Playing with Forever

Chapter 39: Dancing

I met Sam outside of the locker room after our volleyball game Thursday evening. We had lost, which wasn't typical of us, but what I saw happening in the stands made it all worth it.

"Sam," I said, hardly believing that what I saw really happened. "Were you sitting with Dylan during the game?"

He shrugged, embarrassed. "Yes."

"Were you talking to him?"

He sighed in defeat. "Yes."

I clasped my hands together in excitement. "Look at you, Mr. Social! How was it? What did you talk about?"

"Hair dye."

I blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

"I commented that I liked Mina's pink hair, and wondered what she used to make it so bright. Turns out Dylan helps her dye it. We talked about it." Sam put a hand up to his glossy brown hair. "He thinks I should go blue."

I giggled. "I'd like to see that. No, wait, don't," I changed my mind. "I love your brown hair too much."

He ran his fingers through the red strands of hair coming out of my ponytail. "Don't, it's sweaty," I warned, but he just smiled. I didn't take showers in the locker room where my scars would be on display for just anybody to see.

"Yours makes me happy." He frowned when his fingers tangled in my hair. "Although it could use some conditioner."

"Rude." I motioned him towards the parking lot. "Come on, I'll drive."

Sam gave in and climbed into my car, even though I knew he liked his much better than mine. He scowled at the grinding noise the old Toyota made when I put it in gear.

"I am going to buy you a new car soon," he said in response to the obvious crappiness of my car.

I patted the dashboard and said to it, "You've still got a few years left in you, haven't you?"

Sam scowled again. "When was the last time you had your oil changed?" He tried to peer at the reminder sticker in the upper hand corner of the windshield but was too tall to read it.

"Oh. Um. Never?"

He sighed. "I will change it on Saturday."

Emile was playing the piano inside when we got to Sam's that night, and Paula quickly joined him, belting out the lyrics to his song. She stood on the piano bench, arms flung wide, serenading an invisible audience. It took me a minute to realize that it was a Disney song. A Whole New World, from Aladdin. I only remembered because my Sacramento private school had themed a homecoming dance around it, the school gym decorated like "Arabian Nights." Or so I had heard.

"I've never been to a school dance," I said after I told Sam what the song made me think about as we walked into the art studio. The music leaked in from the living room after us.

"No?"

"Never. I've always wanted to go with the guy I liked, to slow dance with him in front of the entire school. Silly, huh?"

With a grin, he came to me and put his hand on my waist. Taking my right hand in his left, he pulled me to him and slowly started to dance with me. He led me in a slow sway to the music as I grinned. It was even better than dancing in front of the entire school, showing him off to everyone. Sam was all mine, and that was all I cared about.

I rested against him as he pulled me closer, feeling things I've never felt before Sam came into my life. Affection. Care. Protection. 

Love.

"I love you so much, Sam," I whispered.

He just kissed my hair and continued to sway to Emile's piano. I knew he loved me back without him even needing him to say the words. I squeezed my eyes shut, just feeling all the things he brought out in me.

Samuel Durand, I thought. I Accept you.

I waited while holding my breath. I swayed back and forth with Sam's body, and I waited... But nothing happened.

Something was supposed to happen. Things were supposed to feel different, feel better. I waited to be overwhelmed with feeling, but it never came.

It didn't work.

Samuel Durand, Sam, my Sam. My heart hurt, and tears gathered in my eyes as my throat tightened.

Didn't you hear me? I called out in my mind to the power that held sway over all things immortal. I said I love Sam, I Accept the weird pre-destination he has to love me even though it sucks for him, and I Accept the responsibility and intensity of immortal love. I never want him to be alone.

But nothing happened.

It couldn't have been that I was scared of him. His body was touching mine as he held me close and it didn't scare me. His arms were holding me, and I wasn't afraid. I snuggled my face into his neck.

We loved each other, and that wasn't ever going to change.

So why wasn't it working?