Two weeks past since the Festa, Nathan attended Professor Groves's lectures as usual, however, Sam did not. Nathan hoped she had other reasons for missing class, as insensitive as it may sound, he did not want to be the cause.

Since they did not exchange phone numbers he could not contact her, leaving him at the mercy of his thoughts. Fortunately, the Professor appointed him as her partner for an upcoming assignment, becoming the only thing Nathan ever praised him for.

Nathan received an email from Sam providing a date and a location to meet. He smiled while reading the information, peaking the interest of an inquisitive brown haired man.

Bradley stood up and walked behind him, the white background of Nathan's mobile phone reflected in his eyes.

Bradley grinned. "Looks like someone has a big date tomorrow.” he said.

Nathan locked the screen and placed the mobile phone in his pocket.

"It's rude to read other people's messages." Nathan said, glancing over his shoulder.

Bradley shrugged. "It's rude to message someone while you're having lunch with someone else."

"In any case, it's not a date, we have work to do.”

Bradley grinned and walked back to his seat.

"Sure you do." he said, winking.

Nathan sighed and shook his head.

"Are you nervous?"

"No, well…" Nathan said then paused.

Bradley leaned over the table waiting for him to continue.

"Well?"

Nathan placed his hand on Bradley's forehead and pushed him back.

He shrugged. "It's nothing. It's just that we haven't spoken since the Festa, since our time in that clearing.”

"What clearing, did something happen between the two of you?"

Nathan shook his head. "Nothing happened, we just shared a moment that's all."

"And then you kissed her! That's the spirit, you need to move fast with a woman like her. If you wait too long she might get bored." Bradley yelled, punching the air triumphantly.

"You're causing a scene, sit down!" Nathan said. "I told you before, nothing happened.”

Bradley narrowed his eyes and stared at him intently.

"Can we please drop this now?"

Bradley crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. "Fine! As long as you swear to make it happen tomorrow.”

"What do you mean by…you know what? I don't want to know."

Nathan sat on a couch in a living room feeling very uneasy, the rays shining in through the window onto his shoulders did not help his situation either. He looked around the room at the different pictures on the grey wall, his eyes stopped at a frame displaying a pig tailed Sam posing with her plush doll.

He smiled and stood up to have a closer look.

"She's adorable isn't she?" a soft voice said, startling him.

Nathan glanced over his shoulder and smiled.

"Is this your sister?" he said pointing to a frame on the far left.

Sam nodded. "So you're not going to answer me?" she said with a raised brow.

"Yes of course she's adorable, do they still sell those?"

Sam elbowed his arm.

"Anyway, let's get started before my mom gets back." she said and turned around.

"Where are we going?"

Sam stopped walking and pointed her finger above her head. "Upstairs, to my room."

Nathan glanced at the staircase then back at Sam.

"Are you sure that it's all right, you know, with your mother not being here?"

Sam giggled.

"Wait, are you serious?"

Nathan glanced to the side.

"You are! That's adorable." she said, laughing.

"We're not children Nathan, I don't need permission nor supervision to have a man in my room." she said, still laughing.

Nathan sighed. "That's not what I meant…never mind.”

Sam composed herself. "By all means…" she said, gesturing for him to continue.

Nathan shrugged. "There's no need, since you're all right with it, let's go." he said and strolled towards the staircase.

"You're no fun, tell me what you meant.”

Nathan sighed. "It's just that, this is my first time visiting your home. Since you live with your mother, it feels rude not to give her my greetings."

She grinned. "Give her your greetings?"

"We're in a rush to get this done right? So let's go!" he said, motioning for her to lead the way.

She laughed and walked up the stairs.

Sam and Nathan sat on her bed discussing their task, brainstorming ideas, going back and forth. Sam rested the laptop on her lap, with her knees bent and lower legs crossing each other.

"Nathan, are you seeing anyone?" she said in a soft voice, looking down at the screen.

Nathan sat on the edge of the bed holding a note book, he stopped writing to look up at her.

"No, I’m not seeing anyone at the moment."

"At the moment, so you're planning on seeing someone soon?" she said, her eyes still fixed on the laptop screen.

"Who is it, do I know her?" she said, glancing at him.

Nathan grinned. "Well, actually." he said, however Sam interjected.

"I think I know." she said.

They stared at each other with piercing gazes.

At that moment, a loud thud resonating downstairs startled both of them. They soon realised that it was the sound of the front door slamming shut.

