The Adventures of Sam and Nic-Confronted with a Dilemma

Author: BKFaith

Email: BKFaith@hotmail.com

Fandom: Popular

Pairing: The ONLY couple I love, sweet, sexy Sam and nubile, naughty Nicole

Rating: R. Do I write anything with less a rating? Adult themes. Language. Drama.

Disclaimers: I apologize for the New York centric story (i.e. very specific locations, NYC slang and jokes), but I just had to write it this way. I do not own anything related to the world of ‘Popular’. Those other people do. This is just fantasizing on paper. PS- if anyone knows Sam or Nicole’s birthday, let me know.

A/N: I have wanted to write a S/N story for over a year. I cannot seem to write anything on CotD so this is what I am throwing my energy into. I dedicate this to everyone I have begged to write a Sam/Nic story. Especially you Ms. Flores. Plus, I want to prove I can write plots, not just hop to the sex parts. Heh heh. My wife, ANK, thanks for being so g*ddamn sexy and intelligent. Whew!! Tammy Lynn Michaels for being so f*ckin’ hot!

Dedication: To Jeff Thomas, Rest in Peace my friend.


Ohhhh, I want you
And I want you to want me too
Just like I want you.
- Marvin Gaye

Nicole Julian was many things: Pretty. A Bitch. Rich. Sensitive. Trying to get over the love of her life. The last fact was one that gave her the most difficulty as of late. She sat at the table at Silver Spurs waiting for Dre. Nothing soothed the heart like your best friend, pancakes and lots of shopping in Soho. She tried not to think about the last four weeks, not hearing from Samantha, the sleeplessness. No platitudes or stupid affirmations or amount of meetings with whiny, pathetic spouses, kids and friends of alcoholics, stopped her heart from renewing its hurt daily. Luckily, Adrian appeared in the restaurant just before Nicole spiraled into the abyss of self-pity.

“Nicola!! What’s up mami?!” Dre leaned to give her best friend the exact type of hug she needed, warm and tight and safe—kind of like a mom would give, but less suffocating. Adrian looked at her friend and saw the deep sadness, the telltale signs of lack of sleep, the weight loss. She was worried. Hecka worried, even, she thought. But she knew Nic needed hope, not confirmation of her loss.

“So girl talk to mama, what’s going on? I haven’t talked to you in, oh, 3 hours.”

They both laughed at this, enjoying having a friendship in which they depended on wholly.

“Dre! It’s so good to see you honey. You know how much I need you and love you.” She paused to look down at her water. “You sure you want to hear this crap Adrian?”

Adrian’s heart broke a little. She knew the use of her full name signaled huge insecurity. The little girl voice didn’t help either. Pursing her lips together, she gave her best ‘oh-child-please’ look and continued.

“Niccy. You can doubt a lot of things okay? You can doubt how beautiful you are, how big your heart is, how worthy you are love and if Sam ever really loves you. But you will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever doubt my love for you. Or I’ll pop ya one.”

Nicole smiled hugely, wiping the tears from her eyes, “Dre, thank you. Damn, thank you for being such a good friend. Okay, whew! Pancakes?”

“Hells the fuck yeah, I’m starved. Worked up quite an appetite this morning. I’ll tell you all about it. Later. He he he.”

Rolling her eyes, Nic responded, “ Oh I’m sure you will.”

*******

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The lanky figured tossed in her bed at the noise. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Garbage trucks? Rustling the sheets and covers around her body, she stuck her head under the pillow to block out the sound. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! What the fuck?

“Sam, goddammit, wake the fuck up! J’s on the phone for you.”

“Uhhh, thanks Ror. Hello?

“Sammy, it’s J. You up?”

“Naw man, what’s going on? What time is it?”

“It’s 1:30 pm Ms. Sammy. We’re still going to the Cyclones game, right?”

“Yeah, uh, yeah. I’m sorry J, I had a rough night. Rory and I went out to *bob*”

“Oh cool…ahem, yeah well I wanted to make sure we were still going. You aren’t feeling too, I mean... I’d really like to go Sammy. But if you are too hungov-“

“Aw come on Jayson, not you too. Everyone’s on my back.” Don’t say it Sam, she was thinking, but it came out anyway, “Just because you aren’t having a good time anymore. Doesn’t mean we’re all addicts or something.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew they were hurtful and untrue, but she didn’t want any shit from J.

