Page 25 of Surviving You, Scotch and Sammy 1

“Jesus, you’re cranky today.”

“He’s cranky today,” Meg snickers.

I bite my bottom lip, because it’s a little bit funny. Meg’s going to know who’s who as soon as she steps into home room on Monday. There are only so many Turners in our grade, and even less with best friends with big mouths named Luc. I turn my attention back to Sam. “What are you doing right now?”

“We’re supposed to be practicing.”

“But…”

“But I wanted to talk to you. I miss you, Sammy. I miss your pretty face and your candy smelling hair.”

“Aww, he’s sweet.” Meg leans over and sniffs my hair. “You found a big ol’ teddy bear, didn’t you?”

I bite my lip again and resist the urge to smack her shoulder. But I nod. Because, she’s not wrong.

“So you guys were heading to town to get ice-cream?”

“Yeah, our dads wanted us to get lost--”

“Let’s go to Dixie’s!” Luc shouts again.

“Hold on a second,” Sam says to me, then I listen to the phone being moved around and dropped, then the loud thump of someone hitting someone.

“Ouch, Turner. Fuck off!”

“We’re not going to Dixie’s, so shut it.”

More shuffling of the phone, then Sam picks it up and brings it to his ear. “Sorry, Ricci, I’m here.”

“Listen, I’ll let you go back to practice. The guys sound like they need some attention, but I’ll see you… you know…” at the lake in the morning. Snitch or not, no way in hell am I announcing that in front of Meg.

“I don’t wanna say goodbye yet…”

“Tell ‘em to come over,” Luc suggests quickly. “We’re not getting anything useful done, and we need to name the band. Maybe Sammy can help us.”

“She’s got a snitch with her,” Sam answers quietly, but Meg snickers again anyway. Jesus, we’re horrible people. So much judgement on someone I’ve literally only just met.

I look to Meg and watch her spin more blades of grass. “You wanna go over to the guys’ house?”

“I don’t want to be in anyone’s way. But you can go. I’ll hang out here for a few hours. Daddy will never have to know we split up. I don’t mind.”

“Yeah,” Sam agrees quickly. “Do that. Come over, Ricci.”

Guilt eats at my stomach. “No… I can’t ditch you. You wanna come over to Turner’s, or you wanna get ice-cream?”

She watches me for a long moment, as though she’s unsure why I just won’t take the opportunity I so clearly want to take. I do want to take it. I want to see Sam, but I’m not ditching her to do it.

“Come on.” I bump her shoulder with mine, then climb to my feet and pull her up. “Come meet some of your new school friends.” I bring the phone back to my ear. “We’re gonna come over. Is that cool?”

“Of course it’s cool. I’ll come get you guys.”

“No, it’s fine. We’ll walk. We’ll see you in ten minutes.”

“Ang can come get you in the car.”

“Seriously,” I tell him. “We’ll be ten minutes. Where’s your mom and dad?”

“They’re in the house.”

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