A Place To Belong
By: Rebekah Parham

-3-

Three days later Anna dropped off Samantha at Artie's after school. She was walking in the door when the phone rang. "Hello"

"Is this Samantha?"

"Yes it is"

"Hey Samantha, it's Josh. We met the other night at the party."

"Yeah, how are you?"

"I'm fine. I hope you don't mind, I got your number from Brad, he got it from Anna."

"No, I don't mind," Samantha told him.

"I was wondering if you would be interested in going out Friday night. Their is a club downtown and this really cool band is playing. Brad is going to ask Anna so I though maybe we could all go together."

"I would love to Josh," Samantha said happily.

"I will pick you up at 7:00 then on Friday," Josh said.

"See you Friday," Samantha said then hung up the phone. Samantha heard Artie open and close the door when he got home and she bounced down the stairs to tell him her news, "Guess what," she said when she found him in the kitchen.

"You won the lottery," he joked.

"No, better, Josh asked me out on a date," Samantha said gleefully. "We are going to watch a band play downtown Friday."

"That's awesome" Artie said hugging Samantha. "You know those guys that were over her the other day?"

"Yeah"

"They are the ones that are going to be playing at the club. You can tell me what you think of them," Artie said.

Samantha looked up, "Then that means you are going to be there too."

"I wouldn't dream of hoarding in on your date."

"You wouldn't be. It wouldn't bother me at all if you went. Anna is going with Brad so it's not like we are going to be alone" Samantha told him.

"It's okay, I wasn't going to go anyway. I have to go watch another of our bands play."

The next three days past so slowly. Anna and Samantha couldn't think about anything else. They talked about what they were going to wear, how they were going to fix their hair. They talked about everything. Finally Friday did come. Samantha decided to wear a pair of black jeans and a short red sweater she had bought at the mall last Saturday.

Josh rang the door bell at five 'til seven. Artie answered the door. Samantha had been getting a drink of water in the kitchen when she heard the door bell. She walked from the kitchen into the living room. Josh was wearing blue jeans with a navy blue shirt that was tucked in. Artie and Josh shook hands and then Josh said, "If you're ready, we better go. Brad and Anna are going to meet us there."

We arrived at the club and Anna and Brad hadn't arrived yet so we found a table near the stage. "Have you lived in Buffalo long?" Josh asked.

"No, just about a month. My dad is away in Europe so I am staying with my uncle." Samantha waved when she saw Anna walk in with Brad. They came over and sat down. The lights began to dim and we heard a voice say, "Welcome to the Astrodome. Tonight our featured band is Buffalo's own Goo Goo Dolls." Then the lights on the stage came on and Samantha saw the three guys I had met Saturday on stage.

Anna leaned over and whispered, "Aren't those the guys that were at your uncle's place?"

"Yes"

"They are really good" Brad said after they finished their first set. They weren't the only ones that were enjoying them, everyone else in the audience was too. After their fifteen minute break the guys took the stage again for their second set. Before they started to sing the guy with the long brown hair introduced them. He said the guy behind the drums was Mike, he was Robby, and the one with the shaggy blonde hair was John. Well at least now Samantha knew which one was which.

They started playing again and Josh asked if I wanted to dance. We danced through the rest of the set. When it was over Samantha told Anna that I had to go to the bathroom and excused she excused herself.

Coming out of the bathroom, the shaggy blonde that Samantha now knew was John, was standing there. "I thought that was you in the crowd," he said.

"You could see me," Samantha asked

"We see all kinds of things on stage. Like I saw you and your boyfriend dancing together."

Samantha smiled her shy smile, "I thought you guys were great. I haven't ever been to a concert before but I thought you guys sounded really good."

"Thanks," John said.

"Well, I better get back to my friends now so I'll see you later," Samantha said.

"Hey if you want to see us play again we are playing here tomorrow too," John told her. "We can always use a few more people in our audience."

"I'll have to see." Samantha said walking back across the club.

"There you are. I thought you had gotten lost or something," Anna said when Samantha sat back down at the table. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I was just talking to John."

"John is the singer in the band that just played" Anna explained to Josh and Brad.

"You know the band, how cool is that!" Josh said.

"I don't really know them, they are just working with my uncle," Samantha said.

Josh asked Samantha to dance. This time it was a slow ballad that was playing on the jukebox. As Josh held Samantha's hand in his he whispered, "I know I didn't tell you earlier, but I think you look really nice tonight."

