Page 19 of Sweetheart

That was true. Sam Bishop didn't give two cents what anyone else thought or had to say about him. I'd alwaysenvied that,thought of it as one of his magical superpowers. Still…

"That was before everyoneknew your name," I said, and he frowned. "Before you got on the radar of every student in Chariot High.The guys wanted to be you, the girls wanted to date you."

He released a scoff, but it was true.

"You becametheSam Bishop, and like you said, I stayed who I always was. Just Scarlett."

He shook his head. "You're the one whofroze me out."

"No, I didn't."

"Yeah, you did."

"I never would've done that," I said. "You were my best friend."

"And you were mine," he said.

His voice tried to wrap its way around my heart, but I wouldn't let it. Couldn't. Breaking away from his intense gaze, I stared out the window, surprised to find that we were on the street in front of my house.

When did we get here?

I'd been so absorbed in our conversation that I wasn't aware of my surroundings.

"I should go," I said, gathering my things andreaching to open the car door. "Thank you again for the ride."

"Wait," Sam said.

When I turned, he cupped my face in his hands, stared into my eyes, slowly leaned forward, and placed the sweetest kiss against my forehead.

My breath caught in my throat.

It only lasted a moment, but I swear I heard a symphony playing in my ears.

As he leaned back, I was speechless. Sam's lips tilted up into a half-grin, and he said, "To help with your list."

I nodded, sliding from the car, feeling like I was walking on air.

"Call the garage tomorrow, and we'llsend someone to pick up your car," he said. "Friendsdiscount."

Turning back around, Itilted my head, meeting Sam's gaze through the open window."It's okay, you know.To admit you forgot about me."

"I never forgot."

"Hmmm, and yet, you called me Starlet for the majority of the ride."

Sam met my gaze steadily. "You wanted to be an actress."

"What?" I laughed.

"Yousaid it was your calling.You had a lot of those. This one lasted about a month—during which time you forced me to watchSchitt's Creekevery day after school. We were ten."

I swallowed, the memory assaulting me all at once.

He was right.

I remembered it like it was yesterday. The two of us going to Sam's house, sitting on the couch, binge-watching the series, eating popcorn and laughing until our sides hurt.Thesad moment when I had to go home—and those giddy final minutes as he walked with me to my house.Ihad wanted to be an actress. More specifically, I'dwanted to be Moira Rose with her fabulous clothes, her wonderfully quirky family, and her unshakeable belief in herself.

"I started calling you Starlet, and you said you loved it."

---