3.
"So do you wanna spend the night again tonight?" Carly asked Sam as they walked back to Carly's after the movie. It was early still, only 6 o'clock, and Carly was hopeful for another night with her best friend.
"I'd like to," started Sam with a sigh, "but I can't. I've gotta go with my mom in the morning to pick up Melanie from the airport."
"Melanie's coming home!?" Carly exclaimed. "You didn't tell me!"
"Yeah, well I only found out yesterday myself. She's got a 4-day weekend off from her fancy pants school and my mom's new boyfriend offered to pay for the plane tickets. Something about frequent flyer miles or some other BS." Sam sniffed her nose in a boyish way. It made Carly suspicious.
"Are you not happy to see your sister?"
"It's not that it's just..." She trailed off.
"What?" Carly encouraged her. "tell me."
"It's just that my mom's all excited and has been cooking and baking and cleaning. She even bought Melanie a new outfit. Like, why can't she do that the other 42 weeks of the year? It's like she only wants to be a decent mom when Melanie's around. It's freaking annoying."
Carly understood her friend's contempt. They'd slowed their pace as they talked and Carly took the opportunity to link arms with the other girl.
"I'm really sorry, Sam." She told her, meaning it.
"Yeah, well." Sam said, smiling slightly as Carly rubbed the blondes arm. "Come on. I'll walk you back to Bushwell."
They walked the rest of the way back to Carly's building in silence, just enjoying another's company. At the doors of Bushwell Plaza, they stopped and Carly let go of Sam's arm.
"Wait." Sam told her, holding her grip onto Carly. Carly was curiously startled.
"What's the matter?" She asked Sam.
"Nothing. Just..." Sam pulled Carly into a hug. She buried her face into the brunette's neck and allowed her arms to link around the small of Carly's back. Carly stiffened at first, surprised by the sudden affection, but soon relaxed into the other girl's arms. Melted, even.
Their embrace lasted an unusual amount of time. Sam just didn't want to let go and Carly didn't want her to either. As they held each other, Carly stroked Sam's back and Sam rested her head on Carly's shoulder. Their breathing synced up, and for a moment, the two were one.
As they finally pulled away, Carly let her hands slide down the length of Sam's arms, lacing her fingers with the blonde's at the very end. They stood apart, joined by their hands and sheepishly look at each other.
"Sam, your my best friend." Carly told her. She wasn't sure if it was just a statement of fact or a reminder of what they weren't.
Sam smiled, "I know." She said teasingly, not returning the sentiment.
Carly rolled her eyes and they finally broke apart as she smacked Sam on the arm.
"You're a handful sometimes, ya know that." Carly told her.
"See you tomorrow. Maybe I'll bring Melanie over too if she's not being a complete pain."
"I'd like that."
Sam smiled as she turned and made her way back home through the dusky city.