Love's Least Wanted

by: Balticbard

website; http://www.geocities.com/balticbard/index.html

Disclaimer; Popular and its characters are copyrighted; no profits will be made from this story; for entertainment purposes only.

Author's note; thanks to Alan Hitchen who let me use the plot of one of his stories for this one.

Chapter 1; Veiled Passions

Tall, lanky, tanned with shoulder length pale blond hair, all American pretty girl Brooke stirred her oatmeal breakfast, which she reluctantly ate at the behest of her pretty step-mom, Jane whom the girl adored despite herself. Brooke had grown up without the precious gift of having a busybody mom who worried over every small detail of her life, and now she had one even if it was a step-mom who seemed to be acting like a real mom toward her. Brooke had a mom now, and that was all that mattered, even if the gift from above had come with an obnoxious attachment named...Samantha.

"Mom...Sam is taking her time again!" Brooke complained.

"Yes...I know," Jane grumbled.

"Her creativity is soaring," Mike smiled as he momentarily lowered his newspaper, "she's an artist...that's why she's late for breakfast."

Brooke just glared at her father, and turned to her step-mother, "Its not fair, mom. I rushed to get down to have breakfast with you. Sam should be more considerate of you!"

"Yeah!" Jane replied, getting into battle gear, "she should. I'm going to call her one last time!" The pretty woman got up from her chair at the breakfast table, exited the kitchen to go in search of Sam.

"You just love stirring up trouble," Mike said gravely as he glared at his blond daughter.

"Its not fair that Sam gets away with everything!" Brooke glared back at her father.

"That is not so," Mike replied, "she pulls her weight around here. Your problem is jealousy. You thing she's trying to steal me away from you which is ludicrous. You're my little girl. But she is like a daughter to me."

"I don't care. I hate Sam."

"Well...she could accuse you of trying to steal Jane away from her, Brooke. You are acting all lovey dovey over Jane. Even I could get jealous, and I don't. In fact I encourage it, and Sam doesn't even mind!"

"You're doing it again, dad!" Brooke exclaimed angrily.

"What now, Brooke?" Mike rolled his eyes.

"You're sticking up for...HER again!" Brooke was acting like an unreasonable brat.

"Brooke...I'm seriously worried over this grudge you have against Samantha," Mike said soberly, "its becoming an obsession!"

Brooke remained silent as she looked back down at her bowl of oatmeal, and stirred it impatiently. The girl refused to eat until Sam was sitting at the table, facing her from the other side, and eating, and being as miserable as she was. The worst part of the entire affair was that Brooke knew that her father was absolutely right; Sam had become an obsession for her.

Sometimes Brooke felt like an absolute loner despite the popularity she enjoyed, and the friends she had in tow. Brooke was inside what Samantha was on the outside.

"Sam! Breakfast!" Jane yelled as she stood at the foot of the stairs, "get down here right now young lady!"

"Coming, mom!" Sam's distant, almost muffled reply floated down from upstairs to her mother who stood at the foot of the stairs, and to Brooke's anxious ears as she ate in the kitchen.

"That's the fifth time you've said that, Samantha!" Jane yelled.

Brooke heard the exchange between mother and daughter, and her mind traveled upstairs to Sam...

Jane's angry reply breezed upward to the top of the stairs, down the hall, and filtered through the closed door of Sam's room.

"Sorry, mom," the stunningly beautiful, nubile brunette replied as she slipped into a blue, sleeveless tank top, then adjusted her khaki pants. The girl barely brushed her long, wild dark hair, then threw the brush on her bed as she grabbed her book bag. Samantha rushed from her room, practically flew down the stairs, and burst into the kitchen, startling her mother Jane, stepfather Mike, and vicious step sibling, Brooke.

"Samantha!" Jane chided at the sight of her irksome child, "I've told you not to rush!"

Sam was a whirlwind of energy as she rushed around the table to kiss Mike, her step-father's cheek, which made the handsome man literally melt in pleasure and surprise. "I can't stay, mom," the girl said, "I have a lead to a top story!"

Brooke frowned in disgust at the dreamy look in her father's eyes, "he likes her more than me! She's stealing my dad!"

Brooke felt a wave of envy mingled with resentment and jealousy form a knot as she focused her resentful eyes on the gorgeous girl named Sam.

"Meeting another one of your pathetic little snitches for some legalized gossip for that little rag of a paper of yours that no one cares about, Sam?"

Samantha was a lithe creature in her almost musical movements. She seemed to always look gorgeous in any light that reflected on her calm, pale and unblemished porcelain skin. The girl was a rare creature who needed no makeup or ornament to look simply radiant. Samantha was complete in her dark, beguiling beauty, winning hearts for her looks, but she didn't realize just how stunning she truly was, "sometimes you make Nicole look like a saint, Brooke."

"You're actually deluding your retarded little mind into thinking that you're actually a real journalist, Sam?"

"My life may be pathetic in your opinion, Brooke...but its mine, I'm happy with it...and its for real...not hollow like yours!"

"It must be a really good lead if you're going to skip breakfast, Sam...you usually eat like a damn hippo!"

Samantha moved like a crescendo rising as she reached her mother to kiss her cheek, "Mike...mom...I'm in a rush...sorry about breakfast. I'll just take a pop tart!"

"Some things will never change!" Jane said with a sigh as she handed her daughter a pop tart, "don't rush dear!"

"Journalism is nothing more than the village gossip!" Brooke exclaimed angrily.

"Cheerleaders are nothing more than village idiots!" Sam countered as she ran out of the back door of the kitchen, toward her favorite shortcut to school.

"Oh...that...that..." Brooke sputtered in indignation.

"Sam had the last word!" Mike interjected, "she wins the argument!"

Jane began to giggle as Brooke glared at her father, then gathered her books and left the kitchen without even saying goodbye.

"They really hate each other, huh?" Jane asked pensively.

"It can't be helped, dear," Mike replied, "its just the typical adolescent fight between popular cheerleader and rebel girl!"

"Brooke is jealous of Sam because she thinks you like her," Jane said quietly.

Mike leaned over, and hugged his wife, "I love Brooke. She's my baby. But Sam reminds me so much of you."

"Sam likes you a lot too, hun," Jane replied with a smile, "that makes you so special because she doesn't like too many people. She's always been selective."

"I know..." Mike said softly.

"Do you suppose those two will ever get along?" Jane asked.

"Maybe someday...maybe," Mike replied softly.

Jane and Mike began to kiss slowly and intimately, as they enjoyed the personal happiness of their own private bubble.

Meanwhile, outside in the grim world of harsh reality, lanky Brooke McQueen made her way out of the McQueen residence with her armful of books, "that...little bitch! She almost outright called me an idiot!"

The blond girl's heart was beating madly, and her slender frame shook as she was overcome with rage, "she had the last word again!" It irked Brooke immensely that her step-sister always had a clever comeback to win all of their heated arguments. It also disgusted Brooke to see that her very own father was now beguiled by Sam, her beauty and wit. "Its not fair! He's MY dad...not hers!"

But what upset the blond girl the most was that Sam had become the center of her private universe.

SAM

sam

SAM

sam

SAM

sam

SAM...

For Brooke, morning, noon and night were all filled constantly with thoughts and emotions about Sam. The girl's friends, boyfriend, and cheerleading had all taken a backseat to a beautiful, dark intruder named Sam. "I can't stop thinking about her! She's always THERE...in my face with that irritating smile! She lives in MY house! She's even in my dreams now!"

Yes. It was an unmentionable for Brooke; that Sam had even invaded her dreams. Every one of Brooke's nights was filled with Sam; that Sam had stolen her father's love from her, that Sam had stolen Josh and Nicole, and her popularity at Kennedy, that Sam was trying to steal her identity. This led to a mountain of resentment and anger stored in Brooke's heart toward Sam that led to the lanky girl always being brusque and cruel to her step-sister, "I hate her. I will hate her forever!"

Now, Brooke with key in hand was about to open the door of her wine red 1994 SUV, when an abrupt screeching brakes stopped her. Brooke turned around to see Nicole in her shiny, black Jaguar convertible parked in front of the lanky girl's house, "Hey, Nic...hi!" Brooke felt her heart fill with joy at the sight of her best friend upon whom she depended more than anything or anyone.

"Come on, Brookie!" Nicole yelled, "leave your car here. I'll drive you to school today!"

Brooke was grinning from ear to ear, "yeah! Cool!" The tall cheerleader rushed to her friend's car and got in.

As Nicole drove her Jaguar, the wind whipped both her and Brooke's hair in forceful waves. Nicole glanced over at her pensive friend with a smile on her full lips, "having trouble with Sam again, Brookie?"

"Huh?" Brooke was startled from her Sam tainted thought pattern, "hey...you didn't call her..."

"Spam? No. I only do that to irritate her in public. But its just you and me here now, Brooke."

"Yeah."

"So what's going on?" Nicole asked gently, feeling an ache for her friend in her heart.

"Sam is stealing my dad!" Brooke complained bitterly, "he likes her better than me. He compliments her all of the time. He even defends her when she's in an argument with me. Now even Josh is talking about her! I think he sort of likes her. He's always noticing her when she's around. Everybody likes Sam. I'm losing everything to her. I wish she were dead! I hate her!"

"There's one thing that you will never lost to Sam, Brookie!"

"What?"

"Me," Nicole replied with a smile.

"Oh," Brooke was deeply moved almost to tears, "thanks, Nic."

"Don't cry, Brookie. Please," Nicole felt her heart ache for with the desire to stop her car, and give her friend a quick, comforting hug, "its all going to be okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going to break up with Josh, Nic."

"Is it because you think that he likes Sam?"

"No," Brooke looked down, "I just don't feel anything for him. He's a total asshole. He can't even make me..."

"He can't give you an orgasm?"

"Um..." Brooke was blushing, "yeah. I've tried to be patient. I figured it wasn't a big deal."

"But it is a big deal, Brookie. If a guy can't make you feel good in bed then it's a waste of time!"

"I know...I didn't want to do this..." Brooke admitted guiltily, "I feel sorry for him sometimes. But I just can't go on pretending any longer."

"Then you're making the right decision, Brooke."

"You think so, Nic?" Brooke's eyes lit up with hope.

"Yeah, B. You'll find someone else," Nicole went back to staring at the road, "hopefully it will be me," she whispered to herself.

"I feel so much better now, Nic. Thanks."

"You know that I'm always here for you, Brookie."

"You're the only thing helping me hang on, Nic. You can't even imagine how bad it is for me right now. Sam has turned my world upside down."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Its all her fault."

"Will you tell me someday, Brooke? Just how bad it is?

"Maybe sometime I will, Nic."

Nicole smiled sweetly at Brooke who sighed, and marveled at the intensity of her friend's gaze, wondering just what it meant. But Brooke's mind slipped effortlessly away from her friend's loving, cerulean gaze to go in search of her obsession. Once more, Brooke's consciousness floated away to thoughts of Sam, flying away to find the girl who had just arrived at school.

Meanwhile, at Kennedy Highschool, Samantha strolled lazily down the hall, amid the dozens of other members of the student body. Sam stopped at her locker, and was in the process of opening it as her thoughts turned to a most distressing, personal subject that troubled her deeply, "how could this happen to me? When did it start?" the girl was deeply disturbed by her predicament, "how is it possible for me to have fallen in love with Brooke? She is the most despicable..."

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Sam was startled from her tormented thoughts by a friendly voice that she recognized immediately as she turned to look at its owner, "hey," Sam's heart jumped with joy, "Lilly."

Lilly was short, thin, with unblemished, dark skin, and a pretty, fine featured face that seemed to light up every time that she saw her beloved Samantha whom she considered her best friend, soulmate, and the person that she loved most in the entire world beside her mom, "SSSSAAAAMMMYYY!" Lilly exclaimed loudly, happily as she rushed at her friend with a toothy grin lighting her pretty face.

"Oh no!" Sam cried weakly amid her laughter as she was almost toppled, thus spilling her books as Lilly hugged her.

"Who loves ya the best of all?" Lilly asked as she proceeded to tickle Samantha's sides.

"Stop that, Lilly!" Sam exclaimed amid reluctant giggles and squirms, because she was terrified of what the people around them would think, "people are beginning to stare at us!"

"Who cares?" Lilly declared loudly as she laughed, "don't I get my kiss?"

"Ugh!" Sam cried as she wished herself invisible, "that sounds SO suggestive, Lil!"

"So what?" Lilly loved to embarrass her beautiful Samantha.

