Wingman

"Sammy, get your butt over here!"

I groaned. I couldn't take this torture any longer. My feet hurt, my arms felt heavy, and I was going to collapse any moment now.

"Samantha Penelope Phillips. You better drag your incredibly delicious ass — which I am very jealous of by the way — over here and help me find a dress!" My best friend called from the other side of the store.

Please God, if you can hear me, please, please, please, save me from this torment some call shopping. Please, I beg of you. Unfortunately, my prayers weren't answered because my so-called best friend, Addy, stalked across the little boutique and hauled me to the evening wear section.

"I can't believe you sometimes, Sam," she said to me disapprovingly while continuing her trek. "You've got your dad's credit card and the only thing you want to buy are converse."

I looked down on my feet clad with my newly bought polka-dotted converse and bright green shoe laces. "Hey! What's wrong with converse?"

"Maybe the fact that they're your thirtieth pair of the year," she answered shaking her head. Hey, if I've got the money, why not?

"You've bought more shoes than that in the last three months!" I fired back.

"Yeah, but mine match my dresses!" Oh yes, Addy. Very convincing argument you got there. "Speaking of dresses, you need to go find yourself one for the ball this Saturday."

I groaned. Thanks for reminding me Addy. "I don't see why I have to go." I answered. "It's just an excuse for my parents to show off their brand new mansion. They won't even notice if I'm not there."

"You have to go!" Addy replied. "Brandon's going to be there! You have to help me make a move on him. You know, be my wingman!"

"There is no way I am going to spend the night being your wingman."

"Why not!" Addy whined.

"Because first, I'm not a man."

"Fine, wingwoman."

"Secondly," I ignored her. "We are not going to a club to pick up men." She huffed and crossed her arms. "And thirdly, I am not going to talk to his annoying friends to distract him for you!"

And because Jayden was one of his friends.

"Fine don't help me with Brandon," she sulked. "But the faster you find a dress, the faster you can get out of here."

I sighed, she had a good point. So I guess it's time for extreme dress shopping with Addy. Cue sarcastic whoopee.

"What the heck are roses doing here? They are supposed to go in the front yard not the foyer!"

"These lights are too bright! Get some new ones!"

"I want the million dollar statue here! It's too far off to the side, no one will notice it!"

"Molly! Molly, where are you, I see a speck of dust!"

My mom was running around the house fretting over flower arrangements, concerned about decorations and screeching at maids. Ah, and this was still five hours before the long awaited ball. Just you wait and see how frantic she gets with an hour left to go.

The rule is, if Mrs. Phillips is ever this worked up, you stay clear from her. Even my father knew that and was taking his time coming home from work. Probably screwing the brains out of his secretary to pass the time. It sure wouldn't be a first.

So here I was, three hours later, stranded in my room with a growling stomach, plotting out ways to make it to the kitchen without being seen. I came up with nothing. Maybe making a run for it would do it? I mean it is a big house.

I quietly tiptoed down the stairs and peered around the corner. All I had to do was run across the living room and I could go through the back door to the kitchen. Good, the coast was clear. I made a dash for the kitchen but then I heard my mother's voice carry through the house.

"Did you decorate the living room yet? I wanted to put that new million dollar painting in there somewhere." Her footsteps seemed to get louder and louder.

Oh shit, why does this living room have to be so big? I would have made it in time if it were smaller.

I ducked behind the couch, hoping my mom wouldn't come anywhere near there.

"Which wall would it look best on Molly? And did you clean here yet? Ugh, it's filthy."

I held my breath, trying not to make any noise in case she would hear me. That proved to be the worst idea in the history of ideas. You know those contests you would have with your friends when you were a kid to see who could hold their breath the longest? Yeah, well I was always the one who lost. So less than thirty seconds later I huffed to get more air into my lungs, which made an incredibly loud sound that made my mother shriek.

"AHHH! MOLLY! THERE'S A RAT BEHIND THE COUCH. KILL IT, KILL IT."

