The music seemed to go on forever. The feeling Sam had when she was in Nate's grasp was amazing, it was like she never wanted the song to end. Braedan and Chelsey stood watching them from in the kitchen. "He's really nice. I like him." said Chelsey as she gingerly sipped the first beer that she had all night that had already lasted her an hour and she was only half done. "Nate's just what she need's right now. I'm pretty sure he knows it too." Braedan said in response. He knew he was right too, the only thing was he wished he could be the guy that made Sam happy, but they had gone through too much together and Braedan knew he would do more harm then good too her. He just wanted the best for her. "Want another beer?" Sam asked. "Sure." They walked to the kitchen, well Nate walked, Sam skipped. When they got into the kitchen a different song came on and made same break out into a dance as she made her way over to the fridge. "How much have you drank tonight Sammy?" Braedan laughed as he took a shot of Malibu. "Uhm. I don't know." She said as she tried to open the bottle but failed. "Open." She held it out and Nate twisted the top right off. "Where's my Sexy Lexi gone?" Sam asked as she took a big gulp of the beer. "Upstairs? Corey? Some other guy? Maybe?" Chelsey laughed as she finally finished her first bottle. Braedan laughed. "I think I'm going to go outside for some fresh air, this smoke is bugging my eyes." Although Braedan's Mom said no drugs, they allowed cigarette's, Braedan also didn't want a bunch of kids outside everytime they had to go for a smoke. The last thing they wanted was the cops being called. "Need company?" asked Nate as Sam put her beer down on the table. "No it's alright, you can stay here. I'll just be a minute." "Kay." Sam walked back out into the living room and through the croud of people too the front door and slipped outside. She walked down the driveway and out to the curb. Sam carefully sat down making sure she didn't sit in someone's puke or cigarette butt. She ran her fingers through her sun-bleached blonde hair and let out a deep breath. The sky was dark and cloudy, you couldn't see any stars that night. Cars drove past Braedan's house every few minutes. Groups of kids came in and out like a jack in the box and everytime a group came, she got about 3 'hey's' from them. Everyone knew her. A times Sam wished she was acknowledged less then she was. Everyone always knew her buisness and everyone knew what was going on with her. Especially when her brother died. Random kids were comming up to her in the hallway giving her hugs and Sam didn't like it, at one point she told this girl who she had hated for the longest time and was giving her sympathy, to simply fuck off and she didn't need her god damn sympathy. Even the teachers at her school knew exactly what happened and they all gave Sam a little 'talk' saying that she could come to them if she needed too. To a point it was comforting but after a while it got to the point where she just didn't want to be reminded of it. The only person she even began talking about it too was Braedan and then when Nate came along she told him as much as she could handle telling without wanting to go into severe depression and isolation for the next week. But she was over it know, at least she hoped she was. Sam zoned out for a few minutes thinking until a familiar voice broke her daze. It was a voice she didn't want to hear at that momment. "Hey Sam." It was Max. Max wasn't just one of her ex-boyfriends. But he was the one who she lost her virginity too, and he was the one who corrupted her brother. At least that's who she blamed the corruption on. Some stuff had gone on after Riley's suicide with him wanting Sam back which resulted in Braedan threatening him that if he ever went near Sam again he would personaly see to it he wouldn't be able to walk. In the nice, anti-gore way to say it. It shocked Sam when Braendan said that because Braedan is completely anti-violence, and Corey isn't into fights but has gotten into his share over guys that wanted Alex to themselves. The worst fight was when this Pimp thought Alex was his whore, but that's a whole other story. None the less, Max had a lot of guts to approach her again. "Max what do you want?" Sam could feel her heart starting to race as he got closer to her. Just the thought of him trying to do something to her sent chills that felt more like shocks throughout her body. She felt a cold sweat start to break out. "Why you gotta be like that? I just wanna talk." "Fine. Talk. Talk as long as you want but I'm not listening." Sam got up off the curb. "Now you are just being rude!" Max followed her. He had a bad reputation of getting angry when things didn't go his way, and Sam had a few experiences where she wished that she never disagreed and she knew now that it would be best to stay as far away from him as she could. "Sam!" He yelled as he grabbed the back of her shirt and spun her around facing him. His face was tensing and his eye's were burning with anger. She tried to pull away but his grasp was too strong. Back inside Nate, Chelsey and Braedan were laughing and having a good time. That's when they heard Sam scream. "Max get off of me!" She screamed with hot tears stinging as they fell down her cheaks. He had her pinned up against the side of the house trying to press his lips against her. Nate, Braedan and Corey all ran outside to find Max and Sam with Max's hands all over her small, squriming body. Braedan grabbed his shirt and pulled him off Sam. "You know what I told you! You stay away from her." Max fell to the ground and Braedan layed a hard kick to his side. Nate knew about Max and the games he tryed to play. Braedan was just about to throw a punch when Nate jumped in. "This is my job." Nate grabbed the coller of Max's shirt and pulled him off the ground. Throwing him against the house, Nate had Max pinned up a foot off the ground. "You are dealing with me now. Ever even think of comming within ten feet of her again, I'll rip your head off. Do we have an understanding." Nate yelled right in his face. His muscles were tensed and the veins looking like they were going to explode. Nate's face was beet red and their was sweat running down the back of his neck. "ANSWER ME! DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING?!" Nate yelled right in Max's face. Max nodded his head in fear. Nate let go of his grasp and pushed him off, but Max wasn't finished, he jumped back throwing a punch that Nate blocked in mid-air, twisted his wrist back and pushed him to the ground. "Get lost!"