"Will you two stop that?"

Lilly and Sam halted their private drama only to turn, and see tall, chubby redheaded Carmen scowling jealously at them.

"Thank God," Sam exclaimed, her voice tinged with relief, "Carm...get Lilly off me!"

"Um..." Carmen hesitated.

"Aaawww...come on, Carm..." Sam complained, "Lilly is squeezing the hell out of me!"

"Its gonna cost ya, Sammy!" Carmen exclaimed playfully.

"I'll do anything!" Sam said desperately, "no price is too high!"

"Alright," Carmen said quietly as she paused for a second, then suddenly pounced on both Sam and Lilly, as an evil smile lit her pretty face, "I want a kiss too!"

Sam was laughing, as she became a bundle of useless, weak muscles that was sandwiched between Lilly and Carmen who tickled her mercilessly. Yet in that moment, Sam was deeply happy, "I give up! I surrender!" Suddenly Lilly and Carmen let go of Sam, thus flinging her into another set of arms which became instantly recognizable to her in their strength and tenderness, "Harrison?"

"Yeah," tall, dark and lanky Harrison said softly with a grin on his pretty boy face, "I get a kiss too!" the towering boy turned Sam around to face him.

For a few seconds Lilly and Carmen waited breathlessly as they watched what they considered to be one of the most attractive couples at Kennedy that rivaled Brooke and Josh in beauty. Sam and Harrison seemed made exclusively for each other.

Sam and Harrison stood in the middle of the hall looking at each other in silence, smiling shyly at each other. The students who walked casually by, stared at boy and girl in apparent wonderment and appreciation at how truly beautiful they looked as a couple.

"Well? Do I get a kiss?" Harrison asked huskily.

"Absolutely," Samantha replied softly, in her most sultry tone as she smiled intimately up at the handsome boy.

Harrison slowly leaned down from his taller height, as his dark eyes gazed down at the pale countenance of the gorgeous girl of his dreams.

His throat suddenly went dry, and his nerves acted up at the very moment his lips met Sam's own fuller ones. Sam felt her heart skip to a suddenly uneven beat, and her body trembled slightly at the velvety touch of Harrison's lips on her own, "if only," the girl sighed inwardly, "if I had fallen in love with him instead of Brooke!"

Sam was feeling undeniably pleasurable sensations with Harrison, but her soul ached for her reticent, argumentative, stubborn step-sister.

It was quite distracting to feel such pleasure with Harrison, yet still yearn for Brooke, but Samantha took it all in stride, easily accepting the obvious fact that she was bi-sexual.

The kiss between the young couple was short and tender; lips pressed to lips, with no intimate tongue involved. Then, the boy and girl parted with smiles, and cheers from a few, invasive passerbys.

"Wow," Harrison whispered as a dreamy look lit his dark eyes, "your lips taste like strawberries, Sam."

Sam's response was to blush and smile. Carmen gave Sam a quick peck on the cheek, then laughed, and applauded what was obviously a bulge in Harrison's pants, "got yourself all excited, Harrison?"

"Um," Harrison was suddenly at a loss for words as he began to turn progressively redder and redder.

"You dufus," Lilly yelled at Harrison, "you call that a kiss? You think that's gonna make her toes curl?"

"Well MY toes are curled," Harrison replied.

"That's not all you've got curled," Carmen said amid an attack of giggles.

"Shut up, Carm!" an embarrassed Harrison said loudly.

"You're such an amateur!" Lilly declared firmly as she glared at Harrison, "you're never gonna be a good kisser!"

"Oh? And you're better than me?" Harrison asked as he put his hands on his hips, and stared defiantly at Lilly.

"I am a much better kisser than you!" Lilly exclaimed passionately.

"Prove it then, big mouth!" Harrison replied as he opened his arms in expectation of Lilly's approval to his dare, thinking that she would surely kiss him.

Lillith Esposito rushed forward in a frenzy, but not into tall Harrison's arms. Instead, the pretty, little Latina quickly embraced a startled Samantha, and kissed her fully on the lips. Brooke and Nicole had just entered the school, and now walked slowly down Kennedy's main hall.

"Its gonna be a long day!" Nicole complained, "this summer heat is awful!"

"A cheerleader who doesn't like the sun?" Brooke laughed, "that is absolutely impossible!"

"I'm not a surfer chic!" Nicole replied steadfastly.

"Well neither am I, Nic!"

"You have the look for it though," Nicole said quietly.

"Really?" Brooke was elated, for she admired the sexy, windblown look of the blond, surfer beauties, and craved it for herself, "I'm not too fat?"

"You're the most beautiful girl that I've ever seen, Brookie," Nicole replied, her voice thick with emotion, her blue eyes filled with undisguised adoration.

"Oh...Nic," Brooke was flattered, and deeply moved by her best friend's obvious sincerity. Yet, the lanky girl was also startled by the fire in Nicole's sapphire gaze, "thanks."

Sounds of cheering, applause, whistles and cat calls from just a few feet away shattered Nicole's pleasant, intimate moment with Brooke, "why are those losers rough housing?" she asked angrily, "where are the damn hall monitors to control these delinquents?"

Brooke felt a sudden, unexplainable urge to see what was causing a small group of students gathered in a circle to act in such a bawdy manner, and she walked briskly toward them, leaving Nicole behind.

"Brooke, wait for me!" Nicole called out plaintively as she scampered after her best friend.

Brooke felt a powerful pull toward the group of students that she couldn't fathom, but she had to know what was causing them to act so erratically. Brooke gave in to her impulse to investigate as she approached them, carefully wading through the students who all stood in a cluster. Brooke was shocked beyond words when she saw the cause of the ruckus among the students; Lilly had her arms thrown around a nervous, squirming Samantha, and was brazenly kissing her on the lips. Brooke was both amazed and shocked at the sight of Lilly kissing Sam, emotions which she could easily understand, and expect. But the emotion that came next caught Brooke completely off guard; she felt a sudden, deep stab of jealousy invade her heart as she watched Lilly kissing Sam with such familiarity, wishing that she was in Lilly's shoes, "what the hell is happening to me?"

Meanwhile, Nicole finally reached the loud, out of control group, and roughly pushed aside anyone who stood in her way as she tried to reach Brooke. When Nicole was finally able to stand beside Brooke, she stomped her foot loudly, and yelled at the top of her voice, "will you losers cut it out?"

At the sound of Nicole's voice, Lilly released Sam, and stepped back. Samantha almost swooned, trying to ignore the fact that indeed Lilly was by far a better kisser than Harrison. Sam leaned back against her locker. Carmen then started bawling when Lilly turned around to face her.

"Carm? What's wrong?" Lilly asked in confusion, "why are you crying?"

"I HATE YOU, ESPOSITO!" Carmen declared passionately in deep rage despite her tears.

"Why?" Lilly asked in abject consternation.

"I...I..." Carmen was so flustered that she turned around, and ran away.

"Um...I gotta go!" Harrison declared nervously as he turned, then headed toward the nearest boy's restroom while trying to hide his bulging erection which had grown monstrously larger since watching Lilly kissing Sam.

"Who cares, you pathetic weasel?" Nicole screamed at his retreating figure.

Everything around Brooke seemed to fade except Samantha, upon whom she had now focused all of her attention. Whatever disturbing feelings Brooke had previously felt for Sam had quickly faded from her heart and memory, to be replaced by more familiar feelings; that she totally despised Samantha with all of her might.

"Everybody go to hell!" Nicole yelled, causing everyone around her to scramble in all directions.

Now, Brooke had only one single purpose; to humiliate her gorgeous house mate, Sam McPherson. The lanky blond stood by in silence, watching Sam and Lilly interacting, and seemingly oblivious to the tall cheerleader's presence.

Meanwhile, a still visibly shaken Sam faced off with Lilly, "why did you do that, Lilly? What will people think of us now?"

"Well...am I not a better kisser than Harrison?" Lilly asked with an evil grin on her face.

"That's not the issue here!" Sam exclaimed hotly as she resumed her former task of rummaging through her locker for the needed books for her next class.

"Well?" Lilly stood by, wallowing in impatience, "say it!"

"Alright!" Sam rolled her dark eyes in exasperation, "yes...you are a terrific kisser! Now go away!"

"Well?" Lilly huffed.

"You want more?" Sam was shocked.

"Yes."

"Oh...alright, you little snot!" Sam declared with a defeated sigh and smile, "yes. You are a much better kisser than Harrison!"

"I should be," Lilly replied, "I'm the one who taught you to kiss in the first place!"

Brooke had been standing only a few feet away, and Lilly's words nearly caused her to faint at the startling revelation, which in turn churned up that sudden wave of nauseous jealousy to return to her gut once more.

"Hah...after you lured me with all those fake sleep overs, you animal!" Sam said softly with a small laugh.

"I'm just a genius," Lilly smirked proudly.

"Don't I get a kiss too, Sammy?" Brooke said suddenly, furious that she was being ignored, as she in turn tried to ignore the knot of resentment in her own throat, and the exploding jealous rage in her bosom.

Brooke's sultry voice floated right into Samantha's tender heart, and set her on fire.

"Ohmygod!" Lilly exclaimed to herself, for she knew Sam's darkest secret; that the girl was reluctantly in love with her soon to be step-sister, prom queen Brooke, "if this bitch only knew the truth!" Sam stood rooted to the same spot. The girl's face was red with shame, her full lips open wide in amazement, and her dark eyes afire with shock and anger, "what do you mean?"

Brooke smiled in evil joy as she slowly, predatorily approached Sam, "you kissed mom and dad this morning. You kiss everyone but me, and that's not at all fair!"

Brooke was so close to Sam now, that she could feel the brunette's breath on her face, "well? Are you going to kiss me, or do I help myself like Lilly did?"

Brooke felt her heart race with excitement and pleasure as she watched the ire and embarrassment in Sam's eyes deepen.

In Lilly's eyes, seeing Brooke and Sam so close to each other, was like seeing the proverbial spider enticing the helpless fly into her deadly web. Brooke was the sinister spider, and Sam was the helpless fly. Lilly was also very much aware of Brooke's deliberate intention of humiliating Sam publicly, "I won't let her make a fool out of Sam!"

Lilly watched as Sam stared helplessly at Brooke who was closing in on the girl to give her a Judas kiss. It was at that instant that Lilly reacted by roughly pushing Brooke back away from Sam, "stop it!"

"What the hell?" Brooke was both shocked and enraged that someone would stop her as she went in for the kill, "stay out of this, bitch!" Brooke raged loudly at Lilly, almost drooling saliva in the process.

"I won't let you humiliate Sam!" Lilly exclaimed hotly.

Brooke looked haughtily down at the shorter girl, glowing in all of her self conceived, superior, blond-white glory, "Sam's a big girl...she can take care of herself," now Brooke looked at a still stupefied Sam, and smile in the most sinister fashion. At that very moment, Brooke looked like pure evil incarnate as she brought up her hand to briefly touch Sam's sculpted cheek, "right, Sammy?" Brooke used her step-sister's seldom used pet name in a cynical manner.

Sam finally reacted as she quickly evaded Brooke's approaching hand by turning away her face, "I didn't realize just how much you really hated me until just now, Brooke," Sam whispered to the lanky blond.

"I do," Brooke whispered back as her eyes stayed fixed with Sam's, "I despise you intensely."

For that one, brief instant which seemed like an eternity for Brooke, everything else around her faded from existence. For Brooke, only Sam's beautiful face, the slight hurt in her eyes, and the fullness of Sam's ruby lips that moved slightly to utter words that would pierce the blond's heart forever; "but I don't hate you back, Brooke."

Sam grabbed her books, slammed shut the door of her locker, then quickly turned, and walked briskly away with Lilly in tow.

Brooke was left dazed and speechless, as she stood rooted to the same spot watching Sam and Lilly walk away. Nicole had watched the entire, odd scene between Brooke and Sam play out, and was devastated by it. It hurt Nicole deeply to see Brooke become erotic with anyone except her. It pained Nicole to see Brooke with Josh. Brooke was the only thing that Nicole loved in her entire, evil life. Every day Nicole hoped against hope that Brooke would lover her in return. But after seeing the strange interaction between Sam and Brooke, Nicole knew that the tall blond might never love her. Despite her sudden feelings of sadness over her abrupt revelation, Nicole pressed on, and approached Brooke, "hey...Brooke...we're going to be late for class!"

"Yeah...sure," Brooke said absently, for she was still reeling from Sam's sad confession.