The maid in question took her broom and jumped on the couch smacking me silly with her eyes closed. "Did I get it? Did I get it?" She asked, her voice thick with her accent.

I groaned in pain, trying to get myself away from her brutal attacks.

"Oh my! It must be huge!" My mom squealed. "Keep hitting it, it's not dead yet!"

"Nooo," I choked out trying to heave myself up.

"Samantha?" the maid asked opening her eyes to peer at me. Yes, you finally noticed. Too bad I already have many bruised and broken bones. Thank you very much.

"Samantha! What do you think you are doing behind there young lady!" My mom shouted moving to the side of the couch I was on. "There is only two hours left until the ball starts. Why isn't your hair done? Did you even start your make up? You didn't even take a shower yet did you? Go upstairs right now and get ready!"

"But I'm hungry!" I whined.

"No time for eating! You don't want to put on any extra weight anyway and there will be many young men here tonight, I want you to at least attempt to be pretty."

It's funny how easily my mom can fit two insults into a sentence and not even notice. I grudgingly made my way back up stairs and into my room. Two hours later I was ready, and heard the doorbell ring from downstairs.

"SAMANTHA!" my mother hollered from downstairs. "Come help me welcome the guests!"

I took one last look at myself in the mirror. I thought the red halter dress Addy made me buy was a little too skimpy seeing as it just barely reached my knees and had a neckline a little to deep for my liking. But maybe that was just because I thought anything with a neckline at all was too much for me. Addy had also made me buy four inch red heels to match the dress. Waste of money, if you ask me. I could have bought three pairs of converse with that amount of money.

My black hair hung in ringlets that reached my shoulders and my dull blue eyes were covered in eyeliner, mascara, and eyeshadow. I even put on red lipstick and blush just to satisfy Addy and my mother so they wouldn't complain to me at all that I didn't try hard enough.

"Samantha!" my mother's annoying high voice shrieked again. I hurriedly made my way down the stairs, completely forgetting I had on heels, and tripped down the last two steps landing on my butt.

Worse than that, my already short dress hiked up a couple more inches revealing my pink underwear. Pink, how ironic, that's the exact same colour my cheeks turned. It turned more into a scarlet colour when I heard a laugh come from a couple feet in front of me.

I hastily got up and flattened out my dress and stared right into the green eyes of Jayden Dane. He was still chuckling, although he was trying to hide it when his mother gave him a look to silence him.

Jayden. Oh how much I hated him. I hated everything about him. I hated his cocky smile, his sarcastic attitude, his shaggy blond locks, his ability to make me mad just by being in his presence. But most of all, I hated how badly I fell for him.

But I would never tell him that. Ever. I had spent every single waking moment since I was three fighting with him. I wasn't about to change any of that now. And I'm positive my feelings for him will go away sometime.

But that didn't help the fact that my heart started beating erratically every time he would smile his breathtaking smile. Or the fact that I got insanely jealous all night when I saw him dancing so close with a girl, his hand resting lightly at the small of her back.

It also didn't stop the fantasies in which I was that girl who he was holding so close to him, running his hands through my hair while my hands felt the muscles on his broad shoulders. Then he would look me in the eyes, thinking I'm the most beautiful thing he has ever seen before leaning down slowly and capturing my lips with his own.

I cleared my head of all thoughts about Jayden. I cursed fate for even meeting him fifteen years ago when I was three. I cursed even more for even letting the thought of liking him cross my mind. Never had I imagined through all the social gatherings our mothers made us attend, or through all the years of the prestigious prep school we attended together, or through all the bickering we did that he would make me feel this way.

It's better not to think about it though, I told myself and set on the journey to find Addy so she could distract me from him. I found her a couple of minutes later.

"Sammy! You look gorgeous! Do I have good taste in dresses or what?" She gushed the second she saw me.