"Thank you," Samantha said. She turned her face to look at his, and knew he was about to kiss her; no one had ever kissed her before When Josh's lips touched hers, she felt a little nervous but then relaxed as she began to kiss him back. They pulled away from each other when the song ended. Anna gave Samantha a wink when they walked back to the table.

They all sat there for another hour or so talking, then everyone decide they should head home. Anna and Brad parked on the opposite side of the parking lot from Samantha and Josh, so they said their good-byes as they were exiting the club. "Call me tomorrow," Anna said then she and Brad walked toward his car.

Josh walked Samantha to her door and gave her a kiss good night. "Would it be alright if I asked you out again?"

"Sure," Samantha replied smiling. "I'd love that."

Samantha walked inside and shut the door behind her. She leaned against it and thought about the wonderful night she had just had. Artie wasn't home yet so Samantha went upstairs and got ready for bed.

-4-

The next morning Samantha found a note on the kitchen table from Artie. It said that he had to go into Rochester for the day. If she needed him to call his cell phone; and he hoped the date went well last night.

Samantha called Anna but her mom said that she had gone to visit her grandparents for the day. Samantha went upstairs and took her shower and dressed. She came back down and was pouring herself a glass of juice when the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey Samantha, it's John"

"Hey, Artie isn't here."

"I didn't call to talk to Artie. I called to ask if you and your friend want to come to our rehearsal today."

"All of my friends seem to be busy today," Samantha said into the receiver.

"Well, then why don't you come?"

"By myself?" Samantha asked

"Yeah, we promise not to bite. We are going to be at the same club we were at last night in about an hour. I can stop by on my way at pick you up, if you want."

"I don't know," Samantha said hesitantly.

"Come on, you don't want to spend all day by yourself do you?"

"No, but..."

"No buts, I will see you in thirty minutes."

She was sitting on the couch waiting for John to show up. Hearing him knock on the door Samantha went over to open it. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yep" She grabbed her coat off the back of the chair and shut the door. "You know you didn't have to ask me to come."

"Artie said that you were new in town. I was just trying to be nice," John said as they were getting in the car. When he started the car Samantha was nearly blown away by the volume of the music. It didn't even sound like music to her, it sounded more like a screeching cat that was caught in a trap or something. He turned down the music and asked, "Not a fan of the Stones?"

"Who?" Samantha asked

"The Rolling Stones."

"I don't think I have ever heard them, but if they sound like that then I'm sure I won't be a fan."

John laughed, "Man, the Stones are cool. They are like one of my all time favorite bands."

"Why?" Samantha asked.

"You have to see Keith Richards play. When his hands are on a guitar it's like poetry. The magic that his hands can produce is mystifying." Samantha could tell by the way he talked about this guitar player that jOHN stood in awe of this guitar player. "Maybe you have to play the guitar to understand" John said.

"No, I understand. It's like watching your favorite basketball player make a shot that he does every night. No matter how many times you see him make the basket, it never gets old." Samantha said.

"Are you a basketball fan?"

"Not really, I just used the assimilation because most men are fans." Samantha said honestly.

"You crack me up," John said laughing again. "Where are you from?"

"Seattle, and you?"

"Born right here in Buffalo" He said.

They pulled into the parking lot that was almost empty. Robby and Mike were already there, and the equipment was set up. They went on stage and made sure all of their instruments were tuned and set up properly before she heard Mike yell, "One, two.....one, two, three, four"

They went through six songs before stopping. Robby and John sat down their guitars and Mike stood up from his drums. They all walked down to where Samantha was sitting. "What did you think?" Robby asked.

"It was good"

"Just good?" Robby asked.

"I just meant that when you don't have an audience you're not as into the music. Not saying that you guys didn't sound good, because you did, it's just....well, it's just.....I don't know what to say" Samantha said finally.

They all laughed and Robby said, "I was only teasing you. You're right, if there isn't a crowd then we aren't into the music. That's why we do it, for the fans." Robby looked down at his watch, "Mike, we got to bail if we are going to pick up Janet and Kristen before the show, and make it back here on time."

They both stood up before Robby said, "Samantha, it was a pleasure meeting you again. I hope we will see a lot more of you."

"Thank you, it was nice to see you again also". Then they were out the door. "Do you need to go somewhere too?"