"Come on, Brookie...let's go!" Nicole took Brooke by the arm, and led her down the hall, "this is all so useless. Brooke will never love me.

She'll love anyone else but me!" Nicole thought to herself.

Meanwhile, Lilly and Sam approached their homeroom.

"So...what did Brooke say that hurt you so much, Sammy?"

"Brooke hates my guts, Lil!"

"And you still love that bitch?" Lilly was flabbergasted.

"Yes. I do, Lilly. With all of my heart," thick tears of sorrow were spilling from Sam's eyes.

"Stop it right now, Sam!" Lilly snapped in indignation, "you can't cry. I won't let you! You can't let that bitch have the satisfaction of seeing you cry because of her!"

"I know..." Sam paused, "my tears will dry soon enough."

"You've taken on the impossible, Sam. The idea of getting Brooke to fall in love with you is so farfetched...that its actually easier to get Nicole to like you!"

"I still have to try," Sam replied quietly.

"You'd be better off with Harrison. He wants you," Lilly said, "oh! About Nicole...I just found out something interesting about her just now."

"What, Lil?"

"Nicole is in love with Brooke!"

"Hhhhmmmm..." Sam suddenly became pensive.

"Well? What do you think?" Lilly queried Samantha.

"That information just might prove useful to me," Sam replied with a satisfied smile that mystified an already fascinated, confused Lilly.

Chapter 2; A Foolproof Plan?

"Brooke...have you heard a single word that I've said?" Nicole asked for the fourth time that day, as she sat at her regular table in the cafeteria with the same friends; Brooke, Josh, Sugar Daddy and Mary Cherry.

"Huh?" Brooke's mind was on other things far more important than what her best friend had to say, "another spoonful, baby?" the lanky girl lifted her hand, guiding the spoon in it toward her boyfriend, Josh's mouth, "open wide!"

"Mmmmmm...." Josh took the offered spoonful from his significant other, smiled, then continued in his useless football chatter with his other significant other, Sugar Daddy, "so hey, SD...it looks like we need more training on our left field...Watkins missed the pass three times this week in practice."

"Yeah, bro," Sugar Daddy responded in his usual private slang, "I tol dah coach to freeze Watkins for a while!"

"Damn..." Nicole muttered to herself, as her heart began to pound in a frenzy of anger, "bunch of jerks!"

"Whatcha say, Nickie?" Mary Cherry asked quietly, as she munched rather audibly on her vegetables, "areya awlraight?"

"Yeah," Nicole rolled her eyes, as her friend's hideous southern slang got on her nerves once more, "what the hell are you looking at now, MC?"

"Its dat gorgus Joe ovah deah," Mary Cherry sighed as her blue eyes drifted over to the side, to a distant table, to a certain, tall, long and lanky, pretty faced boy named...

"Harrison?" Nicole was shocked.

"Oh yessum indeed," Mary Cherry replied as she gazed dreamily at the boy in question, "J..."

"He's a damn loser without a dime to his name, MC," Nicole was angrier now, "we don't mix with those...losers."

"Awh hav awll dah muney ahz evah gonna need, Nic," Mary Cherry replied with a surprising amount of firmness and wisdom rarely seen in her, who was considered the most superficial and silliest of the popular group, "he ain't evah gonna need nuthin when he'z wid me!"

"If he ever even notices you," Nicole interjected darkly, "he only has eyes for Spam!"

"What?" Brooke reacted at the mention of her step-sister's errant name. Nicole noted quite angrily that it seemed that the only way to get Brooke's attention was to mention the unmentionable in her haughty opinion; Samantha, "why do I have to do this? She only notices that little bitch, or overdoses on lovey dovey shit with Josh! She'll never want me!"

"What did you say, Nic?" Brooke was at attention while she momentarily abandoned Josh to his foreplay talk of football with his other love, Sugar Daddy.

"Harrison likes Samantha," Nicole exclaimed, turning her attention to Mary Cherry, "don't waste your time."

"Ah nevah did care foh her," Mary Cherry continued to plow ahead in her distorted English, "ahz gonna git Joe." Then the girl completely ignored Nicole, and went into full blown, Harrison watching.

"Well, Nic?"

"Now you feel like paying attention to me, Brooke?" Nicole was on the edge of her patience.

"Sorry," the lanky girl replied with a small smile.

"Well...I was asking if you want to go shopping this weekend?"

"I...can't," Brooke replied apologetically, noting the angry stare in Nicole's cerulean gaze.

"Damn...if you'd just..." Nicole was on the verge of tears, "damn!"

"Nic?" Brooke was shocked at her best friend's behavior.

Meanwhile, at the other table where Mary Cherry wished she was sitting, a group of friends chatted somewhat amiably...at times...

"Carm...why are you so mad at me?" Lilly was on the verge of tears as she stared at the other end of the table where a reticent, angry redhead named Carmen sat, eating steadily.

"I don't know you!" Carmen Ferrara replied angrily as she gulped down another spoonful of vegetables.

"Carmie please..." Lilly pleaded.

"Nevermind, Lil," an otherwise occupied Samantha said absently as she leafed through her biology notes, "so what does DNA stand for again?"

"Stay out of this, Sam," Lilly replied coldly, for the girl kept her friends in the same order as her personal belongings; in different departments, "this is none of your business."

"Well excuse me, miss," Sam huffed, awake from her usual study haze, "I thought Carm was my friend too!"

"Carm is your friend in your business, which I never intrude on," Lilly said firmly, "but Carm is my friend in my business which doesn't include you! I don't like to mix up things!"

"Hah," Samantha was hurt, "I thought all my friends were the same, I love them all the same!"

"Good work, Lilly," Harrison interjected, "now you have two people mad at you!"

"Shut up, asshole!" Lilly snapped at the boy.

"Hahaha," Harrison loved to make Lilly angry. But then the boy's dark eyes encountered the loving gaze of a distant admirer, "crap...Mary Cherry is staring at me again!"

"She likes you," Sam was back to her old, merry self, "pppoooorrr Harry!"

"She gives me the creeps!" the lanky boy said in sheer terror as he trembled visibly.

"Well at least she wouldn't hurt your FEELINGS!" Carmen declared as she glared angrily at Lilly from across the table.

"Damn! Stop it, Carm," Lilly exclaimed, "what the hell is your poison today?

Tell me what I've done wrong...please!"

"Yeah, Carm...tell her so we can all rest in peace!" Sam said with an evil smile.

"Stop it, Sammy!" Lilly shouted angrily.

Samantha couldn't hold herself in any longer as she pushed her chair back from the table, then threw her head back in a hearty peal of laughter that resounded in all of the cafeteria like a happy echo. "She's so beautiful," Harrison whispered as his eyes gazed adoringly at Sam in all of her dark glory.

Several feet away, at the other table, the popular table where the dominant clique of Kennedy High huddled, a beautiful, blond, cold beauty queen named Brooke caught the echo of a distant laughter, and her heart fluttered unwillingly at the sound of it, which irritated her to no end, "there she goes again...showing off...being loud!"

"She's a beauty," Sugar Daddy admitted softly, as his eyes gazed at Samantha from his distant spot in the cafeteria, and his dark eyes noted the fineness of her features, and the way her long hair streamed down her shoulders.

Brooke kept her silence, but she too was appraising Samantha's beauty with her hazel gaze, even though her heart was fighting the feelings of abrupt pleasure shooting through her young body at that very instant.

"Sho iz," Mary Cherry admitted reluctantly, as she too was trapped in the girl's beguiling beauty.

"Oh please," Nicole was drowning in the vile of her own poison, "you're going romantic over ANOTHER girl, MC! And she's our enemy too!"

"Mah momma always sez a good lookin face is a good lookin face, an you kin look no mattah what sex deyh is!"

"Are you going lesbian on me, MC?" Nicole queried.

"Well," Mary Cherry paused thoughtfully, "ah likes Joe...but if ah waz gonna go lez...ah shure would like tah be her girl!"

"Oh brother!" Nicole was exasperated.

"Its not like you kin judge me, Nic," Mary Cherry replied angrily, "cause ah knowz ya'll gots the hots fo..."

"Shut up!" Nicole exploded, "you promised not to tell!"

"Sorry Nic," Mary Cherry bowed her head, "don't git mad!"

"What?" Brooke was flabbergasted at the thought that her friends were keeping secrets from her, "you like a girl, Nic? YOU?"

"Get off my case, Brooke!" Nicole shouted.

"Aaawww, Nic...who is it? Sam?" Brooke loved teasing her otherwise venomous friend, Nicole.

"No..." Nicole couldn't stand it anymore, "I'm not gay...I"

"Nic...I'm sorry...I never said you were...it wouldn't matter to me if you were," Brooke said apologetically upon seeing Nicole literally coming apart before her eyes.

"Who would've thought it," Josh said unexceptedly, "the school slut is a dyke?"

Upon saying that, Josh sneered in all of his blond, muscular glory, for he hated Nicole as much as she hated him in return.

Nicole finally lost control, seized the nearest glass of water, and quickly emptied its contents in Josh's face, "you BASTARD!" Then, Nicole got up from her chair, and ran away from the table.

"Nic!" Brooke yelled after her retreating friend, and got up from her chair with the intention of following her, but Josh restrained her.

"No! You stay here!" Josh commanded.

"But..." Brooke blubbered.

"You're my girl...I'm more important than she is!" Josh exclaimed.

Brooke admonished, and sat dutifully back in her seat, and watched helplessly as Nicole rushed away.

At the other table, the other drama ensued in a now more genial manner; Lilly was literally shaking a still giggling Sam, and Harrison was silent as he watched the two girls in utter pleasure.

"Hey," Sam stopped herself when she noticed Nicole suddenly rush by with tears in her eyes, "what's with her?"

"She's a bitch," Carmen said, "so who cares? Maybe she'll finally die," the robust girl hated the little blond cheerleader who had effectively squashed her dreams of being a cheerleader.

"Don't say that, Carm," Sam replied quickly, "she has feelings too!"

"Like you're supposed to be on my side!" Carmen screamed back at her friend.

"I know...but..." Sam's mind was working furiously, as she measured this opportunity which might be a window in her secret plan to win Brooke's evasive, cold heart, "I have to go," then she got up from the table, and followed Nicole.

From where she reluctantly sat, Brooke saw Samantha get up from her table, and follow Nicole out of the cafeteria, "what the hell?"

Brooke's mind began to plot out all kinds of evil reasons to suspect her hated enemy, Sam, "what is she doing? Nic is MY friend...not hers!" Still, Brooke was held back by the age-old, unwritten, adolescent law that a boyfriend is more important than a best friend, "Josh is a jerk..." Thoughts of leaving her male soul mate returned once more.

"That little bitch has a fine bod," Josh said in his earthy tone, as his eyes briefly raked up and down Samantha's retreating figure.

"Yeah," Sugar Daddy replied.

"Joe," Mary Cherry said quietly as her eyes continued glued to her reluctant teenage crush.

Sam knew exactly where to find Nicole, "same place where all the vultures gather..." the girl walked resolutely to the most famous restroom of the school, "Novak!" No one knew who had named the restroom this way, but it stuck as a legendary name, "betcha she's crying like a snake...but I need her for my plan..." as she neared the door of the restroom, Samantha hesitated for an instant, but steeled herself and went inside.

Nicole sat on the sofa in a corner of the Novak, and cried her eyes out, "damn...my mascara is running...my blush is gone!" but she couldn't help herself, "Brooke will never love me!" the girl said loudly amid her sobs.

"Tell her," a voice said quietly, thus disturbing the little cheerleader's painful retreat.

"What? What are you doing here, Spam?" anger flooded Nicole's heart at the choice of consolation sent to her from some cynical power above, for she had hoped that Brooke would have come.

"Sorry that I'm not Brooke, Satan," Sam walked into the restroom, and brazenly sat beside her enemy, "I know you're in love with her!"

"How dare you..."

"Stop lying, Nicole. Its me here," Sam interrupted, "you don't have to impress me in any way..."

"Yeah, LOSER!"

"Yeah, bitch," Sam replied with an evil smile, "usual comeback.

Brooke's not coming because she's too submissive to asshole Josh!"

"You can say that again!" Nicole admitted, somewhat surprised that she was agreeing with her mortal enemy, "she always puts him before me!"

"Maybe not..."

"What do you mean, Spam?"

"Tell her how you feel, Satan."

"Oh wow really," Nicole rolled her tearful eyes, "like...why do you care all of a sudden?"

"Maybe I want Josh for myself?" Sam looked sideways at the little blond.

