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It was just another Wednesday night at 1 Willow Lane. Jodi was cleaning up after dinner while Kent watched classic westerns on TV. Sam sat in his room, wishing there was something better in this stupid little town to do. Maybe Sebastian or Abigail wanted to hang? But Seb was probably working on a project and Abigail was definitely behind on homework again. He couldn’t even play guitar because Vincent was asleep in the next room, recovering from a cold. He opened the window to let in some air but Haley was playing her stupid pop mix again. All the songs Haley liked were the same, lazy key changes, nonsensical repetitive choruses, and random spoken word verses. Who cranks up their stereo this loud on a weeknight anyways?
For as long as they lived in Pelican Town, Haley’s window was directly across from his. He spent many nights during his teenage years tossing stink bombs into her window with Sebastian, laughing hysterically when they heard her scream. Her parents would come over fuming, literally and metaphorically, and Sam would be grounded for at least a week. He occasionally peeked over into her window but he tried not to do it too often. He didn’t want that kind of reputation. Haley was hot, even if he didn’t like to admit it. He swore she owned every pink lacy bra on the planet. Alex threatened to knock his teeth out once or twice after Haley caught him.
These days, Sam didn’t give two shits about what color bra Haley wore. He could only think about one person. His mind drifted to what they wore under their overalls and plaid shirt when they worked on the farm. What if they wore nothing at all under those overalls? He shook the thoughts from his head and looked around the room for something more constructive to do. He put his headphones on and started playing a game on his computer. Most nights he would play until he passed out around 3 or 4 in the morning. He would feel terrible at work the next day but at least it was something to do. He focused all his energy on a boss battle, tuning out the game music coming through his headphones. There was half a bar left of health on the boss when he felt something tug on his sleeve. Sam screamed and fell out of his chair.
“I’m thirsty.” Vincent said with a scratchy voice. The little boy stood there waiting and rubbing his eyes.
“I’ll get you some water buddy. Don’t sneak up on me like that, okay?” He ruffled Vince’s hair and walked to the kitchen, filling his favorite cup. Kent was fast asleep on the couch and his mother had retreated to her room. Sam escorted Vince back to his room and handed him the cup. The little guy was thirsty, he slurped up the water in one gulp.
“Ok, back to bed.” He fluffed Vince’s pillow and waited as the little boy climbed into bed.
“I’m feeling ok already.” Vince pulled the blanket over himself.
“I know, but we need you feeling better than ok.” Sam rested the back of his hand on Vincent’s forehead, checking the temperature. It did seem normal. “Sleep tight, we’ll play tomorrow, okay?”
“You promise?”
“I promise.” He smiled. Sam stood up and stretched, patting Vincent’s head once more. He closed the door and went back to his room. The song from Haley’s window had changed again, it wasn’t one that Sam recognized.
Shot me out of the sky, you’re my kryptonite. You keep making me weak, I’m frozen and can’t breathe . . .
He listened to the words carefully, bopping his head to the beat. The singers sounded like whiny man babies but it expressed everything he felt about the farmer. He had to know what the song was. He pulled up the window sill and looked into Haley’s window.
“Haley! Haley! Are you there?” The wind blew her curtains gently. “Psst, Haley!” He felt strange hanging out of his bedroom window like this. She must not be in her room.
He rested his head on one arm and looked up at the sky listening to the song. He never felt more seen. When he looked back through her window, Haley walked in wearing nothing but a towel, her hair soaked. This could be bad. Sam tried to slink away from the window but it was too late, Haley let out a blood-curdling scream.
“Haley! Haley! I’m sorry!” He waved his hands profusely.
“YOU PERVERT!” She screamed, slamming the window shut.
“Haley!” He tried yelling back over.
“Sam? Is everything alright?” His mom called from behind the door.
“Yeah mom, I’m ok.” His voice shaky.
“Are you sure? Do you want your dad to come in?”
“Yeah, no, I’m fine. It’s just a really intense game.” He ran over to his keyboard and tapped a few keys for sound effect.
“Ok honey . . . I love you!”
“Love you too mom!” Sam breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He slumped onto his bed humming a few bars of the song. They did have that one thing he thought. Their smile, their laugh, Sam would do anything for them. He needed to know what that song was. He looked around the room for something to toss at Haley’s window, something he wouldn’t miss or actually break her window. Bingo, he thought, eying the stack of empty Joja cola cans in his wastebasket.
