking about Joel. She cursed herself in her head; it wasn’t supposed to be like this was it? When you found true love you were supposed to hold onto it right? Then why in the world had she just kissed Adam and thought of kissing Joel? She loved Adam but for some reason Joel had stolen her heart without even trying.

She had always been very guarded with her heart but now she had given it away without even trying. He had come in, smiled, introduced himself and stole her heart all in a matter of seconds. Joel and her had been in practice with each other for only a few weeks yet she felt like she’d known Joel forever and strangely she felt ok with that. This wasn’t her she decided. She couldn’t deal with all this here right now.

Staring into Adam’s eyes she told herself “make your decision, Joel or Adam, you can’t have both.” She sighed pulling free of Adam’s grasp and walked to a bench outside. “I don’t even….” She paused shaking her head, she couldn’t comprehend what was happening and she defiantly couldn’t tell Adam there was another guy, he’d freak.

She sat on the bench and just like she’d expected Adam sat beside her. She tensed awfully and groaned inside her head. “Adam,” she started out gathering all her courage “I can’t do this” she heard her voice break and cursed herself in her mind “no vulnerability!” she screamed in her head. Adam sighed “ok I understand” he said getting up, “if you change your mind” he trailed off leaving the sentence there in the air unfinished. She drew in a long deep breath “I won’t” she said flatly displaying as little emotion as possible.

Adam nodded and with that he was gone leaving her on the icy cold bench feeling the hot tears pour down her face. Why hadn’t he said something, why had he just let her go? She sat there wondering and wondering and crying and for the first time since she was five years old Sam looked up to the sky and just stared. “Why” was the only word she could manage and the tears poured down and she laid on the cold bench till the darkness took her over and she finally felt peace.

She woke up under blankets and that deep velvety voice made her wanna scream her head off. It couldn’t be….it wasn’t….but as she listened her fears were confirmed the voice belonged to none other than Joel Demmer. He sounded like he was in a rush but who was the other voice, a little higher pitched male voice, “dear god” she said shaking her head it was Grey.

Grey Matthews, tall, blonde, blue eyes, funny, cute, amazingly warm personality was there. How did he know Joel and what in the world were they talking about? “I found her there” she heard Grey say “well what can I do?” Joel’s voice sounded deeper than usual but she was sure it was Joel’s voice she was hearing. She tried to sit up but there was a severe burning pain and a dull ache at the base of her skull. She couldn’t move her head to much and when she did something sticky was on the bottom. She groaned, she hated sticky stuff and whatever it was, was going to drive her completely crazy.

Grey entered the room and she acted asleep “well she’s gonna bleed out if Joel don’t hurry” She gulped “bleed out what were they talking about!” She wanted to yell at both of them and demand to know what was going on but between the two bickering she just laid there not saying a word.

Grey was the first to realize she was awake “how are you feeling” he asked placing his hand on her head. She yawned “in pain” she said not playing down the pain at all. Grey smiled and laid his hand on her shoulder “you fell pretty hard, lucky Don was close by” his smile looked forced and she instantly regretted sleeping there. No wonder the voice had sounded like Joel it had been his older brother Don.


“What, h-happened?” she asked struggling to sit up until Grey pushed her back down with his hand. “you fell off the bench and hit the concrete pretty dang hard, Don was nearby with his girl instantly recognized you and brought you here where you are currently residing” he said pointing to the couch “that’s what happened. Grey smiled and she knew there was a question in his head “why were you out there anyway Sam its icy cold outside this time of year and I know for a fact you hate the cold.

Sam drew in a short ragged breath and sighed “I was talking to Adam” she began and Grey looked like he was ready to kill. “What was he doing near you” he asked utter hatred in his voice and Sam knew she couldn’t tell Grey about the kiss he wouldn’t only kill Adam but it would kill Grey inside. Sam loved Grey she really wasn’t sure how anymore but she knew she loved him.

Often now there felt like some sort of attraction to Grey she’d never had before but she couldn’t tell Grey, it would be too awkward Grey loved her as a sister and a best friend nothing more. But she felt drawn to Grey in a new way now and she couldn’t quite explain it but she could defiantly feel it was there. She could feel a strange warmth radiating through her with Grey’s hand on her shoulder and she instantly wanted to kiss Grey. She examined her emotions carefully and sure enough she wasn’t going crazy she actually wanted to kiss Grey Matthews.

Grey had been her best friend since middle school and she had no intention of letting him leave for the military but how could she stop him.

Suddenly her head was aching more than it had been a few minutes ago and she felt the tears welling up in her eyes “Grey” she whispered clinging to his hand “it hurts” she couldn’t move the pain was paralyzing and slowly it was all black around her and she drifted off as Grey’s voice shouted to Don about something.



























Chapter 2

Sam woke up to bright lights in her face and she groaned only wanting more sleep until she opened her eyes and began to register where she was. She jerked against cords and shouted and suddenly Grey’s hand was in hers and she felt safe. “Easy Sam” he said holding her hand and stopping a shrill beeping sound. “Why am I here” she asked jerking against a cord wrapped around her arm. “GET ME OUTTA HERE GREY!” she shouted tears filling her eyes. Grey tightened his grip on her hand “sh, it’s ok Sam, you’re ok” Sam sighed and Grey could see the tears welling up in her eyes. “Sh it’s ok Sam” he said sitting on the edge of the hospital bed holding Sam’s hand a little tighter than before. Sam began crying and Grey held her to him, the smell of cologne and alcohol was familiar and comforted her a little better than his hand in hers. “Grey” her voice was a little above a whisper and the sobs flowed freely now. Grey looked into her piercing blue eyes like he had many times before but suddenly he leaned in and kissed her. She laid there disoriented for a second before she kissed him back with a little more passion than intended. “What the…” she thought in her head “GREY!?” she hadn’t expected it to be Grey but sure enough she felt that spark of love and it sent a radiation of warmth through her entire body.

