Previously Strangers (TFIL/Sam and Colby)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Word count: 2,000
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My heart was beating so incredibly fast that I was worried I would have a heart attack. My palms were drenched with sweat and I felt like throwing up. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant feeling. Sam was standing in front of me, looking as handsome as ever, asking to take me on a date.
"Surprise!" He called, a sly smirk spread across his god-like face. Although I was reluctant to promote this dangerous crush of mine, I slowly padded over to him and he met me halfway, then interlocked our fingers. I must've been giving him the strangest look, because he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and lead me to the back seat's door saying, "I'll explain in the car."
Cautiously, I slid into the back seat and buckled my seatbelt as Sam did the same next to me. The whirr of the engine sounded, and the weight of the car shifted as our chauffeur drove us through the streets of LA.
"Okay, spill." I warned, lifting my leg onto the seat.
"Well, long story short, Elton and I had a talk, he gave me his blessing to date you, and then he and the guys helped me to set up a totally awesome date for us tonight. So here we are."
"Why did it have to be a surprise? What if I said no?" I asked, my arms folded on my chest.
"The guys and I thought that If you'd be less stressed out about it if it was a surprise. I just was hoping you wouldn't say no."
I thought about it for a moment, "This doesn't mean we're a couple or anything, but I forgive you."
"I know I messed up Kate, but I want to make it up to you because I don't want to continue on like we have been. Even if we only get to be friends, it's better than ignoring each other." He pleaded.
"So this doesn't have to be a date?" I asked skeptically.
"Nah. We're just two friends hangin' out." He sighed happily as he did the stretch-and-put-my-arm-over-your-shoulder bit.
"Sam." I warned in a deep sing-songy voice. His arm hesitantly slid off my shoulder.
With a sigh, he said, "Fine, fine. Just friends." I shot him a smile and turned to face the window. Buildings stretched for miles in front of us and reached for the sky, as they peeked up into the clouds. The car's air freshener was trying like hell to disguise the musty downtown smell, but the scent of food trucks mixed with gasoline still stung the inside of my nose.
"So what are we doing tonight?" I blurted out, after a long period of silence. Sam shook his head, he made it perfectly clear that everything we were doing today was a surprise, so I should just stop asking.
I threw my arms across my chest out of frustration, waiting impatiently for us to reach our first destination. As I peered out the window, I noticed we were headed out of downtown now, and back onto the highway that would take us to the southern part of town.
"So, I have to tell you, we're probably not going to be alone for this first part. The guys insisted on coming so they're going to meet us there."
I scrunched up my nose as I thought about where we could be going. "Samuel Golbach, Tell me where in the world is so exciting that my brother would want to go on a date with me and his best friend."
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The car pulled up to the curb of, yep! you guessed it, DisneyLand. "Sam, are you kidding? Disneyland? I've never been here! Oh, my God!!"
"...Are you happy?" He asked skeptically.
"Of course!" I said "I mean, I've wanted to come here since I was little, How'd you know?"
Sam shrugged, a smile spread wide on his face, "Elton told me."
I didn't think it was possible to smell happiness until I stepped out of the backseat and was hit with a waft of the park: popcorn and candy and fresh baked pastries and other mouth watering scents. Brightly colored Mickey Mouse balloons were held by a worker dressed in red and yellow striped pants, rows of turnstiles let attendees into the park, one by one and a train, filled with smiling passengers, traveled across the rattling tracks above us.
Sam stepped out behind me, brandishing five tickets. I scanned the crowd for the guys, and found them also stepping out of an Uber, excitedly jumping around and joking with each other. Typical. The second they saw us, Corey came running over to me and pulled me away from Sam by my arm, "Soooo?" He taunted, wiggling his eyebrows.
I scrunched up my face, "...Sooo?" I replied.
"What did you say? Is it official? Did he put a ring on it? I mean obviously not the marriage ring, but you know what I mean." He beamed.
"He tried, but I said no."
"What? You've been raving to me for weeks about how you miss him and he doesn't love you anymore and you still love him blah blah blah! So when he finally asks you out, you say NO? Sure, that makes perfect sense."
"Corey! Shut your mouth! What if he hears you?! Besides, you have to make him sweat a little, right?" I smirked.
"Oh-ho-ho!" He chuckled, "I get it. That's smart!"
"You guys ready?" Elton said, spitting annoyance in to each word.
"Yeah, yeah. We're ready." I nodded and fell into place in the group as we neared the turnstiles. The workers greeted us with smiles and let us each in with a 'Have a Magical day!'