He stepped in front of his window and thew one over, hitting Haley’s window square in the middle. No response. He grabbed another and lobbed it over again, this time hitting the top pane, making a louder ping. Come on Haley, Sam thought. Only one can remained in the bin. Sam took a deep breath and wound up his arm like he was throwing a pitch. The can bounced from the top pane to the bottom one. Double points, Sam thought.
“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?” Haley yelled, opening the window again. She wore a fluffy robe with pink bunnies on it with her hair wrapped in a towel.
“Shh, keep it down will ya?” Sam held up both his hands, trying to show her he wasn’t a threat.
“What is it, Sam?” Her voice stern.
“I . . . I just want to know the name of the song you were playing.” Sam blushed.
“Which song? The one playing now?” She said, crossing her arms.
“No! It was like one or two before it. Some guys were singing.” Sam tapped his finger on his chin.
“How did it sound?”
“Don’t make me do this . . .” His expression fell.
“You had no problems performing on stage before.”
“Come on Haley, this is embarrassing.” He pleaded. Haley shrugged, pursing her lips.
“Can’t help you if I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You know . . . get out, get out, get outta of my head and fall into my arms instead . . .”
“Ohhhh,” Haley’s eyes grew wide and she fell onto the windowsill laughing. “YOU LIKE ONE DIRECTION!”
“Is that . . . who it is?” Sam scratched the back of his neck. He never really listened to their music before but he knew for sure that Sebastian and Abigail made fun of them all the time.
“Oh, come now, you don’t know them?” A grin that rivaling the Cheshire cat formed on her face.
“No, Haley, I don’t listen to pop trash.” He replied with a glare.
“You’re the one asking about them.”
“Hmph, so it’s One Direction. What’s the name of the song?” Sam huffed, turning his side to the window.
“This is too good!” She clapped giddily. “I have to tell Alex.”
“HALEY! Just tell me the damn song name!” Sam was getting impatient, he didn’t mean for this to become a thing with Haley.
“It’s called ‘One Thing’. Yoba, calm down.” She said, waving her hand out the window.
“Thanks, ok bye Haley.”
“Nuh uh, spill the tea, Sammy.” She rested both elbows on the windowsill and batted her eyelashes. “I gave you info, what are you giving me in return?” Sam’s mouth fell open, what on earth did Haley want now?
“All you did was give me the name of a song.” Sam protested.
“And? That’s information you didn’t have before.”
“So? I don’t have to tell you anything.” He said, crossing his arms.
“Fine. I’m sure your mom will love to hear how you were peeping into my window when I came out of the shower.” She closed her eyes and unwrapped her hair, running her hands through it to loosen the curls.
“That’s not funny, . . . you wouldn’t dare.” He closed his eyes and turned away.
“Oh?” She leaned on the sill, resting her chin on one hand. “Are you sure you want to make that bet?”
Sam sighed and turned around. “Fine. What do you want to know?”
“Who’s the lucky person? Or are you finally going to profess your love for emo-boy?”
“For the last time, Seb is my best friend.” He growled.
“I don’t judge. It’s kind of cute actually.” She snickered.
“It’s not Seb, ok?”
“Then who?” She twirled a piece of hair around her finger and raised her eyebrows.
“You promise you won’t tell?” His voice dropping to a whisper.
“Cross my heart.”
“It’s uh . . .” He scratched his head. He could feel his cheeks burning but there was no use stopping it now. “It’s the farmer.”
“Really? THE FARMER?! Now this is some hot tea.” Haley clapped her hands together. She looked like a cat playing with its prey.
“Haley!” He yelled. “Not so loud.”
“What? I thought you were still pining away for Miss Goodie-Two-Shoes.” She smirked. “When did this little crush of yours begin?”
“Well, kind of when they moved here. They were so cute and nice and . . . I don’t know. I just really like being around them.” Sam couldn’t stop fidgeting. This wasn’t the first crush he had but he knew something was different.
“Really? But they’re so dirty all the time. And those clothes!”
“There’s more to them than that! They do stuff for people, like . . . like my mom really wanted a largemouth bass for dinner and they caught one for her and delivered it, all in one day! I wouldn’t even know where to get a rod.” Sam kicked his bedroom wall, feeling useless.
“Willy has an entire bait and tackle shop on the beach.”
