Everlasting Love

everlasting love [4]

*JJ's POV*

"Okay JJ, stand in front of the stairs there behind Samantha." My mom directed me, she lived for stuff like this. I was grateful to have her as my mom. I stood in front of the stairs where my mom had decorations for fall up and waited for Samantha to come closer to me. She slowly came and stood beside me, not very close at all; she was probably standing a good 2 feet away from me and I let out a little chuckle. Her eyes darted over to my face and that girl gave me the nastiest look she could give me. I had seen that face plenty of times before from her in my life; so when I saw it she looked like she was 5 years old again after I had taken her Barbies from her and ripped their heads off. "Come on Samantha, you can get closer to me...I won't bite you. Well, at least not since I was 7!"  Her cheeks blushed a bit and she stepped in front of me. I froze for a second; when she moved in front of me I couldn't help but take in her smell...she smelled like lavender and vanilla. My hands moved slowly over her hips and I relaxed a little bit more but she didn't. I could see her stand up a little straighter, she took in a sharp breath, and I could see some goosebumps form on her arms. But I didn't care if she didn't want me to hold her in that moment, I wanted to, I needed to. She seemed to relax herself when after a second or two of my hands on her hips and I even managed to pull her in a little closer to me. My mom pulled her face from around the camera, looked at the two of us together and smiled. "Okay you two, smile!" For the first time in a long time I felt myself feel happy and give a genuine smile, I had to make this work and make tonight special for Samantha. I needed more of her.

*Samantha's POV*

I couldn't believe he put his hands around my hips like that. I didn't expect that, at first I was nervous. But then, I felt warm and protected with his big hands around my tiny waist. I felt like that's where I belonged. I tried to ignore my cellphone buzzing in my clutch, I knew it was my agent calling me pissed that I never came out to New York for that audition but I have been trying to explain that I needed time to act like a normal teenager and live my life. I've already been in this industry for 10 years and needed to slow it down a bit. Finally, I was excited about tonight because it seemed like JJ might actually want to go with me. He kept pulling me in closer to his body and I wasn't complaining. "Okay Mom, that's enough pictures. Can we go now?" I could hear and feel JJ's voice rumble behind me as he spoke to his mom. He grabbed my jacket and held it out so I can put it on, then he bent over and whispered in my ear, "You look beautiful tonight, thank you for coming with me." My heart just about melted in my chest. I turned around and looked into his baby blue eyes, "Thanks, you're not too bad yourself." I smiled up at him. JJ was tall, but still pretty lanky for a 16 year old boy. Just a couple of months ago he joined a gym and was just beginning to show signs of his muscle filling out his lanky body. He opened the front door for me and I made my way out to the driveway. "Hey Justin!" his dad called out to him while tossing the keys to his truck, "Please drive safe!" JJ had just passed his driving test the week before and still didn't have a car yet so the look on his face when his dad gave him the keys to his truck was priceless. My grandfather had already told me that on my 16th birthday I could pick whatever car I wanted, but I didn't need him trying to buy my love or showing off his money. I know he would just hold that over my head the second he was upset with me. Besides, I had made good money with all the of the shows I have booked in my past, I would rather buy my own; it would make me feel responsible and proud that I was able to get something for myself without the help of my family. That's why I loved spending time with JJ's family. When they were helping you out it was genuine, it was because they wanted to help you out. Not just for something to hold over your head in the future. There was nothing but pure love radiating from this house.

We had been at the dance for an hour now and people were shocked to see me here with JJ. I mean, they all knew we have been best friends since diapers, I don't understand why it would be so shocking to see us here together. They all probably just thought he was too good for me and deserved to have a cheerleader around his arm. This town was such a cliche. We both got to a table and JJ had offered to go get us something to drink. When he turned around he stopped for a second and chuckled to himself. I peered around his shoulders and saw what he was looking at, Emily Ross was dancing with another guy out on the dance floor. This time it was senior linebacker John Patrick. This guy was just a maneater. I was glad JJ didn't seem hurt by it and was laughing at the fact he wasn't the only person Emily dumped to go to the dance with. JJ had been gone for about 10 minutes and while I was just sitting there people watching, out of the corner of my eye I could see Emily making her way in my direction. "Well, enjoying my sloppy seconds there Samantha?" Now her and her little click were standing there in front of me just staring down at me in my chair. "Oh Emily, how could they be your sloppy seconds when you threw him out before you could even get your filthy paws on him? Besides, everyone knows I've known JJ longer than anybody else." She was definetley not happy with that first statement I gave her, she looked like she was ready to rip my hair out. "How dare you say I am filthy! Just look at you, thinking youre so much better and mightier than everyone else here." She grabbed the punch cup out of her friends hand and had an evil grin on her face. "Here, I'll give you some advice, go back to New York and stay there because no one...wants...you...here!" As she spoke those last 3 words she slowly began pouring the punch on the top of my head. I was shocked, I could not believe she had just done that.

*JJ's POV*

I could not believe what I had just saw. Emily Ross, had just dumped punch all over Samantha's head. I was talking to some of the guys on the team for maybe 10 minutes when I looked over to check on Samantha and saw red punch being poured on to her beautiful blonde hair. I ran over to her, I was used to protecting her, I've always felt the need to protect her. She was so special, so important to me; so when I saw the hurt in her eyes I just ran over to her. "Emily!" I shouted as I got closer. She looked up at me, with guilt in her eyes for a quick second, as if she didn't plan on me seeing her do that. Maybe she was just thinking Samantha would run out of her and she wouldn't tell me what had happened. Emily and her group of friends walked away as I reached Samantha. I put my hands on either side of her face and could see tears forming in her eyes. "She's right, I don't belong her, no one likes me here." she quietly whispered to me. "Don't listen to her, I want you here, my whole family wants you here. And that's all that matters, who gives a shit what that bitch says. Last time I checked she wasn't the mayor!" She giggled and if that little giggle and her beautiful smile didn't make my heart jump in my throat, I would have never realized that I was in love with Samantha.

"Come on, let's get out of here. This place isn't any fun anyways!" I put my jacket around her and lead her out to the truck, determined to make her night better than the way it was going already.