Enter Carly...

-Panic-

"Did you hear?" Freddie was normally an excitable young man, but right now he looked as though he was going to jitter himself to pieces.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sam's dating Juliet! I didn't even know she swung that way—did you?" Carly was silent for so long that he tilted his head questioningly, reaching out and cupping her cheek. "Carly?"

"Sorry… I… Just realized there's something I need to do," she responded haltingly, her brain hurtling a million miles an hour as she pushed her chair back and nearly tripped over her own legs.

"Oh, alright." He stood too, leaning in to kiss his girlfriend, but the brunette had already taken off at a half-walk, half-run. "That was weird…"

They hadn't spoken in over a week now—not since…

/ Soft lips slightly chapped from the heat of the approaching summer pressed against hers and she swore her heart stopped entirely.

Sam had… kissed her? This had to be a mistake. /

Maybe that wasn't the best thing to consider right now. She had to gather herself or the blonde would completely destroy their conversation with sarcasm and snappy remarks.

"Sam!"

She didn't take off this time, but the brunette would have much preferred the sight of Sam's retreating back to the blank coolness with which blue eyes regarded her. "… Hey."

That single word made her brain short circuit and she opened and closed her mouth, unsure of what to say or how to react. It was as though they were two strangers that had just met, not long time best friends, and it was that realization that made hot wet tears well up in her eyes.

Sam's expression lost some of its frostiness. "You okay?"

Ba-bump. "Yeah."

The bell rang, the loud sound making both girls jump.

"I should…" (I don't want to go.)

Sam averted her gaze. "Yeah."

"See you." (Stop me.)

With a wordless little wave, the blonde continued on her way, leaving Carly with a bitter taste in her mouth and an ache beneath her breast

…

Juliet was her lab partner today… What were the odds? Carly had held her breath as their teacher read off names from the roster, hoping with all her might that she could avoid the other teen to no avail.

As both girls settled at their lab table, getting pen, composition notebook, and protective goggles out of their school bags, the red-head said quietly, "I hope you're not mad at me."

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"Sam?"

Her stomach flip-flopped. "I'm still not following you."

Juliet arched an eyebrow and, suddenly, the brunette felt very, very exposed—as though the girl knew something she shouldn't have. "I thought… No, it must have been my imagination."

What must have been? Before she could ask, Mr. Burke made a shushing noise and Carly lowered her gaze apologetically to the laminated surface of their lab table.

There wasn't another chance to ask Juliet what she had meant before the bell rang and the moment it did the red-head disappeared.

"Hey, kiddo! Hope you're hungry because I made a whole mess of—Whoa!" Spencer automatically wrapped his arms around his little sister as she buried her face in, little red flags of concern going off in his head. They doubled their urgency when he felt wet, hot tears soak his skin through his shirt and he nudged the door shut with his foot, gently leading the sobbing teenager over to the sofa and sitting her down. "Talk to me."

A sniffle. "It's over, Spencer."

"What?"

"Freddie and me."

"I'll kill him."

She grabbed his arm, stopping him short as he made for the door. "I broke up with him."

The young man frowned, puzzled. "So why are you so upset?"

The question brought a fresh wave of tears and it took the girl a moment to gather herself enough to say, "I think I made a big mistake."

"Oh." He cleared his throat. "Do you, um, wanna talk about it?"

"Oh, Spencer…"

There was no way they were going to talk about this—ever. She wasn't even comfortable with considering the fact that she may very well have kind-of sort-of been madly in love with her best friend for the past few years… And now she had realized it far too late.

Sam had Juliet now. Sam didn't need her.

Suddenly, it was difficult to breathe and she struggled to catch her breath, her breast rising and falling rapidly even though it felt as if a giant weight was crushing it.

Sam wouldn't…

Carly couldn't…

"C-Carly?" Spencer yanked at his hair, eyes wide. "Shit… Uh… How many fingers am I holding up? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

She was so stupid.

Slowly, the teenager gathered herself, slowing her breathing and managing a reassuring smile. "I'm fine…" There really was no choice now, was there? She had gone and ruined everything with both her best friends. "I'm starved. What did you make for dinner?"

And he, like a good brother, didn't press the matter and hurried off to fix her a plate.