I decided to be courteous too. "And you look more beautiful then I'll ever be," I smiled genuinely at her. It was true, she was as pretty as a supermodel without being as disgustingly skinny. I was nothing compared to her. She was exactly what a guy would look for in a girl; blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect figure. While I was just plain standing beside her. And that's exactly why I would never be in Jayden's league.

"Do you think Brandon will think so?" Addy asked self consciously.

"Of course he will."

"Great! Let's go find him!" she said while dragging me around the room.

I groaned. "What part of 'I will not be your wingman' do you not understand?"

"Fine, just be there to give me moral support," she replied. "I really like him, but I'm so shy around him."

I found that really odd. Addy was never shy with guys. Ever. No matter how much she said she liked them. It was just one of those excellent traits she had that came with her good looks. So the fact that she was actually shy made me cave and go willingly with her. She must really, really, really, like Brandon.

However, I wasn't so willing when we found Brandon talking to Jayden. I had wanted to avoid him all night.

"Hi Brandon," Addy smiled coyly at him.

Brandon stopped talking to Jayden and turned to look at Addy. He grinned widely when he saw her. "Hey Addy."

I scrutinized Brandon's reaction. He looked very interested in her too. Good, there was nothing for Addy to be worried about so it would be alright if I left.

"Well I think I just saw some great appetizers over there on the other side of the room," I announced. "I think I'm just going to go..."

But Addy grabbed my arm when I turned to leave and dragged me back. "Or not," I muttered.

"Sam, stay and listen to Brandon's funny story about his brand new yacht," she smiled sweetly at him when she said it.

He grinned at her. "Okay, well my family was taking the yacht for a short vacation to celebrate making our billionth dollar. So I was looking onto the ocean when I heard my mom scream from her bedroom so I ran to see a homeless man sleeping in her bed..."

I stopped listening at that point to his utterly boring and completely useless story and let my eyes trail to Jayden standing beside him. I sucked in a deep breath examining how hot he looked in his tux tonight. This didn't really help with my plan to try and get rid of all feelings of him.

He also stopped listening to Brandon's story — probably has already heard it — and his gaze fell onto me. He smirked when he noticed me staring at him.

"Nice pink panties you have on tonight, Phillips," Jayden taunted me.

"Glad you liked the sight, Dane," I responded nonchalantly, pretending as if the whole ordeal had not bothered me.

"Oh yes I did," he shot back. "But I have to say, seeing you fall down those stairs was much better entertainment."

"Is that how you get all the girls at school swooning over you?" I sneered at him. "And how you sweet talk your twenty or so girlfriends?"

"I think it's more in the ballpark of thirty," he smirked. "Jealous?"

I scoffed. "Of what? There's nothing to be jealous of," I lied.

"So how was your last boyfriend anyway?" he asked twirling the glass filled with punch in his hands before bringing up to his lips to take a sip. "Jeff was it?"

"I'm surprised you actually keep tabs of who I date," I shot back.

"I think everyone knows that you went out with that ass," Jayden replied. "Especially when that freshman found him screwing the cafeteria lady in the janitors closet."

"Yeah, just as funny as when you walked in on your girlfriend making out with the vice principal." I fired back. "Jasmine was it?"

He surprised me when he chuckled. "Never saw either of their asses at school again."

I couldn't help it, I laughed with him.

It was at that moment that I noticed we were standing alone, and Addy was on the dance floor with Brandon. I smiled at her. See, she didn't need me.

Jayden noticed too and my smile faltered when he put down his glass, took me by the arm and started dragging me to the dance floor. "Hey! Let go!" I said while trying to shove his hand off.

"Aw, come on. Just one dance, it's not going to hurt anybody," he said with pleading eyes. That's easy for you to say, I thought. It's not like you're going to be the one to get your hopes up only to have the guy you secretly like dance with another girl right after.

I tried to pull back and he stopped. "Please Phillips, just one dance?" He pouted at me.

