Starts post iLove You, then into their senior year. A girl & a guy can be just friends, but sooner or later, they'll fall for each other. It may be too soon, it may be too late. Or maybe, it might be forever.

Something always brings me back to you, it never takes too long.

"So," Sam sighed starring down at the small box she'd placed in front of her, "shall we get this over with?"

The unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach was growing by the second, and she just really want to be done with this part.

Freddie matched her sigh, opening the box reserved for her and nodded. "Let's do it."

"Hey, guys -" They turned around to see Carly walking down the stairs. "Rehearsal starts in fifteen, you guys coming up?"

"Yeah," she answered her, "we're just, giving each other back the other's stuff. Dorkward here," she stressed the word only half attempting to be insulting, "insisted it would be 'therapeutic.'"

"Ah, so we're back to the name calling?" Freddie cut in, and she caught the smirk he gave her.

She laughed. "Oh, let's be real –– it's a miracle I lasted this long."

"No argument here."

"Well okay then," Carly voiced over the both of them. "I'm going to...not be here. Good luck you two."

"Thanks."

"Gracias."

"Um," Sam started slowly, "do you want me to go first or..."

"Sure." He looked back at her with a soft smile and honestly it took everything in her power not to just say 'screw it' and kiss him absolutely senseless.

This was really happening, she thought.

They were over.

"The Cuddle Fish CD you lent me after the concert." She handed it to him, carefully making sure that she kept her eyes fixed on the box and not his eyes. "Galaxy Wars I...and II," she finally looked up and lightly elbowed him. "I can't believe you made watch them."

He grinned that stupid adorable Freddie grin at her. "As if you didn't like it."

She just waved her hand and rummaged through the box again. "Whatever. Next," she stopped short holding up the next item, her breath getting caught in her throat for a moment, "your, um, your plaid shirt that you left at my place."

She knew that he knew that she'd purposely never returned it to him.

It was warm and cozy and smelt like him and she'd taken to using it as a night shirt. One night when they were up video chatting, he'd noticed and beamed adding,"nice shirt you got on."

This time he was the one avoiding looking at her. He took it and gently placed it in his lap slowly. "Thanks. I guess it's my turn?"

She nodded. "You guessed right."

"Your hatchet..." He stopped and gave her his best "really?" look, tilting his head.

But come on, it came in handy on multiple occasions.

"The stuffed pig you got from the Pork of the Month club," he pressed on smiling.

"Aw, Hammy," she mused, reaching for it. "Anything else?"

"Uh, yeah, your big spoon that your brought over the day we made sugar cookies."

Sam let out a laugh. "I remember that. Now that was a fun day."

"Yeah," he agreed, his lips curving, "even though we got...distracted and let them burn."

She smirked. "Totally worth it."

A silence fell of them and they just looked at each other until she just couldn't take it anymore and cleared her throat picking up the stuff he'd given back to her. "Thanks."

"Oh," he stopped and dug into the box again, "and your home lock picking kit."

"Right." She bit her lip and motioned to the stairs. "Well...if that's it, we should probably start rehearsal. Carls is waiting."

"Yeah."

Neither of them moved.

"The show must go on, right?" she finally spoke, with a strained laugh that kind of made her chest hurt.

She blinked up at him as he stood up off the couch. He extended a hand out to pull her up. "The show must go on," he agreed.

"Hate you," she offered, lamely, nudging him as she got to her feet. What she really hated was that her voice cracked.

"You too, " he whispered. He leaned down towards her. "Always."

She smiled; the most reassuring words she'd heard in awhile.

And then they walked up the stairs together.

...

"Rehearsing in five, four, three, two..."

...

No matter what I say or do, I still feel you here 'till the moment I'm gone.

So, we'll pick up their senior year after this flash back chapter. :) My first multi-chap. So I do hope you enjoy the ride...