Elton led us into the park, with Colby and Sam on my right, and Corey following on my heels. My stomach churned with excitement as the castle, main street and the front circle of the park came into view. I had only dreamed of this moment almost my entire life and now it was finally happening, and I couldn't ask for a better group of people to attend with.
Surprisingly the park was almost empty, since it was a school night for most of LA. As we walked around the park, we were the first in line for almost everything. In just a few hours, we knocked out all of the rides in the park, except for Splash Mountain and a few other small rides. Corey was complaining that his feet hurt, Elton had to get home to Circa, and Colby was meant to be at a meeting, so the three of them decided to head home, leaving Sam and I to ourselves.
"Hungry?" He asked, turning the map in different directions, helplessly failing at reading it. "There's a whole bunch of restaurants over there."
I shrugged. "I could eat."
Sam nodded and led me to a quaint cafe near Splash Mountain. We approached the sitting area and he pulled out a chair for me at a white, wickered metal table. Just as he sat down, a tall brown haired waitress sashayed over to us. Just by the sound of her slutty heels I knew who she was, Erin Devine, in the flesh. She was still so beautiful that even as good as I looked now, she still made me feel inferior. "Hi, I'm Erin, what can I get for you? Or, uh would you like me to read you the specials?" She asked, only looking at Sam, with a lustfulness in her eyes.
"We'll just need a minute to look over the menu. You could get our drinks though. I'll have a Sprite." He noted with a goofy smile spread across his face.
"What do you want?" She blurted out, not even bothering to look at me.
"Could I please have a Lemonade?" I asked politely, Sam gave me a wink as she wrote our order down. Her eyes lifted from the note pad and our gaze met each others. "Oh, look who it is, LA Hills little miss wanna be." She sneered as she walked away.
Her words stung like a bee sting, but I rolled my eyes and tried to blow it off, "What's her issue?" I asked. For some reason, which was totally dumb, I felt so bad about myself. Like, why would Sam want to be here with me, when he could have someone like Erin, who was tall and thin and beautiful, instead of me who's short and pudgy. Wishing I could just melt into the chair and not be here anymore, I rubbed my arm anxiously.
"You alright?" Sam asked, noticing my extremely nervous behavior.
"Uh, yeah. Just a little cold I guess." I shrugged.
"Cold?" He shrieked, "It's like eighty degrees out here!"
"Well, it's windy and I'm cold." I grunted, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Here. Take my jacket." Said Sam as he stood up and slid his leather jacket around my shoulders. His touch sending shivers down my spine.
"Thanks." I muttered, shrugging. The waitress came up and slammed the food down, then slid her hand onto Sam's shoulder.
"Can I get you anything else?" She purred to him. He looked at her then looked back at me, then once again at her and shrugged. My blood began to boil, I stared at her tan hand, with perfectly finished nails on his shoulder hoping to burn holes in it with my eyes. I was so enraged that I felt the muscles on my arms begin to quiver and my lips purse together.
"No, but you can get yourself another table to serve, because I will not have your man-hands feeling up my boyfriend, and I don't care how attractive you are on the outside, you are cold as ice on the inside. So step back before I go fifty shades of Ursula on you." I said standing up and looking her dead in the eye. She simply huffed and walked away with a pattering of her heels. Satisfied, I plopped back down in the booth and rested my head in my hands.
"What was that about?" Sam asked, his face signaling he wasn't happy.
I scoffed, "She had her hands all over you, she was flirting, couldn't you see?" My words were powerful and shot annoyance into every syllable.
"Why does it matter? I wasn't flirting with her, I would never do that. I'm here for you Katelin, that's all that matters." He reassured.
"It matters because she's beautiful, and tall and thin and I don't compare to her in anyway because I'm short and pudgy and my cheeks are chubby and my hair is flat and nasty and I know that any guy would rather be with her than with me. That's why it matters." I breathed out. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and I thought I was about to burst into tears. I looked away, placed my balled up fist on my lips and took a shaky breath.
"I don't understand why you do that." He mumbled, "Go and compare yourself to others. You're not Erin, you're you. Girls should be able to say 'she's beautiful, and so am I' Instead of putting yourself down because you believe someone else is more attractive than you. Attractiveness is subjective, Kate I think you're absolutely stunning and there's no one else I'd rather be here with. You're smart, and kind to everyone you meet and you have this loveable sassiness that neither me or any of the guys would get without you. You are the only one we want, The only one that I want, and I hope you know that."
Of course by this time I was a wreck, my eyes were puffy and my knuckles were red after biting them to keep my cries from sounding. I nodded with a forced smile, "I want you too, Sam"