Girl in the White Dress: Sam's Story (5 page)

             
“He will be so pleased.” By this point we were already back at the dorm. I turned my key and opened the door. Inside the room were dozens of candles and flowers everywhere. Since Matt had been with me all night, I could only assume Trinity had been in on this.

             
“What’s all this about?” I asked him.

             
“I wanted tonight to be special and memorable. I called Trinity while you were in the bathroom and let her know it was safe to decorate. I told her when we would be back so that the candles wouldn’t be lit forever.”             

             
“You brat,” I stated. “I’m glad you were so sure I would invite you up tonight.”

             
“I can’t help it if you’re predictable.”

             
I slapped his arm and he feigned an injury. I somehow doubted I could possibly hurt his biceps. They were huge. “You wanted to know if it was safe to decorate?”

             
“I didn’t want this to be here if you didn’t feel the same way about me. I do have my pride to protect.”

             
“Ah.” He was so cute.

             
“Music or a movie?” he asked.

             
“I just bought City of Angels. We could watch that.”

             
“Yeah, I guess I could suck it up tonight and watch a chick flick.”

             
“Gee, thanks. You’re so kind,” I said sarcastically. “You owe me anyway. How many times have you made me watch the Godfather movies?”

             
“Well, those are classics,” he simply stated.

             
“Oh, well, in that case…” We put in the video (I was still too cheap to suck it up and get a DVD player. DVD’s were twice the price of a VHS tape and I was a poor college student, after all) and got comfortable on the bed. Why would dorm rooms have couches? We had to arrange the pillows just so because the bed itself is an extra-long twin, which meant it was extra-long and super skinny. Big football player and little ole me barely fit.

Matt played with my hair while we watched the movie. It was very distracting; he knew how much I liked that. As like any movie night, we, of course, started to make out. It was different tonight
, though. I was a virgin. There, I said it. I was a little nervous about changing that status but tonight it just felt right. I knew that he did not tell me he loved me just to get me into bed. He was not like that.

             
“I’ll be right back.” I quickly grabbed something out of my closet and ran into the girls’ bathroom. I hurriedly changed out of my casual and comfortable undergarments and put on the cute lacy pair that I had packed, just in case.

             
Back in the room, I speedily shoved the other ones in my laundry basket. “Miss me?”

             
“You know I did. Come here, beautiful.” I sat back down on the bed with Matt. After a few more minutes of cuddling, he started kissing me. I let myself melt into his arms. I think even Matt could feel the change. His arms clung to me harder than before. He looked at me with a question in his eyes. I nodded. “Are you sure?” he asked.

             
“Very much so,” I reassured him.

             
He ran his hands across my body. I shivered. My hand was finding its way down to the bulge in his pants. I heard Matt moan. The next thing I knew our clothes were on the floor and his mouth was kissing me all over. I could feel my body getting tingly. Slowly, he slid inside me. I gasped. It hurt a little at first but then all I felt was pleasure. I could not believe I had waited for this. It was amazing. After we were laying in bed, the movie was already over. No idea what happened. I vaguely remember Nicolas Cage wanting to become human. Matt was tenderly stroking my cheek.

“I love you, Samantha Rayne,” he said.

“I love you, too, Matthew Anderson.”

              Finals were finally over. Freedom at last. The only downside was that I only had like three days to go shopping for Christmas presents. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting anyone. I had some extra time to buy Matt’s gift since I was not going to see him until New Year’s Eve. I was still trying to figure out just how I was going to get this by my mom. Trinity did not live too far from Matt so I was thinking that I could say I was going to stay with her for a week or so and obviously really stay with Matt. We would see.  My mother could be completely perceptive when she wanted to be and unfortunately, it was usually to my detriment.

             
I stopped at Dunkin Donuts before I headed home. Matt was letting me borrow his car (YAY) to drive home. I just needed to drop him off at his house first. He lived near Albany, NY so he was on my way home and I got to drive the wicked awesome BMW and make all my home friends wicked jealous. I parked the car and ran inside. I usually go through the drive up but for some reason I decided to go in. As I waited in line, I saw a semi-familiar face walk in the door. I smiled.

             
“Hi, Sam, right?” Ok, how did this cute stranger know my name? Oh, duh, Sam, this was the guy who ran you over on your walk.

             
“Yeah, Tim?”

             
“Yup. How are you doing? Get run over by crazy people lately?” he joked.

             
I laughed. “Well, there was this guy a couple weeks ago... He was kind of strange.”

             
“Want me to go kick his ass?” he said.

             
“Nah, I think he’s harmless.”

             
He laughed. “So where are you headed?”

             
“Home for winter break. I need my caffeine. I have an eight hour drive ahead of me.”

             
“Well that sucks.”

             
“Actually, it’s not too bad. About two and a half of those hours I will be in the car with my boyfriend.” I nodded to the BMW outside.

