~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick watched as Sam disappeared from the window. Sighing, he headed back to his bed as well. he had been putting off telling Sam he wasn't going to college for a long time. He didn't know why though. He just had a feeling she'd be mad about it and it seemed he was right. Laying back down, Nick drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that day, Sam stood in front of her closet deciding what to wear. She had to wear a dress, she just didn't know which one. Sera was over and attempting to help her. It wasn't going to good though. They had been looking through her closet for about an hour and still hadn't decided on a dress yet.
"I've got an idea," Sera mumbled and grabbed the two dresses Sam couldn't decide between, and walked over to the window, "HEY NICK!"
A moment later Nick appeared in the window dressed in slacks and nothing else.
"Yea?"
"I need your help here. Which dress should Sam wear? She can't decide."
Sera proceded to hold up the two dresses. First, a dark green halter dress that was short. Second, a pale pink spring dress.
"I say, go for the green one."
"Thanks!"
Sera came away from the window and tossed the dress at Sam, "There ya go, problem solved."
Sam just laughed but took the dress anyway.
"So what time is the ceremony?"
"Amazingly they decided to have an early one.......because so many parents complained that they couldn't have parties afterwards."
"You're kidding!?"
"Nope.....so the ceremony starts at 2....."
"Nervous?"
"Yea a little......I don't know why though!"
"Well, you're graduating........that's kinda scary!!"
"Yea I know....."
"Anyway, that's enough of the depressing BS for me. I'll see you after the ceremony. I'm gonna go and get changed."
"Okay, thanks Sera!"
"No problem."
Sam watched Sera walk out and then sat down to get ready.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"MOM!!!!"
"WHAT?!"
"WHERE'S MY SHIRT!!!??"
"BJ IS IRONING IT FOR YOU!"
"OKAY, THANKS!"
Nick walked down to BJ's room but before he could knock, she opened the door, passing him his shirt.
"Thanks BJ."
"No problem.....I'm sure half the block heard you!"
"Yea well......"
"Are you nervous or something?"
"A little......"
"Why?"
"I dunno."
BJ just looked at her brother and shrugged her shoulders. Without another word, Nick headed back to his room to finish getting ready.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Sam and Nick sat in the auditorium and listened to the valedictorian drone on and on, they both looked around in search of their group. They weren't too hard to spot though. The group consisted of Jane, Bob, Scott, Stephanie, BJ, Lesley, Angel, Aaron, Sera, AJ, Howie, Kevin, and Brian. They all had cameras, camcorders and Aaron and Angel even had a huge sign. Sam and Nick glanced across the auditorium at each other and rolled their eyes. Soon, they handing out of the diploma's started.
"MR. NICK CARTER," the principal said, handing Nick his diploma and shaking his hand. As Nick jumped off stage he flashed a huge, cheesy grin to his parents and did a corny little dance back to his seat.
Sam had jumped up and cheered loudly when his name was announced, just as their group had. But as soon as he got offstage, Sam sat down, embarrassed and watched for two hours as people got their diploma. Slowly, the principal got to the end of the alphabet.
"MS. SAMANTHA MICHAELS."
Sam walked over and grabbed her diploma and shook his hand. As she began to leave the stage, she saw her "group" cheering wildly and couldn't help but laugh. Then she heard the loudest scream ever. Looking over, she saw Nick on his chair, hopping up and down and screaming like a mad man. Sam couldn't hold it in much longer, she burst out laughing hysterically. Sam continued to watch as one of the teachers made him sit down, then Sam headed back to her seat. The rest of the ceremony seemed to take forever. Finally, our class switched our tassels and threw our caps in the air. During the comotion of cheering graduates, Sam and Nick made their way towards each other through the crowd. Nick pulled Sam into a big, tight hug.
"Congratulations Sam!"
"Congratulations to you too Nick! Now why the hell were you jumping on your chair?"
Nick began laughing, "So you saw, huh?"
"Well it was hard to miss, you were screaming like a mad man!"
"Sorry, hope it didn't embarrass you, I don't know why I did it....you looked so nervous on stage, I thought it might help!"
"Yea well I guess it did. Shall we go find our group of embarrassing relatives and friends?"
"Yup, lets go!"
Nick put his arm around Sam's shoulder and they made their way to the lobby of the school, looking for their group. As soon as they entered the lobby, they heard them. They were all jumping up and down and singing some made up song.......off key.
"HERE COME THE GRADUATES, HERE COME THE GRADUATES, SMILE AND BE HAPPY, HERE COME THE GRADUATES!!"
Nick and Sam both looked at each other in horror.
"STOP!!! PLEASE!!" they both yelled simultaneously.
Everyone in their group began laughing and then the two graduates were engulfed in hug after hug after hug. After all that was done, Nick and Sam went to their homerooms to get their real diplomas and then the large group headed out to eat. That in itself was a time consuming ordeal. There were 15 people in all. After that, they blindfolded the two graduates and headed home.
