How To Lose A Girl In Ten Seconds

Chapter One

I cannot remember when it originally started because too much time has passed since the first time I found myself smiling when I woke up tangled with her body. And it's not anything like you're probably thinking because everything up until this point stayed relatively innocent for me. My best friend sleeps more nights at my place than at hers, making it much too ridiculous to shove her to the couch like a guest when my bed is a perfect fit for two people. That never occurred as a problem to anyone, including me, until recently.

Now, we're down in my kitchen chomping down bacon and sipping orange juice while we wait for Spencer to finish his shower so he can drive us to school. Sam's plate is empty much faster than mine, leading her to grab at what's left of my breakfast. Usually I would scold her lack of manners, but I'm finding myself in one of my new awkward trances again, flashing back to when we first woke up.

Sam's arms were wrapped around my midsection, except one of her hands had been angled up a little farther than it should have been. I had begun to ponder what would happen if it managed to creep up just a couple more centimeters when the alarm sounded and woke her up. She smelled what Spencer was cooking downstairs almost instantly and the embrace was broken while she excitedly hopped out of bed. I soon followed, pretending to be just as excited about getting downstairs to eat.

I have concluded that bacon is the only thing powerful enough to get Sam out of bed so quickly on a school day. Normally, she'll whimper in her half-asleep state, protesting waking up at all. I prefer those mornings because neither of us will move from whatever position we'd managed to end up in during the night, and the special feeling that began springing up not long ago will linger just a bit longer. Spencer banging on the door and insisting we will be late if we sleep any longer is the force that tends to interrupt it.

Speaking of my brother, he's out of the shower and scooting us towards the door. When we get outside and hop into his car I glance back at Sam briefly and notice she is eyeing me suspiciously. I want to ask her why, but I decide to wait until we reach the school to prevent involving Spencer in the conversation. The drive is short so I don't have to exercise too much patience. To my relief, Freddie is not around when we reach our lockers.

"Why were you looking at me so oddly earlier?"

"You let me eat half your breakfast without saying anything. You didn't try to steal any back either."

"Oh, well, I uh…have a lot on my mind?"

When it comes out more as a question than a statement I know I've lost all chances at avoiding more interrogation.

"Right. Who is it this time?"

"What? Why do you assume I'm distracted by a person?"

At least she would never guess that she herself is the person.

"We're sixteen. What else is supposed to distract us? Homework? As if."

I laugh half-heartedly. She had a point.

"Okay, you're right."

"Which guy is it this time? I know Jake isn't single again so…"

I stall while she closes her locker, trying to come up with someone random that won't hold consequence. Too bad my voice betrays me before my mind has time to catch up.

"It's Freddie."

The sound of hysterical laughter fills the hallway and a couple people passing through begin to stare.

"You actually like the dork? No way. You've turned that boy down more times than Gibby's taken his shirt off."

I look down nervously as Freddie happens to be arriving. I hope that Sam thinks my reaction is related to the arrival of my 'crush' and not an obvious attempt to hide a lie. Her fist makes contact with Freddie's left arm as I look on incredulously. Sure, she is violent, but the fist is typically reserved for the more serious offenses.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For slipping some crazy pills into Carly's smoothie last night."

Sam walks away, leaving me alone to explain things to Freddie. This is one of the few situations where I really wonder why I am attracted to her instead of anyone else, a guy, Freddie? Yeah, I admit it, what I have been feeling lately is definitely some kind of forbidden attraction.

"Carly, what is Sam talking about?"

I want to lie, but it might be safer to tell the truth…or is it? Maybe I could go out with Freddie and learn to like him on a deeper level. If that happens, I won't have to worry about messing up things with Sam. Or it could screw things up way worse and make everyone more confused.

"I told her I don't think Jake is hot anymore."

At least there is some truth to that statement, just not in context.