He stayed there in the kiss and Sam wrapped herself around him “Grey” she breathlessly spoke when he finally broke the kiss but his intention was to go as far as she’d let him go and he had a feeling it would be pretty far. He kissed down her neck and she clung to him “Grey, w-what, are you doing?” he stopped abruptly and glanced at her “do you want me to stop?” his eyes shown with a fire she wanted to feel so damn bad. “No, by all means Grey continue”

His smile lit his face and he stared deep in her eyes “I will not hurt you, or cross your boundaries unless told otherwise. She held on to him as he kissed up and down her neck and she felt different than ever before. His cool lips pressed against her burning flesh and she let out a small moan that only drove him to the point of need. He kissed her neck down to her shoulder and bit the base of her neck gently and she barely felt his teeth touch her skin “mmm” she couldn’t say anything and for once she didn’t mind being completely silent. His hands were warm and he let go of her hand and slid them slowly down her sides trailing his fingers against her ribs. Sam squirmed a little and he smiled “I always knew you were lying when you told me you weren’t ticklish” he laughed to himself and she instantly regretted doing that.

“I- I wasn’t lying” her facial expression was one that for once, he couldn’t read. “Why did you stammer” he asked sliding his finger back up her rib cage. She stared at him in confusion “because my body’s instincts are being jerked in all directions and it feels so good” he smiled proudly and laughed “well this would be my first time doing anything like this but you know when you have instructions it really helps” he smiled mischievously and produced her I Phone and she turned five shades of red. “GREY MATTHEWS YOU LITTLE SNOOP!!!!” she wanted to shout but it came out as more of a whisper. He laughed the same laugh she’d heard when she was in fourth grade and even today right now in this very moment it still made her love him just a little bit more.

“Grey” she shrieked “how could you do that?” “Why would you go snooping through my stuff?” Grey shrugged “it looked harmless” he said looking down at the floor away from her. Samantha smiled “Grey just…shut up and kiss me” Grey was instantly forgiven and they continued their kiss as two truly new people.

Sam laid in the hospital for around three days but Grey had gone back to school and now the person walking through the door made her want to shrink into nothing. “Sam” his voice was like an angel’s and she smiled “hi, Joel” Joel smiled back and lay beside her on the bed “hi Samantha bug.” She glared at him “don’t call me that!” he laughed and produced papers “shut up and sign these bug”

She sighed and grabbed the papers suddenly realizing they were discharge papers she glanced at Joel in confusion. “Why are they handing you discharge papers why not my mom or Grey?” Joel smiled and kissed her forehead “because bug” he paused to smile sweetly at her and she wanted so bad to deck him, Grey was nothing at all compared to Joel. “Your going home with me” his eyes sparkled with fire and she smiled knowing she wanted that fire to consume her.

He gave her a hug and she felt his hand go up her back. She sighed and he smiled “feel good?” he asked and she nodded blushing. He smiled back then grabbed the papers from her “get dressed” he winked and she knew just what she would dress in.

She shooed him out of the room and laughed to herself, her head felt amazing and she didn’t feel sick anymore. She glanced at her small selection of clothes. She grabbed her shortest black jean shorts and a blackish blue tube top she slid on her favorite black converse with neon pink laces. She called Joel back in the room and his eyes went wide and he asked the nurse for five minutes and Sam wondered just what he had in mind.

He shut the door behind him and walked up to her causing her to back up towards the wall and he smiled. “What’s wrong bug?” his smile was teasing and she knew exactly what her outfit had done to his poor little sixteen year old brain. She laughed “is that a pass, backing me against the wall I mean?” He smiled and shook his head “nah that was just how I know you like to be cornered. He held up her phone and she cursed Grey in her head over and over.

Joel smiled “everything ok bug?” she hated that nickname and he knew it he was doing all he could to annoy her and she didn’t mind a bit. She stared straight into his gorgeous grey eyes and he leaned closer to her then pulled away. He wasn’t anything like Grey no Joel Demmer would make her beg for him and she intended to go as far as she could without caving in. Joel smiled sliding his hand down her side and resting it on her butt. She squirmed and he smiled “just say the magic word” he whispered in her ear and she gulped shaking her head “you’re not breaking me.”

He grabbed her bag and her hand and they headed out the hospital and to his new shiny black convertible. He threw her stuff in the trunk and she smiled riding shotgun. He slid in the driver’s seat and smiled holding her hand the entire way to his house.

When they reached his house he didn’t even bother to get her bags he just grabbed her hand and led her into his house. He opened the door and pulled her inside making the door slam when he shut it. He pulled her to the couch and wrapped his arms around her waist laying his head against her neck. She tensed a little and he laughed to himself “I can break you Sammy bug” he whispered and she shuttered “try” was the only word she uttered and suddenly she was under him on his couch He kissed her with more passion than she’d ever thought was possible and she had wrapped herself around him. His breath tasted way better than Grey’s or John’s either one. He was like a drug she wanted no rehab for and suddenly she wanted to beg him to do so much more go way past her boundaries.

“Joel” she barely whispered his name and he smiled “beg” was the only word he uttered and she shook her head “you won’t break me” he grinned “wanna bet sweetie” his voice seduced her so close to begging but she couldn’t deal with that no she’d show how strong she truly was.