"Oh..." Nicole looked strangely at Sam who suddenly was beginning to look suspiciously like an ally, "but...Brooke is straight!"

"I don't really think so!"

"What? How would you know?"

"I have to live with her, Satan...I see her everyday...I've seen things that just don't add up. I think you should tell her how you feel."

"Really? But what if she doesn't want me?" Nicole began to wail again.

"Look...Satan...what are you? A woman or a little shit?"

"Hey!" Nicole was indignant.

"Be a woman," Sam encouraged firmly, "tell her. If she says no, then you go on.

But at least you'll be free of this secret. But...maybe she'll love you back. You have to take a chance."

"Everyone will know..."

"So when have you ever cared what people think? You're the scourge of the school no matter what."

"Yeah," Nicole smiled briefly, "you are right."

"And its not like she's gonna tell anyone anyway."

"But you know about it, Spam..." Nicole looked at the brunette sitting beside her on the sofa with deep suspicion, "and you hate my guts...won't you spread it around?"

"I do hate you indeed, Satan...but I prefer to destroy you with other weapons. I don't sink this low."

"Well..." Nicole felt rather strange at her sudden camaraderie with an avowed enemy, "this doesn't mean that we're friends...does it?"

"Never," Sam swore reverently.

"Alright," Nicole said, as she dried her tears a tissue, "I have to go now."

"Yeah, so do I."

"This conversation never happened."

"I'm not telling Brooke anything," Sam replied quickly.

"So you want Josh?"

"Um...yeah...I hate Brooke more than I hate you...remember?"

"Uh...huh..." Nicole shook her head in agreement, totally relieved of her inner pain, "I like the plan."

"Okay. Gotta go." Sam got up quickly, and walked out of the Novak.

Nicole watched her arch-nemesis walk away, "what the hell just happened here?" the girl was so shocked that she had just engaged in a civil conversation with one of her oldest enemies, that she was almost paralyzed, "but she's right...I have to do this!" Nicole was resolute as she got up from the sofa, and left the Novak to go in search of her heart's desire.

Meanwhile, back at the cafeteria, Brooke was falling asleep amid the droning talk of football which she couldn't really understand at all despite the fact that she was a cheerleader, and going steady with a football player, "what a stupid sport," the girl thought to herself.

But the blond girl's thoughts went to a more important matter at hand, "what is Sam up too? Just why did she follow Nicole?" In Brooke's opinion, Samantha was a cunning, devious, vile creature who would stop at nothing to destroy her or Nicole, "where is Nic? What is that little bitch getting Nic involved in? If Sam so much as hurts Nic in any way...I'll..." Brooke's violent thoughts came to a sudden halt, as a smile appeared on her pretty face at Nicole's re-appearance in the in the cafeteria, "she's back..."

Sam re-entered the cafeteria after Nicole, and quickly re-joined her own friends at her table once more. Sam was surprised to see Emory get up from a corner table to come and sit with her, and the rest of her gang, "hey...hi, Emory."

"Hi," Emory blushed, then looked down. He was about an inch taller than Samantha, with a lean build, thick, dark blond hair, freckled cheeks, and strangely out of place features that included thin, smiling lips, large, shining eyes, "Sam."

Emory sat beside Harrison, who ignored him. Sam again sat beside Lilly.

"So...what happened?" Lilly whispered to Sam as she ignored Emory just like everyone else did.

"Nothing happened," Sam replied, "I just gave her good advice."

"What do you mean?"

"I told Nicole to confess her love to Brooke, Lil."

"Are you goddamn crazy?" Lilly was shocked, "you're risking it, Sam. You're throwing Brooke at that little bitch!"

"Its all okay, Lil," Sam soothed, "I got it all covered. I know what I'm doing. My plan is foolproof."

"I think you're insane, Sammy! But its your poison. Not mine."

"Don't fret so much, Lil. Like I said. My plan is foolproof!"

"There is no such thing. Its going to backfire on you, Sam!"

"You'll see, Lil. Its going to work," Sam replied quietly.

"So..." Emory interrupted as he felt his heart lurch at the sight of the girl he loved, "Sam..."

"Yes?"

"Shut up, dickface!" Lilly shouted at Emory.

"Hey, Lilly," Sam grimaced, "don't talk to him that way."

"He's a pain in the ass..." Lilly insisted, "why do you sit with us anyway?"

"You don't own the table," Emory replied coldly, "Sam..." he repeated.

"Get going, Dick!" Harrison exclaimed, for the boy sensed a rival in Emory, "don't even talk to her!"

"But..." Emory was shocked.

"Harry...why are you being mean to him?" Samantha was puzzled, "Emory..."

"Yeah, Emory," Carmen joined the plot to expel the little man from their table, "go away!"

"Hey...I thought you guys were my friends," Emory declared defensively.

"Leave Sam alone!" Lilly yelled, "get out of here right now!"

"Sam isn't your property!" Emory declared.

"Go!" Lilly yelled.

"Alright," Emory quietly got up from the table, and walked away.

"You guys are awful," Sam replied angrily.

"Choose, Sam. Emory or us," Lilly said quietly.

"Why do you treat him like that?" Sam was bewildered, "you guys are acting like the populars."

"That's just how it is, Sam," Harrison said firmly, "we don't want him here. You belong to us. Not him."

Sam said nothing more, as she tried desperately to understand her group's sudden violence toward the usually mellow Emory.

Meanwhile, a nervous Nicole approached her table once more, "Brooke?"

"Yeah, Nic?" Brooke replied happily.

"Come to the Novak with me, Brooke. I need to talk to you privately."

"What's wrong, Nic? You look like you've been crying."

"This is important, Brookie. Please come with me."

"Is this about Sam?" Brooke was angry, "did she do something to you?"

"NO, B. Its not about her. Its about...us."

"Yeah, Nic," Brooke got up from the table, "sure. I'll go with you."

"Hey...babe..." Josh interrupted, ready to wield his power over Brooke once more to spite Nicole again.

"Not now, Josh," Brooke leaned down, kissed Josh on the forehead, and stood beside Nicole, "come on, Nic."

"I expect you back in fifteen minutes," Josh said firmly.

"Shut up, asshole," Nicole said angrily, "she's mine for the rest of the day!"

"What bit you on the ass today, huh...slut? Josh snapped back.

"Later, Josh," Brooke interjected.

"Yeah," Nicole said as she dragged an apologetic Brooke away after her.

"What's wrong, Nic?"

"That jerk is always in the way!" Nicole declared as she towed Brooke after her into the conveniently empty Novak, "every time that I want to spend time with you...he shows up!"

"Are you jealous of Josh, Nic?"

"Yes I am!" Nicole said loudly, vehemently as she shut the door of the restroom, then locked it.

"So I wasn't imagining it," Brooke said, "why?"

"Just sit down, Brooke. Just shut up and listen to me right now, cause I'm only going to say this once," Nicole was trembling, "I'm just so nervous," she started sobbing.

"Nic?"

"I LOVE YOU!" Nicole blurted out quickly.

"I love you too," Brooke said with a smile.

"NO!" Nicole screamed, "that's not what I mean. I don't love you as a friend...I..."

"But..." Brooke was confused.

"I'm in love with you, Brooke!"

"What?" Brooke was shocked now.

"I don't know how or when it happened. Considering how little love I've had in my entire life," Nicole related sadly, "my real mother was a cheap slut...I don't know who my father was or is...my adopted mother is a cold bitch who lives only for money...and ignores me!"

"Nic...I"

Nicole raised her hand, and motioned her friend to hush, "no...wait. Let me finish, Brookie. Nobody likes me. I'm a whore. I hate every one...EVERY ONE! But...I love you with all of my heart. You're the only good thing in my miserable life!"

"That's why you hate Josh so much, Nic?"

"I hate anyone who takes you away from me, B."

Brooke was speechless for several seconds, then unexpectedly a single word escaped from her lips, "SAM!"

"Yeah. I know," Nicole replied quietly, "she encouraged me to tell you how I felt about you...no matter what!"

"She did..." Brooke said through gritted teeth, as her hands became balled into fists, and anger exploded in her heart.

With head bowed, and sobs shaking her lithe body, Nicole continued, "I know that you don't love me back... I know...but I had to...tell you!"

Then, Nicole rushed out of the Novak, leaving a distraught Brooke behind.

Brooke was left behind, alone, shocked and confused, "what am I supposed to do now?" and for a moment, Brooke was mystified until a thought took hold of her, "SAM!" the blond girl's ire exploded, "she's responsible for all of this!" now, at least Brooke was focused, "everything was fine until that little bitch moved into MY house!" Brooke genuinely wanted to murder her dark step-sister, but thoughts of Jane quelled her rage, "at least Jane is nice to me!" but Samantha would not escape Brooke's wrath easily, "just wait til I get home! Dad took mom away for the weekend. This is one Friday that Sam will never forget!"

School was over, and the Kennedy Highschool student body spilled from the building like an ant colony rushing from a flood of water. Each student was programmed with a specific goal; go home, get ready, go out to party because it's the weekend.

Poor Samantha had no such plans to enjoy her two day furlough, for she was in love with someone who would never want to date her. Yet the lure of partying tempted the girl's adolescent body, and thoughts of asking Harrison out filled her mind, "why not?" Sam pondered, "he likes me a lot. I'm not betraying Brooke because...well she can't stand me anyway."

"Sam!"

Sam had been walking down the hall toward her locker, and now turned at the sound of a familiar voice, "hey, Harrison."

"Hey, Sam!" Harrison caught up with his dream girl, "can I give you a lift home?"

"As in your BIKE, Harry?" Sam replied with a giggle.

"I borrowed my mom's car!" the boy answered with mock anger.

"Oh...that fabulous, extremely expensive, tan station wagon your mom drives?" more giggles came from Samantha.

"Its...a classic!" Harrison said with a smile as he offered Sam his arm.

"Lead the way, my hero," the girl replied with a toothy grin as she took his arm.

Close by, another drama ensued; "What the hell do you mean that its over between us, Brooke?" Josh asked, perplexed at his usually submissive girlfriend's sudden rebelliousness.

"Exactly what I said, Josh. I don't love you," Brooke said coldly, her face impassive.

"But how? I mean...this morning things were fine between us?" Josh was on the verge of tears.

"I feel empty, Josh. This relationship isn't working for me anymore!"

"Brooke...please talk to me...let's try to fix this! I know that I can make you love me again. I'll do anything for you!" Josh was desperate now.

"Gee...how wonderful!" Brooke rolled her eyes in utter boredom, "its over okay? Now leave me alone!"

"I can't accept this!"

"Accept it!" Brooke said angrily as she slapped Josh's face, "its OVER!" then the lanky girl turned, and walked away.

"Brooke...I love you!" the distraught boy called after her retreating figure.

Sam and Harrison now walked very close together down the hall toward the exit that led to the school parking lot. The arm that Harrison had so gallantly offered Sam was now wrapped around her small waist, and he effortlessly pulled her to his side, "um...Sammy?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think that...maybe we could go out to a movie?"

"Are you asking me out, Harrison?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well..."

"I'll throw in a bucket of popcorn, pizza afterwards...and..."

"And what, Harry?"

"Some hot and heavy at Lover's Peak?" Harrison asked hopefully.

"That doesn't sound like a regular kind of best friend date, Harry."

"Its not supposed to be, Sam. It's a girlfriend/boyfriend kind of date."

"Hhhhmmm..."

"Aawww, come on Sam. Don't play hard to get!"

Sam wasn't playing hard to get, but she was conflicted because of her feelings for Brooke, "can I do this to Harrison?" It wasn't just a matter of love, but also a matter of loyalty to her secret dream of winning Brooke's heart. For a moment, the beguiling girl was hesitant, but then Sam recalled the cafeteria, and the spectacle of Brooke feeding Josh, "it's a hopeless, lost cause. Brooke is het. She'll never, never love me. Sam had reached her decision, "sure, Harrison."

"Really, Sam?" Harrison asked quietly, fearing that he had heard wrong.

"Yes. It's a date!" Sam replied with a seductive smile.

"WOW!" Harrison yelled, mimicking the proverbial male beast of the jungle who has just succeeded in winning the heart of the most coveted female of the herd, "wow...wheeeeee!"

"You are such a dufus, Harrison!" Sam giggled, pleased at the boy's display of primal behavior.

Harrison's reply was to quickly grab Sam, turn her slightly, then kiss her full on the lips for several seconds. Then, Harrison released his precious brunette, "am I a better kisser than Lilly?"

