Sam Ellington pulled slowly into the Lake Mohegan parking lot with Jack Johnson blaring through the speakers and parked his Ford Explorer into the closest spot by the sand.  As soon as he shut the car off he saw Ana pull in right beside him, looking pissed off in her new Civic.  He wouldn’t be that mad if his parents had decided to buy him a new car.  Sam pulled the keys out of the ignition and got out of the car, the door inches away from scratching Ana’s passenger door.  He smiled as he walked over to the driver’s side, banging on the windows.  He watched Ana’s expression as she slowly took off her aviators and put them on top of her head.  She then opened up the door quickly, jamming Sam in the stomach.

“Watch it, Willis.” Sam said jokingly, giving her a death stare.

“Well move your fat ass away from my car.” Ana replied with a smile.

Ana then popped the trunk open to get her bag and towel.  She pulled something wrapped out of her bag and handed it to Sam.

“Happy birthday, biitch.  You can finally drink in Montreal and most foreign countries.” She said, pushing her platinum blonde bangs out of her eyes.

“Why, thank you, Anastasia.  To what do I owe this pleasure.” Sam said, enveloping her in a big bear hug.

He could feel Ana cringe under his embrace, but he secretly knew that she loved affection, since that one time sophomore year when they were both drunk and hooked up in Sam’s living room.  She said it had been something that she would regret for the rest of her life, but Sam was secretly in love with her.  Ever since fifth grade when she had traded her chocolate chip cookies for his carrot sticks, he had fallen hard.

“Let’s go to the beach,” Ana finally said awkwardly, pulling away.

“You are so awkward Ana.  I wonder if they’ll appreciate your awkwardness in SoCal.” Sam said, getting the cooler and his towels out of his car.

“Well at least I’m going somewhere out of the state, Mr-I-think-I’m –going-to-make-it-in-the-music-business-since-I’m-so-frickin-good-at-guitar.” Ana said mockingly, poking him in the side.

“At least I’m good at something besides kicking a ball and mowing girls down,” Sam said, alluring to the many girls on the soccer field that Ana had shoved, tripped, and given nosebleeds to.

“Very funny.  Unwrap your present!” Ana said, taking off her t-shirt and sitting down in the sand on her towel.  She took her hair out of her bun and let it fall around her shoulders.

Sam sighed as he sat down next to her.  He began to tear at the wrapping paper and found a rectangular box.  He opened it to find a picture frame with a picture of him and Ana in the fall, after one of his football games.  She was wearing his away jersey and he was wearing his uniform and had his arm around her shoulders.  She was smiling, really smiling, which she never did anymore, and Sam was making a goofy face, which he always did.  It was one of his favorite pictures of them.  He tried to fight the tears that were forming in his eyes.  He was truly going to miss her when she went to school in California.

“So you can remember me when you’re a big rock star.” Ana said with a smile.

“Thanks, A.  I love it.  And trust me, I’ll never forget you.” Sam replied, putting it back in the box and taking an Arnold Palmer out of the cooler.  He offered one to Ana, but she said no.  Her coach at USC had her on a strict, no sugar diet so she would be ready for preseason.

“So, you excited for Nantucket?” Ana asked, taking a swig from her Nalgene water bottle.

“I suppose, it’s good to see everyone.  Minus Kaylen.  Her and Deusche bag Markus on the rocks again?”

“Sadly, yes.  What will the world come to now.” Ana said sarcastically.

“I know I won’t be able to sleep at night.” Sam replied dramatically, laying his head back down onto his towel.

“It’s just so ridiculous; sometimes I don’t even know why I’m friends with her.  I mean it’s obvious that he’s cheating on her.”

“Maybe he’s not.  Markus and I had a heart-to-heart once.  It was magical,” Sam said, taking his wayfarers off to reveal his piercing grey eyes.

Ana laughed, turning onto her stomach.  “It’s guy love between two guys…” Ana sang, quoting the song from Scrubs.

Sam laughed and shook his mop of dark brown hair, “We’re closer than the average man and wife, that’s why our matching bracelets say Turk and JD…”

“Okay, that’s enough Samuel.  What’s the time?” Ana asked, putting her aviators back on.

“Three-thirty.  Why?  Somewhere to be?”

“Yeah, actually.  My parents want me to have dinner with them tonight at the Yacht Club.  Probably something about the beach house. “

“ ‘Now, dear, don’t drink all the good booze, you know Daddy likes it.  There’s Bud Light in the refrigerator downstairs.  And for God sakes, no shoes in the house.  I do not want Maritza finding all this sand when she cleans the house after your cretins that you call friends leave.  Please, do not use the good China.’” Sam said in a perfect imitation of Ana’s mother, Daphne.  She was always a stickler for cleanliness, but did not care if the kids drank.

