I won't bore you with the details of why this wasn't updated. Just know that I am sorry for keeping you waiting. The next chapter will hopefully be up sooner.

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Chapter 3-All Fun and Games

The sound of balls clicking together filled the room and Tucker stood straight as he watched his ball miss the pocket and bounce away to another part of the table. Danny and Tucker were playing pool at the Student Union. Not because they were any good at it. It was just something to do to distract them from the work they had to do in their classes respectfully.

"So how's the plan going?" Tucker asked as Danny lined up for his shot.

"Plan?"

"You are still trying to get Sam to notice you, right?"

Danny grimaced. Part of it was from the question and the other part was from the lousy shot he'd just made.

"I'm about ready to give up, Tuck. I've been trying, I really have, but nothing is working. She's not acting any differently. Not even a rejection or a "Let's just be friends." sort of thing."

"Maybe you're just doing it wrong."

"Or I just can't do it at all. I'm not a flirter. I just can't go up to a girl and show her that I like her like other guys do. Sam would kick my butt if I just went up to her and started flirting. How did you convince me to do this anyway?"

"You were desperate. Okay, I can understand not being able to flirt, but what about other things. What about when you guys went over to our house to watch movies. What kind of movie did you watch?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I was a little distracted, okay? I didn't watch that much of the movie. That was two weeks ago anyway. Why?"

"Well, if you can't flirt with her then you should probably keep trying that. Except take her out. The movie should be a romance or a good horror flick that will have her clinging to your arm."

Danny shook his head. "This is Sam we are talking about. She's not the type to start clinging to people's arms. She wouldn't be interested in the romantic movie either."

"Right. And she'll start wondering why you would pick it and what your intentions were. Perfect way for her to see you in a new light." Tucker left out the "not that isn't already head-over-heels for you." part.

Danny stared at him disbelievingly. "You're crazy! This is why you never get dates!"

"What reason would that be? His utter stupidity?"

Both boys turned to see Sam in the doorway. Sam had been the responsible one and had decided to join after getting her work done. There was a long purple case slung over her shoulder and Sam propped it up against the wall as she walked further into the room.

"Oh, ha ha," Tucker remarked sarcastically. "We'll see what you're saying when your laptop breaks down and you need someone to fix it."

"How likely is that to happen? I don't clutter my computer up with junk like pictures of pretty girls."

Danny's face went beet red in embarrassment and Sam regretted making that comment. Danny was over Paulina, but he still regretted some of his actions and how clueless he had been. He didn't like to be reminded of them, especially when he was currently trying to win Sam's heart. He promptly changed the subject.

"You going to play with us, Sam? We can just quit our game."

"It's okay. Go ahead and finish your game. I can wait."

The two boys glanced at one another. Neither of them wanted to get taunted for their lack of skill at the game. But they couldn't think of a reason not to finish the game besides the loss of their dignity.

"I think it's your shot, Danny," Tucker said, even though it was his shot.

And Danny, who's attention had been diverted at the appearance of Sam, didn't recall that fact and scowled at the cue ball as he lined up. There was silence for a few minutes as the two tried hard to sink at least one ball without success. Finally Sam spoke up.

"You're shooting too hard."

"Am not," Danny said stubbornly as he hit the cue ball solidly. It zipped across the table quickly and hit its intended target which, to the surprise of all three, went in. Danny looked triumphant for about a millisecond before the ball hit the back of the pocket with the large momentum Danny had given it and jumped into the air and landed back on the table.

Danny looked incredulously at the ball as Sam and Tucker broke out into peels of laughter. Sam grabbed onto the wall to keep herself upright. Danny gave a humored smile before laughing as well.

"Danny," Sam gasped out. "You're a complete loon. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, but you love me anyway?"

Somehow, what was supposed to be a funny quip came out a question and Danny internally swore, berating himself for it. What was he supposed to say to that?

Sam found her cheeks going red and immediately tried to push it away. She'd heard him wrong. He couldn't have meant it the way it had sounded. She had to have heard him wrong.

The room was suddenly silent as the two each tried to find something to say. Tucker glanced at the two and then looked heavenward. The two were hopeless.

"Are you sure you don't want to play with us?" Tucker broke the ice and the two visibly relaxed.

"Sure," Sam conceded. Danny quickly busied himself with gathering up all the balls. He gave Sam a quizzical look when she picked up the case she had earlier propped up against the wall.

