"… um sure. I can manage… I understand… yeah. I miss you too, Joe." Sammy hangs up on her cell phone.
I raised my eyebrows. Un-freaking-believable. "He's not coming." It's not a question that comes out of my mouth.
She shakes her head. "Busy, but whatever. I can do this."
"You're insane, Sammy." I tell her.
She rolls her eyes. "Psshaw. Moving furniture and household appliances into the house by the end of the day? Challenge accepted bro."
I laugh. "Sammy Keyes, you are the most stubborn girl I have ever met."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Absolutely not. It's what I admire the most about you." I told her.
A voice comes form the door. "Knock knock and ho, ho, ho to our dearest Sammy Keyesta!"
Billy walks through the open door into the empty house and wraps Sammy into a hug. "Billy!" Sammy exclaims. "We've missed you!"
Billy replies, "And I've missed you guys. I freaking swear, I'm never going east with my sister during the winter EVER AGAIN. I'm still cold! Anyway, Christmas has come early. Me and Casey shall magically transport your stuff into the house."
She looks confused for a second and then she turns to me…
"Casey Acosta, you have work today! Why are you going to help me when you can go earn your commission, you silly boy?"
"Let me think… move furniture or sell a car that looks, works, and smells like shit? I don't mind, Sammy. And I don't want you to hurt yourself moving a washer to the basement by yourself."
"Besides," Billy pops up, "we're hoping you'll feed us later."
Sammy smiles at us and then wraps us in a giant bear hug. I think of only one thing as she hugs us: Joe doesn't deserve her. Apparently, Billy seems to be thinking of something else.
"Ahhhhh… warmth."
Sammy pulls back and jokes, "Billy, you perv…" Dammit Billy!
Billy retorts, "Sor-ry! But I'm still freezing from my trip to the cursed Eastern Coast. DAMM YOU, CONNECTICUT!"
Sammy rolls her eyes. "Surrrre Billy. Come and help me with the bed, first." Me and Billy follow her to the moving van.
"Oooooh!" Billy says in a girly voice. "Somebody can't wait to get it on with Joey."
I blurt out, "Shut the fuck up."
Sammy's red from embarrassment "Jeezum Billy. I don't let him do any of that, okay? Now get offa it.
He shuts up… for about five seconds and then starts up on the subject of quesadillas…
Sammy doesn't seem to let Billy's sex comment bother her. Today is important to her.
She's finally moved out of that crappy apartment, which was really just a small cold basement. No thanks or help from that ass, Joe. When Sammy turned 21, a few months ago, she found out that her Grams and Hudson had gotten her a savings account, years ago that had been collecting money for years. She was able to use the money when she turned 21. She never told anyone how much there was. But I could tell that there was still a lot left even after she bought this house and new furniture.
She deserves this.
But out of everything she doesn't deserve Joe. She doesn't deserve to be stood up on numerous dates because Joe-the-bastard cares more about his job than his own girlfriend. I don't even know why she likes him. The only one of us who can get along with him is Danny. Joe isn't funny, sweet, nice, reliable or even attractive in anyway. But Sammy is. That's why he loves her. I've heard him tell her that on days that we all hang out. We'd just hang out at mine or Billy's apartment. Whenever we are all watching a movie on the couch, Joe would tell her how much he loves her. But Sammy would be fast asleep, resting her head on my shoulder.
I'd like to think she is only pretending to sleep to avoid answering him but my karma is fucked up. It just can't be true…
DIVDING LINE. LALALALALA HOW MANY OF YOU WANNA KICK JOE'S ASS?
After about FOUR HOURS LATER, Sammy is all settled. Everything is in its place. Except for one empty corner in the living room that Sammy is currently glaring at.
She scowled "It's just so… empty."
I walk up to her and sling my arm on her shoulders. "I can fix that." I whistle loudly.
And right on cue, Billy, Danny, Marissa, Dot, and Holly walk through the door, carrying a Christmas tree.
Well, Billy, Danny, and Holly are carrying the tree. Marissa and Dot are carrying a box of decorations.
Sammy gasped.
I tell her, "It's a housewarming gift. We all chipped in for the tree and the ornaments."
Sammy was still staring. Billy asked me, "Where do we put it Case?"
Sammy speaks up, "On the floor, Billy. All of you put it down and give me a hug. Thank you so much. I love you guys."
I was already next to Sammy, so she turned to me and hugged me first. It was a group hug but I could only distinguish Sammy…
THE GREAT DIVIDE MY FELLOW CAMMIACS
"Hey, babe. I made it."
FUUUUCCKKKK… Joe. What the fuck is he doing here? The tree was already set up with the lights and ornaments. Everything was perfect. And Joe just waltzes in here like he owns the place. The sad part is that one day; he might actually own the place. Billy works in the only jewelry store in town and he said that Joe put a ring on layaway. He's going to propose to her. To Sammy. My Sammy.
How come Sammy couldn't see how much I love her? We've been friends for nine years. How could she be so naïve to miss all my hints? But why didn't I say something? Anything, to show her that I deserve her more than Joe does.
-.- Joe. Want to know what he does for a living?
He's the prick from that kids show Blue's Clues.
That fact alone makes me hate him because Steve was Awesome. Just saying.
Joe gets paid for acting like an idiot and dog sitting an animated dog THAT SHOULD BE ALREADY DEAD.
I was sitting at one end of the sofa and Sammy sat right next to me. Which left a spot right next to Sammy for the faggot.
Joe shot a glare at me. He openly hates me, but that's a story for some other time.
Anyway, Joe leans over to kiss Sammy on the lips… but Sammy turns her head at the last second to ask me something. I don't know what. All I know is that Joe's slobbery lips ended up kissing below her ear and some hair. Like a creeper he probably smelled her hair while he was kissing her.
What the hell was that?
Why would she turn away?
I decide not to get my hopes up.
Joes about to sit down, but then Billy swoops in and sits next to her, pulling Marissa with him. So now it's me, Sammy, Billy, then Marissa, annnd Joe.
Billy just passed Danny on the friend O' Meter.
"Casey." Sammy whispered.
Her breath tickled my ear. She was whispering something to me. She wanted to tell me something. For me and no one else.
"Yeah?" I tried to sound indifferent. But inside, I felt like a dam firework went off in my heart.
"Why can't you and Joe get along?"
Fail.
Fuck. Damn you, Joe. Damn. You.
I sighed, "That's a story for another day. I'm sorry, Sammy, but I don't like him."
She looked confused. dammit, even when she was absolutely confused, she was breathtaking. Which just makes me hate Joe even more…
She raised her eyebrows, "Are you going to tell me why?"
"You don't want to know why…"
She blinked, "Christmas."
"What?"
"You're telling me on Christmas, Casey. I don't wanna be wondering this for New Year's."
Every New Years since the first New Years Eve when we first met, me and Sammy would go into town and just hang out. Just the two of us. NO JOE.
Last year, Joe wanted to fly Sammy to New York to watch the ball drop in Time Square for New Year's. But Sammy didn't go. Instead, me and Sammy (no Joe) just hung out and rented the first Paranormal Activity.
So we had our own tradition. And on our own tradition, we were completely honest with each other. Like last year, I told her that the reason one of her fish disappeared wasn't because of her cat, Dorito, went after it. Actually, I accidently gave her fish a whole bunch of Dorito's treats, thinking it was fish food.
And she told me the reason that my ex-girlfriend, Lissa, broke up with me is because she wanted to date Danny and wanted to do it, but I said we should wait. It didn't surprise me Lissa was a slut.
"Alright then, Sammy. Christmas."
She smiled and then did the unexpected.
She leaned over to give me a kiss on the cheek.