Sam laughed silently to himself as he felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his Hurley swim trunks.  It was from his girlfriend, Alyssa. Also known as the most annoying person ever, whom Ana had let come to Nantucket because she thought that Sam actually liked her.  Why hadn’t he broken up with her yet?

From Alyssa; Hey, birthday boy.  Where are you?  You should come over and help me pack.  I have a surprise for you.

Sam sighed as he composed a new message.

To Alyssa; At the lake with Ana.  I’ll be over soon.  What’s the surprise?

“Sexting?” Ana asked with a grin, looking up at him.

“Nah, brah.  Gotta go help my lady pack.”  Sam said reluctantly, running his hands through his hair.

Suddenly he felt his phone vibrate.  He opened it and was greeted with a reply.

From Alyssa; Come over now.  I need you ;)  Shh, the surprise is a secret.

“I should get going too.  Rents expect me at five.” Ana said, putting her shirt back on and packing up her bag.

“It was nice hanging with you.” Sam said, putting his beat-up Metallica shirt back on and throwing his Arnold Palmer can back in the recycling.

Ana simply waved as she put her belongings in the trunk and pulled out of the parking lot.  She mouthed a quick ‘Save Me’ as she and Sam went their separate ways, each into their own versions of hell.

Alyssa Montego stood in front of her vanity mirror, brushing her perfect brown hair.  Her boyfriend Sam was coming over soon and she had an extra special birthday present for him.  Her virginity.  She was in love with Sam, and she felt him slowly slipping away from her.  So what better option did she have except to lure him in with her body?  She smiled to herself as she walked over towards her I-home to turn on some music.  Soft John Mayer played through the speakers, which Sam would love since he always wanted to play the guitar like John Mayer.  Everything was perfect.  Suddenly, Alyssa heard her doorbell ring.  It had to be Sam.  She took one last look in her mirror, took a deep breath, and slowly made her way downstairs.  She could see Sam standing outside in his gross Metallica t-shirt and bright, mismatching swim trunks, but that made her want him even more.  Something about fixing a scruffy boy up excited her.

“Hey, babe,” Alyssa said, opening the door.

“Hi.” Sam replied stoically, leaning in for a quick kiss.

“Happy birthday!” She said, excitedly, taking his hand and leading him upstairs.

“So, what’s my present?  Is that John Mayer coming from your room?  I never knew you liked him.” Sam said, taking off his wayfarers and hooking them onto his shirt.

“I like to surprise people,” Alyssa said, carefully opening the door to her room.  She was instantly overwhelmed by the scented candles that she had bought from the body shop, and she could feel Sam’s grip slowly pulling away.

“Um, Alyssa, what is this all about?  Are you trying to seduce me, Ms. Montego,” Sam said in a joking matter.

Alyssa simply rolled her eyes and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.  He kissed her back reluctantly, resting his hands on the small of her back.  She clumsily led him over to her bed, tripping over the various flip flops and magazines.  She was now under his heavy, warm body, running her fingers through his hair.  He then began to kiss her neck as she inched his shirt off of his skinny body.  Alyssa began to untie the strings of his swim trunks when Sam quickly pulled away.

“Whoa, Alyssa.  What are you doing?” Sam said, scratching his head.

“Giving you your birthday present, hon,” Alyssa answered, confused.

“But, I, I’m not ready,” Sam said, sitting down on her bed.

“Don’t bullshiit me Sam, I know that you aren’t a virgin.  I thought I was giving you what you wanted…” Alyssa said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

“It’s not you, Al, you’re beautiful.  It’s just, our relationship hasn’t been the best lately.  I keep feeling that I’m overcompensating for everything, to try to make me feel that I like you.”

“Ar-are you in love with someone else?” Alyssa said.  Shiit.  She was really crying now.

She could hear Sam swallow heavily.  Alyssa knew what the answer was.  Yes, he was.  But who?  The possibilities flashed through her mind until only one girl came to mind.  Anastasia Willis.  She had known it all along.  She saw the way he looked at her.  Like she was the only girl in the world that could make him happy.  She sniffled as she sat up against her headboard, wiping the running mascara from her cheeks.  Sam was still silent, gathering his belongings. John Mayer’s Heartbreak Warfare played through the speakers.

“Well have fun in Nantucket by yourself.  Because I really don’t want to see you fawning all over Ana.  I owe myself that much for putting up with your shiit for almost six months.  Have a nice life.”

“Al, it doesn’t have to be like this.  You can still come to the beach house with us.  Ana invited you.  Don’t disrespect her by backing out last minute.”

“Fuuck you Samuel Ellington.  Get out of my house.  And don’t call me Al.  I hate that.” Alyssa said, opening up her bedroom door.

Sam let out a big sigh, put his Wayfarers over his eyes and walked out of the door and down the stairs, just like that.  Just like that he was gone.  And all Alyssa had left was this stupid John Mayer CD.  And she didn’t even like him.