"Oh no!" Sam exclaimed as she rolled her eyes, for she wasn't in the mood to indulge in another embarrassing moment.

"You still owe me a kiss, Sam!"

Sam and Harrison were both startled from their shared revelry by Brooke's teasing voice. The couple turned to see Brooke, blond and radiant standing a few feet away from them.

"What do you want, McQueen?" Samantha asked in an irritated tone, as she suddenly became possessive and territorial of Harrison.

Brooke smirked proudly as she noticed the ire and jealousy in Sam's dark eyes when she gazed appraisingly at Harrison's tall frame, "you owe me a kiss, Samantha," Brooke said in a sultry voice as she approached the boy and girl, "you've already kissed Harrison twice! One of those kisses was mine!"

"I don't have time for your shit, Brooke!" Sam snapped back as her nerves spun out of control.

Harrison stepped back three feet, and watched in total silence the strange, private drama being acted out in front of him by Sam and Brooke.

"I said," Brooke reiterated calmly as she reached out with her left hand, and gently touched Sam's chin, making the girl look directly into her teasing eyes, "you owe me, McPherson. Why won't you kiss me? It certainly isn't because of my being a girl, because you let Lilly kiss you. I think that you're a little slut that swings both ways!"

Sam was totally irate now, as her hand came up quickly with the intention of slapping Brooke's pretty face. But the lanky blond girl reached out, and caught the brunette's hand by the wrist.

"So you finally showed your temper!" Brooke said flirtatiously, cynically, "that means you're probably very hot in bed!" Brooke began to laugh heartily at Samantha's expense.

"That's enough!" Harrison exclaimed, for he was unable to just stand by any longer, and do nothing while his best friend was humiliated by Brooke, "come on, Sam!" the boy seized Sam by the hand, and led her away.

"Cute couple," Brooke remarked, now steadfastly drowning in venomous irony, for she couldn't contain her obvious jealousy of Harrison, "how about a threesome!"

Brooke continued to laugh harder when she saw Harrison's face become red with embarrassment when he momentarily glanced back at her.

"Sam would never do that!"

"What?" Brooke was startled from her consuming evil joy by a quiet voice. The blond turned to see an unexpected figure standing only a few feet away from her, "Emory? What the hell do you want?"

"Samantha would never do that," Emory said calmly.

"How would you know that?" Brooke asked haughtily, "you're not her friend. You don't even know her."

"I know her better than anyone else, McQueen."

"How? You're not even in her loser group, Dickhead! In fact...even losers don't want you around!"

"Yes, I know," Emory admonished painfully, "no one wants me around. But Sam does. She's always stuck up for me when everyone else was against me. I'll put up with anyone, or anything just to be near Sam."

"I thought it was Harrison that you had your faggot eyes set on, Emory."

Emory sighed, then smiled sadly, "you have the sensitivity of an iceberg, Brooke. I'm not gay. I play a role that permits me to be as close as I can to Sam."

"You still can't know that little bitch better than me!" Brooke declared angrily, "I have the misfortune of having to LIVE WITH her...to see her EVERY day!"

"I know that Sam is still a virgin!" Emory remarked passionately.

"What?" Brooke's voice was hushed to almost a whisper by Emory's revelation, "no...not at seventeen...that's not possible."

"She's. Not. Like. You," Emory enunciated each word clearly, his voice hardening.

Brooke's amazement faded quickly, as her pretty face recovered its former, evil glow, "oh...I get it. You're in love with Sam!"

"Yes," Emory replied simply, straight from his noble heart.

"Well, little man," Brooke said with an evil grin, "Sam won't be a virgin for long. Your buddy, Harrison will get to do the honors!"

"She doesn't want him!" Emory replied, his face expressionless, "because Sam is in love with someone else!"

"Its certainly not you!" Brooke growled at the boy.

"No. I know its not me," Emory said, his voice low, and tainted with pain, "she loves you."

"Wha..." Brooke thought that she would choke on her own saliva at the sound of Emory's words. The blond girl felt a cold wave suddenly rush through her, "how?" Brooke felt herself weaken at the unexpected revelation, "wait!" Emory Dick had turned his back, and had quietly slipped away very quickly like the ghostly presence he was known to be.

"Asshole!" Brooke cursed Emory as she searched for him, "bastard...how can you say a thing like that and just walk away?" Brooke walked down the hall looking for the boy, but to no avail, for he had vanished. Then, Brooke saw tall, friendly, stolid Sugar Daddy, Josh's best friend walking toward the main entrance of the school. The sight of Sugar Daddy gladdened Brooke, and she rushed up to him, "hey! SD!"

"Yeah, Brooke," the warm hearted giant greeted the girl with a smile.

"Can you give me a ride home, SD?" Brooke pleaded.

"Sure," Sugar Daddy replied.

Meanwhile at the other end of eternity, in a 1975, tan station wagon, two best friends embarked on the road to becoming lovers.

"You turned on the wrong street again, Harrison!" Sam complained.

"I know, Sam. I did it on purpose," Harrison was nervous and sweating.

"Oh?" Sam mouthed the word fully, "why?"

"I need to talk to you about something...very important," Harrison felt like he was going over the edge.

"Harry?" Sam was concerned so that she reached out to touch his arm.

"Sam...I'm a virgin!"

"Um..." Sam was momentarily struck by her friend's admission, but then smiled, "so am I, Harry."

"I know that, Sammy."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know your soul, Sam," Harrison felt a knot in his throat, "you're the most beautiful thing that I've ever seen...and you're so kind and gentle!"

"Oh...Harry!" Samantha was deeply moved by the boy's praise of her, "I..."

"Sammy...I want you to be my first. I want to be yours too!"

"But...Harrison..."

"You're in love with some else...right?"

"Yes," Sam suddenly felt very tiny and ashamed.

Harrison parked the car under a shady tree on the side of the road, "its someone you can't have, Sam!"

"Yes," Sam was on the verge of tears."

"Sometimes the best lover isn't the one that you fall in love with, Sam."

"Then how is it supposed to work?" Samantha looked over at Harrison.

"The best love starts from friendship," Harrison stated hopefully.

Sam didn't answer, but just gazed out of the window for a few seconds, "this is a big step, Harry."

"The most important one of all, Sammy."

"This would change everything for us," Sam now pondered the consequences of the decision laid out before her.

"It's a big step, Sam. Humongous. I want you to take it with me!"

"I can't rush into this, Harry."

"I can't wait for long, Sam. I've dreamed of this for us for a very long time."

"So what then?"

"I want you to be the one for me, Sam. No exceptions."

"Give me until tomorrow to think, okay Harry?"

"Deal."

"Harrison?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

Samantha leaned over, and kissed the boy on the cheek, which surprised him, "thank you for thinking of me."

"I always do, Sam. I always do."

Back at the McQueen residence, a very angry Brooke paced back and forth in the living room, as she waited for her reluctant step-sister, "where the hell is she?" The blond girl checked her wrist watch almost constantly, "I'm gonna get her back for this...I swear...she's gonna pay!" Still, lanky Brooke paced nervously around, "that idiot Harrison gave her a ride home...she should have been here by now." Brooke's mind raced in circles around the memory of Emory's strange revelation, "Sam is in love with me?" the girl shook her head vigorously, "that can't be possible. I treat her like shit...how can she love me?" Some things were incomprehensible to the girl, "Nic is in love with me too. How do I get into these situations?" The answer came quickly to Brooke's mind; "SAM!" Of course, now Brooke could see more clearly because she now had someone to blame, "its all her fault! She's screwed up my entire life because of her big mouth!"

To Brooke, the issue at hand wasn't Sam's sexual preference which didn't interest her, but the fact that the brunette had interfered in her private affairs. "I will never forgive her for this! NEVER!" Brooke took another turn around the sofa, "what do about Nic? How do I fix this?" Soon, another issue began to show its ugly head at the door of Brooke's mind, "Josh is such a pansy! I can't believe that I ever liked him at all! I should have dated Sugar Daddy instead. Now that's a real man once you get past his weight!" Brooke shook her head fiercely, "Josh is capable of stalking me. I'll kill him if he even comes near me again! What a whiney jerk!" anger stirred the girl's nerves, "hell...even Nic is a better catch than him!" Suddenly, Brooke stopped pacing, her heart grew cold at her sudden thoughts of Nic, "where did that come from?" But Brooke didn't have time to ponder or torment herself with sudden questions about her sexual preference, for in that instant the front door of the house opened, and Sam walked in with an odd, lost look in her dark eyes. "FINALLY!" Brooke yelled, "SAM!"

Samantha was so distraught with thoughts of Harrison, with his proposition, the taste of his lips on her own, with vague, arousing images of his nude, lanky body, that she had simply shut out the rest of the world from her mind. The dark beauty strolled into what she considered to be Brooke's house, not her own home, with the absent minded grace of an illusive ghost living in its own reality. Sam clung to her book bag, and felt like a pendulum, swinging between Brooke and Harrison. "Harrison loves and wants me. Brooke is vicious, and hates my guts." The girl mentally weighed her options, which she knew didn't really exist. "I love her...but..." Once more, Harrison's words echoed in Samantha's mind; "Sam...I want you to be my first!"

The dilemma made Sam's head whirl, "I have to wait. I have to hope that my plan to win Brooke works. That somehow, that thick-headed bimbo realizes that I can make her happy! All that I need is just one more day!" Sam was so deep in her private revelry, that it took her several seconds to realize that Brooke was shouting at her.

"SAM! WAKE UP! WHAT DRUG ARE YOU SPACING OUT ON, YOU MORON! SSSSAAAAAMMMMM!"

"Oh," Sam's private bubble cracked into a million pieces at the sound of Brooke's shrill screams filtering into her wandering mind, forcing her back to reality, "what?"

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU? I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU FOR ALMOST AN HOUR!" Brooke yelled at the top of her voice.

"Rude much?" Sam smirked as she proceeded to go upstairs, and blatantly ignore Brooke.

"HEY!" Brooke exploded, "I'm not finished with you, McPherson!"

"Caffeine freak!" Sam replied, and continued walking toward the stairs without looking back at Brooke.

Brooke was shocked by Sam's brazen indifference toward her, "she's acting like a damn snob!" Brooke understood that using violence, and being rude would only make Sam distant, and reluctant toward her. Brooke calmed herself down, and tried once more to reach out to the retreating brunette, but in a more polite fashion, "Sam?"

Samantha paused in her retreat, then turned upon hearing the change in tone in Brooke's voice, "yeah, Brooke?"

"We have to talk," Brooke was trying desperately to keep her voice from rising in timbre, and to keep her temper in check.

"Fine," Sam replied.

"Nic just told me that she's in love with me. She also informed me that you strongly encouraged to confess her feelings to me despite the fact that I might not love her in return. Why did you do that, Sam?"

"Well..." Sam felt her wall of reserve begin to crack under Brooke's constant stare, "I felt sorry for her. She was crying. I thought that it was the right thing to do."

"Hah!" Brooke couldn't keep the sarcasm from creeping into her rising voice, "since when do you help Nic? You call her Satan. You openly hate her. The two of you are sworn enemies. How could you possibly help her in any way?"

"So I have a good heart, Brooke. Big deal!"

"So I think that you're not that kind, Sam. I know that you're one of the most devious, self-serving people that I've ever known. You're not capable of helping anyone unless it serves some ulterior purpose of yours!"

"You just said that I have an ulterior motive, Brooke?"

"Yes. You do!" Brooke exclaimed, finally losing her edge.

"And that would be?"

"You're in love with me!" Brooke blurted out with such force that she frightened herself, and shocked Sam at the same time.

"Um..." Sam was so startled at Brooke's accusation, that she became very pale, and looked down at the floor, "I..."

"So it is true!"

"Yes," Sam admitted as she turned to look at the wall, and away from Brooke's burning gaze.

"So it was all some sort of sordid plan, Sam? What was the objective? To get me to choose between you and Nic?"

"Yes," Sam admitted softly as she finally surrendered to Brooke's triumphant prying.

"I'm straight!" an indignant Brooke yelled, finally abandoning her false calm.

"I don't know that!" Sam replied with equal force.

"What?"

"I don't know or believe that you are heterosexual!" Sam declared hotly.

"How dare you say that!" Brooke felt the sudden urge to slap Sam.

"Fine, Brooke. Go on deluding yourself if you want to."

"I've never even..."

"Nothing will change my mind about you, or how I feel about you, Brooke."

