Secret Love and the Fastest Way to Happiness

High School.

It's all the same where ever you are. High school is just filled with sex, parties and lies. I was in my makeshift darkroom above the garage developing my umpteenth print of my past. I looked down at my picture of me and my boyfriend ex boyfriend Mark. <Mark Castle. He was your typical big man on campus. Hes the guy that everyone knew. Star athletic and I was the "trophy" girlfriend. Ever since freshman year on that glorious day that thee Mark Castle asked me to be his girlfriend, I was always known as just Mark's girlfriend.

He was a year older than me, which meant he was a year more experience and I on the other hand was, well I was a goody goody. That all changed when I started dating Mark. What came with the oh so wanted popularitycame the parties. All that came along with being cool, being accepted into their tight nit group I just went along with it.

Of course I was still myself wearing my tight jeans and band tees. I still went to shows, not as many as I wanted, but I still went. I still had my honor classes and all my photo and creative writing classes. I have a lot of friends don't get me wrong. I probably have two of the best friends anyone could ask for. Rian Dawson and Alyssa Taylor. To them I was just Sam. Samantha Renee Clark. But this summer I guess Im going to have a new name to try on. Marks ex girlfriend. Not Sam, that creativity girl who was always seen with a camera and a notebook to write down anything sorts of things that pop into her head. I was that girl who seemed like she had a lot going for her and that she was doing something with her life. In all reality I was really that girl that was going nowhere and will always be stuck in this town. Timonium, Maryland here I stay!

"Throw those out Samantha!"

I looked over my shoulder and saw Alyssa standing there. I just smiled as she walked over to my table and stood there with that face that she always made when she felt sorry for someone. I handed the stacks of papers. I watched her rip them up piece by piece and then throwing them out.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Alyssa," I said walking over to the chair and taking a seat in front of her.

"I mean its okay if you not."

"I am."

"Hes a dick for breaking up with you before summer vacation."

"Alyssa."

"Especially right before senior year which has prom and everything," she said rambling on and on as she typed away on her sidekick.

"Alyssa," I said rubbing my temples with aggravation.

"Hes probably out right now trying to get in all those slutty cheerleaders short skirts."

"Alyssa!" I screamed as she jumped up and dropped her phone.

"Sorry."

"Its cool I just dont want to talk about him."

"I understand," she said giving me a weak smile.

"So how was the party?"

"So much fun, did I tell you that I fell in love."

"Yeah you text me that night, but you didnt tell me who this boy was."

'Jack.'

'Jack?'

'Jaccckkk,' she said stretching out his name with a smile.

'Jack Barakat?'

'Yeah.'

'I approve.'

'Oh thank you,' she said laughing.

'Hes so cute and so funny. I dont know why I never got with him; I dont know what I was thinking'

'He always had a thing for you,' I said laughing.

'And where the hell was I?'

'With Chase.'

'Mmhm.'

Well I woke up in a car. I traced a way the fog. so I could see the Mississippi on her knees Ive never been so lost Ive never felt so much at home
I grabbed my phone and slide it open seeing I had a text.

FRM: RAIN MAN
5:10
Movie night at my casa at 6. You and Alyssa better go!

'Who is it?'

I handed her the phone and she just started to laugh. She handed it back shaking her head.

'You still call him that?'

'Yeah dont you?'

'Yeah,' she said laughing.

'Were going,' she said standing up and pulling my arm.

'Nah Im good.'

'Samantha Clark!'

'Fine.'

'Lets do our summer goals,' she said smiling.

'This summer my goal is to get some action,' I said as she laughed.

'My goal is to get Jack.'

I let her drag me up the stairs into my room. I watched as she got dressed and putting on her make up. I really didnt care about my make up. I just grabbed a Something Cooperate hoodie and pulled on my navy blue tie up vans. I left my hair down all in its messy wavy mess. I really didnt care. We walked out to my car and Circa Survive came on the speakers. Alyssa wasn't the biggest fan of Anthony Greens whinny voice but she knew not to change it when Im doing her a favor. We pulled up to Rians house and walked to the door and knocked on the door. I looked over at Alyssa who was anxious to see Jack.

'Oh hi girls.'

'Hi Mrs. Dawson,' we said as she let us in giving us both hugs.

'The boys are downstairs in the garage.'

'Okay,' we said about to walk down.

'Samantha could I talk to you for a moment?'

I looked over at Alyssa who looked just as confused as I was. I just nodded as Alyssa walked away. I turned my attention back on Mrs. Dawson.

'I'm really sorry honey,' she said grabbing me into a another hug.

'For what?'

'Your parents told me about the break up and Im so sorry honey I know you must feel horrible,' she said rubbing the side of my arms like when I was a little girl.

