Love Always (NG4)

20 - Never stopped

Christmas sucked. Sam envisioned Rory calling him, but she only sent a thank you text for his gift. On Christmas Day, his finger itched to text her, but his pride stopped him. He had been texting her since she left in August. Will said she wouldn't respond to him either.

He dreamed of meeting on the beach and Rory admitting she was wrong and that she wanted him back. They could spend most of January together and spring break and then he would be done in May. The end was in sight. If she agreed, he would move to Virginia to spend next school year with her.

Even Keira slept in on Christmas morning. Cole and Keira's Dad didn't come over, instead Cole drove his sister for a visit in the afternoon. Anna avoided it by spending the day with the Bassett family including her special cousin. Sam hid in his room trying to pretend it was any other day. He should have been at the Harris's, but they didn't invite him.

The twenty-sixth came with an equal amount of relief and disappointment. He had hoped Rory would reach out to him. He groaned at the knock on his door. When his door opened, he threw his pillow.

"What did I do?" Keira sounded hurt.

"Sorry. I wanna sleep."

"Will's downstairs." His friend had mentioned visiting his sister.

Sam groaned. "Okay. Give me a minute."

He shuffled into the kitchen in flannel pants. Will looked at him and frowned. He sat at the table eating cookies. He lifted one of Sam's favorites and ate it in one bite, then looked at him and frowned. "It's afternoon."

"So I was up late editing your ugly mug."

"You mean handsome. Go get dressed if you want more footage. Ryan and I are going to the beach. Cole went to get Anna."

Sam shrugged. "Yeah. Okay."

Maybe Rory would be on the beach. Sam grabbed a couple of cookies before going upstairs to put on warm clothes. He grabbed his equipment bag, and he and Will walked to the beach together.

Will asked, "How was Christmas?"

"It sucked."

"You see her?"

"Nope. Not yet." Sam longed for a glimpse of her.

Will smiled. "Hailey called me to wish me Merry Christmas."

Sam chuckled. "Your girlfriend."

"She started seeing me to make you jealous, but I think I'm growing on her."

"Why the hell does the girl I want not want me and the one I don't want..."

Will laughed and pushed his shoulder. "You two have a lot in common."

"Stop. She's your problem not mine."

All Sam wanted to do was finish school and get out of Boston, not that he was happy on The Point either. The two men walked onto the beach. The sun shone at a low angle as the water churned dark. Sam took out his camera and captured a gull standing by the edge of the snow covered dune. The dead dune grass lured Sam in with their desolate barrenness, a reflection of his soul.

He put his camera away to film the game of catch. He thought it might be a good way to end his documentary. Bookend Will on the beach before the start and at the end of the season. The game of pass was interrupted when Lana arrived with Liam and Charlotte. Sam kept filming as Will chased his niece and nephew around the beach before falling on the cold sand allowing them to tackle him. Ryan picked Charlotte up like a rag doll.

"Catch, Uncle Will!"

Sam filmed as Ryan tossed Charlotte to Will. She giggled, but Lana jumped in to stop them. Ryan scooped up Lana and quieted her with a kiss. Sam felt a pang. Cole and Anna appeared on the beach. Ryan put his wife down when Cole asked where the football was.