A Place To Belong
By: Rebekah Parham

-2-

The next week Artie took Samantha out in Buffalo. He showed her where the local kids hung out, the clubs, his office, and he even took her to the mall. She was having so much fun that she dreaded starting school on Monday, but sure enough it arrived.

She woke up Monday morning to Artie's usual whistling. She got out of bed, showered and dressed then headed down stairs. Artie was already dressed and had cooked her breakfast. Samantha had never been a very big breakfast person, but she wasn't about to tell him that after he had been up, since god knows when, cooking for her.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come in with you" Artie said when he pulled up in front of the Immaculate Conception School for Girls.

"No, I think I can make it on my own," Samantha said unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Okay then, I will see you at 2:45 sharp," reaching over to give her a hug. "Good luck," he whispered in her ear.

Samantha made her way to the school's front office. After the lady in the office had given her a schedule she went to find her first class. She wasn't looking where she was going a walked right into another girl. "I am so sorry," Samantha said helping the girl pick up her books that had went flying.

"Hey it happens," she said. "You're new aren't you?"

"Yes," Samantha said.

"I'm Anna, Anna Waters," she said sticking out her hand.

"Samantha Taylor, it's nice to meet you."

"Can I help you find your class?" Anna asked.

"I hope so. I'm looking for Ms. Gables room for Government."

"Oh my god, that's just where I was going. Come on it just down the hall." The two girls went into the classroom and Anna introduced Samantha to Ms. Gable and told her to take a seat. She sat beside Anna. Before the bell rang Anna asked to see Samantha's schedule. Beside it, Anna wrote down her own. Third period was the only one they didn't have together.

During lunch Anna and Samantha ate together. Anna introduced her to some other girls that were very friendly. There were also a few snobs that she pointed out. Although she didn't really have to, they stuck out like a sore thumb with their noses in the air. Anna and Samantha immediately clicked. At the end of the day they walked out of school together. Artie was already waiting. Anna had her own car so she drove to school everyday.


"You made a friend," Artie said when Samantha got in beside him.

"Her name is Anna, and she is so nice. I was really nervous because I ran into her but she was really cool about it. We have all of our classes together except for third period," Samantha told him, rambling ninety miles a minute. When Artie started laughing Samantha said, "Uncle Artie, I am so sorry. You probably don't want to hear about all this stuff."

"I most certainly do, in fact anything you want to say, I want to listen to. I just couldn't help thinking about your mother, she always talked when she was excited. Finish telling me about your day."

Samantha talked non stop all the way home and through dinner. She was so glad to have made a friend. She had never had many friends back in Seattle, her father didn't like her spending time away from home, unless he was the one that sent her away.

The rest of the week Samantha and Anna spent all of their time at school together. On Friday Anna asked Samantha if she wanted to go to a movie with her. "I will have to ask Artie but I'm sure it will be alright."

"Okay, I will pick you up at 7:00," Anna said walking toward the parking lot.

"Afternoon," Artie said.

"Would it be alright if I went to a movie with Anna tonight?" Samantha asked first thing when she got in the car.

"Of course it's alright. I am glad that you are getting out and doing things with other people your age," Artie said.

Just as she had promised at 7:00 that night the doorbell rang. Artie answered the door, "You must be Anna."

"Yes Sir. And I'm guessing that you are Artie"

"That's me," Artie said as Samantha was coming down the stairs. "You girls have fun tonight."

"We will," they said in unison.

The movie they saw was the latest Ben Affleck movie. He was both of their favorite actors. Afterward they went to Glindy's, a local sandwich shop, to get something to eat. They chit chatted while they ate and decided that they had had enough fun for one night and Anna dropped Samantha off at Artie's. "I'll see you tomorrow," Anna shouted as she pulled away from the curb.

Artie poked his head in Samantha's room the next morning. "I have to go to my office for a few hours. Will you be alright here by yourself?"

"Yeah, Anna is going to come over later."

"That's good, tell her I said hello."

"I will" Samantha replied and turned back over to go to sleep. She woke up again when she heard the doorbell ring. She sat up and looked at the clock, it was only 9:30. She ran down the steps and opened the door, "Did you loose your key?"

"I don't remember getting one," a tall guy with shaggy blonde hair replied.

"Oh, I am so sorry. I thought you were someone else," Samantha said nervously.

"It's alright. Is Artie home?" he asked.

"No, he had to go to the office for a little while." Samantha said.

"Then I guess I will try to reach him there. Catch you later," he said before turning around and leaving.

Samantha closed the door and went back upstairs to take her shower. When she got out the phone was ringing. "Hello"

"Hey Samantha, it's Anna"

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing much, just wondering if it's still cool for me to come over."

"Yeah, Artie says it's okay"

"I'll see you in ten then," Anna said then hung up. Samantha went into her room and slid on a pair of comfortable jeans and a sweatshirt. She walked back down stairs and waited for Anna to show up. Ten minutes later they were sitting in the kitchen laughing over a story Anna was telling and eating peanut butter sandwiches.

We heard the door open and voices coming from the living room. The girls cleaned up the mess they had made and went into the living room. Artie was there with three other guys. "Hey girls," Artie said when he saw them standing in the doorway.

"We won't bother you, we'll just go up to my room," Samantha told him.

"It's okay, your not bothering us. I want you to meet these guys. They are one of the bands I am trying to promote. This is Robby, Mike, and John. And guys, this is my niece, Samantha and her friend Anna."

