Fake Sam

10. Sam:surprise, surprise, the new neighbor is a guy

10.Sam: Surprise, Surprise, the new neighbor is a guy

Itty bitty fingers snap in front of me, "You need to look at me when I'm talking to you!" Mickey pulls on my arm from her seat across the lunch table, tearing my gaze apart from Andrew.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"I was saying that I could help you work out, if you're interested. I know some great exercises." She smiles at me and sticks some grapes in her mouth.

"Oh, okay! At your house or the gym?"

"Well, I have some equipment at my house, but only enough for one person, so I think the gym would be best. And, I could drive you home too."

"Sounds good," I say, just before a group of the Math & Science Center kids come up to our table. I look down to my yogurt and brush my hair down with my fingers.

"Oh, this is her Colin," I hear Mickey tell someone in the group, then she pulls my hand. "Sam, this is Colin. He's new this year, and I think you two would get along together well!"

My eyes move up to meet the bright blue eyes of a tall, slender blond that stands before me.

"Hi," he smiles really cute at me and his eyes soften.

"Hello," I answer back, though I don't change my expression much. "So you're new to our school?"

He nods and keeps looking at my face. Oh gosh, I hope I haven't got any yogurt or granola on my cheek.

I wipe my cheek and stroke my fingers through my hair once more, "Welcome, I hope you like it here." The bell rings just then and I rise, gathering all my wrappers and disposable containers, then throw them away on my exit.

All of my friend quickly come up behind me, and I hear Mickey apologize to him before she rushes to my side.

She urges me to step out pf boundaries, "You don't even know Colin, he's a really nice guy, plus he is smart and really cute."

"Uh, no. You're just trying to keep me away from liking Andrew."

She laughs, "Okay, you caught me! But I really think that you should at least become friends with him, since you did just practically ignore him back there; he probably thinks there is something majorly wrong with him."

"Maybe if he moves into one of my classes next semester, but he isn't in one of my classes now, so why go out of my way to just be nice to him."

"Wow, is something wrong?" Mickey questions.

"Uh, no. I'm just fine." I say; I mean, I am disappointed that exercising didn't help me lose any weight last night, but I don't think I've been showing that at all.

I walk a few steps ahead of them, and then twist the combination on my locker, opening it to retrieve my backpack and books.

Kendra, whose locker is right next to mine, talks to me. "So you really don't like that Colin guy, I mean, he didn't look that bad."

"Yeah, sure, he looked nice. But I'm not going to date him or anything since Mickey just doesn't agree with my love for Andrew," I look at Kendra and shake my head while laughing.

She laughs too, "She will do anything to stop such a predicament!"

~~

After school, Mickey and I pull into the gym drive and park in the front spaces right ahead of the door. We step out of the car, and move to the trunk to pull our gym bags over our shoulders, and then go inside.

Mickey flashes her pass to the desk lady and we follow up the stairs and to the locker room.

We go to her locker and begin dressing out of our school clothes.