             
“Ah, a boyfriend. Well that certainly makes things interesting,” Tim said.

             
I was confused. “Interesting how?”

             
“Well, I was going to ask for your number, but I’m thinking that wouldn’t be appropriate now.”

             
“Oh,” was all I could say. I was so articulate.

             
“Yup, so…”

             
The Dunkin Donuts girl interrupted us. “Can I help who is next?”

             
“Oops, that’s me,” I said. “I’ll have a medium regular light with three sugars and a medium iced regular light with four equal.”

             
“Will that be all?”

             
I glanced quickly at the food. Donuts were one of my weaknesses. “Actually, can I get a Boston crème and a chocolate glazed?”

             
“Sure, that will be $5.34.” I handed the girl my money. I turned to Tim, “I’ve got to run; I have a long drive ahead of me. I’ll see you around.” I grabbed my coffee and heard him say bye as I practically bolted out the door. Crap, why did he have to ask for my number? Ok, maybe I was a little rude at the end of the conversation but he freaked me out. I definitely was not expecting that.

             
I opened the car door and handed Matt his iced coffee. “Who was that?” he asked.

             
“Who was who?” I said.

             
“The guy you were flirting with inside Dunkin.”

             
I could feel myself start to get flush. “I was not flirting,” I said defensively.

             
“I know, Sam,” he said. “But seriously, who was that?”

             
“That’s Tim,” I said simply.

             
“And Tim would be?”

             
“He would be the runner who literally ran into me a couple of weeks ago.”

             
“You didn’t tell me about that.” He was starting to sound a little mad.             

             
“I didn’t tell you about it because it was when I was mad at you,” I said. We had not even left the parking lot. I was NOT sitting in a car for almost three hours with him if he was going to be grouchy.

             
“Ok.” I could tell by the tone in his voice that he did not seem too pleased.

             
“Will you stop being jealous and get over it?” I said. “He’s just some friendly stranger and you have nothing to worry about.” He did not need to know he asked for my number. I did not give it to him that was the important part.

              So, the next six months went by and Matt and I were inseparable. He threw me a party for my birthday in February and we went to the Bahamas for Spring Break. His treat. It was nice having a rich boyfriend. Everything was great. That was until…

             
“So that’s it. You’re leaving me?” I said.

             
“Sam, I don’t want to leave you. It’s a great opportunity.”             

             
“Whatever.” Did I mean nothing to him?

             
“Baby, come on.”

             
“No.” I was being pouty.

             
“You k
now I love you. I would not go unless this was something I could not pass up and unfortunately, it’s not. Please understand.”

             
“Oh, I understand alright. I understand that you would rather put your career first and leave me in the dust.”

             
Ok, yes, it was an unbelievable opportunity, but he was leaving me. What was I going to do with him all the way in Chicago? Matt had been offered an incredible opportunity to intern for the Chicago Bears for the summer. However, that would mean he would be so far away from me and I could not help but be a little selfish… and jealous.

             
“You know it’s not like that. I want you to come with me.”

             
“I can’t and you know that. I want to finish here. I have an internship in the works at Fowler School. My life is here.”

             
“We will still talk and I’ll come visit you and you’ll come visit me.”

             
“Yes, Matt, because long distance relationships work out all the time,” I said sarcastically.

             
“Can’t we try?”

             
“I don’t know.” I would not cry.

             
“Come here, baby girl.” He squeezed me tight. “I love you so much and I wish you were coming with me.”

             
“I love you, too.  I am sorry. I’m just going to miss you so much!”

             
“You know I will miss you. I will call you every day.”

             
“You’d better.”

             
“Come on. Let’s go get something to eat. I’m not leaving for another few weeks.”

             
“Fine, but we’re getting something Italian.”

             
He laughed. “I guess that would be acceptable.”

             
“K.”

              The next few weeks went by way too fast. It was the end of the semester and we barely saw each other during finals week because we both had to study. We only had a week left before he left for Chicago. It was too depressing to think about. What was worse was that I was actually staying on campus for the summer because I was trying to stay ahead with my classes. I would actually like to graduate within four years. Anyway, Matt and I only had another week together and I wanted to make it special.

             
I cleaned up the dorm a little. Matt was on his way over and he always gave me a hard time for my lack of organization.              

             
We hung out in my room for most of the week. Other than getting food and helping him pack, we spent the week in my room talking, laughing, and just being together. Then it was Friday and he was leaving the next morning. I was a wreck. All we did was lay in bed and hold each other. I actually did not know who cried more. It was nice that he was not afraid to show his emotions. He loved me just as much as I loved him. We fell asleep in each other’s arms. We did not move until we heard the alarm clock going off at 7 AM.

             
“Mmm,” I moaned. “Shut up.” I flung my arm back to hit snooze and managed to knock it on the floor instead. “Stupid clock.”

             
“I don’t want to get up, Mom.” Well clearly, Matt was delusional when he woke up.