"Nothing will change the fact that you've screwed me over, McPherson! Because of your meddling, I might have to hurt my best friend's feelings...break her heart, and possibly lose her friendship which I value very much!"

"What about me, Brooke?"

"What about you?" Brooke smirked mercilessly.

"What about my feelings? Don't I matter to you at all, Brooke?"

Brooke laughed cruelly, "where did you get the stupid notion that I might REMOTELY want you, if I were in the least bit gay, McPherson?"

"Why shouldn't you love me, McQueen? I think that I have a lot to offer you. I think that I'm perfect for you!"

"In your petty dreams, loser! You are the most irritating, obnoxious thing that I know. I despise you intensely!"

Sam only smiled at Brooke's insults, "there's a thin line between love and hate. I think that deep down you love me. You're just too stupid to see the truth!"

"I hate your guts, McPherson!"

"Whatever you say, McQueen," Sam smirked, "you'll see that I'm right. I just hope that you come to your senses before its too late. I can't wait forever!"

Sam lifted her book bag onto her shoulders, and proceeded to climb the stairs.

"Oh...Sam?"

"Yeah, Brooke?"

"Make yourself scare tonight! I'm asking Nic over for a sleep over,"

Brooke approached Sam with firm strides, "I don't want you around to ruin things!"

"I'll stay in my room," Sam was on the verge of laughing, "let Satan down easy when you tell her that you've chosen me over her!"

Brooke didn't reply, but suddenly pounced on Sam. The taller, physically stronger girl grabbed the slightly shorter, more delicate brunette, and wrapped her long, slender arms around her. Brooke pulled Sam tightly to her so that there was no space between their bodies.

Brooke was momentarily distracted by the warmth and softness of Sam's body as it molded to her own. Sam was a delicate presence, a flowery scent, and it startled Brooke. The lanky blond descended on her startled step-sister, and kissed her roughly. Brooke kissed Sam with anger and resentment, instead of with tenderness, almost biting the girl's full lips with her gritted teeth. Brooke unexpectedly found herself softening the kiss, as she became enthralled in the fullness of Sam's lips, so that she started to slip away into an arousing revelry of pleasure. Then, Brooke panicked at her sudden arousal, and let go of Sam as if the girl had burned her.

"Brooke..." Sam's voice was soft, sultry, even velvety, "why?" Sam stepped back, and touched her swollen lips with a pale hand.

"That's a taste of what you'll never have, McPherson!"

"Maybe it will be the other way around, McQueen!" Sam stated painfully as she turned, then flew up the stairs with her book bag in tow.

"Same old, same old!" Brooke shouted after the retreating girl, "you always want to have the last word, and win the argument! Well this time you LOSE, McPherson! I WON!"

The only reply Brooke received was the sound of the door of Sam's room slamming shut.

"Good riddance!" Brooke exclaimed as she fished through her purse for her cell phone, "now to fix things with Nic!"

Nicole Julian had spent the better part of the last two hours driving around aimlessly in her car, as she tried to put her thoughts in order. Nicole's thoughts were as diverse as suicide, moving to Siberia, or becoming a nun, all whirled in her mind as she thought about her best friend, "Brooke will never love me. All that she can feel for me is pity." Anger surged in the little blond's heart as she remembered Sam, "why did I have to be such an idiot and listen to Spam's advice? Now Brooke won't even speak to me again! The entire school will find out because Sam will blab it all over the place! I should just die and get it over with!" Suddenly, Nicole's cell phone rang, and she cursed audibly as she reached for it, "damn! Who would call me at this number? Only Brooke has it! Oh...gods...could it be her?" Nicole dared to hope against hope that is was. "Brooke?"

"How did you know it was me?" Brooke's friendly voice oozed from the phone, and into Nicole's pained heart.

"You're the only one who I gave this number to...remember?" Nicole tried to remain cool and calm, but inside she was bursting with joy, "she called me...that means she's still my friend!"

"Oh yeah," Brooke paused, "um...we have to talk, Nic."

"Yeah," Nicole withered, "about this morning?"

"Not on the phone, Nic. Will you come over for a sleep over?"

"Like old times?" Nicole gushed, "like before asshole Josh took over your life?"

"Yeah," Brooke laughed, "just like the good old days!"

"But what about the parentals, Brooke? And..."

"Sam? She won't bother us, Nic. I put her in her place. And mom and dad are in Florida for the weekend."

"So you put luncheon meat back in her can?" Nicole was delighted.

"Absolutely. Sam will not be a problem. Will you come over?"

"Yeah!" Nicole exclaimed joyfully, "I'm coming over in a little while."

"Cool! Late, Nic!"

"Later!" Nic replied, then she ended the call, and clicked her cell phone shut.

Now, the little blond was gushing with joy, "Brooke still wants me around. Its all going to work out!" Nicole turned her Jaguar around, and headed in the opposite direction, "even if Brooke only wants to be friends with me...at least I'll still have her in my life!" Nicole loved Brooke to distraction, and was willing to do anything just to be close to her, "not seeing Brooke is like death to me!"

Nightfall, six hours later, Brooke and Nicole were in their pajamas, lying side by side in Brooke's bed. The two girls had spent their entire time up in Brooke's room watching their favorite movies on DVD on Brooke's small entertainment center, eating potato chips, gossiping about their friends, discussing the latest cheerleading techniques, make-up, the latest fashions, and a million other superficial topics that haunt teenage minds until the two girls were completely spent. Now, the two girls lay in bed, in silence, staring up at the ceiling of the room. It was Brooke who finally broke the wordless void between her and Nicole.

"Nic...I hate Sam!"

"So what's new?" Nicole began to giggle.

"No. I'm very serious about this."

"Oh," Nicole stopped laughing, "I'm sorry."

"I'm the one who's sorry, Nic."

"Why?"

"Sam tricked you."

"Wait," Nicole was confused, "what do you mean?"

"Sam convinced you to confess your love to me, Nic. She was going to take advantage of the situation," Brooke paused a moment, then continued, "she used you...she's in love with me."

"When did this happen?" Nicole was becoming very jealous and upset, "she's in love with you? She told me that she wanted Josh!"

"Well she lied," Brooke continued, "she didn't want Josh at all. She just said that to get you to confess how you feel for me. It was all part of some sordid plan that she baked up in her little mind, and she was using you to get to me. She actually thought that I'd show signs of being gay, and somehow choose her over you!" Brooke confessed ashamedly.

"Her over me? Is that loser out of her mind?" Nicole was flabbergasted.

"I know."

"Well...the little bitch actually has some backbone after all," Nicole confessed, feeling a small amount of admiration for Sam's total lack of decency.

"Nic?"

"Hhhmmm?"

"When did you..." Brooke swallowed hard, "know that you were gay?"

"I've always been gay, Brooke. I was born this way."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Brooke asked, a hint of hurt in her voice, "don't you trust me?"

"I do trust you, Brookie. But I was just too ashamed. I don't want to be this way!"

"I'm so sorry, Nic," Brooke reached out, and gently took Nicole's hand in her own.

"For pitying me or not loving me?" Nicole snatched her hand away from Brooke, and turned on the bed so that her back was to Brooke.

"But I do love you, Nic. You're my very best friend. My only real friend, and I don't want to lose you over this."

"That's the worst thing of all, Brooke," Nicole had started to cry, "to have you so near, yet not to have you at all. I can't bear it!"

"Please...Nic...don't cry," Brooke took the crying girl in her arms, and held her close, "don't cry. It breaks my heart to see you this way," the lanky girl whispered to her best friend.

Nicole managed to calm down enough so that she only sniffled occasionally. The little blond enjoyed being nestled in Brooke's arms, and the warmth that rose through her body, "Brookie?"

"Yeah?" Brooke lovingly kissed Nicole's forehead, and held her closer.

"Do you think that Spam is listening to us right now?"

"What?" Brooke was amused.

"Well...I haven't heard that idiot make a single sound since I arrived," Nicole was smiling now, "do you think that she might be dead?"

"Don't get my hopes up!"

"But maybe..."

"Witches don't die, Nic. She's probably just eavesdropping on us!"

"What a pervert!" Nicole started to giggle.

"I wouldn't put it past her despite what Emory said about her!"

"Wait a minute!" Nicole was horrified, "Emory spoke to you...and you didn't barf?"

Brooke giggled, "its good to see you back to your old self, Nic."

"What did that loser tell you about her, Brooke?"

"Emory said that Sam is still a virgin."

"You're kidding!" Nicole exclaimed in disgust, "that's absolutely pathetic! Do you believe him?"

"I'm not sure," Brooke replied nonchalantly, "I don't care anyway. All I know is that she's a major pain in the ass!"

"Your ass precisely," Nicole added saucily.

"Absolutely!" Brooke declared firmly.

"And a pervert to boot!" Nicole exclaimed through her giggles.

"That too!"

"Hey...Brooke...what if?" Nicole suddenly had an interesting idea.

"What, Nic?" Brooke was delighted to see her old friend back to her old, evil, mischievous self, "you've got that evil glint in your eyes again!"

"If Spam is really listening...then let's give her a hot show!"

"Like?"

"Let's pretend we're having sex!" Nicole declared gleefully.

"But..."

"Aaawww, Brookie," Nicole teased, "don't be a spoil sport! Its just pretend!"

"Well..."

"It'll be fun. Please?" Nicole pouted in the sexiest, cutest way that broke down all of Brooke's defenses, and went straight to her heart.

"Alright!" Brooke replied, "what shall we do?"

"Move the bed. Make a lot of noise!" Nicole said chirpily, "moan a lot!"

"Nic..."

"Oh shut up, Brooke. Don't be a chicken. I won't bite!"

"Yeah...but this doesn't feel like pretend!"

"Pretend that we're making a porn film, Brooke!"

"Bad example!"

"Oh...what a baby!" Nicole laughed as she pinned Brooke down on the bed, and straddled her. Then Nicole stopped laughing as she gazed dreamily down at the lanky blond.

"Nic?" Brooke was uncomfortable under Nicole's ardent stare.

"You're so beautiful, Brookie," Nicole whispered huskily as she leaned down, and kissed Brooke full on the lips.

Brooke would never know why she didn't stop Nicole from the very start, but she didn't. The truth quickly arose in Brooke's heart, and she understood two things about herself; that she loved Nicole's kiss, and that she was very possibly a lesbian. Brooke didn't bother to ponder the subject any longer as she returned Nicole's kiss with fervor. The two girls kissed passionately for a very long time until they had to stop for lack of air.

"Brooke..." Nicole started to cry.

"Hush," Brooke whispered huskily, as she embraced Nicole tightly, "just kiss me again."

Nicole began to kiss Brooke once more, and Brooke kissed her back. Their kisses lead to intimate touches that in turn lead Brooke and Nic to make love many times that night.

On the other side of the wall that separated Brooke's room from Sam's room, the beautiful brunette lay in her virgin bed crying in absolute misery as the sound of Brooke's sexual grunts and moans invaded her reluctant ears, then seeped into her broken heart, "its just not fair!" Sam was in a helpless, jealous rage as she dug her small fists into her bed sheets, "it should have been me in her arms!" Sam tried to stifle her sobs, "why not me?" A defeated Samantha cried painfully to herself, realizing that Brooke saw her as nothing more than an inferior thing. Finally a rush of indignation overtook the girl as she made an important decision as to what she would do with her life, and love as she took her cell phone from her night stand, and dialed Harrison's number. Sam waited several seconds as the boy's phone rang, until he finally picked it up.

"Yeah?" a groggy Harrison asked as he picked up his phone, putting the receiver to his ear.

"Harry?" Sam asked quickly, her voice still trembling with sobs.

"Sammy...what's wrong?" Harrison was suddenly wide awake.

"Is your proposition still open?" Sam asked anxiously.

"Absolutely!" Harrison shouted as his heart almost burst with hope.

"I'm accepting it," Sam replied quietly.

"Wow...babe...Sam," Harrison had started trembling like a leaf, then sweating as his heart began to beat madly. The boy felt utter joy, and thought he would surely explode in a cloud of happiness, "Sammy!"

"You okay, Harry?"

"Yeah, babe," Harrison said slowly as he tried to calm himself down, "my hands are shaking!"

"Why?"

"Cause I'm so happy, Sam. I've dreamed of this so often! And now..."

"I'm happy too, Harry."

"I've just got to see you, baby! Right now!" the boy exclaimed in passionate desperation.

"Its five in the morning you moron!" Sam giggled quietly, not wanting Brooke to hear her.

"I don't care! I can't wait any longer, Sam!"

