Sam

The evening sun fades away causing the street lights to flick on illuminating the parking lot. The wind tussles my now free blonde hair, my lips part to formulate words but find it hard to do. My hazel eyes look at him a bit frightened.

Never in my time here did I think I would meet up with Sam. I met him in New York for Pete's sake. How did I meet him out of all persons here?

Fate is playing with me.

"Christina, you look different," he states as his green eyes assess my appearance. "You even put on weight."

What a conversation starter. He called you fat Tina.

I chuckle nervously. "I don't think it's a nice thing to say a woman looks fat."

He chuckles awkwardly scratching his head. "You're right but I didn't say you're fat just that you got a little thicker. As in curvier, sexier and even more beautiful. You're rocking the blonde look by the way."

Well, that's a nice save. I guess hitting on several girls in his life makes it easy to twist words into something complementary. Plus throwing in that bit about me rocking the blonde look would totally cause a girl to blush, ignoring the fat comment earlier but I am not an amateur. I recognize his techniques which I find rather unamusing. He should just give up now for his tricks won't provide the reaction he seeks. Especially not with me.

I am about to reply to his little save when Chev pops in the conversation.

"Hello, we're still here so stop your flirting," she says drawing out the hello and sounding slightly offended. This happens when she doesn't receive attention, she wants to scram to find a better audience. "Now who the hell are you and why are you calling our Izzy, Christina?"

Shit, busted. I cringe. Think of a cover-up. Come on Tina work that brain of yours. I drill myself as Sam goes through the introductions.

"My name is Samuel Mariel, Restaurant Manager and friend of this fine lady," he says gesturing to me. "And to answer your question the reason I call Christina is because her name is Christina H–" he starts putting my body on high alert, making me so terrified that I interrupt.

"Christina is one of my names, some call me by it while others call me Isabelle," I quickly reply.

Chev raises a brow while Shan furrows her brows. "So Christina is like a pet name?"

"More the less," I mutter and they look at me a bit confused.

"Um, Sam can we go over there to talk," I say – as Chev is about to question me – pointing to an area between two cars. "I'll be right back. Give me a minute," I tell the girls who give me a look of unbelief as if saying really bitch?

They turn towards the car and I sigh in relief.

At least they are permitting me space. Sam and I walk over to the gap between the cars and I assess him. He looks better than the last time I saw him at the orphanage. He was a volunteer who helped in a survey I carried out for the decoration of the orphanage that Johnattan has recently completed.

We ended up touring New York like on a date and Johnattan got jealous of him. Looking back at it now his jealousy was wasted on Sam. Johnattan was the one I loved, is the one I love.

"Wow, you're alive," Sam starts and I raise a brow at his statement.

"Why that choice of words?" I ask crossing my arms.

"Well, I hadn't seen you since our time in New York. I had tried contacting you but your phone was out and when I asked around you were nowhere in the state. It was like you disappeared from the face of the earth," he says dramatically. "I was so worried. I had even tried asking that dick Johnattan about you but he only yelled and laid a beating on me before getting his guards to throw me out."

I stare in disbelief. "He fought you?" He nods. "Why? What did you say to him?" Johnattan isn't naturally violent so I know Sam had to say something to rile him up.

He scratches his head nervously before replying. "I might have sassed a bit about you saying that you aren't with him. That you're just partners with a contract and the job is strictly by the contract and your personal life is not supposed to impose on it. He was asking why I cared and saying it's not like you care about me so why am I stalking you. I kinda lost it and bitched a bit."

He wasn't lying they were my exact words but they were before I confessed my love.

"Those words seemed to have hit a nerve which led him to hit me. I did get in a few good punches in but that guy must have done professional boxing. His punches were on point." He flexes his jaw. "My jaw stills feel slack."

Well, that's expected, Johnattan isn't a pushover and can hold his own. I mused.

I sigh in perplexity. I never expected him to go to Johnattan and say those things to him. He must think... God, I don't know what he must be thinking. Those words, me leaving there could be a million things running through his head. Fuck! Again indirectly I have seemed to hurt him. I'm doomed... I really can't make him happy.

