a/n: Yes, I know it's been quite awhile ... and by the end of this week, it will probably be the same amount of time away from posting stories. This whole college thing has really hindered my story productivity. I do apologize for that. But I guess you all are probably tired of my excuses/apologies/don't actually read these ridiculous notes. Anyway - I thought it might be nice to give a few of the other characters the spotlight that Sammy and Casey usually occupy. Not that I don't love them, but I've developed a certain fondness for these two characters. This will all be a whole lot of speculation on my part, as we don't know to much about either of them, but enjoy! As history-writer86 pointed out, I forgot some important details, such as time. I'll make a note before each story mentioning that little fact.

Disclaimer: Sammy Keyes belongs to WVD, and not to me. I am merely a poor college student writing for these characters as a cheap form of entertainment.

Time: October of Sophomore year (For those of you who've read 'Comma, Question Mark, Exclamation' this would be around the time of the second chapter ... just as a reference point).

-Opportunity-

The oven timer beeped loudly. With a sigh, Cricket glanced up from her biology textbook. Unfolding her legs from their spot on the chair, she stood and quickly crossed the kitchen. Slipping on an oven mitt, she pulled open the oven and pulled out the remnants of the roast chicken and veggies she had made for dinner earlier that week. She set the hot pan on the stove top and turned off the oven. As she rummaged through the utensil drawer for a for, the doorbell rang.

Cricket frowned, bewildered. Who in the world would be at her door? At six in the evening? Dad would certainly just come in ... and he wasn't even due back from travel until the weekend. Same for Gary - though he wouldn't be home from college for a couple of months. She ran her fingers through her hair as she approached the front door. Cautiously she opened the it, and was met with -

Billy Pratt?

Billy, infectious smile in place, was holding two plastic shopping bags. "Hey, Mojo! I overheard you were flying solo tonight, so I thought I'd come over and keep you company."

"Oh…" Cricket responded in a soft voice, blinking rapidly.

"Not happy to see me?" Billy pouted good-naturedly. "I brought presents!" He held out one of the bags he was holding.

"No ... it's really sweet of you, Billy, but Dad's out on travel more than he isn't these days and - "

"Which I'm sure gets old pretty fast," Billy interrupted. He cocked an eyebrow, blue eyes met Cricket's dark ones evenly. A few moments passed. Cricket rolled her eyes, and stepped aside, allowing Billy to barrel through the entrance. She watched, hand on hip, as he charged down the front hallway."Fantastic! Where's your kitc—Oh! Found it!" Cricket shut the door, murmured a brief prayer under her breath, and followed her hyperactive guest out to the kitchen.

When Cricket entered the kitchen, Billy looked up from unloading the bags he'd brought in. "I wasn't sure what kind of Chinese food you liked, so I bought a bunch of standards."

Cricket watched quietly as he finished putting the food on the table. Five containers of food, rice, fortune cookies, a box of assorted donuts, three cans of pop, and three cans of orange soda. "I recall you're a fan of soda d'orange, n'est pas?" Cricket nodded.

"That ... that is an incredible amount of food."

"Testament to the advice, 'never shop when you're hungry' ... or, you know, order food." Billy rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before flashing another grin. "Besides, I can eat at least half on my own. Maybe less."

Cricket grinned. "I'll get plates."

"Don't need 'em!"

"What do you mean?"

Billy produced two sets of chopsticks from his pocket. "We'll take the lazy route and eat from the carton. I'll even share with you – I'm not afraid of cooties."

"But –"

"Come on! I'll even let you pick first!"

"My gosh, Billy, there's no need to be so pushy!" Cricket snatched a pair of chopsticks from him and a container of Chicken Lo Mein from the table before settling down in a chair, shoving her Biology book to the side. She watched him carefully as he dug into the container of chicken and broccoli. She chewed on a piece of chicken thoughtfully.

He was so (for lack of a better word) random. The few times she'd actually encountered him, she'd been left in a state of bewilderment. He was sweet, though, in his own way – making up ridiculous poems to make her feel better, pestering her during theater rehearsals until Jenna became as Mama Bear protective of her as she was the rest of the tech crew, or stuff like this.

Cricket picked an onion out of her noodles to munch on before placing the container on the table. Billy picked up a can of Cola, tapping the top three times before opening it and taking a large swig.

"You want a glass? Ice?" Cricket asked, picking up a can of orange soda for herself.

"I'm good, thanks."

"Saves me the energy from getting up at least," Cricket responded and grinned before taking a sip of the lukewarm soda. Propping her legs up on another chair, she settled back, now with a container of General Tso's Chicken. "So, what prompted the care package?"

Billy shrugged. "Can't I bring my friend some tasty Chinese while she sits at home?" He waved his chopsticks dramatically above his head. "Alone. Forlorn. Potentially desolate."

"Billy, you're ridiculous," Cricket laughed.

"So I've been told." Billy quickly exchanged his container of chicken and broccoli for the abandoned container of Lo Mein.

"But, seriously."

"Well, Cassie Kuo, I've given it a great deal of thought – a good twelve minutes … twelve minute and seventeen seconds if you want to be precise – and I have decided that given the opportunity, we could be good friends. So – I created one." Cricket chuckled, leaning forward a bit.

"That is the cheesiest thing I've heard anyone say, Billy Pratt."

"Could be true, though," Billy responded with a shrug.

"Hmm," Cricket tapped her chin thoughtfully," Well, you are aware I like orange soda."

"Correction, it is your favorite," Billy grinned. Cricket stuck her tongue out at him.

"So," she continued, "I'd say we're halfway there."

"Not to mention we were tent-mates," Billy waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "That one fateful summer's nigh—hey!" Billy rubbed the side of his head where the fortune cookie hit.

Cricket laughed out loud, "Billy, I do believe this is a beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"Oh, and I'm the cheesy one?"

a/n: Yay, Nay?