Mixtapes & Polaroids | Sam x Deena

41

When they arrive, Simon is on his third beer and so is Sarah, Kate on the other hand was too busy eating leftovers she didn't finish when she did her dramatic little walkout from dinner. They had a little fire going, but it was really just a few sticks doused in some cheap gasoline in an old, rusty metal barrel they found somewhere in the woods. Simon spots them first, raising his can clad hand as he cheers, watching Sam and Deena approach with a smile as Kate and Sarah see them as well.

"Took you long enough!" Kate comments, getting up to give both girls a hug as Sam hands her the bottle she stole from her father's liquor cabinet.

"They probably had a pit stop, if you know what I mean." Simon jokes, nudging Sarah who sat next to him giggling along.

"Oh totally." She agrees.

"Simon!" Deena chastises, shooting him a glare as he raises his hands in defense.

"What? I'm kidding. Wait— is that what I think it is?" Simon asks, spotting the bottle Kate was now carrying as they take their seats around the makeshift fire.

"Yes, it is." Sam smiles, exchanging a knowing look with the boy who shoots up from his seat to practically tackle Sam in a hug that almost sends them both tumbling to the ground.

"Ah, I knew I liked you for a reason Sammy! We got a winner!" Simon cheers, taking Sam by the wrist to raise her arm as if he was announcing some sort of victor while Sam happily laughs, going along with his antics.

"Slow it down, i'm exhausted and i'm so not cleaning up after you if you shower yourself in puke." Kate pointedly looks at Simon, who waves her off with a slurred scoff.

"I don't need you to take care of me, Sam will. Won't you, Sammy?" He turns to Sam, everyone watching in amusement as Deena chimes in.

"Stop harassing my girlfriend, Simon."

"I've got you, don't worry." Sam whispers to the boy, who immediately beams, giving her a thumbs up as he treads back to his seat.

"Okay now we're all here, time for another commemorative toast to start the night." Kate pops open a can of beer for herself, tossing one to Deena and Sam since the cooler sat by her feet.

"Kate do we really—" Deena asks, catching the drink as Kate holds a hand up to stop her.

"Shhh. Don't ruin my moment." Kate clicks her tongue, shaking her head as Deena was left no choice but to settle into silence. Both her and Sam open their drinks, watching as Kate gets up and clears her throat.

"This year has been tough on all of us, as you all would agree and even if we've been through hell the past few months I can say with my whole heart that i'm still thankful." Kate looks over everyone, but her eyes linger on Sarah who sat across her, smiling as she watches Kate deliver her monologue.

"I'm thankful for old friends who have become family and i'm... thankful for you, Sarah Prescott." She raises a drink to Sarah, everyone exchanging knowing looks as Sam nudges Deena with a stifled laugh, almost as if to ask if she was hearing the same thing.

"Kate giving up the spotlight? Maybe miracles do exist." Simon whispers to Deena and Sam, all three of them laughing to themselves but Kate doesn't care, she's just looking at Sarah through the warm specks of flames that lit them up in the dead of night, amidst a sea of trees and darkness that lurked in every corner but right then and there, they were untouchable. Invincible to the curses and the crimes, to the rumors and the vicious shots always fired their way.

Right there, in that moment, they existed only for themselves.

"You'll be the first one out of all of us to actually get out of this shithole of a town and I can't think of anyone more deserving— aside from me, of course." Kate chuckles softly.