Chapter 23 - Scott

Scott watched the two of them as he stood on the outskirts.  Graham stared down at Sam with such intensity that Scott was worried she'd catch fire at any moment.  He had never seen his friend look so adamant about something in his life.  Whatever it was that they were talking about, Graham wanted to make sure he got his point across. 

Around him, the music began again, making the once serious expression on Graham's face turn as light as it usually is.  Scott could not see Sam's face, could not see how she reacted to Graham's words, but when Graham twirled her, Sam's smile caught Scott's attention. 

"She's confused," someone whispered.

Scott glanced next to him, realizing for the first time that Max was standing there.  "What do you mean?"

Max gestured towards Sam, who was now laughing at something Graham whispered in her ear.  "She looks happy, doesn't she?  On the inside, she's freaking out.  The conversation she had with your mother must have hit a little too close to home for her."

"I still don't understand."

Max took a step in front of him, blocking his view of Sam and Graham.  "You think that she freaked out so bad earlier today because she was going to lose you, or was it because she thought she had ruined the relationship between you and Graham?  Look at her, Scott.  Ignore what you think you feel for her, and look at her."

"I would if you would move," Scott mumbled while glancing passed Max.  Scott stared at Sam, at the happy expression on her face, at the way she moved smoothly beside Graham.  They looked perfect for one another.

"Tell me," Max mumbled.  "If Sam walked up to you right now and said she wanted to be with Graham, but still wanted your friendship, what would you say?"

Shrugging, he pulled his eyes off Sam.  "I don't think it would ever be the same.  Maybe, after a couple years, I would be able to be around them again, but I just don't think it would work out anymore."

"You'd be willing to give up your two best friends and their happiness because you felt uncomfortable?"  Max sighed, annoyance in his every motion. "I'm not gay."

"What?" Scott said a little too loud.  Turning towards the man, he stared at Max as if he were a new person.  "What do you mean, you're not gay?"

"I mean men, they may be amazing people, but they don't appeal to me in a sexual sense.  Women, they are more to my tastes."

"Then why—"

"Why does Sam think that?" Max interrupted.  "I told her I loved her once, before I told her I was gay.  It was the first time either of us had even brought up that word between the two of us.  You should have seen the complete panic in her eyes.  I knew right then that if I wouldn't have stopped her, she would have said it back and the two of us would be together as long as I wanted us to be.  Don't you understand, Scott?  Sam's a nice person, almost too nice at times.  It's her downfall."

Scott glanced back towards Sam.  "You want me to give her up?"

Max clamped him on the shoulder just as another song ended.  "No, I want you to let her choose.  Let her pick the one she really wants.  If that happens to be you, more power to you."  Max took a step back.  "Now, go dance with her before someone else grabs her.  These men are like vultures."

Shaking his head, Scott weaved through the crowd and towards Sam.  Just as Max had predicted, another man was attempting to talk her into dancing with him.  Scott could see Graham standing a distance away, looking as if he wanted to intervene, but wanted Sam to make her own decisions.  With a sigh, Scott reached out, pulling Sam away from the man who was now trying to wrap his arms around her.

"Care for a dance?"

Sam smiled at him in relief as he began swaying with her.  "Thank you.  That man could not take a hint."

"I don't blame him," Scott replied with a smile.  "You look beautiful."

"Thanks," she mumbled.  "You look handsome yourself."

They stood there, moving to the music, but Scott could feel an awkwardness settle over their movements.  "Are you having fun?"

"Yeah," she said, a new smile falling on her face.  "I spoke with your mom, and it really brought everything into perspective for me."

"Meaning?"

She glanced behind her, and when she turned back, a frown was on her face.  "I was telling Graham," she shot his name out as if it were a curse, "that I really do love you both.  You're the best friends that anyone could wish for.  I just don't want that to change."

"Why would that change?" Scott asked while glancing over her shoulder.  A small smile curled onto his lips when he realized exactly what Sam was frowning about.  Graham stood there, dancing with a woman.  To Scott's eyes, he could see how his friend attempted to get further and further from the woman, but to Sam, she probably only saw how beautiful the woman was.

