“Samantha”

“Andrew!” a female voice called. “Andrew!” I turned and there was Samantha, running to catch up to me.
“Hey, Samantha,” I greeted. “What are you up to?”
“Not much. You?”
“On my way home.”
“Can I ask a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Finals are coming up and I was wondering if you’d help me study for my geometry final? It’ll be a miracle if I pass it.”
“Miracles so happen, you know?”
“I know, but can you help?”
I smiled. “Sure. My house tonight?”
“Sure. Thank you, Andrew.”
So that night, Samantha and I sat on the couch in the family room, listening to country music on the radio and going over her geometry notes. For some reason, she seemed so much more beautiful than she ever did. It was strange. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. She looked at me. Our eyes locked. We stared for the longest moment and then, as if it had a mind of its own, my hand reached out and caressed her cheek. Her skin was so soft, nearly taking my breath away.
“Andrew, we should really be studying,” she said, gently.
“I know,” I said. “I just can’t help myself. You are so beautiful.”
There were no other words spoken when I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. It was so soft and I wasn’t sure if it had actually happened. When the kiss ended, I looked into her eyes and I saw something there that I had never seen before. There was a spark in her eyes. The sight made my heart pound with happiness, because I knew what it meant. I kissed her again and soon I found myself wanting her more than I had ever wanted anything in my life. My lips left hers and kissed her neck. She moaned. When my hand found her breast, she gasped and pulled away.
“I’m sorry, Samantha,” I apologized. “I moved too quick.”
“No, it wasn’t that,” she promised. “You just…shocked me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she cut me off. She took my hand and placed it on her breast. Then she placed her hand on my cheek and stared into my eyes. “Make love to me, Andrew,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I stared into her eyes and I could tell that she was serious. I kissed her and she slowly pushed me backward until I was lying on my back. She threw one leg over me and sat on top of me. She kissed me and then she moved down my chest, peeling my shirt away as she went. We heard Devon’s truck pull up in the driveway and I quickly swept her into my arms and hurried to my bedroom, locking the door behind us. I quickly pulled her into my arms and kissed her. My lips slowly moved over her body, not wanting to miss an inch of her. We were both beyond ready when we finally became one. She cried out and dug her fingernails into my back, but I never complained. Several times, I found myself holding my breath. It was that intense. When it was finally over we laid there, in silence, for an awful long time, waiting for our hearts to slow. I slid off of her and lay beside her. I took her hand into mine and kissed the top of it.
“Are you all right?” I asked her. “Did I hurt you?”
She looked at me, her eyes heavy with exhaustion, and brought her had to my face. “No,” she said. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I love you, Andrew. So much.”
I smiled. “I love you, too, Samantha.”
I rested my head on her chest and soon we were asleep. When I woke up the next morning, I had almost forgotten the night before until I saw Samantha lying beside me. I couldn’t help, but smile. She was so beautiful. It was like a dream, seeing her beside me. It was like she was too beautiful to be with me, you know? That was the moment that I knew I was in love. I loved this beautiful woman lying beside me. I rose and pulled on my jeans. I went across the hall to the bathroom. On the way back, I ran into Devon in the hallway. He was my oldest brother. Chris came after him. He only stared at me and then went on into the family room. Chris came out of his bedroom a moment later. He looked at me for a moment. Then he came closer and sniffed at me like a dog.
He looked at me and grinned. “Vanilla,” he concluded. “Who’s the girl, Andy?” He was the only person that called me Andy. I hesitated. “Andy?”
I looked into his eyes. “Samantha,” I said.
His eyes widened. “Our Samantha?” I nodded. He laughed all the way into the family room.
I shook my head and went back into my bedroom. I stood at the foot of the bed and watched her sleep. Then I climbed into the bed beside her, gently, so I wouldn’t wake her. My eyes traveled over her small body. Every inch of her was perfect. Pure beauty. When I moved my fingers over her stomach and between her legs, she stirred.
“Andrew,” she whispered.
She didn’t open her eyes. I slipped one finger inside and she arched her back and cried out. Our lovemaking was different this time. Intense. Later, with her in my arms, I fell asleep. We woke up in each other’s arms. It was perfect. Never was waking up so wonderful.
“You know what?” I said.
“What?” she said.
“I’m hungry.”
She laughed. “I guess you would be,” she said. “Worked up an appetite, huh?”
“Oh, yeah,” I replied and kissed her. We rose and we made cheeseburgers. Nobody else was home, but soon the gang arrived.
Cal looked at me. “Where the hell have you been?” he demanded, although he already knew the answer.
I smiled and looked at Samantha. “In Heaven.”
Weeks later, everyone was there, at my house, as usual. We rented movies and ordered a pizza. Chris and Cal were in the kitchen, playing videos on the small television. Samantha and I were sitting on the front porch, holding each other.
“Samantha,” I said.
“Yes.”
I hesitated. Was I really going to do this? I loved this woman and when I woke up with her beside me that morning, after we made love, it felt so right. I wanted that back and I wanted that permanently.
“What is it, Andrew?” Samantha asked, worry in her eyes.
I looked into her eyes and I ran my hand over her cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Andrew,” she replied. “Is there something wrong?”
“No,” I said. “What would you say if asked you to marry me?”
“What?”
“I’m curious,” I said.
She stared at me for a moment. “Well,” she finally said. “These past weeks have been the most romantic and most wonderful days of my life. I’ve been so happy. At this moment, I’d probably say yes.”
“Would you really?”
“Definitely.”
I looked at her for a very long moment. “Well, I’m asking.”
She stared at me. “You’re serious?”
“You know I am.”
“I…” her voice died out as we heard the screech of tires coming around the corner of our block. Shots rang out and Samantha fell to the ground. Moments later, I fell beside her. The front door opened and my brothers stood over us. I didn’t move for several moments. Then I looked at Samantha. She was still. I reached out and took her hand. I squeezed it gently.
“Samantha,” I said, my voice shaking. She didn’t respond. My heart pounding, I looked at Devon. “Is she…?” I couldn’t say the words.
He and Chris exchanged glances. I knew then. They didn’t have to say anything. Samantha was dead and suddenly, I felt strange and I was cold. I looked at everyone. I held onto Samantha’s hand. I refused to let her go. I didn’t want to. Not yet. I closed my eyes and remembered everything. I fell in love with her in less than twenty-four hours. I lost her in less than ten. Some trick Satan played on us, huh?
“Fight it, Andy,” Chris said. “You have to fight it.”
I looked at him and I knew that he knew. I was dying. There were two holes in my chest and I’d bleed to death before anyone arrived to help. I turned my eyes toward the sky and said a silent prayer. Moments later, everything went black.

Devon and Chris looked at each other. Their baby brother was dead. Samantha was dead.
“At least they’re together,” Cal said, his voice trembling.
Chris stumbled forward with a sob. Devon caught his little brother. “Easy, Chris,” he said. “There’s nothing we can do now. He’s in God’s hands now.”