"What's that?"

"This," Sam spoke as she opened the case and reached into get whatever lay inside. "Is my pool cue."

And then to the boys' astonishment, Sam pulled first one piece then another of her cue. It was painted a deep blood red and there were black and silver designs on the bottom.

As Sam screwed the two pieces together, Tucker subtly slid up next to Danny. "You remember Doomed?" Danny numbly nodded. "I think we're about to get our butts kicked. Again."

Danny rolled his eyes. "What was your first guess? Her obvious skill or our obvious lack thereof?"



"Sam?"

Sam turned down Forever Yours by Nightwish and turned in her chair to face her friend. Sam had been giving Michelle her space. For the past week, it had been apparent that the girl was starting to get homesick. She'd been on the phone with her family a lot more. She'd instinctually felt that it was best to not intrude on the subject.

Now Michelle was looking nervous. Her voice had been hesitant as she called out Sam's name and Sam wasn't sure what the girl wanted to ask.

"What is it, Michelle?"

"Can we…do you think…I know it might be difficult, but…maybe we could…?"

"Just spit it out, Michelle."

"Can we rearrange the room?"

The question through Sam off-guard. "What?"

"Please, Sam? I've been feeling really bad lately and this will help. It'll help calm me down. I used to do it all the time to my room when I was back at home and-"

"It's fine, Michelle. You don't need to give me reasons. Did you think I was going to say no?"

"Well, not exactly, but I…."

"It's fine. But, Michelle, our room is so small. I don't think our furniture will plausibly fit any other way."

Michelle's face lit up with a smile. "I already thought of that. And my idea will work, I know it will. All we have to do, after we separate the beds, is-"

"Hold on. Separate the beds?" The two had bunk beds and something crossed Sam's mind. "Michelle neither of us are that strong. How do you expect us to be able to lift the bed successfully without either of us getting hurt in the process?"

Doubt flickered on Michelle's face. "Um…we could ask someone? I know! You could ask Danny and Tucker to help us."

Sam gave a sigh. She could tell that Michelle really needed to do this for whatever reason. It was just another quirk that she was finding out about her. "All right, Michelle. I'll ask them."



"Are all the rooms this small?"

Sam immediately elbowed Tucker hard in the ribs. "No. Michelle and I are the only ones who get the pleasure."

"I'm sure there's a room that is smaller," Danny reasoned. He was looking at the things on Sam's desk and the posters that were on her side of the wall. He gave a smile. This was definitely Sam's room.

"Let's just get to work." Sam's face softened a little. "Thank you guys for helping. This really means a lot to Michelle. She's homesick."

"So she rearranges rooms when she's homesick?"

"Shut it, Tucker. We're glad to help, Sam. Where is she?"

I think she went to return a Math book he's been borrowing from a friend. Her book hasn't come in yet."

"But it's already weeks into the semester," Tucker pointed out.

"Are you going to make stupid comments all night? Maybe the shipping company lost her order or it just got lost in the mail. I think she'll try to order another one soon."

"What are we talking about?" Michelle asked as she finally stepped into the room.

"Nothing, really. What did you want to do first?" Danny inquired.

"We'll need to separate the beds first. That's what you're here for."

"Okay."

It took a bit of time. Michelle had to move her dresser first so there would be room for the other bed and then separating the beds was awkward since neither of the girls had that much upper body strength. Danny and Tucker did most of the work. The two boys stayed to help the girls move the other furniture. By the time it was the way Michelle wanted it, all were a little exhausted.

"Michelle glanced around at there new room. "I like it."

"So do I," Sam admitted. "I didn't think we would be able to get everything to fit comfortably."

"Have you done this a lot, Michelle?" Tucker asked.

"Every now and then. It helps me work of stress."

"I think I worked off something else," Danny joked. "Who needs exercise equipment when you have furniture?"

"Right," Tucker snidely remarked. "Like you need to exercise."

Sam gave a chuckle. "True."

Michelle gave them confused looks. "This some inside joke?"

"Danny gave a smile. "You could call it that."

Not that much happened in this chapter. I wanted to delve into their college life a little, though.

Sam's pool cue is in reality my pool cue. It looks exactly the way I described it here and I love it. I can just imagine Sam being a pool shark. And ironically, my pool cue is named Chaos. Yes, I named my pool cue.

There will be more Shenanigans in the next chapter I promise.

And Nightwish rocks!

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