Author's Note:

Hi guys. I know, like nobody even reads these but I just wanted you to know, that I really hope you like this story. It's in Sam's POV, of course. It's actually a pretty long chapter. And also, the dad isn't married to Brynna yet, and Jake is a little OOC, but I tried my best. There is a liittttllllleee bit of Sake in this chapter, but they don't realize it yet. (; So enough of my spoilers, read it for yourself. And if you like, feel free to comment. (and by the way, it starts off a little boring in the beginning, but just hang in there. Don't think, or judge. Just Listen, or in this case read. –Sarah Dessen)

Sunkissed; CHAPTER 1

"Samantha Anne Forster!" A voice yelled from outside the barn. I used my hand to wipe sweat from my brows, before I walked out. It was ungodly hot in Nevada at this time. I peered out the barn door. I saw my dad, holding the rains to Strawberry.

"Hi," I said. I looked at Strawberry, a little bit shocked. "Why are you riding Strawberry?" Normally, Strawberry belonged to my gram, even though I hardly saw her step foot into the barn. Gram didn't like other people riding Berry, even though she never rode her, anyway. Which, I personally could never understand, even if she didn't seem the outdoorsy type.

He nodded his hello. "Oh, I just got her tacked up for Dallas. He's going to ride her, while we round up the cattle on our property."

I was still a tad shocked. "Gram is letting Dallas ride her?" I said, incredulously. "Wow. He must have bribed her…"

Dad laughed. "Don't worry about it. Even though, he probably did. Anyway, I wanted to know if you're done with the stalls."

Crap! I totally forgot I was supposed to do the stalls! "Oh! Umm…not yet…"

He nodded. "Okay. Well, please hurry up and get that done. Then can you tell Gram I'm with Dallas and Pepper rounding the cattle?"

When I nodded, he smiled, kissed the top of my head, and walked away, whistling. I sighed. I had totally forgotten about mucking out at least ten stalls. Great, and especially in this heat…Oh god, I was going to die!

I skipped back to the barn, and stared at all the work I had to get done. I grabbed a steel pitchfork from the corner, and walked to Ace's stall first. If I was going to get this done, I might as well start in my own horse's stall.

I was halfway through the first stall , when my cell phone rang. I dropped the pitchfork, and grabbed my phone out of my pocket.

"Hello?" I said. I attempted to work one handed. It didn't work so well. I almost hit my head with the pitchfork, and it just barely missed the wall with it. Dad would kill me if that left a mark on the wall!

"Hey. Can you talk?" It was Jen. Jen's musical voice rang through my phone. I was so relieved; I almost dropped my phone into a pile of muck. Thank god, I caught it.

"Umm…I'm just mucking out stalls in about 90 degrees weather. Of course I can talk!" I said, laughing. "It'll be my little excuse to take a break." I leaned up against the barn wall, holding my phone to my ear in one hand, and my pitchfork in another.

I could practically see her sitting in her room, on her blue plaid striped bed. She was most likely rolling her eyes, at me using her to stop working.

"Gee, thanks. I'm so glad I'm loved." She said, mock offended. I laughed again.

"No prob. So what's up?" I asked, trying to change the subject, before she brought up something I would not enjoy.

I could hear her sigh. "Nothing. Everything is just peachy."

I stared at the phone in my hand. Did she seriously just say 'peachy'? I burst out laughing.

"Seriously, you just said 'peachy'!" I laughed, and leaned against the wall. I could hear her sigh again, but then giggle a little bit. "What's wrong, J?"

"I was just…thinking." She said. I rolled my eyes. She was being super vague. But I was also a little bit concerned.

"And vat vas Madam Jennifer thinking of?" I said, in a Russian accent. I was hoping to get a laugh out of her, but she was silent on the other end. "Oh, come on. My accent wasn't that bad!"

She laughed a little bit. "God, Sam. You are so messed up in the head, right now." I was glad; I made her lighten up a little bit.

"Well…yea. I mean I swear I've already lost like 5 pounds, just by sweating. It's probably affecting my head." I pointed out.

"How is losing weight by sweating affecting your head?" She wondered.

"Umm…I don't know! It's just really hot out!" I sighed as an exaggeration. "And you," I pointed out, "are safe and sound, in your bedroom, with AC."

There was a short pause. "How did you know I was in my bed room? Are you following me, you jealous, jealous girl?"

"No!" I laughed. "Actually…I don't know how I knew you were there. It just figured. And I am not jealous!" I was, though. I was totally jealous of her, inside with AC.

"Oh, just admit it! You are SO jealous of my AC, right now!" She laughed. She knew me way too well.

"No, I'm not!" I said, defensively.

"Whatever you say." She said, laughingly. I was so pleased that I made her feel better, that I forgot about the heat, and work. Well, only for a second, that is.

"Okay, okay. You got me. I am completely jealous of you in your air conditioned room. There I said it!" I said, biting my lip to keep from bursting out laughing. I didn't want anyone to hear me having way too much fun in the barn. They probably thought I was talking to myself. Then again, it's their fault for making me work in 99 degree weather!

"Aha! The truth is out." I could hear her breathing on the other side. We were quiet for a moment.

"So, are you really okay?" I asked. I wished I could take my words back, because she was silent for a couple minutes. "Jen?"

"I have to go." She said, in a low voice. I stared at the phone in my palm, startled. I held it back up to my ear.

"Jen?" I asked, my voice shaking a little bit. I was alarmed with the way she was acting. She hardly ever acted like this. I wondered what was wrong with her.

"Yes?" She asked. "I really do have to go, Sam." She added, quickly.