“That’s not the point, Haley.” He said, pounding his fist on the sill. “They’re just always looking out for people you know? I’ve seen them give you presents and it wasn’t even your birthday.”
“I guess that’s true. I was surprised they remembered I liked coconuts.”
“See?” Sam grasped his windowsill with both hands. “And they’ve been super supportive of the band and really good with Vince. There was this one time where Lewis tried to get me in trouble for skateboarding in front of the house and they stood up for me. It was so cool and sexy, I just . . .” Sam tugged on his own hair and held his face.
“I get it,” Haley rolled her eyes. “They’re amazing!” She said in a faux high-pitched voice.
“It’s true though! And I can’t explain why, but . . . something’s just different about them. It’s like they’ve . . .”
“Got that one thing?” She giggled, sticking out her tongue.
“Ha-ha. I don’t even know why I’m telling you all this.”
“Because you owed me Sammy,” she shifted her head to her other arm. “And, I want to help.”
“You do?” Haley nodded, humming in agreement.
“You’re crazy about the farmer. I’m not cold hearted, I like seeing people in love.”
“I don’t know if it’s love . . .” he murmured.
“You’re practically screaming it to the heavens, I’d say you’re pretty close.”
“So, what do I do?” He said quietly, leaning his head out the window.
“Hmm, what’s something they like? Maybe you could get them a gift?”
“I don’t know . . . they bring me lots of pizza and cactus fruit.” He replied, tapping his fingers on the sill.
“That’s because they know you like those things. Honestly, Sam.” He could tell Haley was exasperated.
“I could write a song?” He looked at her earnestly.
“Now that’s an idea.”
“But Seb, typically writes a lot of the melodies. I’d need his help.” Sam already started rhyming words in his head. Merry, berry, fairy . . .
“Then ask him, unless you’re afraid he’ll get jealous.” Sam gave her a side-eye and she started laughing.
“But seriously, you think they’d like it if I wrote them a song?”
“Sure, they went to your show and liked it right?” Haley flipped her hair and sighed.
“Oh right! They did.” Sam went quiet. Haley stared at him for a beat, suddenly worried about her normally energetic neighbor.
“What?”
“Well, I gave them credit for being the inspiration for our music at the show. I thought that would be a hint that you know . . . I liked them.” He picked at the callouses on his fingers. “What if they heard it and are just pretending that nothing happened because they don’t like me?”
“Em told me about the show and your little speech,” Haley blew on her nails, holding them back to check for chips on her nail polish. “I don’t know.”
“You think they’re not interested?” His voice quivering.
“I don’t know, I wasn’t there.”
“You’re not being helpful.” He rested his head on the sill and pouted.
“Maybe your little speech came off too friendly? Emily mentioned what good friends you two were and she normally picks up on this stuff super quick. If she noticed anything, she would have tried to put you two together immediately.”
“I thought I was being pretty clear.” Sam groaned. “What if they don’t like me after all?”
Haley stared at the frustrated blonde and sighed. It was like watching one of those sad pet shelter commercials and Sam was begging for someone to take him home. “Look, you’ve got this whole super-Saiyan hair, surfer boy schtick going on. Maybe work that to your advantage?”
“What are you talking about?” He groaned, raising an eyebrow.
“Are you really that dumb?” Haley scoffed. “They’ve gotten you out of trouble, gone to your little show, gifted you an entire pizzeria it seems, I don’t know! Just talk to them. They obviously don’t dislike you.” She looked up at Sam’s puzzled face and furrowed her brow. “Yoba, Samson, it’s not that hard.”
He picked his chin off the sill and wiped his eyes. “We’re not all you, Haley.”
“I know,” she cackled. “Isn’t it tragic?”
“How did you know my full name?”
“We’ve gotten your mail before.” She huffed. “We know about your weird toe problems.”
Sam wanted to hide, Haley could ruin him in an instant with everything she knew. “Well, thanks for helping with the song . . . and the advice.”
“Any time.” Her eyes softened and she gave him an encouraging smile. “I know it may not seem like it, but I’m rooting for you.”
“Thanks," he said, returning a smile. "Night, Haley.” He gave her a little wave as she closed her window.
Sam picked up his guitar, plucking the strings lightly, hoping he wouldn’t wake the others in the house. He pictured the farmer in his mind and started humming a tune. For the first time in a long time, Sam’s heart swelled with music and hope.