She stopped moving; bring his attention back to her.  "Do you mind if we go somewhere else and talk?  Somewhere not so busy?"

"Sure," Scott mumbled while grabbing ahold of her hand.  Weaving them through the crowd, he nodded at Max as they passed him by.  The man smiled back, a slightly worried expression on his face when he saw that Scott and Sam were leaving the dance floor.  Scott raised an eyebrow and Max, wondering what could put that worried expression on the man's face.

They entered the house, but Scott did not stop until he pulled her into a familiar room.  Just as he had left it, the walls were blue with brown molding around the ceiling. Everywhere he looked, there was a quote painted on the wall, various ones that he had picked up and loved along the way.

"What is this place?" Sam asked, running a hand across the wall.

Scott dropped her hand while walking towards one of the many chairs in the room.  "My thinking room," he said with a chuckle.  "I may no longer live with my parents, but coming here always puts things in perspective for me."

"It's beautiful," she whispered as she walked around the room, reading various quotes that he loved. 

"Thank you," he answered while leaning back into the chair.  "Since I come here to right the wrongs in my mind, I thought maybe it would do you some good."

She turned towards him, a frown on her face.  "What would I need to think about?"

"Life," he answered dramatically, making her laugh.  "I do have one question that I've wanted to get off my mind for a little while now."  She gestured for him to continue.  "How long have you known Max was gay?"

She laughed louder this time.  Walking towards him, she plopped down in the chair across from him.  "Since we were seven and he still wanted to play dress up with me.  I used to have to fight him over which shoes I could and couldn't wear."  She paused for a moment, and Scott knew that she was thinking of something.  "No, I guess then I just suspected.  When I really knew was when we were fifteen.  You see, my mom always told me that if you love someone, no matter what kind of love it is, you need to tell them.  You never know when you'll see that person again."

"You have a very wise mother."

She smiled at him with a nod.  "So do you.  Anyway, one day I was talking about whichever boy I had a crush on at the time.  I wanted to tell the boy, but Max thought that I should wait until I knew that he liked me back.  You see, Max has always wanted to protect me.  My theory is that Dad has been paying him to do it since we were five."

"You're getting off track," Scott said with a laugh.

Shaking her head, she bit her bottom lip.  "It was just so funny.  I stopped talking, turned to him, and then told him I loved him.  You should have seen the panic in his eyes.  I thought he was going to run right then."

"What happened?"

"Well, I thought that he would just flat out tell me the truth, but instead, he kissed me."

Scott leaned forward in his chair, wanting to know the rest of the story.  "What next?"

She laughed, clutching her side as if it were the funniest thing that had ever happened to her.  "He drew back and said, "Yeah, I'm definitely gay.'"

Scott chuckled along with her while shaking his head.  There were no doubts in his mind that Sam was telling the truth, that Max had been lying to him only moments before.  Why had the man lied though, what was the point of Max telling that story?

"You know," Scott started, "Max told me a very similar story."

Groaning, she pressed her palms to her face. "He did not.  He always does that.  When he thinks someone isn't right for me, he tries making them feel guilty for being with me.  The whole, I love her and have always been forced to watch her from afar, pretending to be gay?  I can't believe he told you that."

"So, it's not true?"

"Of course not," she groaned.  "Come on," she mumbled while standing up.  "I'll prove it to you."

He stood along with her.  "I believe you, but there was one thing that I learned from your story."

"What was that?" she asked with a frown.

"That a kiss can be the determining factor."

Reaching towards her, he pulled her closer.  His lips brushed hers lightly before he deepened it.  After a few seconds, he eased away from her.  She smiled at him, her lips now slightly redder than they had been moments before.  Leaning closer, he pressed his cheek against hers.  "Feel anything?" he whispered.

"No," she whispered back.  "You?"

"Not a thing," he chuckled.  Pulling away, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.  "Friends?" he mumbled quietly.

"Forever," she promised, just as the door behind her eased shut.