He was silent for a very long time. “I’m sorry you feel that way Samantha. I’ll tell you what, I’ll drop the tickets off at your place and you and Rory can go if you want.”

Sam was backpedaling but she really wanted to see J, “J look I’m sorry man. You know it’s hard for me to adjust to, this, this thing you’re doing. I just miss you.”

He was silent again, she could not even detect his breath. “Do you remember what you said to me the last time I overdosed?”

Sam was a little unsure,

“I, uh, no, not really.”

“Well, let me remind you ‘cuz it’s still fresh in my head. You said you wanted me to live because we had a whole lot of memories to make and I had already agreed to father your children with Nic. You said you didn’t care what I had to do, but you wanted me to get better and even if you couldn’t understand my pain, you wanted to know someone, somewhere did. And now Samantha McPherson, you sit here and judge me because you don’t ‘get this thing I’m doing’. I don’t get it either Sam. But I know I’m alive and sort of happy sometimes. I don’t care if you want to drink Belvedere and smoke crack all day, but don’t blame your fear on me okay. I just want to have you as a friend, if we can’t…”

“J, I didn’t say that, I just don’t know how to be around you. I feel like you are judging me because of those meetings you go to, like I’m the Devil or something.”

“Let’s point out the facts Sam. I go there for me, not for you. I’m the one who calls, who makes plans, you avoid me. Who’s the Devil now?”

“But you said to go out with Rory.” Sam’s lips were trembling now.

“Sam. I love you, but even you can hurt my feelings. AND, I want you to be present when we hang out. You being or feeling all sick and me being cheery does not sound like a good night. Look, call me when you wanna hang out okay?”

“Okay. Wait! So what are you going to do tonight.”

“I’m going to head to a meeting and then see if anyone wants to hang out afterwards.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, well, I’ll drop them off soon. Bye Samster.”

“Bye Jayster.”

Even though they ended their conversation on a better not and with their nicknames for each other, Sam felt farther away from J in that moment than ever.

********

Nicole and Adrian had never really had an argument. And the rare times they did, they always resolved it quickly. But today, they faced their greatest challenge: The Annual Who-Can-Find-the-Best-Bargain-Argument.

Adrian sighed in exasperation, “Nic, we go through this every year. Century 21 is a valid choice for finding really awesome deals. God! I thought you got less snotty when you moved to Brooklyn.”

Not to be outdone, Nicole replied,  “Dre, you little bitch, gah, you totally know that I love to go to the Barney’s Sample Sales. And don’t pull some poor little Black girl routine with me, you’re from Connecticut! Ew.”

They stared at each other in abject silence, years of bitter rivalry coursing through their veins, vitriol shooting form one set of blue to hazel. Then the levee broke…out in laughter.

“Oh geez, Nic, you’re such a baby, I can’t believe you had to yell so loudly that I was from CT.” Adrian playfully punched Nicole and wrapped her arm around her neck.

“I don’t know why we go through this every year,” Nicole stopped to look into her favorite shop ‘Flying A’, “we always end up going to both places.” She turned to Adrian, “Can we go in?”

“Hells yeah, it’s the best store ever.” Adrian replied enthusiastically.

***

“Okay. Paul Frank or Hello Kitty?” Nicole was very serious about her gear.

“Is that even a real question? Definitely Paul Frank. You are so not a Hello Kitty girl.” Adrian said with a snicker

Nicole sputtered,  “What do you mean ‘so not’ and then the ensuing laughter?”

“Aww, Nicccy, I wasn’t trying to be mean. I love you, you’re the best. It’s just that Paul Frank and the cute lil monkey are so you and not the weird looking cat thing.”

Nicole agreed with a sigh,  “I know, it’s just they remind me of…”

“…Sam.” Adrian supplied for her without looking from her task of selecting a cute new bag to match her skirt and shirt.

Nicole leaned against the wall to think about Sam for a bit. She knew it was pointless to interrupt Dre when she was really in shopping mode. She looked at her friend. Her best friend besides Brooke and was so grateful for her. She could not believe she found such a good friend in a city like New York. No one could really understand what they had in common. On the outside they seemed so different, but they were so much alike it frightened them both. Both came from very wealthy families, although they responded to it very differently. Whereas, Nicole had used her wealth as a way to intimidate and hurt in high school, Dre had always hidden what her family had. And she worked! Nicole shook that thought off with disdain. They both had families that were cold and distant, although giving the appearance of familial lover. And although Dre wasn’t adopted, she was darker than everyone in her family, and often felt shunned for that. Nicole could not  believe that her friend could ever be considered ugly. When she had first met her their first-year in school, she seriously considered dumping Samantha just to pursue a chance with Adrian. She was glad that Adrian had a boyfriend at the time and turned her down. Sort of.

