It was a Friday night, and seated at a table for 4 inside the Oceanside Obelisk, were none other than Zoe, Howard, Sam, and Colt. Zoe and Howard sat on one side of the table, with Sam and Colt on the other. Colt looked down at his lap, it was obvious that he was on his phone, and Sam picked at her cuticles. Neither of them had been interested in this double date, but after much pestering from Zoe, Sam had finally agreed. Getting Colt to come hadn't been too hard either, she told him that if he went he may or may not have gotten 'lucky' that night. He took this to mean he would, but Sam would probably choose the latter.

The group was quiet for a while, the only sounds were other guests chatting and the clanking of dishes from the kitchen. Finally Zoe ended the awkward silence and spoke.

"So, you guys are approaching your anniversary, aren't you? That's cool." She smiled, trying to diffuse the awkward situation. Sam nodded slightly. "You bet, one whole year, right?" She nudged Colt slightly. He looked up from his lap. "What?"

Sam bit her lip. "Never mind." She went back to her cuticles. Zoe and Howard glanced at each other, before finally deciding not to try anymore. They weren't talking.

. . .

Later that night, Sam had gone home with Colt. They went to 3rd base before Sam stopped him.

"Come on, Sammy! You said if I went on that date with your lame cousin and her lamer boyfriend that we'd have sex!"

Sam barked out a laugh. "Yeah, right. You think I'd actually promise you sex? I'm not stupid. I said 'lucky'. They don't mean the same thing. And my cousin is not lame, she's just…perky." She got up from his bed and adjusted her shirt, which was crooked and almost off. Colt groaned and groped around in the dark for his shirt, which had already been taken off in the process. He flipped a lamp on and found his shirt at the foot of the bed, crumpled up. "Whatever. Maybe I'm just not sure what a 'normal' relationship is supposed to look like. Maybe I only know dysfunctional ones." Sam stood up abruptly and grabbed for her purse, which was lying on the floor near his bedroom door.

"Sammy, wait."

But she was already out the door.

. . .

When Sam got home that night, Zoe was in their room, brushing her long brown hair. She had on a silk nightgown and her pretty face was scrubbed clean of any makeup. She looked sainted compared to Sam, who was pretty sure had tear stains and makeup all over her face from crying, and who's clothes weren't even on right. She slammed their bedroom door with a thud and stalked over to her bed, jumped under the covers, and pulled them over her head. Zoe turned from the mirror to look at Sam.

"Sam, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," She said, but it was muffled by the blankets. " I'm totally fine, and I don't want to talk."

Zoe was about to speak up again, but she didn't. She quietly put down her hairbrush and went to turn off the light. She climbed into her bed next to Sam and snuggled under her covers.

"Goodnight, Sam," She whispered.

No response.