Nathan jumped up and proceeded to straighten and press his clothes flat with his hands. Sam giggled upon noticing his actions.

"What are you doing? It's not like we were laying on the bed making out."

Nathan stopped abruptly and very loudly cleared his throat.

His eyes grew wider and his heart raced as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs, getting closer and closer with each thump.

"Hello, and you are?" a dark haired woman said as she entered the room.

Nathan opened his mouth to answer, however, the woman interrupted him.

"Samantha, introduce me." she said.

"Mom this is Nathan, Nathan this is my mom Pamela." Sam said.

"Hi Nathan, it's nice to meet you." Sam’s mother said.

"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Elliot." he said stretching out his hand.

"Please call me Pamela.” she said shaking his hand.

Nathan nodded.

"So what have the two of you been up to?" Pamela said.

"Just making out on the bed and some work, but mostly making out, Nathan can’t seem to get enough." Sam said with a straight face.

Nathan stared at her with widened eyes, his cheeks flushed.

Pamela laughed. "You're right Samantha, he does look adorable when he gets flustered." she said.

"I won't take up any more of your time, have fun, and Nathan, try to get some work done." she said with a wink as she left the room.

Sam giggled. "Come and sit, we still have a lot of work to do." she said, patting the bed

Nathan grinned. "Yeah, yeah.”

A few hours past since the two started working on their assignment, they managed to complete a substantial amount of work for one day.

Tired and restless Nathan decided to get up and start walking around the room.

"Is my company that boring?" Sam said.

"No, I just needed to stretch my legs.” he said, walking back from the window.

"You have to learn to relax, you're too tense."

"Take a seat, let me give you a massage." she said pointing to the edge of the bed.

Nathan raised his brow. "A massage huh, is that a code for something?"

Sam shrugged. "It might be, you won't know unless you take a seat.”

Nathan nodded and sat down.

"You're so jumpy." Sam said placing her hands on his shoulders. "Is this your first time?"

Nathan grinned. "I felt many warm hands before this."

She rolled her eyes. "Classy."

He shrugged. "Just letting you know that you're not dealing with an amateur.”

"Wow..." she said under her breath.

"What is it?"

"No, nothing." she said.

"What?" he said again, turning around.

"Shush, it's nothing." she said, rotating his face forward.

"It's just, you have very muscular shoulders that's all." she said continuing with the massage.

Nathan laughed.

"Why are you laughing?"

"This isn't the first time that you've fondled my shoulders, it's just funny that you mentioned it now."

She stopped massaging and squeezed his shoulders.

"Firstly, I am not fondling, and secondly, I know that you're muscular. It's just when you shrugged earlier…it felt nice all right!" she said increasing the pressure of her grip.

Nathan smiled wryly. "Oh I see, I didn't realise that you have a shoulder fetish.”

"Hardly, I just find it sexy."

"There is no need to be self conscious about your fetish." he said turning around. "I like my shoulders too."

"Oh shut up."

"Hey can I ask you something?" he said

She nodded. "Yes.”

‘The two weeks that you didn't attend lectures, was it because you were avoiding me? Did I see too much too soon?’ These questions lingered in his mind, however, he knew he could not ask her.

"Not that there is anything wrong with it, why do you still live with your mother?" he said.

Sam seemed to be taken a back by his question, but quickly composed herself.

"It's convenient…for my mom. After my sister moved out she developed minor separation anxiety, so it's easier living here for now." she replied.

Nathan nodded. "I understand, I apologise if that question made you uncomfortable.”

Sam shook her head. "No, it's only natural that you'd be curious."

Nathan smiled and turned around facing forward.

"So you told your mother that I'm adorable."

"Yes like a puppy, or a tiny dog" she said and double tapped his shoulders.

"All done" she said, standing up off the bed.

Nathan grinned and rubbed his shoulders.

"Oh by the way, we need wood for the stand." she said walking towards the window.

"I know, I was planning on buying some wood on the way home.”

"I was thinking of using more natural wood with bark on it.” she said. "Like from the woods, I think that would be so cool.”

"Really?"

"Yes, it will have an Earthy look to it.”

Nathan stared at her.

“I can get it myself you know? So you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

"No, it’s all right, I'll take a walk through the woods on my way home and see what I can find" he said.

Sam slapped her hands together. "Great, let's finish this up before it gets dark.”