Why not? - English

13-09 Hold Your Horses

Elvis' POV

Sam wasn't himself today. Actually, he hasn't been for weeks, but in the last few days, it's been particularly bad. I had spoken to him so many times and he hadn't given me an answer because his thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

I particularly noticed it today with Kilo. He never had any problems with animals, but Kilo and Sam didn't really warm up to each other. The horse certainly sensed that something was bothering Sam.

I tried to ask him what was wrong because I wanted to help him so much, but he always dismissed it. However, I suspected that it had something to do with Penny, because she had become just as reserved, almost sad.

Did it have something to do with that stupid rumor about Ellie and Sam? Did Penny believe that? Now that the two of them had developed such a deep friendship and Penny had gotten Sam to be almost as fun and easy-going as he had been as a child, it hurt me to see my two friends like that. It had been so nice to watch how well the two of them were doing together. Right from the start, Penny had always been the quiet and reserved one as well.

We'd all noticed how much the two of them had changed in the last few months, but it was Ellie who had pointed out to us that the two of them weren't just joking with each other, but often actually seemed to be flirting with each other. I didn't really want to believe that. Sam had never shown any interest in a woman since the dance class.

But now seeing how unhappy the two of them were and how inhibited they were with each other, even though they had seemed so happy just a short time ago, that said something, didn't it? Especially since Sam had looked at Penny that night on the quay when they'd danced and he had looked at her as if he'd rather be alone with her - and that was a look I'd never seen on Sam's face before, not even when he was drunk - what really didn't happen often.

He was the coolest, most frugal and humble man I knew when it came to women. I certainly wouldn't have been able to resist the offers he had already received, even those only during his film career. But for Sam that hadn't been a problem at all. I once asked him his secret as to how he managed to do that. His answer was simply that he had no feelings for any of these women and therefore they didn't appeal to him.

But Penny somehow appealed to him, even I could see that, and the two of them would be so cute together. Did they just need some help?

Well, if Sam didn't want to talk to me, I'd try my luck with Penny at the next opportunity. The two apparently needed a push in the right direction - and it was no secret that I was good at pushing. Okay, mostly unintentional and it usually led to more trouble, but with these two I would do everything right for once.

Penny's POV

That evening I found myself on the Pontypandy Planet website and got stuck on the latest photo - the picture that would now also hang on Moose's Wall of Champions, on which I had already secured a place with Merkury last year after I finished best in the cross-country course.

I had held my breath today as Sam, with Kilo's help and the rope that the horse and Ravani had held, swung over the abyss to get Mandy off the ledge. But everything went well and back at the Mountain activity center I laughed in tears when Kilo pushed himself in front of Sam for the photo. Sam had immediately turned to me and I had seen his look change from surprise to a mischievous smile and had seen that special twinkle in his eyes.

Even now I smiled broadly at the photo of Sam looking like he had a horse's head and lost myself in the memory of his look afterwards. I missed our jokes and being together so much.

The doorbell rang and I wondered who was coming by that evening before it turned into something like skepticism when I opened the door and saw Sam standing there. He had his hands folded behind his back and was looking at me with a sheepish smile. Was it difficult for him to come here?