Invman2

Chapter 2

Elizabeth laughed. "Look harder."
         After another minute of searching, Sam dumped the bag out. There was nothing there, only tissue paper. "Very funny, Mom. It's a wonderful present, a whole bunch of shredded tissue paper."

         Elizabeth stood up. "I thought you might like it. It's your favorite color." She gave Sam a hug. "But I know you won''t like it as much as this." She held up a key.
         "What does it go to?" Sam asked, holding out her hand.
         "To the black Expedition sitting right outside the door," Elizabeth replied, dropping the key in Sam's hand.
         Sam smiled and hugged her mother. "Thank you so very much, Mommy. I've wanted one ever since I got my license."
         "Yeah, I know. I was stuck between this and the Jaguar you've always wanted, so I went with this."
         "That's fine. It's a car, with more room than a Jag. Thank you. I love you."
         "Now it's time for her to open the last present," JC said. "Mine." He handed her another gift bag.

         Sam looked at it. "Did you do the same thing Mom did?"
         "No, of course not. Hurry up and open."
         Sam stuck her hand in the bag and pulled out a small black velvet box. She opened it.
         There, on white silk, rested a flawless diamond. It was surrounded by emeralds that matched
     her eyes, set in white gold.
         "Oh, JC, it's so beautiful," Sam said, turning and hugging him. Her eyes were filled with tears.
     Over JC's shoulder, Sarah's blue eyes met Sam's. The emotion in Sam's eyes shocked Sarah.
     Love was there, shinning bright and beautiful. But it didn't really surprise her. Sarah had felt, for
     the longest of times, that Sam loved JC. She just never knew for sure. Now she did.
     Once Sam let go of him, JC picked up the box and took the ring out. He picked up Sam's right
     hand. "You've been one of my best friends. You've always been there and I could tell you anything.
     This is a reminder of me, and to tell you I'll never forget you and I'll always be there." He slipped
     the ring on and kissed her forehead. "And, hopefully, you'll always be apart of my life."
         "Of course," Sam said. "I don't think our parents would let it be otherwise, and I know Sarah
     and Chris won't."
         JC laughed. "I doubt it." He tossed an arm over her shoulders and guided her to the table
     where Sarah, Bri, and the guys were. "Guys, we need to invite the girls out to Florida, to come
     visit us." JC sat down, pulling Sam on his lap.
         "Didn't I tell you?" Sam asked, looking at him. "We're moving down there."
         "You are? Why?'
         "I've been accepted to a a college down there," Sam replied. "Sarah refused to let me live in
     Florida by myself, and Bri said she wanted to come."
         Chris looked at his girlfriend. "You're moving to Florida? Cool. We can spend more time
     together."
         "Where are you going to live?" Justin asked.
         "We're going to find an apartment," Sam told him. The guys all opened their mouths to protest.
     She held up a hand. "I want an apartment. Sarah and Bri can live with any of you. I don't
     care. But I want my own place, so I can bring home..... friends."
         "We'll talk about this later," JC said. "I don't want you living in an apartment by yourself."
         "Shut up JC. I don't need this right now. I'm already nervous about tomorrow. I don't need
     anything on top of that."
         "Okay. Then I won't tell you I'm thinking about proposing to my girlfriend."
         "What?" Sam exclaimed, shocked. "You're thinking about asking Lesley to marry you?"
         JC nodded his head. "Do you think she'll say yes?"
         Sam felt her heart shatter. She gulped. "I think so. She'd have to be dense not to.
     Congratulations." She hugged JC and kissed him on the check. "I hope you'll be happy." It will
     make up for my sorrow, since I just lost my heart.
         "Hey, Sam," someone called. "Did you go to prom?"
         Sam blinked her eyes rapidly, to dry the tears. "Yes, I did," she called. "Why?"
         "Let's see the pictures then," her uncle said. He wasn't real her uncle, but Robert's family
     basically adopted her.
         Sam laughed. "Let me get them. I have copies at home." She stood up and headed for the door.
     "I'll be right back." She walked outside and headed for her new car, making a detour to the car she
     and Sarah shared, to get Kleenex. She knew she'd need it.
         Sam had gone through the entire travel pack by the time she got to her apartment. She found the
     pictures of prom and set them on the coffee table. She then walked to the bathroom and looked at
     her face. You could tell she'd been crying. Sam quickly fixed her make-up and found a pair of
     sunglasses that hid her eyes.
         When she got back, she gave the pictures to her uncle. They passed them around the room. The
     guys were the last ones to see them.
         "He's the one who hasn't seen you since that night?" JC asked, holding up an 8x10 picture of the
     couple.
         "Yep. After Sarah told him that if he hurts me, she makes him want to die, he hasn't asked me
     out. We had three classes together, so we did see each other, but he tries to avoid me whenever
     possible."
         JC looked at Sarah. "Thank you for frightening him off."
         "JC, do you want me to stay single for the rest of my life or something like that?" Sam
     demanded.
         "No," JC replied. "You can get married and have kids." A picture of Sam, holding a baby to her
     breast, popped in his head. But it wasn't a picture of just any child. It was his. JC shook his
     head, dismissing the image. "But the guy you marry is going to be screened, examined, cross
     examined, and then lectured to by me."
         Sam laughed. "Whatever, JC. Whatever."
         "Yeah, that's my job," Sarah said. "I'm going to be the one she lives with, so I'm going to talk to
     the dude."
         "No one's going to cross examine or threaten my dates," Sam said. "Before I've even been in
     Florida for a year, no guy will date me."
         "We aren't going to scare them off," Sarah told her. "Just warn them."
         Sam looked at her. "Yeah right. That's why I hope you move in with Chris, and Bri with you
     two or one of the other guys. I want to be able to bring friends home without the two of you
     looming over me."
     Sarah and Bri glared at her. "You aren't living by yourself."
     "I'm not talking about this right now. I don't want to worry about it." Sam stood up. "I'm going
     home." She walked over to the table where her presents rested and carried them out to her car. It
     took her four trips. Then she had to walk around and say good-bye to everyone.
     It was nearing twelve when she got home and brought her gifts inside.
     Sarah and Bri, who was staying at the apartment for the week, got in a few minutes later. The
     guys were staying at a hotel, so they didn't heat the heart wrenching sobs coming from Sam's room