I didn't know which one was which and I hated to ask their names after Artie had just told me. So I went over and shook all of their hands. When I got to the shaggy headed blonde that had been at the door this morning he said, "It nice to see you again."

I smiled and followed Anna up to my room. "What did he mean, it's nice to see you again?" Anna asked once my door was shut.

"He came by earlier this morning looking for Artie," Samantha told her.

"He is a doll baby," Anna said. Samantha just rolled her eyes. Anna grabbed her pocket book from the floor and started rummaging around through it. She pulled out 2 bottles of nail polish, "Want to paint our nails?" She asked.

"Sure," Samantha replied. She couldn't get over how much fun it was to have someone to talk to. "So, is it alright if I ask you why you are here in Buffalo living with your uncle?"

"My dad is away in Europe. He said that he needed to go over there because he had some business dealings to handle," Samantha told Anna while she painted her first coat of fire engine red nail polish on her finger tips. "But I don't mind. I am having more fun here than I ever did at home."

"What do you mean?" Anna asked.

"Well, when I was at home I never had friends come over or got to go out with them. I was always surrounded by servants. They were they only people I ever got to talk to except at school."

Anna had stopped painting her nails to listen to Samantha, "Gosh, that must be awful. What about your mom?"

Samantha stopped painting her nails too, "She died four years ago."

Anna got a remorseful look on her face, "Samantha, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"You didn't," Samantha said going back to painting her nails. "What are you going to do tonight?"

"Misty Bower is having a party, I thought maybe we could go. Do you want to?"

"What will I wear?" Samantha asked.

"Oh, that's right you have never been to an unchaperoned party. Not to fear, I am sure in all the tons of clothes in your closet we will find something," Anna said jumping off the bed and opening the closet. After she had carefully examined every piece of clothing in Samantha's closet Anna said, "I can tell that we are definitely going to have to go shopping. Grab your coat and we will go now."

Samantha jerked her coat off the bed post and followed Anna down the stairs. Artie was still talking to John, Mike, and Robby in the living room. "Uncle Artie, Anna and I are going shopping we will be back later."

"Okay girls, be careful," He said.

The mall was crowded on Saturday afternoon. They went into Anna's favorite store, McMullans. We both tried on several outfits. Anna convinced Samantha to buy a black leather skirt and a sheer black top. Samantha also bought some other clothes, as did Anna. They stopped in the food court to get some lunch. "Do you ever wear make up?" Anna asked.

"I don't really know how to use it," Samantha said shyly.

"I can help you, if you want."

"I would like that," Samantha said smiling. After they had eaten, Anna took Samantha into the make up section of the mall. Anna helped her pick out all the right shades for her skin tone and what colors would best suit her.

On the way back to Artie's they stopped at Anna's house to drop off her bags and to get her some clothes to wear to the party. They headed back to Artie's. They were all still in the same place as they were when Samantha and Anna had left. "Samantha, do you have any plans tonight?" Artie asked when she came back down stair to get her and Anna something to drink.

"Anna had invited me to a party, but I can tell her I can't go if you don't want me too," Samantha said.

"No, I was just wondering if you had any plans. I am going to watch the guys play tonight and I didn't want to leave you here by yourself. You go to your party and have fun," he said with a grin. "Who knows you might meet someone."

Samantha smiled and made her way back to her room. Anna helped Samantha learn to apply her make up. Samantha pulled her hair up with a clip and Anna did the same. The girls got dressed and took their last look in the mirror. "Ready?" Anna asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Samantha said.

Anna smiled at her, "You will have fun tonight."

"I hope so," Samantha replied.

They came down the stairs again noticing that no one had moved still. Artie gave a low whistle as they walked through the living room. . "If only I was a few years younger," he said playfully. I looked to where the three guys, who I still didn't know which one was which, were sitting. Two were on the couch, and the one with the shaggy blonde hair that had come to the door this morning was in the rocking chair. They were all talking among themselves and didn't seem to pay any attention to us.

Artie helped us put on our coats and said, "If you need me tonight I will be at Dimensions, or you can call my cell phone."

"It was nice to meet you" she said to the three people in the living room.

"It was nice to meet you too," they all said together.

Samantha gave Artie a hug before leaving. There were already a good number of people at the party when they arrived. Anna introduced Samantha to almost everyone she knew. It wasn't long before Samantha started to relax and have some fun herself. She was even asked to dance by a guy named Josh. He was sixteen too and had dark brown hair and eyes. Anna was dancing with this guy she had a crush on, Brad.

After the song ended Anna and Brad hooked back up with Samantha and Josh. They spent the rest of the night together. On the way home Anna asked, "So did you have a good time?"

"I did."

"What did you think about Josh?"

Samantha smiled, "I though he was really sweet. I thought Brad was nice too."

Anna looked over to Samantha, "Is he not the most perfect boy you have ever seen? I couldn't believe that he actually asked me to dance. I have liked him for like a year now and this is the first time he has said more than two words to me." Anna and Samantha talked about the party the rest of the way home.

Samantha unlocked the door and let herself in the apartment. "Did Cinderella have fun at the ball?" Artie asked from the couch.

"She sure did," Samantha said sitting down beside him. She retold him all about the party even about Josh. When she started to yawn Artie said, "Looks like your night out on the town has worn you out. Why don't you go on up to bed?"

"That's a good idea. See you in the morning" Samantha said leaning down to hug Artie good night.

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