Page 16 of Surviving You, Scotch and Sammy 1

He pulls me against his side oh so casually, like we’ve been together for years as opposed to three hours, and he drops a juicy kiss on my forehead just as we cross the black top of our school’s parking lot. “You need to relax, Sammy.”

“You need to get off me. Everyone is staring.”

“Let ‘em stare. Everyone already thinks we’re together.”

I try to shove him away with my elbow. “Because you wouldn’t shut up about it!”

“Worked out for me in the end, didn’t it?” He leans away and looks down into my eyes, as his moppy hair dangles past his brows and his lips spread in a huge goofy grin. “Relax. Nothing changes, except now I get to kiss you and you get to admit out loud that you think I’m hot.”

“Well, well, well.” Luca Lenaghan struts toward us the way only someone with supreme bullshit levels of confidence can, and he looks me up and down from top to toes. “I see our girl finally relented. Or you found the chloroform.”

“Ha,” Sam scoffs. “Thinks he’s funny.” He squeezes me under his arm. “Luc. Meet my beautiful girlfriend, Sammy Ricardo. Ricci, meet my brother, best friend, band mate, and all around annoying pest, Luc.”

“I should take offense to that, jackass.”

My entire body breaks out in nervous shakes as Luc steps forward and literally tugs me from Sam’s arms. He holds me so tight, I wonder how I could ever live without his hugs again, but then Sam pulls me back and hugs me even tighter and warmer and better.

“She’s mine,” he grumbles at Luc. “Go find your own.”

“I’m happy for you guys.” Luc slaps Sam on the shoulder. “I really am. I like giving you shit, but I’m happy to see my brother happy.”

“Aww, ain’t this a pretty picture.” My eyes snap from Luc’s to Angelo’s, and I feel my poor face flush. I’m like a lighthouse in the night. I can’t stop the stupid blush and when it comes around, everyone can see it. “I knew your creepin’ yesterday would be good news for us.”

“You were creepin’, Ricci?”

“No--”

“Yup. She was trying to get your attention.”

“Aww, Ricci.” Sam leans down and kisses my cheek for a long noisy minute. “That makes my heart feel good. I knew my pestering was working.”

“You can all shut up now.”

“Well hey there, new girl.” Marcus Macchio, the fourth and final member of Sam’s band sidles up to our group with a sly smirk. It doesn’t matter a damn that Luc and Marc are both younger than I am. All four guys are basically all man already. They’re still a little skinny, but they’re bigger than most other guys in our grade and they sure look and talk grown up. “I guess the chloroform worked then, huh?”

“Jesus!” Sam snaps. “Can you guys shut up about chloroform? She’ll have me arrested.”

“Do you actually own a bottle of chloroform?”

He looks down at me with a shy smile. “No, Ricci. I swear. But I’d have been open to it if you kept lying to yourself.”

“So I guess she’s in then?”

My eyes snap back up to Marcus’ in question. “In?”

“He’s got his arms around you in public, which means you finally gave in and agreed to… something.”

“Uh-huh…”

“So you’re in. Welcome to the group, baby girl. I mean, we’ve had your back for years already, but now I can say it out loud. You need help, call one of us. You need a date to prom, call him. Bitches being bitchy, tell us. You need fifty dollars, ask any of us and we’ll spot you.”

I look from face to face and take in the genuine tenderness in each set of eyes. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Sam squeezes me. “I already told you, if you’re mine, then you’re theirs and they’re yours too. Let’s get to home room before we get detention.”

That first day of being at school together while actually being together, might have been the strangest but most exhilarating day of my life. Sam left my side only when our class schedules didn’t line up, but that was only two out of six classes.

I walked out of fourth period geography to find the whole band loitering near my classroom to walk me to lunch. Sam held my hand and the guys laughed and surrounded me like an ever vigilant, albeit laughing and unprofessional security detail. We arrived in the cafeteria and got our food, then the four guys and I walked to the far side of the room and we ate together. I felt like I’d stepped into some kind of twilight zone boy club. I’ve watched these guys for three years, and they never have girls sitting at their table. Today’s - almost - no different. My former table is still occupied by Sassy and Whitney and all the bitchy girls, and they continue to stare at the band’s table, but this time, I’m sitting on their side. It feels surreal.

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