"But you're not alone at home..."

"Hell, yes I am to!" Harrison exclaimed quickly, "my mom's out for the weekend with her girlfriend. I have the house all to myself."

"Nice!"

"Hey...we can do whatever we want, Sammy!"

"Sounds fantastic."

"I'll go pick you up right now!" Harrison was almost babbling, exploding in anticipation.

"Hold your hormones, macho man!" Sam laughed as her tears dried, "I'll come over. Give me an hour okay?"

"Wow. Yeah."

"I'll use my car. I haven't driven in a while."

"Sam?"

"Yeah, Harrison?"

"Are you excited like I am? Do you want this as much as I do?"

"Yes...I do, baby," Samantha replied in a sultry velvety voice that made the boy almost wet his pants.

"Sam...I want to make love to you so bad!"

"I want to make love to you too!"

"I love you, Sammy...I always have!"

"I love you too, Harry."

"Later, babe."

"Later."

Chapter 3; Fall Out!

[Song; So This Is Love, by the Castells, circa 1962]

~~~~~

Brooke woke gently, steadily from a deep, dreamless sleep, "hhhhmmmm."

She was tired, yet completely fulfilled. Memories of the night before returned to her still, sleep-hazed mind, making Brooke smile, "wow . . . what a night!" Brooke blushed as her vivid memories began to arouse her. "Josh never made me feel so good. He never even gave me an orgasm! Nic is absolutely incredible!" The lanky girl turned on her
side to gaze at the girl laying beside her; Nicole was asleep on her back, one arm tucked under her pretty head, the other thrown carelessly over her firm abdomen, her slender legs were slightly parted. Brooke smiled, her heart moved with tenderness as she lay back on her pillow, "she looks so young. . .so innocent. . .like. . ." Suddenly Brooke seemed to slip gently into a soft revelry about a certain, stunningly beautiful brunette that came to her mind enveloped in a song, "Sam. . ."

Somehow, Brooke floated away from reality, from wakefulness into a dreamy, pleasurable, half sleep. The blond found herself in a white, dreamlike landscape with mists swirling around her. A song seemed to play, the melody rising and falling with the ghostly rhythm of the mists;

"So this is love. . .real love
And its like Paradise..oh yes
Really a paradise. . .
For you and for me. . ."

The voices seemed to embrace Brooke, giving her a gentle, slow and ecstatic rush that made her entire body tingle with pleasure. Then Brooke saw a figure emerge from the mists, and she began to tremble at the sight of it. . .

"So this is love..real love..
And its so wonderful.. oh yes..
Even more wonderful..
Than I thought it could be. . ."

"Sam?"

Samantha emerged from the mists with the ease and grace of a gorgeous goddess. The wraithlike girl was wearing a long, white dress made of silk, covered completely by elaborate lace designs that hugged her voluptuous curves. Samantha's hair was lose, falling in wild waves down her back, across her firm shoulders, and adorning her beautiful
countenance.

"Not long ago I didn't know..
What this thing called love was about..
Now that you're here, now that you're near..
Each beat of my heart cries out, so. . ."

Brooke felt goose bumps erupting all over her body as Sam slowly walked toward her with a soft smile playing on her full, ruby lips. The voices in the song, the very music itself seemed to move as Samantha moved. Sam held out her delicate, pale hand to Brooke. The lanky blond took the dark beauty's hand, thus letting the girl lead her to the middle of the dream-like void that surrounded them.

"this is love. . .real love
And its so heavenly. . .oh yes.
Its very plain to see
We're really in love. . ."

Brooke didn't know how, but she was dancing to a slow, romantic rhythm with Sam, with their bodies barely inches apart. To Brooke it felt like she was moving through white, soft cream; a breeze was gently teasing her face, her nipples had hardened, a knot of desire filled her throat, and a gentle ache had been born in her vagina as she looked into Sam's smiling, dark eyes.

"So this is love. . .real love
And its like Paradise..oh yes
Really a paradise. . .
For you and for me. . ."

Trapped in a dull, sexual ache, Brooke reached out, and pulled the beguiling girl fully into her arms, pressing their bodies together. The blond girl moaned as she felt Sam's soft, warm and gentle body moving against her own as they danced upon an erotic cloud.

"So this is love..real love..
And its so wonderful.. oh yes..
Even more wonderful..
Than I thought it could be. . ."

The voices, and the music whirled around Brooke in waves as she looked into Sam's beautiful face, and feelings of love and desire filled her madly beating heart. In a sudden rush of desire, Brooke pulled Sam to her, and kissed the girl slowly, enjoying the fullness, the softness of her lips. Again the voices, and the song came, caressing Brooke,
fueling her desire as she licked Sam's lips with her anxious tongue, as words formed in her mind that expressed what she was feeling in her heart and soul, "I'm so in love with you, Sammy."

"Not long ago I didn't know..
What this thing called love was about..
Now that you're here, now that you're near..
Each beat of my heart cries out, so. . ."

Now Brooke faced the frightening truth; That she had always loved Samantha, and all of her pettiness and cruelty toward the girl had just been an illusion to hide her true feelings which clashed with the lie that she had always called her life.

"This is love. . .real love.
And it's so heavenly. . .oh yes.
Its very plain to see
We're really in love. . ."

Brooke's private bubble of pleasure burst, and she was hurled back to reality. The feelings of ecstacy, the impending orgasm, and the beguiling vision of Sam all slipped away from Brooke to be replaced by a strange emptiness as she awoke with the last fading echoes of the distant song still swirling in her mind.

"Oh yes, so this is love. . .
Oh yes, so this is love. . .
Oh yes, so this is love. . .
Oh yes, so this is love. . ."

Brooke was fully awake now as she sat up in bed, looked around her, and sadly noticed that her dream was gone, "this is SO unfair!" Brooke heard sounds coming from the bathroom, and instinctively glanced at her Barney the Dinosaur alarm clock on the night stand next to her bed, "its almost six in the morning. Why is Sam up so early? She always sleeps late on Saturdays!" Brooke was so intrigued, that she got slowly out of bed, careful not to awaken her sleeping lover, "I still can't believe that Nic and I are. . ."

The lanky girl blushed as she recalled their lovemaking from just hours before. The slight vestiges of Nic and Brooke's mingled, sexual musk still lingered in the bedroom, and Brooke could still smell it, "three orgasms in one night. . .wow!" Yet, Brooke felt an odd, out of place strangeness in the idea of calling Nic her lover. Instead, to the lanky blond it seemed more natural to think of Samantha as her lover, as she deliciously recalled the brief fantasy that she had enjoyed only a few seconds before. Brooke was completely naked, and blushed again as she grabbed a bathrobe from a nearby chair, then put it on as quickly as possible. Then Brooke tiptoed to the bathroom door, and opened it, "Sam?" the tall girl called out quietly.

"Hey!" Sam said as she smiled brightly when she saw an obviously sleepy-eyed Brooke enter the bathroom through the door that connected to the blond's room, "so what's up?"

The bathroom smelled of soap and shampoo, evidence to Brooke that Sam had just showered and shampooed. But what made the blond girl distraught, was the sight of Samantha brushing her long hair, "I was just going to ask you that myself,"

Brooke said nervously as she noticed that Sam was wearing a black, string bikini, "its six, Sam. You're never up this early on Saturdays!" Brooke's eyes raked up and down Sam's long, shapely legs, wide hips that narrowed upwards into a tiny waist, then upwards into firm, B-cup breasts, firm shoulders, slender arms, small hands, slender neck, and a beautiful face with shining eyes, and full lips.

"It's a beautiful day, Brooke," Sam declared chirpily, quickly, as she headed into her room, "I don't want to spend it inside, although I didn't get any sleep because of the racket you and Satan made all night!"

"Oh. . .um. . ." Brooke blushed deeply.

"Good thing mom and Mike are out, Brooke," Sam smile naughtily, "it would've been interesting to see their reaction!" Sam smiled saucily at Brooke.

"Er. . .I. . ."

"I'm sure those two are making their own bedroom noises down in Florida!" Sam declared as she proceeded to slip a red tank top over her bikini top.

"Eeewww. . .bad visual!" Brooke exclaimed as she entered Sam's room, and sat on the girl's bed.

"Yeah. I know."

Both girls started to laugh as a sudden camaraderie came over them. Brooke felt a sense of relief at seeing any lack of resentment or anger in Sam over Brooke having chosen Nick as her lover, "Sam. . .about what we discussed last night. . ."

"Its okay, Brooke," Sam said quickly as her demeanor sobered, "I'm cool!"

"But I treated you so badly. I said awful things to you," Brooke said guiltily, "about you. . .how you feel about me. I'm sorry if I hurt you!"

Sam held up a hand to silence Brooke, "look. . .just forget about it all." There was an air of remoteness about Sam that frightened Brooke for a moment, "but I was right about you though! You are gay!"

"Yes. I'm very surprised by all of this," Brooke admitted.

"You'll get used to it," Sam said as she fetched her jeans.

"Um. . .Sam. . .we still have to talk about your feelings for me."

"No," Sam said softly as she reached over to ruffle Brooke's already disheveled hair, "we don't."

"But. . ."

"The subject is closed," Sam said with nonchalance as she slipped slowly, sexily into a pair of tight, faded jeans that fit her so well, that Brooke erupted into goose bumps just to look at her.

"Well. . .this is quite cozy!" Brooke and Sam looked up to see a stark naked Nicole standing at the open door of Sam's room. Nicole regarded the step-sisters with suspicion, "Brooke?"

"Hi, Satan," Sam greeted as she fetched her white sneakers in her hand.

"Yeah," Nicole was surprised to see Sam smiling at her, "hi Spam. Oh. . .is the luncheon meat going out today?"

"Absolutely, o spawn of evil darkness."

"Where are you going?" Brooke asked quickly.

"None of your business," Sam replied with a smile, "but the good news is that you two will have the house all to yourselves."

"Excellent news, Spam!" Nicole exclaimed as she pedaled into Sam's room, "I won't be seeing you around."

"Nice," Sam replied as she playfully slapped Nicole's pale derriere, "you're quite fat, Satan!"

"Ouch!" Nicole yelped in surprise, "Hey!"

"I want to know where you are going, Sam!" Brooke stood up, and spoke firmly.

"You two beasts can keep mating freely, but stay away from my bed!" Sam said as she ignored Brooke.

Brooke stared, and even Nicole couldn't keep help but notice Sam in her tight, hip hugging, bell-bottom jeans, and a short, red tank top that left her firm midriff bare. Samantha moved away from the girls gracefully, even sensuously, aware of what her looks were doing to the two blonds, and flaunted herself shamelessly.

"I still want to know where the hell you are going!" Brooke commanded angrily.

Sam fetched her sneakers, and proceeded to walk barefoot out of her room, "later, Brooke. . .you too, you obnoxious, little monster!"

"Of course, you conceited, smug bitch!" Nicole retorted as she cooed, and hugged Brooke tightly.

Suddenly, it seemed to Brooke that time, space and reality stopped existing, and she was left in an alternate dimension where Nicole and the rest of the world didn't exist, but she was alone with Sam. The problem with Brooke's little epiphany was that Sam was leaving her behind. Sam was leaving in slow motion. Sam was gone from her reach, and her life, and Brooke was painfully aware of it.

Brooke snapped out of her temporary revelry as a feeling of emptiness invaded her body in lieu of Sam's absence. Brooke looked down at Nicole, who clung lovingly to her, and suddenly felt very queasy, "what will I do now? How did this happen? I don't love Nic at all. I'm hopelessly. . .madly in love with Sam!"

Saturday passed for Brooke alternately between sleep, and Nicole's relentless, heated lovemaking. But it was during sleep that Brooke suffered; in those dark moments that came like islands of stillness amid Nicole's frenzied, constant touch. It was then that Brooke fell prisoner to tormented dreams about losing Sam.

In Brooke's dream, she became a breeze that flew to Harrison's house, and entered inside it through a window in the living room. Brooke saw Harrison carrying Sam into the house as if the two of them were newlyweds.

"Sammy," Harrison went inside, and shut the door behind him with a kick of his foot, while he filled his eager arms with the girl of his dreams. The lanky boy's fiery passion overwhelmed him as he mastered the beguiling girl with rough, primal kisses. Samantha, a virgin, was somewhat startled and frightened by Harrison's fierceness, but she submitted to his touch, as she returned his kisses, as her own sexual fervor began to burn inside of her.

