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If Josie had ever been completely sure about anything in her life, it was the fact that she had absolutely no desire to go back to Delloser Hall. Even though all the details were not clear, she knew she had made a total fool of herself the first time she had been there. The events of the evening had led to a horrible morning after that she wished she could forget.
However, tonight she had to go. This time she was actually invited to go with the same kids she had been trying so desperately to impress on her first visit. She needed to do some more research for her article, which was slowly taking shape in her mind.
Josie had borrowed an outfit from Anita, which she now stared at doubtfully. Laid across her bed was a black cropped halter-top and black leather micro shorts. Anita had insisted that she would look great in this outfit but after some debate, Josie decided to wear the top but passed on the shorts and instead put on a nice-fitting pair of jeans with a pair of strappy black sandals.
Josie had caught Sam just before he entered a faculty meeting after school and she had told him she would be out with Gibby, Kirsten and Kristen this evening. She purposely neglected to tell him where she was going because she didn't want him teasing her about her impromptu performance last time. She even did her hair and make-up differently too in case anyone else recognized her.
The girls picked her up at nine in order to meet Guy, Tommy and the rest at the club for 9:30. The guys had a table up at the front and Josie was happy to have an excuse not to talk due the loud music. Tonight she just wanted to sit back and observe.
Just as she was settling in, someone tapped her on the shoulder and she turned around. It was one of the Rastafarians she had sat with last time. "Hey, how are you doing, dancing lady? I've got some nice chocolate cake here for you. Why don't you come join us?" he asked with a big grin on his face.
"Uh, no thanks. Not tonight. No more 'cake' for me�apparently, I can't handle the effects of it," she laughed.
He shrugged and said, "Suit yourself. Just let me know if you need to relax a little. Enjoy your evening."
"Thanks, I will." As she turned around, Gibby and Kristen each grabbed an arm and pulled her onto the dance floor to join the others. 'This is a switch,' she thought to herself, and was actually starting to have a good time. In fact, she was enjoying herself so much that she didn't notice Sam come in with a couple of his buddies and take a table in the upper balcony.
Sam ordered a round of beers, then sat back and casually looked around the room. Josie hadn't told him where she was going tonight, but he had overheard Guy and Tommy talking about it in the hall and figured that's where she would be. He decided to call up a couple of his buddies from hockey, and they gladly obliged, happy to have a "boys' night out" away from their wives and kids. Anyway, he tried to justify to himself, he really did enjoy the bands at this club and it was a public place.
Sam finally spotted Guy and his group on the dance floor near the stage. He picked up his beer and casually walked over to the railing, as if suddenly interested in watching the band. He had a great view from there and was easily able to find Josie, dancing with her friends. She looked great and seemed to be having a fun time. He wished he could join her. Feeling a little guilty, as if he were spying, he went back to his table.
A while later, the band stopped for a break, so Sam and his friends decided to go downstairs to say hello to the drummer, who was another friend of his from hockey. They stood with him at the bar talking for a few minutes. Then Sam noticed Josie making her way towards the bathroom. He was irked by the over- appreciative looks she was getting from some of the guys, but felt better as he saw she seemed oblivious to it.
He excused himself from the group and quickly walked over to the hallway leading to the bathrooms. A few minutes later she exited the ladies room and walked by, not even noticing him. He reached out surreptitiously and grabbed her wrist, saying, "Out on a school night, Josie?" He grinned.
Josie jumped at the touch of a strange hand on her arm�until she realized it was Sam. "Oh! You scared me! What are you doing here?" she questioned trying to sound annoyed, but unable to suppress a smile.
"Well, I heard they have dancers here now," he teased.
Josie blushed a little then swatted him on the arm. "Very funny."
After taking a quick look around, Sam grabbed her other wrist and backed them into the dark recess at the end of the hallway. He pulled Josie close and gave her a long, sweet kiss. He pulled back and smiled, staring into her eyes. "The truth is, I've been dying to do that all day. Sorry the setting isn't so romantic," he laughed, as a couple of drunken guys stumbled out of the men's room in front of them.
"Don't take this the wrong way�I'm happy to see you, Sam�but half of the senior class is here tonight! We are going to get busted."
Sam chuckled and patted Josie on the arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'm here with some buddies from hockey," he said, pointing to the small group of guys at the end of the bar, "so I have a cover. Besides, I'm pretty sure the crowd that is here tonight is... How should I say it politely?...not the most deductive. I know, I've marked their papers," he grinned wickedly.
"Sam, that's mean!" But Josie couldn't help laughing.
"Speaking of papers� do you think you could keep your distance a little in class? You were standing a little too close for comfort this morning," he explained, not sure if Josie realized the effect she had on him.
"Oh, sorry," she smiled innocently. "I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable."
"So, are you going to the game tomorrow night?" Sam asked casually.
"Of course! My brother Rob is on the team, remember?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot�Mr. Rob." Sam shook his head. "You two are the duplicitous duo. I can't decide if I admire what you're doing or if it scares the hell out of me," he said seriously.
Well, it won't be for much longer," Josie tried to placate him. Trying to lighten the mood, she said, "Just think� this'll be a great story to tell our grandchildren one day," then realized what she had implied and bit her lower lip nervously.
Sam noticed her discomfort. He leaned in close and asked conspiratorially, "So how many grandchildren are we going to have anyway?"
"Oh, hundreds, I guess. I've always wanted a lot of grandchildren. You know what they say, that unlike your kids, you're allowed to love them then give them back to their parents," she laughed. She took a quick glance over toward her table and began to fidget nervously.
"Anyway, I should get back to the group..." Josie trailed off, not wanting to leave him.
