Chapter 11: The Return
Reggie heaved a sigh as the ringing bell signaled the end of the day. She picked up her bag and slowly made her way to the front exit of the school. Over the past few weeks, the rumors about her and Sam had died down, much to her benefit. Although she sometimes spotted people whispering and pointing at her, but she did her best to ignore them.
It had been a week since she had talked to Sam on the phone, and she hadn't heard from him since.Every time she checked her e-mail, she had become more anxious about the return of her boyfriend. Reggie had been planning to go straight home and check for messages from Sam when a voice called out her name.
"Reggie!" Reg spun around to see Sherry flagging her down.
"What's up?" Reggie asked.
"Are you alright, you seem really depressed?" the blonde girl asked with concern.
"I'm fine, it's just-"
"Sam?" Sherry finished her sentence for her. Reggie just nodded.
"Well I know something that will cheer you up, girlfriend! Let's go to the beach!" she exclaimed
"Sorry Sher, I don't really feel like checking out the lifegaurds right now." Reggie said, with an edge in her voice.
"Not that, Reg!" Sherry explained "I'm talking about Surfing!"
"I don't know..." Reg started
"Reg, trust me. This will make you feel better." Sherry said in an unusually serious tone.
"Okay." Reggie gave in. The two girls made their way to 'The Shack' where Ray always kept a couple of spare surfboards. They changed into their swimsiuts and made their way to the beach.
-
"Oh Sammy! I'm so glad you're home!" Paula shrieked as her teenage son stepped out of the van that read - "Simmons' Pyschiatric Home for Young Adults" on the side. The blonde woman pulled Sam into a tight hug and continued to ramble on about her joy.
"Mom!" Sam protested. Of course he had missed his mother but he still felt embarassed by her enthusiastic greeting.
"Thank god you're back! She wouldn't shut up about you!" a slim man said as he smiled at Sam being hugged by his mother.
"Tom!" Paula scolded, while finally letting go of her son.
"Nice to see you too, Tom." Sam said in mock sarcasm. Tom pulled Sam into a one-armed hug and ruffled his hair.
"So what are you gonna do now?" Tom asked. Sam thought for a moment and was about to answer when he heard a voice call out-
"Shady!" Sam turned around to see Otto and Twister running towards him with huge smiles on their faces. Their expressions reminded Sam of a couple of kids on christmas morning, and he laughed as they tackled him to the ground.
"Missed me, did you?" Sam asked as he rose to his feet.
"Well... sort of." Twister said
"Dude, I am so glad you're back. Reg has been walking around like a zombie the past few weeks." Otto said.
"Where is she anyway?" Sam asked, rather anxiously.
"She went surfing with Sherry. She should be back in a couple of hours." Twister said while checking his watch . Sam spun around and dashed to his house.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Otto shouted. Sam turned around and yelled-
"I haven't seen her in nerely a month! Do you really think I can hold out for two more hours?" He turned around and went into his house.
Sam had ran top speed to the beach, with his surfboard under his arm and Otto and Twister panting to keep up. A few teens recognized him as he passed by and exchanged whispers. Sam ignored them.
"Sammy...could you..slow..down..a bit..please?" Twister pleaded in between breaths.
"I don't think he runs this fast in races." Otto added.
"Hey, would you two pick up the pace and shut up. God! My fat-ass father can run faster than you two, and he's dead!" Sam said sternly. Otto and Twister muttered their apologies.
After what seemed like forever to Sam, they finally made it to the beach. It didn't take him very long until he spotted a pretty girl with purple hair. Sam grinned like a maniac as he ran into the ocean and paddled out. He hadn't bothered to notice that Otto and Twister had yet to enter the water as they were both nearly passed out on the beach.
Reggie let out a sigh as she watched Sherry paddle out to catch the next swell, she had decided to sit this one out. The surf session had done little to help Reggie raise her spirits. As much as she tried to keep her mind on surfing, her thoughts always drifted back to Sam. Because of this she had wiped out several times.
Feeling frustrated with herself, Reggie decided to go home. She turned her board around and came face to face with a flushed, sandy-haired boy with glasses who was smiling like christmas had come early. Reggie let out a shriek.
"Sammy!" she flung herself at Sam and wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"Missed me?" Sam asked cheekily. Reggie pulled back to look him in the eye.
"You have no idea." she said huskily and firmly covered Sam's lips with her own. Reggie's hands pulled at his hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They kissed until an oxygen break was needed and somewhat reluctantly broke apart.
"Let's get out of here." Sam said, breathingly heavily. A mischivous glint was in his eye, it didn' take a genius to know what was on his mind. Reggie smirked at him and the two began to eagerly paddle back to shore, ignoring Sherry's yells.
When they reached shore, Sam and Reggie picked up their boards and towels and sprinted towards the exit, past a confused looking Otto and Twister.
"Where are you guys going?" Otto yelled.
"Oh, we're just going back to my house to 'catch-up' bit." Sam said.
"Cool, wait up." Otto yelled.
"You guys aren't invited, Otto." Reggie said, annoyed at her brother's obliviosness.
"Why not" Otto asked, somewhat angrily.
"Otto!" Twister sighed, "And I thought I was the dumb one." Otto only looked at him with more confusion.
"I don't think you want to hear the details of our plans." Sam explained. Otto's faced creased in thought for a few seconds until it finally clicked into place.
"Oh gross! Dude, that's my sister!" Otto yelled, out raged at Sam.
"I know, ain't she hot?" Sam asked jokingly.
Otto began to make fake retching sounds as Twister collapsed with laughter. Sam and Reg continued to run home.
"How you feelin'" Reggie asked. She and Sam were stretched out on his bed, still in their bathing suits, both with swollen lips and messy hair.
"Better than I have been in a while." Sam answered as he wrapped his arms around Reggie more tightly. Reggied comfortably, and leaned into him. She looked at his scarred wrists and ran her fingers over them.
"What about the scars?" she asked
"Physical or emotional?" Sam asked. Reggie thought it over for a moment.
"Both." she replied. Sam merely shrugged.
"Don't worry about them. It's all in the past now." he said as he bent his head closer to her. Reggie moved her own face closer and captured his lips again. As they kissed, Sam forgot about all the drama that happened over the past month. He didn't think about the demons of his childhood. All that mattered now was that he was with Reggie. His best friend, his girlfriend, his source of stregnth.
And for the first time in years, Sam Dullard was truly happy.
Fin
A/N: Here you have it, an update and a conclusion. I knew some of you were getting impatient with me, so now you can stop complaining. Unless, you want to yell at me because you think the ending sucks.
A big thanks goes out to all my reviewers! If it weren't for you guys I would have ditched this fic long ago. You guys rock!