Spencer Shay walks into his kitchen to find his sister's friend, Sam, there. This is not unusual, so he just says (casual as ever), "Hey, where's Carly?"
Sam turns and gives him a withering look. "She's out with her boyfriend. Oh my gosh, I can't believe I just said that without throwing up." She makes some gagging gestures.
"Oh, right," Spencer says, feeling a bit guilty. He knows that Carly and Freddie are 'official' now but it wasn't like some big revelation, so he kind of forgets that they go out together without Sam now.
"So… what're you… up to?" he asks, trying to make small talk, without being insensitive. Sam isn't looking too happy at the moment and he doesn't want to upset her even more. It's awkward.
She has hung out at their place without Carly before. So, it's not that weird that she's there. It's just that lately, Spencer has (uncharacteristically) noticed her lingering gazes on him. It's unnerving. He suspects she might have a… crush on him or something.
That doesn't creep him out, though. What creeps him out is that, upon realising this, he found he didn't have a problem with it. He likes it, and he knows he probably shouldn't.
She shrugs her shoulders to his question and goes back to rummaging through the fridge. Spencer wonders if she ever gets fed at home. "Do you want me to make you a toasted sandwich?" he asks. He was going to make himself one anyway.
"Sure," she says and sits herself down at the table, watching him as he gets to work. "Made any new sculptures lately?" she asks.
This is a safe conversation route, so Spencer willingly replies. "Oh yeah! I made this huge banana out of peach pits!"
Sam shakes her head. "That's gross."
"No," Spencer says. "What's gross is that when you eat about fifty peaches in one go, it can do some very unpleasant things to your bowels."
"Okay. We're just about to eat here. Can we not talk about your bowel functions?"
"Sorry," Spencer says. Great, he's ruined that conversation.
They both go quiet. When Spencer's finished cooking, he suggests they take their sandwiches into the living room. That way, Spencer can turn the TV on and doesn't have to worry about thinking of something to say.
All he can think about is how pretty her hair is, and how cute her outfit is, and how sweet her face is. And he can't talk about that.
Luckily, Sam has always preferred stuffing her face to talking anyway. So, that wastes a bit of time. Then, when they're finished, they just lay back on the couch and watch re-runs of Suzanna Louisiana. Spencer finds his attention lingering on Sam instead of the show.
Even though his foot is itching so bad he refuses to lean down and scratch it because his leg is resting up against Sam's and he can't disturb that. Looking at her is pretty distracting anyway.
Sam sighs then. A defeated sigh.
"Hey," Spencer says. He nudges her shoulder with his own. "Do you want to talk about it?" He looks down at her, right into her eyes. They're shining with unshed tears.
"I can't," she says. She looks away, down at her hands.
Spencer hass never seen her like this. "You know Carly and Freddie haven't forgotten about you, right?" he says.
"It's not that," she says, "It's just… Will it ever happen for me? I'm… I'm not very good at… relationships and… stuff. And, I fall for the wrong people. All the time."
Spencer lifts his hand up, and he gently places his fingers under her chin, turning her head back to face him. "You're a beautiful girl. And you're cool, and funny, and smart. It will happen. And he'll be a really, really lucky guy. Trust me."
He should've known that saying those things to her; she would get the wrong idea, and impulsively lean up and capture his lips in a kiss.
But really… was it the wrong idea? …No. True, he hadn't done it intentionally, but he wasn't sorry. He really wasn't.
Spencer has never been much of a lucky guy. In that moment, he feels his luck changing. "A really lucky guy," he repeats, staring into her now smiling eyes. He happily kisses her back.