They dared to share another kiss, said good-bye, then Josie turned around to head back to her table. Josie's mind was still on Sam, so she wasn't really paying attention to where she was going. She didn't get more than four steps away from him when she slammed right into Guy, who was on his way to the bathroom. She lost her balance and almost fell over, but was steadied by two strong arms from behind. Sam had stepped out of the shadows to save her.
Guy had placed a hand on her elbow also. He looked at her, concerned, and asked, "Hey, are you okay, Josie? Sorry about that, I didn't see you there. I was wondering where you were." Then, looking over her shoulder, he said, "Oh, hi Mr. Coulson. You here with your girlfriend?" he asked innocently. His reaction to Sam's presence made it pretty clear that he hadn't seen anything or made a connection between Josie and his timely appearance behind her.
"Uh� no. I'm here with friends tonight," Sam replied motioning toward the bar. "Well, you guys have a good time. See you in class." With one last look at Josie, he walked away.
Guy turned to the side a little to let Sam pass by him. Then he leaned over toward Josie and said, "Hey Josie, wait here for me, okay? I'll just be a minute."
"Okay," she agreed.
As Guy disappeared into the men's room, Josie let out a sigh of relief. 'Whew, that was close!' she thought. She quickly pulled out her compact and tried to check her lipstick in the dim light of the hallway. Although her lipstick looked fine, she did notice her cheeks were flushed�but it was pretty warm in the club, so she figured she could get away with that.
Guy came out and took her hand. "Come on, let's go dance."
She had no choice but to follow him to the dance floor. As they got there, the band was singing a ballad and Guy pulled her close for a slow dance. She pulled back a little. Guy noticed.
"Josie, what's up with you? Ever since the prom, you've been acting pretty strange. Tell me honestly�what's going on? Is there someone else? You know how I feel about you, but I keep getting these vibes..." he looked at her questioningly.
Josie wasn't surprised Guy was getting 'vibes' at that moment; Sam was watching them intently from the balcony. It was eerily reminiscent of the prom when she and Guy had been dancing after being named prom king and queen. Sam had been watching them and she could have sworn he looked jealous. He didn't looking too happy right now, either. Josie decided she owed it to Guy to be honest, at least tell him a partial truth.
"Well� Yes, there is someone," she admitted.
Guy looked strangely relieved. "That's cool with me. I have no problem just being friends. Anyone I know?"
Josie hedged, "I can't really say yet, because he doesn't really know my true feelings for him. But if things work out, you'll know soon enough." She hadn't technically lied, since she hadn't actually told Sam she loved him yet. "Thank- you for being so understanding. So, do you have your eye on anyone else?" she teased.
"Actually, yeah, but I'm not telling either. I'll tell you one thing though, it's the last person you'd expect," he said mysteriously.
"Fair enough," Josie smiled.
They returned to their table and sat down. Just then Rob sauntered up to them, Tracy in tow.
"It's the Robster!" someone exclaimed.
"Hey guys," Rob acknowledged. "Got some room for us?"
They all proceeded to shift their chairs around in order to make room for the couple.
Kirsten leaned over to Josie, intending to whisper, but actually having to shout over the loud music. "Doesn't it bother you at all to see Rob with Tracy?"
She wanted to say, "Yeah, since my little brother could get arrested for it," but instead just shook her head. "Rob and I are just good friends."
"So, you and Guy are hooking up? You guys looked great together at the prom," she gushed.
Josie hesitated, "Well, he's a great guy� but I'm sort of interested in someone else..."she trailed off, not sure if she had said too much.
"Who? Tell me! Tell me!!" she demanded.
"Not right now, but I promise you'll be the first to know, okay?" Josie changed the subject, asking Kirsten what her plans were for the summer.
"Ummm.... Shopping, I guess."
Josie didn't feel like going there.
Rob leaned over and confided in her, "Josie, what am I going to do about Tracy? She's a sweet kid and I don't want to break her heart, but she wants to get 'closer to me' if you know what I mean�"
"Rob, you can't!" Josie exclaimed.
"I know, I know!" he agreed.
"You can certainly put her off for two weeks, can't you?"
"I guess I have no choice, do I?" Rob said ruefully.
"No, you don't!" Josie was adamant.
"OK, ok, I'll cool things down with her." After a moment, he wiggled his eyebrows at her and asked, "What about you and Guy? You being a good girl?'
"Of course. I told him tonight that I thought we should just be friends."
"And he went for that?" Rob sounded incredulous.
'Yes. I told him that I was interested in someone else," she admitted.
"Who?" she was asked for the third time that night.
Josie refused to comment.
Rob may not have been the smartest one in the family, but he had a pretty good idea who it was. He was happy for his sister. Sam Coulson seemed like a really decent guy who would be good to her. Besides, he was pretty sure that the feelings between them were mutual. When he had entered the bar, he had noticed Mr. Coulson standing in a dark corner of the upstairs balcony; he was nursing a beer and staring directly at his sister. He also knew they had spent a lot of time together when they were on the Prom Committee, and also that he was the only other person at South Glen who knew the truth�Josie had told Rob that much.
'I hope she knows what she's gotten herself into,' he thought, a little worried about his big sister. She was not exactly the greatest at this undercover spy stuff.
The rest of the evening went smoothly. The kids were in a great mood, still hyped by the prom and excited about the game the next night. Rob was especially high, knowing the following evening was his last big chance to break into the minors. When it was time to leave, Rob insisted on driving Josie home, so he could drop Tracy off first so as not to be alone with her. Josie thanked him for the ride then let herself into her apartment.
There was a message on her machine. She pressed the playback button and listened. Gus' voice boomed over the speaker. "Geller. I need to see you first thing in the morning, in my office. 9 am sharp-don't be late!"
'Uh oh,' thought Josie. 'What now?'
To be continued...
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