Second Chances

“Okay lovebirds!” Jimmy called out as the two of them sat on the couch in the studio. Sam was between his legs and leaning back against his chest while his arms wrapped comfortably and protectively around her. “We need to get this party back home.”

“I’m sorry you didn’t really get to play your guitars at all,” Sam apologized, sitting up a little bit, but Brian’s arms held her back.

“Don’t worry about it. They’ll be there tomorrow,” He said, pecking her cheek before letting her go so she could get up.

“I’m saying we have a beach day tomorrow,” Matt suggested.

“The actual beach, with the sand and ocean?” Sam asked; her eyes delighted.

Jimmy snorted and chuckled. “No silly! Bar hopping!”

“Oh.”

“Why such the sad face?” Brian asked, putting his arms around her waist.

“Because I’m not of legal age yet.”

“Oh yeah,” Matt chuckled nervously. “I forgot.” He looked over at Jimmy, why? Who knows. “Well, maybe we should go to the actual beach then. The girls probably want a day out too.”

“Girls?” Sam asked, raising her brow at this word. “What girls?”

“Our girlfriends.”

Sam broke away from Brian’s grip and stepped over to Matt, smacking him on the shoulder. “You douche! You didn’t tell me you had a girlfriend!”

“Oww! Hey!” He cried. “You never asked!”

“I shouldn’t have to ask!”

“Alright! Enough!” Brian said pulling her back away from Matt. “No more beating up the singer!”

“Jimmy!” She whined. “Beat Matt up for me.”

“Can’t do that Bubbles. We need him for our band.”

Sam pouted. “Well fine then. Maybe I won’t go to the beach with you freaks then.”

The three of them stared at her with jaws gaping open. Of course they knew she was just joking around, but did she really thing she that she wouldn’t be going? Hello! There were three very strong guys that could pick her up and carry her to the water. Johnny didn’t count because he was short, and Jimmy was a giant bean stalk, so he couldn’t pick her up either.

“Uh hell no missy!” Jimmy said in a very serious sounding voice. “You are going to meet the girls.”

“Then how bout I meet them without you guys?” Sam suggested with a devilish look on her face. She smiled innocently acting like she did no wrong when she caught Matt eyeing her suspiciously. “I could bring Katie too,” She added.

“I don’t know……” Jimmy said slowly, eyeing her up.

“Come on Jimbo!” She said. “I’ve already met Leanna!”

He nodded in response.

“And besides, I need to go shopping for some new clothes.”

“But you just went shopping with Lee the other day!” Jimmy complained, exaggerating his point by making his eyes wide and faking like he was going to faint.

“Well consider the last trip a pre-broken-heart trip,” She explained, turning her head to look over at Brian for a second. He gave her an apologetic look and mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’ to her. She turned her attention back to Jimmy. “So this trip will be like a post-broken-heart-pre-birthday shopping trip.”

Jimmy quickly glanced over at Brian and stared at him with a murderous look. “I swear to fucking god that if you fucking hurt her again, both me and my accountant will come after you.”

Brian chuckled and stepped over by Sam, placing an affectionate kiss on her cheek. “Don’t worry about it Jimmy. I don’t have any plans on doing that again.”

“But I do,” Sam giggled under her breath.

“What?”

“Nothing! So can I meet the girls for a shopping trip tomorrow or not?”

Jimmy looked over and Matt, who looked helplessly back at him. “Hey, you know Val is responsible with money.”

“Alright,” Jimmy sighed after what seemed like an eternity of silence. “But please no huge purchases.”

“Oh please Jimmy, you’re a rockstar! You’re supposed to be spending money on strippers and booze!” Sam laughed. “Don’t you be worrying about money with me. I have some of my own to spend on personal items.”

“It’s not you that I’m worried about, it’s Leanna.”

“Jimmy, her and I shop the clearance racks. I’m a cheap skate.”

His face softened from the cold, nervous look and a smile actually played on his lips. “I knew there was a good reason your mother was my aunt.”

The bottom of her heart hurt a little, but still she smiled. “Yeah, She was definitely a bargain hunter.”

Matt heard the word ‘was’ in her statement and was going to question it, but the look Brian gave him told him it was better to just leave it alone.

----

“So what are you doing tomorrow?” Sam asked, getting under the covers on her bed.

“Hanging out around the hotel some more. It’s really nice here,” Katie said in to the other end of the phone. “Why?”

“Do you want to go with me to meet these girls that apparently hold relationships with the guys?”

“Damn, are you saying Zack is unavailable?” Katie asked. Sam knew that she was just joking though. Katie never really took a liking towards any of the guys like Sam did. Although, there was one time where Sam questioned if Katie like Zacky because she’d only want to hang out with him, but she just said that they were really great friends.

Psh. Yeah. Friends.

“Well I don’t know. He might still be on the market.”

Katie sighed. “Let me ask my mom to see if she has any other plans, and if not, we’ll go shopping.”

“Ooh! Yay!” Sam squealed.

“Hold up. You only act like this when there’s a specific reason you need to go shopping.”

Sam blushed. “No there isn’t.”

“Who are you trying to impress?” Katie sighed.

“I’m not trying to impress anyone!” Sam argued. “I just want to go shopping with my best friend in the wonderful city of Huntington Beach in this lovely state of California in the great country of the United States of America.”

“What’s his name Sam?”

“It’s Brian.”

“Brian, Brian?”

“Brian, Brian,” She repeated.

“Oh boy,” Katie chuckled. “You still have it bad for him, don’t you?”

Sam let out a frustrated sigh. “Kate, he’s just so perfect and ugh. He’s like twenty times better than he was in South Carolina, and I think this is our second chance at things, ya know?”

Katie shook her head. “Not really, but do whatever you want Sam. If that means throwing all caution to the wind and dropping your pants, then so be it,” She said in the most serious tone she could get out.

Sam sat there in her bed staring at the phone that those words had just come out of. Was that really her best friend talking for a second there?

“What the hell?”

“What? Did you want me to say something cliché like do what your heart wants?”

“Actually, yes.”

“Well you should know by now Sam that I don’t say lame and cliché things,” Katie answered back as a matter of factly.

Sam laughed. “I love you.”

“I love you too babe. But I have to get to bed so we can go shopping tomorrow and meet these crazy girls!”

“Alright,” She chuckled. “Night.”

“Night Sam. Make sure you text Brian, because I know you’re probably thinking about doing it.”

“Damn you!” Sam cursed.

Katie laughed. “Night Sam.”