"You are. . .so beautiful, Sam!" Harrison's voice was hoarse with need as he ran his fingers through Sam's long, thick hair, "I've dreamed of this for so long!"

Harrison pulled Sam more tightly into his iron embrace, and carried her upstairs, taking two steps at a time when climbing the stairs of his house. Sam giggled at the boy's dramatic display of primal masculinity, and clung tightly to him.

Brooke felt herself erupt in her own, virile rage as she followed the boy, and his precious bundle up the stairs, then down the hall to his room. Brooke bellowed in the silence of her mind as she tried desperately to pry Harrison's arms from around Sam, but was unable to, for she was nothing more than an invisible breeze, and couldn't do much more than ruffle his hair.

Harrison would take three steps up, then stop to kiss Sam. Then the lanky boy would take three more steps up, then stop to kiss his girl once more. Harrison repeated the same process until he reached the open doorway of his room. Harrison's room was lit by dozens of small, lit candles that he had stacked everywhere; on his desk, night stand, and bookshelves. The boy had scattered rose petals on both the floor of his room, and upon his bed. The boy set his girl down next to his bed, and embraced her. Sam and Harrison began to kiss, their tongues tangled in a war of passion as they slowly moved closer to the bed.

Then, Harrison lunged forward, taking Samantha with him as they both fell onto his bed with her on the bottom, and him on top of her. The boy began to kiss the girl's face, then down her neck in a series of butterfly kisses interspersed with gentle licks against her incredibly soft, porcelain skin which fascinated him, as his trembling hands began to pull of her tank top. . .

Brooke awoke with a start from an uneasy sleep filled with erotic images of Sam and Harrison making love. At any other time, the lanky girl would have dismissed her dreams of Sam as commonplace, simply an irritable occurrence, because she had been dreaming about Sam every single night for months now. But now, Brooke knew that she was in love with her step-sister, and that changed everything. Perhaps her loving Sam had always been there, just under the anger, frustration, resentment, and obvious jealousy that she felt toward the girl. But Brooke hadn't known that Sam secretly loved her while she in return despised the brunette. "If I had known that Sam loved me. . .would it have made things any different?" Brooke had the answers to the query of her own soul, as she realized that having had knowledge of Sam's love would not have changed the outcome of her situation caused by her own stupidity. "I did know that Sam loved me. . .I had the chance to do the right thing. But I chose Nic over her anyway. . .despite what I knew. . .that Sam didn't hate me even when I hated her, when I treated her like shit!" Brooke berated herself in the tribunal of her mind, "all the time that I spent hating her so intensely. . .blaming her for all of my problems. . .she was loving me!"

Tears threatened to erupt from the lanky girl's eyes, and she tried to fight them, "now I've ruined everything! I dragged Nic, my only friend into a situation that I just can't handle. Now I've ruined two lives. . .not just my own. What am I going to do?" That was a question that seemed to have no solution in Brooke's troubled mind.

Sunday evening, Brooke woke up in bed with Nicole snuggled up tightly to her.

"Brookie. . ." Nicole's soft whisper hurt Brooke more than a gun going off by her ear, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, Nic," Brooke yawned.

Brooke had never seen Nicole like this; so filled with love and reverence toward her, "I'm okay, Nic. I just had a bad dream."

"You were moaning and kicking just now in your sleep," Nicole said with concern. Then, the little blond smiled, "was it a nightmare about Sam?"

"Yeah. . .I was dreaming about Sam," Brooke confessed.

"Did you dream that you were quarreling with her?" Nicole asked, assuming that her precious lover still hated Sam intensely.

"Um. . .yeah," Brooke blushed in shame for she was lying. Instead of dreaming that she was fighting WITH Sam, the lanky girl had been dreaming that she was trying to kick Harrison OFF Samantha. "Nic?"

Brooke was fully awake now as she sat up in bed, noticing that Nicole was fully dressed, "are you leaving?"

"I have to go home, B," Nicole replied as she kissed Brooke's cheek, and reached for her purse, "I'll call you tonight."

"Sure."

"We can plan something for tomorrow," a gushing Nicole said.

"Nic?"

"Hhhmmm?"

"We have to keep our affair secret, okay?"

"Yeah. . .but. . ."

"Just for now, Nic. I'm not ready to come out yet. I just can't handle everyone knowing about us right now."

"But McPherson knows about us, Brooke."

"She won't tell. I know she won't."

"Well. . .I guess you're right, B. Okay. . .we'll do what you say."

"Hey. . ." Brooke got out of bed quickly, "I'll walk you to the door!"

"My. . .what a lady!" Nicole teased.

"Stop it," Brooke smiled as she threw her bathrobe on, and led Nicole out of her room, down the hall, then down the stairs.

Familiar sound came to Brooke's ears; the sound of Sam's car engine, her car parking in front of the house, the sound of her car door slamming shut. The sounds of Sam's arrival flooded Brooke's anxious heart as she stood in the living room wrapped in idle chatter with Nicole, "Sam's home!" Brooke inwardly gushed when she saw the front door open, and a visibly exhausted Sam walk in, "Sam?"

Nicole eyed Brooke suspiciously, "you're glad to see her?" the first signs of jealousy and wrath haunted her voice, "you hated her guts on Friday. What's changed?"

"She's my sister, Nic. I was worried about her."

"You mean. . .she's your STEP-sister, Brooke."

"Yes. . .but still. . ."

"You always called her an obnoxious add-on!"

"Well. . .yes I did. . .but now," Brooke blubbered helplessly on, becoming more and more transparent each passing second under Nicole's suspicious stare.

Nicole turned away from Brooke, and fixed her eyes on Sam, who looked tired, with sun burnt skin, blond-streaked, disheveled, windblown hair, "so. . .been to the beach, Spam?' the little blond watched the newly arrived shadow drag her feet as she passed by, "so. . .lost your virginity?"

"NICOLE!" Brooke yelled in shock and indignation.

"Yeah. . .whatever, Satan," Sam mumbled as she headed toward the stairs. Nicole suddenly reached out and slapped Sam hard on the butt, "nice ass, McPherson!"

"OUCH!" Sam cried in pain as she turned, and glared at Nicole, "why. . .you. . ."

"You owed me one, Spam!" Nicole giggled as she reached out, and pulled Sam's tank top and bikini top straps down, "WOW! Spam. . .you don't have any tan lines! You sunbathed in the nude?"

"Oooowww!" Sam yelped loudly as her skin reacted to Nicole's brusque touch, "stay away from me!" Then, Sam turned to climb the stairs.

"Well. . .well. . .well," Nicole's eyes glowed evilly, "I think Spam and Harrison did the nasty on the beach!"

Brooke was speechless, as her heart twisted in pure jealous rage. Brooke had the sudden urge to strangle Samantha. "How do you know that Nic?"

"I've seen that loser moaning and groaning over Spam for about a year and a half now," Nic replied nonchalantly, "he actually had the gall to ask my advice once. He was so desperate he spilled the beans as to how he wanted to lose his virginity to Spam. Betcha that's where Spam was all day; getting knocked up by that loser!"

Brooke was so enraged by what Nicole had said, that a knot had formed in her thoat.

"Later, Brookie," Nicole kissed Brooke briefly on the lips, unaware of the internal battle her tall lover was fighting, and left.

An angry Brooke went upstairs immediately, and stormed into Sam's room, "SAM!" the blond girl bellowed loudly, angrily, "SAM!"

"What?" Sam's reply was a weak one, as she lay in bed in evident pain.

"Did that bastard use a condom?" Brooke stood at the foot of the girl's bed, and glared down at her.

"That's none of your. . ."

"TELL ME!" Brooke screamed, "I'll twist his balls off with my bare hands if you get pregnant!"

Sam was so startled by Brooke's ferocity, that she turned onto her back with difficulty, and sat up in bed, "what? Are you serious?"

"TELL ME!"

Something in Brooke's angry, trembling voice, and in her fiery stare made Sam stop being cocky, "yes. We used a condom." Then Sam lay back on her stomach once more, "now go away!"

Brooke marched into the bathroom, searched in the medicine cabinet, then marched back into Sam's room with a bottle of calamine lotion in her hand, "don't go to sleep, Sam!" She yelled testily at her brunette sister, "SAM!"

"WHAT?" Sam was very annoyed now.

"If you don't get that burn of yours treated right now. . .you could get a fever!" Brooke snapped.

"Damn!"

"Sit up, and take your clothes off right now!" Brooke commanded the girl.

"You're kidding! No way!" Sam was defiant.

"STRIP RIGHT NOW. . .OR I'LL TEAR THEM OFF YOU!"

Brooke's violence startled Sam into respectfulness of her. The girl sat up in her bed, and painfully removed her tank top, then her bikini top, then her jeans and sneakers, but kept her bikini bottom on. Sam cried out several times as she undressed when the fabric of her clothes met her heated skin.

"Don't move so much," Brooke whispered as she began to gently rub the calamine lotion on the girl's back, "so. . .how was it?"

"Hhhmmm?" Sam had become bewitched by Brooke's velvet touch.

"Was Harrison good?" Brooke had to swallow hard to say those words, as her heart filled with bitterness, "or did he hurt you?" the blond no longer bothered to hide her anxiety or jealousy.

"It hurt a lot the first time," Sam replied softly.

"It always does, Sam," Brooke conceded.

"It kept hurting after the first time," Sam said thoughtfully, "but not so much. . .I guess you just get used to it."

"You did it more than once," Brooke was hurt, "figures," she gently outlined Sam's shoulder blades, "are you happy?"

"Yeah," Sam replied nonchalantly.

"You don't sound happy," Brooke pointed out, "a girl is always happy when she makes love to the person she's in love with."

"Why do you care so much, Brooke?" Sam asked in irritation.

"I need to know, Sam. Did you do this with Harrison just because I rejected you?"

"No." Sam's answer was simple and curt.

"Oh."

Silence reigned between the two girls for several seconds.

"Brooke. . ."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"What for, Sam? You haven't done anything wrong."

"That's a new one, McQueen," Sam chuckled, "usually you blame me for everything!"

"I'm sorry," Brooke said quietly.

"Now I know that the real McQueen was kidnaped by aliens, and replaced by a nice imposter!"

"Stop it!" Brooke playfully swatted Sam's thigh which she was smearing with calamine lotion.

"Ouch!"

"I'm sorry!"

The two girls looked at each other, and started to giggle.

"There's an echo in here," Sam said.

"Well. . .what were you sorry for in the first place?" Brooke asked.

"I take it back!" Sam joked.

"Spill, McPherson!"

"Okay," Sam hesitated as she blushed, then looked away from Brooke's intense, questioning gaze, "I'm sorry for butting into your business. I'm sorry for thinking that you could ever. . ."

Brooke was breathless now, waiting for Sam to finish her sentence, "what? That I could ever what?"

"I'm happy for you and Nic," Sam admitted quietly as a sad sigh escaped from her lips.

"But what were you going to say before?" Brooke's heart was knotted with anguish, wanting and needing to hear Sam's admission of love for her, "tell me!"

"It doesn't matter anymore," Sam said quietly as she turned away.

"It is important!" Brooke exclaimed, "it is to me."

"I was just a silly fool, Brooke," Sam conceded, "but I promise that I won't bother you again."

"Stop talking like that, Sam!" Brooke's heart was breaking.

"We can go back to our usual schedule of before," Sam replied, "to when you hated my guts."

"Things will never be the same again!" Brooke exclaimed passionately.

Sam flinched, and moved away from Brooke, "I'm going to pretend that the last three days never happened."

"Sam. . .you can't," Brooke was apologetic, "I don't hate you. I never really did. . .I. . ." the blond girl wanted desperately to confess her true feelings for Samantha.

"I should've known better," Sam added, "Nicole is your soulmate!"

"Sam. . ." Brooke desperately wanted to tell Sam that she had made a terrible mistake. Brooke wanted to tell Sam that Nicole wasn't her soulmate, or lover.

Brooke wanted to tell Sam that she was in love with her, that she was her only soul mate. But Brooke never got the chance to tell Sam how she truly felt.

"Hey,Brooke. . .did you hear that?"

"Huh? Hear what?"

"A car just drove up," Sam was up, and out of bed, and throwing her clothes back on, "I recognize that car engine anywhere. . .mom and Mike are home!" Sam kissed Brooke quickly on the cheek, and went downstairs to greet the newly arrived parents.

With a trembling hand, Brooke touched her cheek, that still tingled with a lingering kiss from the soft lips of her dream wraith, her beloved enemy, her lost chance to be happy, "how do I fix this? How do I get Sam?"