"No, I am free" John said. "You want to get something to eat?"

"Do you have time?"

"Yeah, the show doesn't start for five more hours."

"Then why did Robby and Mike have to leave so soon to go get their girlfriends?"

"They live an hour and a half away" John told her.

They decide to go to Glindy's, which had become Anna and Samantha's favorite place to eat. They sat in a booth at the back of the small shop. "So tell me about your guy?"

"What guy?" Samantha said

"The guy you were with last night. I'm guessing he is your boyfriend right?"

"No, last night was our first date, actually it was my first date ever" Samantha said.

"You are kidding?" John said almost chocking on his hamburger.

Samantha seemed a little embarrassed but just said, "No."

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. It's just that when I saw you last night and in Artie's apartment, I thought that they guys would be lining up to go out with you. That guy you were with last night seems to be very interested."

"You think so?"

"Come on, I saw the way he kissed you. A kiss like that doesn't lie" John said

Samantha smiled as she remembered the kissed she and Josh had shared the night before. "He is really nice."

"I remember what it was like to have your first kiss from your first boyfriend" John told her.

"He isn't my boyfriend. We are just friends" Samantha said.

"If you want to say you're friends, then that's what we'll call it, Sam." Samantha looked up from her food. No one had ever shortened her name before. "Do you not like being called Sam?" John asked.

"No, I like it. It's just that no one has ever done it before."

"It suits you."

They ate the rest of their lunch and talked, mostly about John. Samantha wasn't ready to get into her life yet. These past couple of days had been too nice to discuss the disaster her life had been before she moved to Buffalo.

They were pulling out of the parking lot when John asked, "Would it be alright if we stopped by my place before I drop you back home? It's on the way and I just need to change clothes."

"That's fine"

He didn't live but a block from Artie's building. It was a small apartment, but very clean for a man. "Have a seat, I'll be right back," John said walking down the hall to the bedroom.

Samantha went over to the window. There was a fire escape outside. She opened the window and stepped outside. His apartment was on the fourth floor so he had a good view of the city. "It's pretty out there isn't it?" John asked from the window.

Samantha jumped when she herd his voice, "Yes it is." She turned around and John held his hand to help her as she come back through the window. Samantha saw that he had changed into a pair of cargo pants and a tight black shirt. "It must be nice to live on your own."

"Not really, it gets lonely after a while."

"Doesn't Mike and Robby come over hear all the time?" Samantha asked.

"They come over, but not all the time. Usually they are here when their girlfriends have something else to do besides spend time with them."

Samantha smiled and picked up her jacket off the sofa. John lead her down the steps and out to his car. "Do you want to go to the show or do you want me to take you home?"

"I had probably better go home. Artie will be there soon and I don't want him to worry" Samantha said. "What does he do for you exactly?"

"Artie?" John asked. When Samantha nodded John answered, "Well, he is our promoter. He books our shows around Buffalo and in other towns in New York."

"You mean you do shows outside of Buffalo too?" Samantha asked surprised.

"Yeah, in fact next week we are doing a show in Canada."

"Really?"

"It's just over the Canadian boarder. Have you ever been to Canada?"

"No" Samantha answered.

"It's beautiful. Everything is so clean and the air over there smells so nice. You will have to go one day" John said.

Samantha was leaning down to unbuckle her seat belt, "Thanks for inviting me today. I had a very lovely time."

John laughed at how proper she was. "Not a problem, we'll have to do it again sometime," he said.

Artie got home shortly after Samantha. "I am sorry I had to leave so early this morning. I hope that you didn't spend all day by yourself."

"No, John asked if I wanted to watch him, Robby and Mike rehearse for their show tonight" Samantha told him.

"What did you think of them?"

"I think they are great. We enjoyed their show last night."

"Speaking of last night, how was your date?" Artie asked.

Samantha smiled, "We had fun. Josh is so nice." Samantha looked up and smiled again, "He kissed me."

Artie smiled at this too. "He would have been a fool not too."

"He also asked if he could ask me out again. I told him that it would be alright" Samantha stopped and thought she better ask, "It is alright isn't it?"

"Samantha, like I told you before, I want you to go out with your friends and have a good time. It's what all sixteen year olds are suppose to do."

Samantha loved the way Artie always made her feel at home with him. Around other people she was always nervous about stepping out of line or saying the wrong thing; but with Artie, things were always different.

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