Damn him. Now I see how he got all of his girlfriends. Other than being incredibly hot, he was able to use his charm at the right times to make girls fall at his feet. And I was just another one of them.

"Fine," I said stubbornly and followed behind him to join the other dancing couples.

When he found an acceptable spot he turned around to face me. I draped my arms around Jayden's shoulders and he slipped his arms all the way around my waist until he could clasp them together behind my back. There was still a little bit of room between us, but it was the closest I have ever been to Jayden without trying to hurt him and I felt a funny feeling rise inside me.

The song was a slow one, my mom's choice, and we swayed side to side slightly. I looked around the room and caught a glance of Addy smiling in my direction from Brandon's side. I rolled my eyes at her and continued to sway with Jayden.

I found myself staring at Jayden's neck, specifically the spot right next to it; the air between his shoulder and his head. I wondered what it would be like to place my head right there, right next to his own neck, squeezed between his head and his shoulders. I was never able to do it with any of my former boyfriends; they were never tall enough for it.

The longer I thought about resting my head there, the more I wanted to experiment with it. Finally, I pushed my body against Jayden's and wedged my head right into that spot. My hands began to pull him closer to me to allow access. As our bodies touched, I thought I felt his arms tighten around me, albeit it might have been my imagination. Slowly, I allowed myself to relax, soaking in the way my head seemed to fit perfectly in that spot. I felt comfortable, my eyelids fluttered closed and I smiled despite myself.

With my body pressed right up to Jayden's, and his hands resting on my lower back, I felt more of the fantasies I had thought about earlier come back to me. Just for the moment, everything felt right.

I soon forgot about the music entirely, completely overwhelmed by the extreme feelings of blissfulness and protection that I had never before felt in the arms of a boy. The heat from Jayden's body soaked through his layers and pressed up against me. My body felt tingly and I found myself wishing there was some way we could be even closer. An inadvertent sigh of contentment escaped my lips. I stopped thinking about anything, worried only about the present, the here and now.

But then Jayden spoke, bringing me back to the reality that I live in. "Enjoying yourself Phillips?"

I removed my head from the position on Jayden's shoulder and stiffened. "No," I lied.

He smirked and leaned his head down to whisper in my ear. "Enjoy it while it lasts sweetheart because you'll never get a chance like this with someone like me again."

I planted my feet on the ground and narrowed my eyes at him. Who did he think he was talking about himself as if he was a king or something? How dare he? This would have been the right time to lash out at him and call him all the degrading words in the dictionary that would make my mom faint if she heard them come out of my mouth. This would have been the perfect time to have an excuse to smack his head, or punch him in the gut, or better yet; knee him in the groin.

But I didn't do either of those.

Instead, I ran.

I sprinted out of the ballroom, being careful not to trip on my heels and make an even greater fool of myself. I let my feet take me away and I wasn't aware where I was going until I found myself in the garden located in my backyard. I sat down on a bench and let out a big sigh. It wasn't until then that I noticed my eyes were wet.

I was crying?

And over Jayden Dane nonetheless. What had my world come to? I never thought that I would like him this much. I always thought that it was just a phase I would get over soon. Apparently not.

But he didn't like me. He thought I was beneath him. This just made me sob harder into my hands. It was unrequited love at it's best.

"Samantha?"

No. No, no, no, no, no! What was Jayden doing here? I couldn't let him see me like this.

"Go away," I choked out through my sobs.

"Samantha, are you... are you crying?" He had used my first name twice, we were on a strict last name basis. I didn't answer him, I didn't trust my voice.

I heard his footsteps get closer until he was standing right in front of me. He kneeled down and draped an arm over my shoulders. I wanted to shove it off, but I had no strength. Besides, the warmth from his arm seeped through me and no matter how much I knew this wasn't good at the moment, I didn't have the heart to shove it off.

"I'm—I'm sorry," he whispered softly.