'Really Im fine.'

'Okay honey but you know if you want to talk Im always here.'

Thank you, I said giving her one last hug before walking down the stairs.

I walked down to the garbage and throw the old squeaky door. I pulled it open just to see everyone sitting around talking. I walked over and sat down next to Alyssa. She raised her eyebrow and gave me another one of her stupid facial expressions.

'What did my mom have to tell you?' Rian asked with his arm around Kara.

'That she was sorry.'

'For what?' he asked sitting up a little.

'My break up,' I said as everyone stayed quiet.

'Oh.'

'Who else is coming?' Alyssa asked breaking the uneasy silence.

'Uh Alex, Jack, Zack, Brandon and Matt.'

'Sounds fun.'

I looked over at her and she smiled. We were on the opposite couch of them. I looked away from her and down at my sidekick flipping it open just for the hell of it. Suddenly there was a big crash. I looked up and saw someone on the floor and two guys laughing.

'You're an idiot Jack.'

I looked up and saw Jack, Matt and Alex. I looked up at Alex and he smiled at me. I just smiled and looked away. You see me and Alex have some history. And when I say history I mean History.

'You tripped me Gaskarth!'

'Man up.'

'Alyssa!'

'Jack!' she yelled back laughing.

They hugged and then he walked over to me and gave me a hug. Then Matt walked over and gave me a kiss on the cheek and a hug before he sat on the other couch. Alex just smiled and took a seat next to Matt. A couple of minutes Brandon showed up with his girlfriend Allison.

'Hey guys sorry Im late.'

I looked away from Alyssa to see non other thank Zack Merrick standing there. I couldnt hide the smile that was coming on my face. He saw me and smiled back. I always thought Zack was cute since I first met him in sophomore year. Although he doesn't go to the same school as me I do see him a lot. Well not as much as I wanted too. Mark always kept me away from this group. He went to Towson High School with Matt and Brandon while the rest of us went to Dulaney High School.

'Hey Sam.'

'Hey Zack,' I said as I stood up a little to hug him.

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek. Then I let go and sat back down. He sat down next to me as he threw his arm around my shoulder. We all just talked laughing. Then Rian put on the movie.

'Ah fuck no,' I said seeing the screen.

'What you dont like IT?' Zack asked looking over at me with a smile.

'No.'

'She hates clowns,' Alyssa said laughing.

'Remember like in third grade at her party she started to cry when the clown was at her party,' Rian said as everyone laughed.
'Or at the eight grade party she kicked the clown in the balls,' Jack said.
'Well he tried to touch me,' I said crossing my arms.
'He tried to give you a balloon dog.'
'Is it pick on Sam day or what?'
'Isnt it always,' Rian said.
Then I felt arms around my shoulder. I looked up at Zack and smiled. I cuddle into his chest as the movie started. He rested his head on mine as we watched the movie. Well not really my face was in his chest the whole time. I held on for dear life as everyone was laughing at the movie.
'You okay?'
'Yeah, is he dead yet?' I asked looking up into his eyes.
'Not yet.'
'Okay', I said putting my head into his chest.
Once the movie ended and they put on another no one was watching it. We were all talking and laughing. Then my phone started to ring. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and saw Mark flashing on the screen.
'Hello.'
'Hey babe,' he said and he was obviously drunk.
'what do you want Mark?' I asked as everyone suddenly stopped talking and looked over at me.
'I just want to talk to my girlfriend is that so wrong? '
'Yes because I'm not your girlfriend,' I said putting my head in my hands.
'I love you.'
'Bye Mark.'
I hung up the phone and then looked up from my hands and saw everyone giving me that look. I just rolled my eyes and stood up.
'I'm just going to go get some air.'
I walked out the back door and took a seat on the porch. I looked up at the sky taking deep breathes. I didnt want to cry and I had no reason to.
'Hey.'
I looked up and saw Alex. The last person I would ever think that would come out her to check up on me.
'Hey'
'Are you okay?'
'Yeah Im fine just a little annoyed,' I said as he took a seat next to me.
'Understandable, do you want me to go kick his ass for you?' he asked with his cute little smile.
'You'll get your ass kicked,' I said laughing.
'True, do you want me to go send Zack to go kick his ass?'
'Its cool.'
'Its good to see you again', he said rocking his body into mine.
'You saw me everyday at school.'
'But not like talk, you know I missed you.'
'Really?' I asked laughing.
Of course, now lets go inside and watch another movie.'
'Okay.'

'Whats was up with you and Zack tonight?' Alyssa asked as we got into my car.
'Nothing.'
'You totally want to smash.'
'Shut up.'
'You want him face it,' she said laughing.
'I dont know what I want.'

In summer, the song sings itself.