Sammie’s phone call was relatively painless. She had talked to Lex the previous night and apparently Lex was plenty upset. I sort of figured that out myself yesterday, but it felt pointless to say anything to Sammie about it.

    She invited herself over to go through the next part of the plan after my mom told me to get off the phone or she’d send me back to Sweden. It’s unfair if you think about it, since Mac spends ten times as many hours on the phone than I do.

    Luckily, my mom took Alex and Seb with her when she left for the After Christmas Sale at Macy’s. Mac was out on one of his unannounced missions somewhere. Sammie showed up around noon. “You look surprised,” she declared when she pushed me out of the doorway to get into the room.

    “I thought you were my pizza.”

    “That’s just what a girl wants to hear.”

    “I mean, I thought you were the guy with my pizza.”

    “Oh, we’re having pizza? Awesome!”

    Sammie skipped around, investigating the apartment, while I waited for the real pizza to arrive. She’s only been at my place once while Lex and I dated. After going through some of my stuff and stealing candy from the cupboard, she settled down in the couch in the living room, waiting for me to serve her my pizza.

    “Don’t you get food at home?” I muttered when she snatched her third slice.

    “Blame yourself for ordering extra cheese – I love cheese,” she stated. “Don’t be moody. Order another pizza if it’s so important.”

    “Why are you here again?” I sighed.

    “Lex.”

    “Yeah, but why couldn’t you just have called me again later?”

    “And miss out on the pizza?”

    “Sammie,” I growled, losing my patience.

    “C’mon, we’re friends. I can’t be at your place?”

    “In fear of having my face kicked in when Matt finds out how much time you’re spending with me, no. It took forever to get on his good side. I don’t want to be beaten to a bloody pulp.”

    “Oh, he doesn’t mind,” she said between chewing.

    “Oh, no, ‘cause he’s such a levelheaded guy when it concerns you,” I said, rolling my eyes. “If he knew you were here alone with me there’s no way he’d let that go.”

    “Okay, so he might be a bit jealous at times. I’m sure you feel the same about Lex.”

    “I stopped being insanely jealous when I turned fourteen,” I muttered, quickly grabbing the last pizza slice before her. “Matt didn’t like me in the first place. I bet he won’t mind going back to hating my guts.”

    “He thinks you’re harmless,” she promised. “You’re a good guy. I would totally date you if you weren’t my best friend’s ex – and if I didn’t like Matt so much, of course. Would you date me?”

    “No.”

    “Oh, sure you would. Just pretend Lex doesn’t exist.”

    “With Matt around? I wouldn’t even dare looking at you.”

    “Okay… Pretend he doesn’t exist either.”

    “Do I have to?”

    “We’d be a great couple. I’m pretty, you’re good-looking – there’s nothing we couldn’t accomplish.”

    “I’m not in love with you,” I said grumpily.

    “Why should that stop ya? We could just date for a while and then break up.”

    “I don’t have short-term relationships. And I couldn’t date someone I don’t love.”

    “Why?” she questioned. “I’m not pretty?”

    “You are pretty. You’re also my friend.”

    “You were friends with Lex before you started dating her,” she pointed out.

    “I’m not going to date you, Sammie,” I muttered. “I don’t like this game.”

    “I’m not telling you to. I just want to know why you think you couldn’t date someone if you don’t love her.”

    “Because… I don’t know! I wouldn’t kiss someone I didn’t love and that’s all part of dating, you know. I just couldn’t date someone I don’t love. And you can’t date me because you’re in love with Matt.”

    “I just said I liked him.”

    “Please.”

    Sammie shrugged. “I kinda have those intense feelings for him; you know the kind that won’t go away even if I wanted them to. Maybe it’s love. It’s more than friendship.”

    “So, you two are dating now?”

    “Well, we’re sorta not dating right now, but we were dating a while ago.”

    “Yeah, I remember how it works,” I said. On-and-off relationships aren’t really my thing, but Sammie and Matt are great with them. “Just tell me about the plan before Mom comes back. She hates when I eat pizza in the living room.”

    “Where are you supposed to eat, then?”

    “In my room,” I smiled. “She’s always happiest when she doesn’t see a lot of me at all during the day.”

    “Ah. Maybe we could tidy up a bit before she comes back,” Sammie suggested.

    “It doesn’t matter. Will you ever get to the point?”

    Sammie nodded happily. “We have a gig on New Year’s Eve. You’re gonna be there.”

    “I so very much doubt that.”

    “Well, you are. I’m inviting you and I told the others you’re coming. We’re probably gonna be at Anthony’s place afterwards. It’s not just us; there’s a whole bunch of people coming. You won’t feel left out. You know everyone of them. Just be there and don’t worry too much about Lex. You can show up and talk to the others; drink, have fun, just have a good time.”

    “I don’t like this plan.”

    “Why?”

    “It’s like asking for starting another war between Lex and me – especially if she’s bringing her date.”

    “You can act like it doesn’t concern you. Jealousy is a good trigger.”

    “A trigger for a fight, maybe. And it does concern me. I don’t feel like crying in front of her again. I like to do that in my room, when no one is around to see it. A party is generally a bad place to fall apart on.”

    “You’ll come,” Sammie decided. “What else are you gonna do during New Years? Be at home watching the Muppet movie with your baby brother?”

    “That was the plan, yes. Alex loves the Muppets.”

    “You’ll be there,” she said confidently, grabbing the remote to the TV and leaning back on the couch.

    Yes, I’m well-aware that she’s right and that I’ll be too dumb to not go to the gig and the party. I’m weak and pathetic. The thought of seeing Lex beats the fact that we’ll most certainly going to start argue again when we meet – or feel awkward around each other after what happened yesterday.

    But I really don’t feel like watching another Muppet movie again.