"So what are you doing here?" I ask changing the topic with a sigh.

"Well, I do own a chain of Italian restaurants all over the country. I was checking out the one I had here when I decided to come here to grab a King Klan – one of the best freaking sandwiches in LA."

"You own a chain of restaurants?" I ask a bit surprise and he nods.

I never really paid attention to him to know. Heck, I didn't even know his last name was Mariel!

"Remember that restaurant we when to?" I nod as I recall the five-star Italian restaurant he took us to in New York. It had a red, gold, brown colour scheme to it and amazing food my taste buds were just having a foodgasm at the sensation gliding on my tongue. "I owned it."

"Oh wow, that's new info," I say shifting nervously from foot to foot. Wait if he is that rich why was he volunteering it didn't seem like his type of thing. "So why were you stuck volunteering?"

He grins. "Well you know I have a need for speed." Nope, first news to me but I nod anyway. "Well, I had a pile of unpaid speeding tickets in my car. One day I was caught speeding and my vehicle got searched, the police finding the tickets."

"That does sound like something you would do Sam," I reply a bit antsy. "You have trouble written all over you."

"I guess I do," he smiles sheepishly leaning on one of the cars. "Well after that, I had to pay one hell of a fine and it was either volunteering at different places for a month or jail."

"And you took Volunteering," I finish as I tuck a few strands behind my ear.

"Of course," he says stepping closer. "And I'm glad I did or I wouldn't have met you," he smiles at me pinching my chin and I freeze.

I didn't want Sam, I didn't love him but the way he is looking at me screams adoration. He is infatuated with me but his feelings are futile. I love Johnattan and I won't stop until I take my last breath. He completes me, fills me and makes me feel whole. He isn't perfect but his imperfections make him perfect to me.

"Earth to Izzy," yells Chev and I snap out of my trace. I step back from Sam and we both look over at her. "We need to get going if we're gonna go celebrate."

Sam looks away from Chev as she finishes talking to look at me. "What are you guys celebrating?"

"Her birthday," Chev shouts and I glare as Sam looks surprised.

"It's your birthday?" Sam asks.

"Yes, it is," I mumble out. Chev and her big mouth! I mentally growled.

"Well, happy birthday Chrissie," he yells hugging and spinning me which catches me off guard causing me to tense.

He places my feet on the ground with a grin. I look at him in shock, discomfort and regret in my eyes. Shock, that he would take such a friendly gesture with me, discomfort at his touch and regret, I regret leading him on when I know that'll he'll never have the chance he wants with me.

"Izzy!" Chev says as she honks the car horn once again snapping me out of a trance. I pull away from Sam hugging myself as he smiles down at me.

Chev had opened the car and slipped in while Sam was hugging me waiting patiently but the problem is her patience lasts for about a few minutes before wearing thin. "Say goodbye to Sam and get your ass in the car!"

Or should I say it's a good thing?

I turn to Sam who is laughing at Chev's statement. "Well, I guess this is goodbye."

"No this is a see you later," he replies. "Goodbye sounds like I'll never see you again."

I wish you wouldn't. It would be best for both of us.

"Okay," I say as I walk away from him without glancing back.

"Later!" He calls after me as I step onto the car. I give him a forced smile sliding into the car.

I watch as he becomes a speck in the distance as Chev drives away.

"Well he's cute," Chev says as she pulls out of the parking lot glancing in the rear-view mirror at me.

I groan and she and Shanice who is in the front passenger seat laugh. I slap my hand over my face in annoyance. Are guys all she thinks about?

"Was he an ex-boyfriend? He's quite a hotshot why aren't you with him? He looks–"

"Like he's a good tumble in the sheets. I know, I know," I finish as Shan laughs her ass off at a sheepish looking Chev.

"I do say that a lot, don't I?"

"Yeah," we reply in union causing Chev to bite her lip.

"But it's true," she protests and I groan.

Please spear me!