I didn't answer him, but by this point I had completely stopped crying and instead was embarrassed that I let Jayden see me like this. I was just pathetic. I kept my head in my hands though, I didn't want to look at his face and possibly start crying again.

"I didn't mean what I said," he started. "I didn't think it would actually make you cry."

I stayed quiet, I didn't owe him to speak at all.

"Were you...were you crying because of what Jeff did?" Jayden asked hesitantly.

"Jeff?" I snorted. He thought it was because what he said made me remember what Jeff did? That's the last thing it was. I never truly liked Jeff that much anyway.

"It's not?" he asked.

"No." I answered flatly.

"Then what is it?"

I sighed and looked up at him. He was looking onto the ground with his eyebrows furrowed as if he was trying really hard to concentrate on thinking of what else would make me cry. "There's no reason," I said.

He brought his gaze up to me and I stared into his bright blue eyes. "Yes there is," he said curtly.

"No, there isn't," I said shrugging off his arm that he still had draped on my shoulders.

"Sam..." he said warningly.

"Drop it Jayden," I snapped.

"No. I won't drop it until you tell me."

"There's nothing to tell you!" I said back forcefully.

"There's nothing to tell me, my ass! Why were you crying Phillips?"

"It's none of your business, Dane."

"Yes it is. I was the one who made you cry wasn't I? I think I deserve to know," he said.

"It doesn't matter," I replied while crossing my arms.

"Stop being so difficult, Phillips. Just tell me why you were crying!" he huffed, throwing his arms in the air.

"You wouldn't want to know anyway," I said looked back at the ground.

"Yes I do!"

"Fine you really want to know?" I asked him raising my voice.

"Yes!" he responded quickly.

"It's because I love you!" I cried, while standing up. "There you got your answer!"

His face went blank, and he didn't say anything.

Oh shit, I did not just admit that. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap.

Embarrassed, I swiftly turned my back on him and took a few steps away. I found myself at the fountain my mom had gotten installed and leaned my arms on it.

Jayden had not moved from his kneeling position beside the bench. I had the strongest urge to turn back around and ask him what he was thinking, but my pride kept me intact. I could not believe that I had told him that.

After what seemed like hours, but in reality was only a couple of moments, I heard Jayden shift around from his position on the floor and come up from behind me.

"You—you what?" he asked confoundedly.

I turned around to glare at him. He wanted me to say it him again? "You know what I said," I answered.

He stared at me for a while longer, his face still drained from any emotion. "Since when?" he finally breathed out.

"Since..." I started but then stopped and let out a sigh. "I don't even know," I said staring him in the eyes. "I always told myself I hated you. Ever since we were three and our mom's met. I always pulled tantrums when she said we were going to visit your house or that you would come over. You were an insufferable jerk and you annoyed me like no one else could. There were times when I wished that I could just beat you to a bloody pulp. But yet, somewhere between then and now I started to fall for you."

I didn't know why I was actually telling him all this. He would probably just laugh when I finished anyway and then make fun of me for it for the rest of my life. But something in me kept wanting to let it all out after keeping it in for so long.

"Do you remember last year how you were really upset when your dad divorced his fourth wife?" I continued. "And you said that you never wanted to end up being heartless like him and that you wanted to find true love?" I smiled slightly at Jayden while I recalled it. "I remember thinking 'Gee, I wish I was your true love' and no matter how much of a shock that came for me, it was at that moment that I realized I loved you."

I finished my short speech and looked up at him expectantly. I don't know where all that bravery came from; I was never one to declare my undying love for someone. But here I was, proclaiming my feelings for my arch nemesis.

He still had a blank look on his face and was staring at all the flowers in the garden. It was moments later when he opened his mouth to speak. "I... I already love someone," he breathed out wistfully.

My world crashed around me. I was expecting this of course. I knew he didn't like me, but it was something completely different to actually hear it come out of his mouth.

"Oh," I choked out.

Yeah, oh. I had nothing else to say. I couldn't really think straight at the moment.

