A/N: WAH! It's so close to the end:cries: Well, here ya go!

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Chapter 17: June 4, 2013

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Sam sighed, scratching out a line on his paper. Looking at it, there was one word that hadn't been crossed out. Well, technically, two letters. M.G. He rested his chin on his fist, sighing again as he tried to think of what to write.

How is it, he thought, that music lyrics come so easily for me, but stuff that doesn't rhyme is so tough to write? He sighed a third time, blowing some hair out of his face. This is my life. My motto, it stinks. He smiled wryly at the thought, knowing that Jon would say it wasn't true then try and fail to give five reasons why it was false, Nick would laugh then make at least ten jokes (on a good day, closer to fifty) about it, and Leo would say something about it that they wouldn't understand. My life is way too predictable.

Nick heard another sigh and decided to check it out. Walking over, he saw Sam sitting at the table, staring intently at a piece of paper with a pen in his hand. Nick smiled, automatically assuming this concentration was focussed on the usual subject.

"C'mon, Sam, the puzzle can't be that hard!"

His response was monotonous. "I'm not doing the Sudoku, I'm writing. Well, trying to."

Nick's smile fell. "Well, what's the song about? And I swear, if you can't think of something to rhyme with 'on your own' again, I'll--"

"It's not a song, it's a letter," Sam said in an exasperated way.

"Oh." Nick paused. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"Who said it was a girl?"

"One, you're getting defensive, two, you're tense, and three, you wouldn't get this worked up if you were writing to a guy."

"I am not defensive!" Sam protested. Nick rolled his eyes.

"Strike one."

"Well, I'm not tense," Sam said, crossing his arms. Nick said nothing for a moment, moving behind him, then poking him. "HEY!" Sam yelled, jumping, turning, and sending a yellow glare at Nick.

"Strike two," Nick said.

"How do you know I'm not writing to my… brother?"

"Well, the fact that it took you a minute to say that makes me think you just came up with that, so… strike three, youuuuuu're out!"

"Fine, then just help me write this."

"If you're having so much trouble, why not just write her a song?"

"It's not a her!"

"So… you're gay?"

"NO!" Sam shouted, glaring and blushing. He sighed. "Is it really that obvious that I like a girl?"

"Yes."

"Well, what should I write?"

"A song. You seem to be able to express yourself better through music."

Sam stared for a moment, making Nick nervous and angry. "If the idea's really that bad, then I'll just--"

"It's not the idea, it's more the fact that you came up with it," Sam replied, still staring. Nick blushed angrily.

"I do have good ideas, you know!"

"I know, you don't say them usually, though," Sam smirked as Nick rolled his eyes.

"And now you rhyme," he said exasperatedly, then smacked his forehead, knowing and mouthing along with what Sam said next.

"You should know I do it all the time."

Nick glared as Sam laughed, smirking.

"Just write your stupid love song," Nick said, annoyed.

"My 'stupid love song' was your idea," Sam pointed out.

"It was a bad idea."

"And what makes you say that?"

"…It made you rhyme," Nick said disgustedly.

Sam laughed, fell off his seat, and, a minute later and between chuckles, said, "Ow."

"Geez, Sam, open up your eyes for once! I mean, you get so focused on one thing, you completely ignore everything else! You--Sam?" Nick stopped, noticing that Sam was staring unblinkingly at him with his mouth slightly open. Nick waved a hand in front of him, hoping to get his attention. "Sam? Sam!"

Sam jumped and looked up at Nick, who had moved closer. Sam blinked rapidly before whispering, "Open up your eyes…."

"Yeah, that's what I--I gave you a song idea, didn't I?" Nick asked warily, knowing what would come next.

"YES! What d'you think of Open up your eyes, take off the disguise, you know I love you, come on, now, just say you love me, too?" Sam sang. Nick's eyes widened.

"You came up with that in such a short time?" he asked, surprised.

Sam blushed. "I actually have most of the song figured out…."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Write it down," Nick said, pointing at the paper that said "M.G." Sam nodded and wrote down what he had thought of so far. Nick read over it.

"So…?"

"Wow. Just, wow…" Nick said, eyes very wide.

"How is it?"

"It's really good, Sam!"

"Thanks. Do… do you think she'd like it?"

"Sam, I think any girl who read, or heard, this would like it."

"Hey, Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping."

"No prob." They sat in silence for a moment before Nick decided he was bored. "C'mon, let's go find the Sudoku now." Sam laughed and followed Nick into the "kitchen" where they spent the rest of the day looking for the newspaper which Jon had taken into his room to read and lost it.

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LYRICS

Another night goes by without sleeping 'Cause I know I won't wake up next to you Another life goes by without dreaming And I can't help but think that mine will too I'm standing before you with this label on my head I'm pleading before you for you to understand

Baby it's you When I look up in the sky I see you Then I turn and close my eyes It's you When I'm sitting all alone in my room Everything reminds me of you

The time is slow and I am sinking Into a hole blackened with lies And though I made it myself You stand watching as my life passes me by I'm standing before you with this label on my head I'm pleading before you for you to understand How much I adore you I'll be there till the end When everything falls down Will you hold my hand

Baby it's you When I look up in the sky I see you Then I turn and close my eyes It's you When I'm sitting all alone in my room Everything reminds me of you Baby it's you When I look up in the sky I see you Then I turn and close my eyes It's you When I'm sitting all alone in my room Everything reminds me of you

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A/N: Okay, cute, little Sam/Nick friendship. As you can see, before Kay came, everything was very predictable. Well, next chapter is (1) long, (2) August 6, 2014, and (3) the last chappy :sob: Well, we've got the epilogue, too, right? See y'all lata! BYES!

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Sneak Peek

"Wait, you mean, you guys are part of the CRAMMERS that Sam's always talking about?" Kay questioned, both her and Nick's eyes wide.

"Yeah," Charlie said.

"Wow, this is weird…."

"Then you two must be Kay and Nick," Alexis said, crossing her arms.

"Guilty," the two guitarists replied.

"Well, if you think you can replace us, you've got another--"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Kay said, holding up her hands. "What do you mean, 'replace'?"