"You would tell me if something is wrong, right?" I was worried that she wouldn't, but I didn't say so.

"Uhm, yea, of course…"

This was good enough for me. "Okay." I said. "Bye. Call me later."

I put my phone in my pocket again, and was about to start working again, when something jabbed me on the back. Hard.

I yelped, and spun around.

"Jacob Ely! I'm going to hurt you!" I gasped. But he was already gone, running away, down the barn hallway. I took off after him. But he had disappeared. Ugh, I hated it when he snuck up on me. And he knew it, too.

Jake was my best friend. I've known him, since I was practically born. I can always count on him for a laugh…or for him to sneak up on me, and practically give me a heart attack. Oh well…

I scanned the barn for him, but didn't see him. Finally, I sat down on a hay bale. I really needed to finish the stalls. It was getting later, and it was already 5.

Suddenly, a blur came toward me and trapped me underneath its massive, tanned arms.

"JAKE! Get off of me!" I squealed, as he started tickling me. He knew I was defenseless when it came to tickling.

"Vat, vhy would I do that?" he asked, mimicking my Russian accent from before. My eyes widened.

"EAVESDROPPER!" I squealed. I couldn't believe him.

"What was that?" he said, tickling harder. I gasped.

"I-I" I tried talking, but it was almost impossible. "Jake," I gasped, "Can't breathe."

"Whose problem is that, brat?" He said tickling harder. I tried to get up, and I banged my knee on the wall.

"Ow." I said. He finally stopped tickling me. I could feel pretend tears coming to my eyes. He looked uncomfortable. He deserved, what I was going do to him next. He shouldn't eavesdrop on conversations, poke someone in the back, and then tickle them under their will. It just shouldn't be done.

I pretend stood up, and limped. He stood there, staring at me. Then when he was least expecting it, I turned around, and pushed him on the hay bale, so I was trapping him. Of course, he just sat there, knowing he could push me off in an instant. But he didn't do anything.

"AHA." I yelled. "Victory is mine!" He chuckled and shook his head. I was suddenly aware of how close we were. He stared into my eyes, not breaking my gaze. Uncomfortable, I stood up and let him go. "Umm, I should finish the stalls."

He nodded, and watched me grab my pitchfork. "Want to help me finish faster?" I asked, hopeful. He sighed, and took the extra pitchfork I handed him.

"Fine," He muttered.

The weirdness we had earlier was gone. And we got to work together, only finishing when the sun set and the air felt cool.

After I finally finished my chores, I headed into the house and sat on the couch. I put the movie National Velvet into the television. I lounged across the couch, my feet propped up. Gram was taking a bath upstairs, and dad was still on the drive. I was about to get up, and get my worn copy of the book National Velvet to compare the movie and book, when the front door opened.

Jake stepped in.

"Hey." I said. "How was Sunkissed?"

Sunkissed was a new wild horse that Jake was training. She had just shown up at our ranch, with thorns all over her, and was deeply injured. She was a Campolina, a rare breed originally from Brazil. Nobody had any idea how she ended up in Nevada, let alone our ranch. All I knew was that she was beautiful, and really did look "sunkissed."

Jake half-smiled. "Pretty good. She really seems to start trusting people now." I only heard Jake get excited when he was talking about horses.

"By people, do you mean you?" I asked, suspiciously. He chuckled, and I laughed too.

"Yea" I could hear the eagerness in his voice. He was eager to get back on Sunkissed.

I nodded, and turned back to the movie. But Jake was standing right in the middle of the tv.

Annoyance scratched my throat. "Jake. Get your butt out of the way of the tv."

"Why?"He smirked. I glared at him. "Seriously, you've seen this movie at least a hundred times!" He pointed out.

"Yea…I know. And the book is still better." He chuckled. "And, anyway, I'm trying to watch it. And if you're a good boy, there's a coke in the fridge." I said, using my best 'good little boy' voice.

"Ohh! Coke!" He mock squealed, playing along. "But seriously, I'd rather stand right here."

"JAKE." I yelled. "Just go get your dang coke, and let me watch in peace!" I said, annoyed.

He moved lazily into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and pulled out a coke. I waited until he sat down and said, "I want one."

He didn't look away from the tv. "Get it yourself." He said, watching as the little girl rode her horse. "I never even got this movie." He added.

"No, you get it for me!" I whined. "And it's because you haven't read the book, duh."

After about five minutes of me begging, he finally got up and grabbed me the coke.

"Yay! Thank you, Jakey." I giggled, opening my can.

His eyes narrowed at his nickname. "No problem, BRAT." He said, adding emphasis to the brat. I groaned.

He stood by the couch. "Up." He ordered me. I lifted my legs up, so he could sit down, and then placed them on his lap after he sat. "Ugh."

I giggled, and we watched the movie. I was so tired from all my chores that I slowly began to fall asleep, my head drifting on the couch pillow, and my legs resting on Jake's lap.

Author's Note: So…did you like it? If you read it please review it and give me some feedback. I want to know what you truly thought. I love all feedback, it helps me write stronger. I know Jake was a little OOC, but hey, I kind of like him like that.

There was a tad bit of Sake…but they don't realized it. Dun Dun Dun! (; Am I boring you crazy? Or let me guess…you totally skipped this part. LOL it's fine, I skip it sometimes too.

OH! And just one more IMPORTANT quick thing! If you are wondering what SUNKISSED looks like or about her breed please click this link:

I didn't know what breed to make her, so I researched like exotic breeds, and I instantly fell in love with this horse. It's so pretty. So that picture is what SUNKISSED looks like. I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot of her. (;

Next chapter coming soon! (;

Love,

Jul