“Huh?” Nicole said as Dre snapped her fingers in front of her eyes.

“Where were you babe? Thinking about Sam?” Adrian asked, a little concerned.

“No babe,” chuckling she added, “I was thinking about how crushed out on you I was when we first met. You were dating Juan Carlos? Marc Giano?? Giancammo?”

Adrian rolled her eyes, “Marcelo Marcos. You know his name Nic.” She said with a pursed-lip smirk. “Anyway, that reminds me of the story I have for you. I met the most beautiful woman ever—and I think she likes me.” Adrian added an eyebrow wiggle for emphasis.

Nicole just smiled. “Well, that’s a no-brainer baby, you’re a hottie. What happened to the cute Asian boy from DC?”

“Eh. First of all: DC.” Nicole nodded her agreement of this assessment.  “Second of all, he was the type of person I hate to date: Totally obsessed with his family’s money and trying to purchase me with it. I had to tell him this wasn’t the auction block.”

“You didn’t!” Nicole gasped

“I did, plus he was a total banana.” Adrian stated plainly

“What the fuck is a banana?”

Nicole shouted

Adrian laughed, “It’s like and Oreo, but applying to Asians.”

”Oh my god? Really? He was too…” Nicole still got nervous when they talked about race. It was like she thought that by pointing out their skins were different colors, she would lose a friend. She never knew what questions were valid friend questions and what was were those she needed to seek answers from a book or stranger. “..um, white-acting? Did he act like people from your high school?” Like me.

“It wasn’t that he acted white, per se, because I’ve been accused of that and I think that’s fucked up to make someone feel ashamed for how they speak or what they like. But it was like he ignored the fact that he was Asian and treated me as if he was doing some bizarre rebellious experiment by dating a black girl, ohhhh. That was what reminded me of behavior I didn’t like. Does that make sense?” Adrian scrunched up her nose in that cute way when she was trying to lessen the seriousness of something.

Nicole breathed out audibly,

“Yeah it does. I’d love to talk about this more sometime. But I want to hear about this girl.”

She paid for their clothes, “Thank you ma’am. No Dre, it’s my turn to pay, you bought brunch and you took us to Mavi last month.”

Adrian turned to the salesgirl, “It’s what best friends do.”

The two friends walked in companionable silence. Nicole saw the slight smirk on Dre’s face and desperately wanted to know what put it there—she had an idea.

“Sooooo….? Tell me about this girl” Nicole chided,

“What’s she like? Where does she live? How does she dress?” They both laughed at their silliness.

“Well. She, uh, um…okay. Whew. You know that show Better than You?” Dre asked with some hesitation

“What,” Nicole interrupted, “Does she look like Alexa Ferrer?” She said with mock seriousness.

“Nooo.” Was the evasive answer

“Then what Dre? Tell me baby.” Nicole stopped to get her answer.

“She is Alexa Ferrer.” Dre said with soft tones, moving away from the decibel increase she knew was coming.

“YOU’RE DATING ALEXA-FUCKING-FERRER??!!!” Nicole enunciated.

“Niccy!! Shhhhhhh. Goddamn. Yeah, but I don’t want all the five boroughs to know.” Dre said with a flush. “Look, she’s really cool and I don’t know where it’s going, but we really dig on each other.”

“Okay, I can tell you‘re serious about this. How’d you meet?” Nicole said with false calmness.

“Uh…well, she. Shit. Okay, ya gotta keep this on the DL.” Dre toned

“Dre, honey, I am the pinnacle of discretion.” Nicole noted.

“Um hm. Anyway, she’s Sober Town, you know a Friend of Bill’s.” Dre rolled her eyes at Nicole’s blank face, “ Geez Nic, you’re in Alanon, she’s in AA with me.”

Nicole’s eyes rounded, “Oh…OH!! Shit! Cool. Okay, we need to talk about this in total detail. Let’s go back to Brooklyn.”

“You got it hon. I’m glad I finally get to tell you.”

The two friends walked down the street laughing and giggling like schoolgirls.

 

TBC in The Adventures of Sam and Nic- The Opening of a Door


BKFaith

Popular

Main Index