Samantha Elizabeth Smiles sat across from her boyfriend of the past five years and blinked. A slow, unbelieving blink as she simultaneously filled her lungs with just enough air to keep her heart from jumping out of her chest.

"Wha-what do you mean you can't go?"

Their nearly three thousand mile journey was supposed to begin in just two days. Two days. And here he sat telling her in the completely nonchalant way he did everything, that he couldn't make it. But this trip hadn't been planned last minute. No, this trip had been planned for six months. Six long months where everyone on the planet expected Steven to be there. Not just because he had in fact been her boyfriend for the past five years, but he'd been her boyfriend for the five most important years. From her Junior year at West Valley High school, all the way through four years at Lavern university. No, Steven Mathers was not just expected to be there, he was also expected to propose.

The corner of Steven's lip lifted as he tucked his napkin neatly into his lap without breaking eye contact. "I didn't say I couldn't go, I said I couldn't drive with you, big difference. I wouldn't miss seeing you in your bridesmaids dress for the world. " He leaned across the table to take her hand. "But Renee is your best friend, not mine. She doesn't need me there for all the wedding party shinanagans. She needs you."

The spin of the room began to increase slightly as she removed her hand from his and reached across the table for her glass of Chardonnay. "It's not that." She took a large gulp of wine. "I've never driven cross country before. I really don't want to do it alone."

He sat back in his seat, his face hardening with a disapproval that was not foreign to her. "Where's my strong independent girl? This internship is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Sammie. You can't expect me to give it up to drive a slab of concrete across the US."

She looked down to the table and played with the last bits of broccoli on her plate with a fork. "Ouch…" She knew he didn't appreciate her sculptures the way others did, but he'd never used such derogatory words to describe her art before. Slab of concrete?

"Sammie-" He closed his eyes and set his napkin on the table- "That's not what I meant and you know it. I love your work. I know Renee will love it too, but why don't you just fly, honey, driving cross country by yourself is crazy."

Samantha took a calming breath and held in the words she wanted to say. That she knew it was crazy, that she wouldn't be driving alone if it weren't for him! She looked over her shoulder and signaled for a refill of her glass of wine instead. "I'm not flying. I promised Ren-" She closed her eyes. "You know what, nevermind. It's obvious you don't understand."

His brows furrowed and he tilted his head to the side. "Sammie, I support you in everything you do, and I thought you'd support me. This is my future. This is for us, baby. For our future." His face softened. "But if it means that much to you..."

She whipped her eyes up to his and paused, seeing for the first time the deep brown depths that were both honest and sincere, the face of the boy she'd adored since middle school, and in that moment, she knew without a doubt that he was right. She couldn't ask him to do this. She pulled in a deep breath through her nose and shook her head. "No-you're right." She forced a smile she didn't feel like giving and sat up straighter. "I'm being selfish. You can't pass this up. You can't."

He smiled softly and gingerly took her hand again. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

He raised her hand, pausing for just a moment before kissing each knuckle. "I already have my gray suit at the cleaners and a flight to New York booked for early Saturday morning. You won't even miss me, baby. Promise."

"Good." A bubble of anticipation formed in her stomach. "Cuase if you're not there, I'll be forced to hook up with one of the grooms men. You'll lose me forever."

Steven narrowed his eyes slightly and lifted her hand again to his lips. "Well we can't have that, now can we?." But his face grew serious and he paused before kissing her knuckles again. "Are you sure I can't convince you to fly?"

Her heart constricted and she shook her head. "Are you kidding me? I have six credits to Audible and a list of romance novels I'm itching to burn through. Besides...I'm fully capable of driving the TWO thousand, EIGHT hundred, and EIGHTY-SIX miles from Los Angeles to New York alone. Strong and independant, remember?"

Steven grabbed the butter knife from the table and made a stabbing motion toward his chest. "You're killing me, Sammie."

She grinned. "Serves you right. I can't let you off the hook that easy. Not without a little bit of guilt to take with you on your first day of work tomorrow. I wouldn't be doing my girlfriend duties"

He threw his head back with laugher. "That's my Sammie."

She wrinkled her nose and let her shoulders relax for the first time all evening. "So tell me about the job."

Steven's new internship was in fact, a once in a lifetime opportunity. Connor and Associates, which was the most prestigious Law Firm in Los Angeles. And they allowed exactly five openings outside of Ivy League schools per year. FIVE. It was their "outreach program" of sorts. While Steven, who graduated summa cum laude a UCLA's law program had a bright future no matter where he ended up, this opening would never come again.

The more he spoke about the position, the brighter his eyes became. Samantha loved seeing it. They'd practically grown up together. Friends throughout all of Junior high, her best friend, outside of Renee, and she was proud and excited for him. But if she was honest with herself, she knew she was just a little bit jealous too. Because everything like this always fell in Steven's lap.

Yes, he was a hard worker and deserved every bit of it. Maybe the hardest worker she's ever met in her life, but things always seemed to come o easy for him. Maybe it was his kind brown eyes that were always paying attention, or his brown hair that was perfect, glossy, and never out of place, but people loved Steven. She loved Steven, she just wished she could have even a small sliver of his success.

She sighed, reached for her glass again, and took a small sip of wine, She continued to listen eagerly to her boyfriend words of excitement, because he deserved it. He'd worked hard for this achievement, and she was going to let her jealousy ruin that for him.

It was late evening when Steven dropped Samanth off at her apartement. Normally he'd walk her up like he'd done every date since she said she'd be his girlfriend. But his internship at Connor and Associates started bright and early, and he was too responsible of a person to stay out any later. "Are you sure you're not mad at me about the wedding?"

She shook her head, taking her time to slowly grab her bag off the floor of his Prius before responding. "You mean about ditching me last minute? No, not at all." She shrugged. "It's a gift in a way."

His eyes narrowed. "How so?"

"Because... for the rest of our days, for as long as we both shall live, I will remind you of this."

"The rest of our days?"

"Yep. It will go something like this, "Honey, I want a new car… Oh, and do you remember that time you ditched me?' 'Steven, take me to Europe, oh yeah, and do you remember that time you forced me to drive cross country alone?" Samantha beamed. "See, it's a gift that keeps on giving."

Steven shook his head and leaned across the car toward her, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger before whispering. "And I'll give you everything, Sammie. Not because I ditched you, but because you're the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"Awwww… Steven."

He grinned. "Now get out of my car so I can get some shut eye!" He gave her a quick kiss on the lips before unlocking the doors. "You think I'm joking, but I need to be at work in eight hours." He leaned across the passenger seat and shoved the door open a crack.

"Okay, okay..." Samantha dragged the strap of her messenger bag over her head and climbed out of the car. "Call me tomorrow and let me know how your first day was."

He smiled. "Will do. Now get your cute butt upstairs.."

She rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious! Go!"

She straightened her back and threw her hand to her forehead in a salute. "Yes Sir! Whatever you say, sir!"

"Smartass." He lifted his chin. "Go."