The Long Game, Lucas Sinclair

a day of no dana

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"It's not fair," Sam expressed to Stephanie, trying to prevent her eyes from tearing up.

Stephanie frowned, placing her hands on the side of Sam's biceps. "I know, Sammy. It's not. I'm sorry."

"The whole group is doing Ghostbusters!" Sam complained, blinking hard so she wouldn't cry.

It was nothing to cry about, really, so Sam didn't know why she was getting so upset. The whole situation was — the Party had decided on being Ghostbusters (with the boys as the Ghostbusters, except for Corey, who wanted to be Louis Tully), except Uncle Dan refused to let Sam get the costume she wanted. She was supposed to dress up as Dana when she's possessed by Zuul. Now, she had to leave for school soon, not having any costume at all.

"I know," Stephanie repeated, looking really guilty about not being able to do anything about it. "We can find a costume for you to go Trick-or-Treating in after school, how about that?"

Sam tried breathing to calm herself, but it was shaky and she couldn't. "I don't even want to go, anymore. Can't I just stay home with you?"

Stephanie winced at that, and Sam threw her head back miserably, already knowing what her sister was going to say.

"I'm going to a party tonight with Jo, G, and Warren," Stephanie explained apologetically. "We're doing Scooby-Doo, minus Scooby."

"That's stupid," mumbled Sam, and she must be a really pitiful sight to see right now.

Stephanie sighed, nodding. "I know it is. That's why you shouldn't want to hang out with me. We're stupid."

"You guys would let me dress as Dana," Sam frowned, crossing her arms.

Sam knew. Yes. She was acting like a child right now. But Halloween was the only holiday she even liked anymore; it was her one time to truly have fun with her friends, being her unapologetic self. Now, her uncle had to even ruin that for her. Sam hadn't even been talking to him when she was muttering to Aunt Kat about her Halloween plans. Uncle Dan had just overheard, called Sam a slut, and that was it.

"Come on, Sam," Stephanie crouched down so they were at eye level, and she tilted her head at her sister. "You love Halloween. And you're gonna have fun tonight. Right, Core?"

Sam turned her head to find Corey was, in fact, lingering outside Sam's doorframe. He was wearing a wincing face towards Sam's whole ordeal, and seeing him dressed up like Louis Tully made Sam upset all over again.

"You were too blonde for Dana, anyways," Corey shrugged, in an awful attempt at making Sam feel better.

"Seriously, Corey?" Stephanie whipped her head around to send Corey a pointed glare before eyeing Sam again. "You would've been a perfect Dana, Sam. I'm sure."

Sam sighed. Then, "You don't even know who Dana is."

"That's true, but..."

Stephanie trailed off, not being able to find anything else to say to back herself up.