The Knowing Secret

Chapter 17

Over the next few months things started to fall back into a routine. It was pretty much normal between Jay and me. It would have been completely normal if I couldn't feel how he felt about me. However he was doing everything he could to keep our friendship like it was before. He even asked about Sam and me. I tried not to drag out my answers because I could feel how it was affecting him, but every day it seemed to affect him less. His love for me was still there, and it might always be, but he was doing his best to push it away.

Things between Sam and I were great. After everyone knew about us we spent as much time as we could together. I was happy and getting to see how Sam and I being together affected Sara was only a bonus. After a while she stopped caring and set her sights on a new guy. My parents seemed to love Sam and enjoyed seeing him over at the house. I didn't know who loved him more, my parents or Leah. She always wanted to play with him whenever he was over and each time he always made an effort to do so.

After a while I had forgotten about the whole scene with Evan, and about the lie I told Sam. Evan became just another friend. He didn't stop his flirting but he at least made it less obvious when he was around Sam. Corey stopped obsessing with him and stayed with Kirk when she realized Evan was just another high school flirt.

With the dance coming up I felt like I was floating on a cloud. Evan had managed to change the theme and location of the dance. I was finally getting my dream dance and I was going with my dream guy. Everything was perfect, but just as it always turned out, it didn't stay that way for long. The evening before our winter break started, the evening before the dance everything changed.

Before I heard the doorbell I heard Leah yell "Sam's here! Sam's here!" Then I heard her run to the door.

I hadn't been expecting to see Sam until tomorrow night when he picked me up for the dance. So even though Sam had his walls up I knew something wasn't right.  As I walked down the stairs I heard Sam say, "I can't play right now Leah I really need to talk to Riley."

"Please one game?" Leah begged.

Sam's eyes had found me on the stairs and smiled at me. Then he turned back to Leah and said "Next time I promise."

"Pinky promise?" she asked sticking her pinky out. The sight of this made me smile. After they pinky promised Leah ran off to play by herself.

"Well this is a surprise," I said when I reached him. Before giving him a chance to say anything I kissed him. Something wasn't right and I wanted to see if I could get his walls to fall. Yet even through the kiss they stayed strong.

When he pulled back from the kiss he kept his arms around me so I rested my head by his shoulder. "I have to tell you something," Sam said at last.

"Is it that you couldn't stand being away from me for even one evening?" I joked as I stepped back. The second I saw the very serious look on his face I knew he wasn't here with good news.

When I gave him a sad questioning look he sighed and let his walls down. He was upset about something. "It's my family," he said answering my unasked question. "My sister called, there is a family emergency. I have to go see her."

"Oh, I hope everyone is ok," then pushing my luck I added. "I hope this doesn't affect your dancing tomorrow."

"Riley," he started.

My sigh cut him off, "When do you have to leave?"

"Tonight, as soon as I leave here."

"Do you know when you'll be back?" I asked hopefully.

He shook his head, "Not in time for the dance. I'm sorry Riley, I know how much you were looking forward to it."

"It's okay, I understand family comes first." After I said this he pulled me back into his arms and kissed my forehead.