"Yeah," he replied dreamily. "She's the most wonderful thing in the world, I realized that the second I saw her."

He really was in love with the girl he was thinking about. I could see it all in his facial expression.

"That's great," I replied to him, a little sarcastically.

He nodded in agreement, ignoring the sarcasm. "She's absolutely beautiful," he continued. "But I don't think she see's that. She doesn't flaunt her looks like everyone else, she's gorgeous without even trying."

Of course she must have been pretty if Jayden liked her. He would settle for no less. That's exactly why I didn't stand a chance.

"She's incredibly smart too," he went on, lost in his thoughts. "She blows me away with how much she knows about everything and how perceptive she is. She doesn't let me forget it though," he chuckled. "Never misses a chance to prove me wrong."

So she's smart and beautiful. Can this girl fly too?

"Puts up a great fight as well," he said. "No matter how great of an arguer I am, she's much better at coming up with comebacks. Can land a mean punch too," he chuckled, rubbing a random spot on his arm.

"She seems perfect for you," I told him honestly.

He turned his head to look at me and the corners of his mouth tipped upwards. "Yeah," he said wistfully. "She really is. But I'm such a jerk to her because I don't know how else to act towards her."

At least I wan't the only one he acted like a bastard around.

"You should still tell her how you feel," I said to him. "It's better to try, then to ask yourself what if later." It's true, even though I got completely rejected, at least I'm not going to go crazy wondering what would have happened.

He nodded his head and stayed silent. I didn't say anything either. Through the silence, tonight's events finally came back to me. I had just confessed my love for Jayden only to have him say he loved someone else. Someone completely perfect who I couldn't compete with. I suddenly felt very jealous of this girl.

"So who is this unbelievably amazing girl?" I asked him flatly.

He took a step closer to me and looked straight into my eyes. "You."

And before I knew it, I was in his arms, my body pressed up against his, his lips moulding over my own. He had one of his hands resting on my waist bringing me closer then I thought possible, while the other was cupping my cheek. My hands were running through his blond locks and I kissed him more feverishly than I have ever kissed anyone before. His arms around my waist tightened and he tore his lips away and pressed them against my neck.

"God, Sam," he whispered huskily.

He sucked on a sensitive spot and I moaned in pleasure.

It was better than any of my fantasies.

A loud cheer and the sound of someone clapping pulled me away from Jayden and I turned to glare at Addy who was peeking around a large hedge with Brandon at her side.

"Finally!" Addy cried, jumping up and down still clapping.

"Congrats man," Brandon said nodding in Jayden's direction.

Jayden wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me in closer to his side. "Were you guys watching us?" he asked.

"Yes!" Addy responded shamelessly.

I narrowed my eyes at her. I took in the closeness between her and Brandon and then I realized something.

"You were setting me up the whole time weren't you?!" I accused her.

It all made sense now; why she wanted me to come the ball so badly, why she picked out the dress, why she told me to come and talk to Brandon with her because she was shy.

"You didn't need me as your wingman at all!" I said glaring at her.

She laughed and wrapped her arms around Brandon. "Yup, but you needed me as yours. I've been going out with Brandon since last week." When she noticed I wasn't laughing with her, her smile dropped. "Aw come on Sammy! Don't get mad, you would have never made a move on Jayden if I hadn't planned it."

I opened my mouth to protest, but nothing came out since Jayden had used the moment to capture my lips with his. I pressed my body closer to him and melted into his mind blowing kiss. "You look unbelievably gorgeous tonight," he whispered breathlessly into my ear when he released my lips. I smiled back sheepishly at him.

Addy made a good wingman.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading!

Sorry I haven't updated All Because of You in a while. Think of this as my present to make it up to you! I want to try to get the next chapter up this weekend though. Let's cross our fingers and hope, haha.

I hope you liked this oneshot, it was just an idea that came to me and I found it so easy to write. Thank you, yet again, for reading!

Have an amazing day! :)