Chapter 18

“Nick…” said Samantha a little bit later as she walked downstairs wearing a yellow sundress to see Nick asleep on the sofa. She walked over and tapped him on the head a little but he didn’t move. She just stood there looking at him and then thought about Jake.

“Nick wouldn’t have never done anything like that…” she thought as she got a little throw and put over Nick. She walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of drink when she heard the front door open and she walked out see Jake standing there looking at Nick asleep.

“Jake, what the hell are you doing in my house?” asked Samantha.

“I’m sorry.” Said Jake as he walked up to her and tried to hug her.

“Too late.” Said Samantha as she walked back into the kitchen.

“Too late?” asked Jake, “No.. it’s not.” As Samantha turned around and looked at him.

“Do you know what you did to me?” asked Samantha as Jake looked around.

“We made love..” said Jake.

“You raped me, and look at the side of my face, Nick noticed it… I have a god damn bruise now how am I suppose to explain that to people?” asked Samantha.

“Nick shouldn’t have to notice anything because his ass shouldn’t be here.” Said Jake, “What did he do, come home to comfort you?”

“He doesn’t know what a self-centered bastard you are.” Said Samantha, “He came home because he’s got a break except some shows at Disney World for seniors the next few weekends.”

“Cool… you don’t tell him, as a matter of fact you don’t tell nobody.” Said Jake.

“Good because you know what.. I won’t have to because we’re over.” Said Samantha as Jake took her hand and nodded his head no.

“No we’re not.” Said Jake, “And don’t you tell anybody that.”

“What?” asked Samantha in shock.

“I’m sorry about what happened, I am, and I love you so much, that I don’t want to loose you.” Said Jake.

“Then why the hell did you do that?” asked Samantha as she looked to see Nick standing in the doorway, “Nick… you’re awake.”

“Yeah…” said Nick as Jake turned around, “What’s up Jake?”

“Nothin…” said Jake as he looked at Samantha and kissed her, “I’ll see you later and remember what I said.. nobody.” Whispered Jake as he walked past Nick, giving him a dirty look while Nick watched him walk out of the door.

“What was that about?” asked Nick as Samantha took a sip of her drink and looked out the kitchen window to see Jake leaving.

“Nothing.” Said Samantha, “So what’s up, what are we doing today?” as Nick smiled.

“Come on.. I’ll show you….” Said Nick as he took her hand and they walked out of the house.

“When did you get this boat?” asked Samantha a couple of hours later as her and Nick sat there on his boat out in the Gulf of Mexico.

“About two weeks ago… I ordered it, it’s cool ain’t it?” asked Nick.

“Yeah… if I had known this, I would have brought my swim suit or something…” said Samantha, “But it’s … well it feels good to just come out here and forget all your problems…”

“Yeah… I mean, and don’t think I’m being mean when I say this, but maybe you should get some counseling or something because of Megan…” said Nick as Samantha looked over at him.

“I’ve talked to my counselor’s at school… I’m okay. I just get a little emotional because high school isn’t high school without Megan….” Said Samantha.

“Well you still have Jake there.” Said Nick, “At least you get to graduate.. I got my diploma last night.”

“You did?” asked Samantha as Nick nodded his head.

“In a hotel room in Germany…” said Nick, “Not the best way to graduate…”

“Still you got your diploma.” Said Samantha as Nick nodded his head a little.

“That’s true, so what was Jake doing there this morning?” asked Nick.

“Just came by.” Said Samantha.

“He was apologizing saying he never wanted to loose you… he didn’t hit you did he?” asked Nick as Samantha looked up at him.

“Of course not….” Said Samantha as she looked away, “Jake wouldn’t do that.”

“He loves you too much…” said Nick as Samantha didn’t look at him.

“Yeah… he loves me too much.” Said Samantha.

“He didn’t like me being there… I could tell.” Said Nick.

“You know even back in the day you two just never clicked.” Said Samantha.

“Yeah I know, and me and you are really good friends.. I consider you one of my best friends now, we talked two or three times a day on the phone and hang out when I’m home. You’re also his girlfriend…” said Nick as Samantha threw a little piece of bread out in the water for the birds to get.

“That doesn’t mean anything, are you asking me to choose between you two?” asked Samantha.

“Never.. no I’m not. I wouldn’t do that.” Said Nick as Samantha smiled.

“Thanks… I don’t wanna do that either.” Said Samantha as Nick smiled and took a sip of his bottled water.

“So you wanna come over to Disney with me one weekend, you can chill out at Disney and all while I’m performing.” Said Nick.

