Boarding School Bliss

Chapter 8

A gloomy pall hovered over Samantha for the rest of the evening. She knew Cara had only said what she said to hurt her. The problem was it worked because Samantha knew that it was true. She rolled from her bed and slipped out the door of the room she shared with Jasmine. Jasmine had fallen asleep hours ago while Sam had tossed and turned, her brain refusing to shut up.

She trailed down the hallway, going nowhere in particular, lost in her thoughts. As she passed by the library, her thoughts turned to Dawson. He'd always been her secret crush, but it seemed more and more every day that her secret crush was soon to become a very difficult decision for her to make.

Samantha turned the corner and passed the alcove she'd hidden in once. She jumped in surprise as she noticed someone standing in it.

"Dawson!" She exclaimed, covering her chest with her hand. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He said quickly, reaching his hands out as if to calm her. "I thought you were the security guard."

Samantha looked around in confusion. "What were you doing?"

"Hiding." At her still confused expression, he added, "Oh, I was in the library."

Samantha's frown smoothed into a small smile. "You sneak into the library a lot?"

"Kinda." Dawson said, with a sheepish grin and a nervous ruffle of his hair.

Samantha only nodded at that, ready to bid him goodbye and continue her pity party.

"Are you alright?" Dawson asked. He was peering at her from behind his reading glasses, his forehead creased with concern.

"Oh, I'm fine." Samantha waved a hand and mustered her best impression of a smile.

"Sam."

Samantha avoided his too-perceptive eyes and said, "I just had a fight with one of my friends."

"Ah." Dawson nodded like he understood exactly what had happened, but Samantha comforted herself with the fact that there was no way that was possible. "So you need some cheering up?"

Samantha laughed a little and said, "No, no, I'm fine."

"You say that too much." Dawson told her. He dropped his backpack back in the shadows of the alcove and held a hand out to her. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Samantha groaned inwardly and slid her hand into his. Why couldn't she resist him? She was so distracted by the feel of his hand that she almost didn't notice when he led her outside. The chilly air greeting her bare legs brought her attention back. When Dawson stopped in front of the wall, she quirked one of her eyebrows at him.

He smirked. "Just hold on." Samantha crossed her arms and shivered. "Right." Dawson said, glancing down at her clothes. "Who wears shorts in the fall?"

Samantha raised her eyebrows. "I wasn't exactly planning on going outside."

Dawson chuckled quietly. "Oh yeah. Here." He started shrugging out of his hoodie.

Samantha shamelessly checked him out as his shirt slid up with his sweater. He handed it to her and said, "I'd give you my pants, but, then, you know, I'd be cold."

Samantha laughed and took the sweater. "Thanks, this should be fine." She pulled the sweater over her head and her heart did a little flip as she inhaled the smell of Dawson that clung to it.

She turned to see that he had begun scaling the lattice that climbed the wall in front of them. Her mouth dropped open a bit. "Is that safe?"

"It's fine. I do it all the time." Dawson called down to her. He was making quick work of the climb and was already nearing the roof. "Come on."