"Why are we blindfolded!!?" Sam shrieked.
"You'll see when we get there!"
The silence in the vehicle stretched. After what seemed like an eternity the cars came to a stop and everyone started getting out. Sera helped Sam out while Brian got Nick out. As Nick and Sam complained, everyone tried to conceal their laughter. After a few more minutes or grumbling, Nick and Sam's blindfolds were taken off.
"SURPRISE!!"
Nick and Sam looked at each other in shock. Before them were about 100 of their friends and aquantances from school. After thanking everyone, they went and mingled with their friends.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So.....are you and Nick an item?" some girl Sam didn't even know asked her.
"Um......why?"
"Just curious......cuz if you aren't, then I'm going to ask him out."
"No, me and Nick aren't an item," Sam said while Sera stared at her in shock.
"Good."
Sam watched as the girl stood up and walked over to Nick, draping her hand across his arm.
"SAM!!"
"What?"
"What do you mean you and Nick aren't an item?"
"Well.....we aren't! I mean, he never asked me out and I never asked him out."
"SAM!! Come on....it's like an unspoken thing. You two make out, right?"
"Yea, I guess....."
"Then you're an item!"
"Sera, no we aren't! He can go out with whomever he pleases."
"UGH!! You're hopeless!"
Sam watched as Sera stalked off and then looked over at Nick. The girl was literally hanging on him. She looked at Brian and Kevin and saw they were trying to hold in their laughter. She saw the girl whisper something and then saw Nick look her way with a confused look on his face. Effectively shrugging the girl off, Nick got up and with one more glance towards Sam, headed inside.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick and the guys were hanging out, telling jokes when this blonde haired girl came up. She started flirting with Nick openly.
"Hi Nick."
"Uh.....hi......"
"You don't remember me do you?"
"No......sorry."
"That's okay, the name is Sylvia.....we can get to know each other better....."
"I don't think so Sylvia.....I'm kinda seeing someone......"
"Who? Sam?? She said you two weren't an item."
"She did," Nick said turning to look at Sam.
"Yup, she sure did. So, you wanna go out this weekend?"
Nick looked to the others for help, but they were too busy trying to cover up their laughter.
"Sorry.....I have to rehearse this weekend."
"How about next weekend?"
"Look Sylvia, I really don't have the time to date anyone right now. Sorry."
With that, Nick stood up, looked at Sam once more and walked inside. Sylvia decided to leave the party. Brian and Kevin looked at each in surprise.
"So who do you want Brian? Sam or Nick?"
"Um......I guess I should take Nick......you get Sam."
Both guys took off in seperate directions.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Brian quietly knocked on Nicks door.
"Yea?"
Opening the door, Brian saw Nick laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"So Nick, wanna talk?"
"Not really Brian."
"Come on Nick, you know you want to!! What's the problem?"
"I don't know......I just thought that me and Sam were......."
"An item?"
"Yea I guess....."
"Well, did you ever ask her out?"
"Yes."
"On anything besides a date?"
Nick sat there silently for a moment, "Well......no......"
"Geez Nick!! Why do you think Sam said you weren't an item then!! You aren't!!"
Nick groaned and covered his face with his hands, "I dunno.....I just assumed we were I guess......"
"Nick, why don't you go talk to her.....ask her out!!"
"I can't Brian!"
"Why not!?"
"I don't know.....it's just not the right time. Now she'll think I'm asking her cuz you told me to."
"I give up!!"
Brian walked out and back down to the party.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey Sam......."
Sam looked up and saw Kevin standing beside her, "Oh hey Kevin."
"Can I sit here?"
"Sure, be my guest."
"So, what's wrong?"
"Nothing...."
"Come on......did Sylvia upset you?"
"Who?"
"Sylvia......the blonde chick."
"Oh her.....no she didn't upset me......"
"I think you're lying......"
Sam just looked up at Kevin and sighed, "Yea I'm lying......"
"So, what's wrong?"
"I dunno......"
"So why did you say you and Nick weren't an item?"
"Cuz we aren't."
"I don't know.....it seems like you are....."
"Yea well, he never asked."
"He didn't??!!"
"No...now if you'll excuse me, I'm tired, I'm gonna go home."
Sam got up, went and found Sera and her folks and then went home and went to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Brian walked out and spotted Kevin sitting where Sam had been. Instantly he headed over to him.
"So what did you find out Kev?"
"Well, Nic never asked her out...."
"Yea I know...."
"So, she's a tad bit upset.....she went home."
"Yea I understand. And Nick says he can't ask her out right now, cuz it would seem like we told him to. Those two are hopeless!!"
"Yes they are.....come on, lets enjoy the rest of the party and stop worrying about Nick and Sam. Let them deal with it."
The rest of the party passed uneventfully. Nick stayed in his room and thought. He wasn't sure if he should ask Sam out or not. He liked her......but that would change everything.....forever. As he thought about all this, he fell into a fitfull sleep.