“Nah… I’ve got a lot of stuff I gotta do here before I graduate.” Said Samantha, “You are gonna be here?”

“Damn straight…” said Nick as he smiled and Samantha smiled at him.

“And now I present, the class of 1998…” said the principle as everybody stood up and threw their caps in the air.

It was now June 5, 1998. Jake and Samantha were graduating and everybody was there to see it, including Nick. Brian had even drove over from Orlando where he was still getting over his heart surgery to see it.

The past month, Nick was home and him and Samantha hung out all the time. She did her best to avoid Jake, but he had warned her not to let anybody find out about what happened or to leave him. She knew that she had to do something, and she just couldn’t carry this on.

At school, they acted as they always did, like two young people who were in love, but when the bell rung, Nick would usually be there to pick Samantha up and they would leave to either go out on his boat, or go to Bush Gardens. Anything to just keep her away from home so she wouldn’t have to act it all out with Jake in front of her family and Nick.

Jake was getting tired of having Nick around. He knew he had to get Samantha to trust him again and that it was going to take a lot because he had made a big mistake that night. He just let her hang out with Nick while he was home because he knew that he wouldn’t be there that long. He also knew Nick wasn’t stupid enough to mess with someone else’s girl and that they were just friends. But somewhere deep down, he knew Nick liked Samantha and he was going to be damned if he let him have her.

While Nick was home, he bought himself a huge house by the water and his mom and Samantha helped him decorate it, but he knew that he wasn’t going to be there much to enjoy it. He would be leaving the next day with Brian to go to LA to rehearse for the tour with their choreographer.

“Sam.. come here..” said Jake as Samantha grabbed her cap and walked over to him as he hugged her, “We’re out of here.”

“I know..” said Samantha as they stopped hugging and she saw Nick, Brian, and her family sitting in the stands, “I umm.. I wanna tell you something.”

“What?” asked Jake.

“Since prom.. I’ve played this game about being together for everybody else, but high school’s over. We were high school and we’re not in high school anymore….” Said Samantha, as Jake looked confused.

“Do what?” asked Jake.

“It’s over…” said Samantha as she took his class ring off and handed it to him as she started to walk off and he stopped her.

“No it’s not over..” said Jake, “I still love you…”

“Jake… don’t do this okay.” Said Samantha as she looked around at everybody else hugging; “I don’t wanna do this here.”

“Look I’m sorry about what happened, I don’t know how much more I can apologize… just here, put this back on.” Said Jake as he put the ring back on her finger and she looked at him, “I’m sorry… just don’t leave me okay. I promise I won’t do that anymore.”

“Just give me some time to think okay… don’t rush me back into anything..” said Samantha as Jake smiled and handed her a little box, “Here’..”

“What’s this?” asked Samantha.

“Your graduation present…” said Jake as Samantha opened the little box to see a FSU charm for a bracelet or necklace.

“Thanks.. That’s sweet.” Said Samantha as she hugged him, “Just give me some time to think okay… don’t rush me.”

“Okay.. I won’t. Come on…” said Jake as they walked up to where everybody was, “I’m gonna go over where my family is… I’ll see ya later.”

“Okay.” Said Samantha as she walked over and handed her diploma to her dad, “There you go.. now what?” as Roger started to laugh.

“Damn she finally made it out of this hell-hole.” Said Roger as they looked at the diploma.

“So did I make a good speech?” asked Samantha.

“Girl you rocked.” Said Nick as Samantha hugged Maggie and then saw Brian.

“Hey, you feeling better?” asked Samantha.

“Yeah girl, you did good up there.’ Said Brian as they hugged and then she hugged Nick. Nick looked over to see Jake looking at them as they hugged.

“Come on.. Time for you present.” said Nick as he took Samantha’s hand and they started to walk out as Jake watched them.

“Do what?” asked Samantha laughing.

“Time for your present.. Rok here helped me pick it out.” Said Nick as they walked outside of the stadium until they reached the parking lot.

“What?” asked Samantha as Nick pointed at a silverish, looking metallic purple 1999 Eclipse with a big white bow on it, “That?”

“Uhh what do we say, Happy Graduation?” asked Nick as Samantha looked back at her parents in shock.

“Couldn’t decide on between that one or the green one…” said Brian as Samantha stood there in shock as she ran over and looked at it and they walked up behind her.

“This is mine?” asked Samantha.

“Yeah well you never got anything after totaling your car out after the wreck.” Said Nick as Samantha hugged him as Jake walked up.

“What’s this?” asked Jake looking at the car and then at Samantha and Nick.