Sam's First German Love (Extr@ Fanfiction)

Chapter 2

The two of them were now living in Nic’s apartment.
That was fine.
No really, it was fine! Everything was great!
Or, at least, that’s what Nic told himself as he tried to fall asleep the first night of Sam’s move-in. There were unfamiliar boxes stacked in corners, and the smell of fresh paint and expensive cologne filled his nose. He could even hear Sam’s breathing from his side of the bedroom.
He did have two bedrooms in his apartment, which merited him some jealousy from Sascha and Anna. Yet, Sam insisted they share in the case of guests.
“Back home, we always had spare rooms,” Sam had said. “You never know who’ll appear in your doorway in the middle of the night!”
There was something about his stupid, puppy-like gaze that made Nic weak in the knees. But it wasn’t a crush. Nic didn’t get crushes, because the last time…
No. He wasn’t going to think about last time.
Instead he crept out of his bed, ignoring the photos of himself, Anna, Sam, and Sascha plastered on his walls. He didn’t really know why, but looking at those pictures made his stomach turn. He threw on some sweatpants and a shirt, and snatched his keys off of the wall.
He’d broken in to Anna and Sascha’s apartment more than a few times. It was commonplace for them to find him snoozing on their couch first thing in the morning.
Yet, when he carefully slid open the door, he was surprised to see the TV still on and a figure illuminated in the bright blue light.
“Hi, Sascha,” Nic said, hoping she didn’t think he was a burglar. That was something he’d never wish upon anyone.
Instead of throwing her shoes at him like he inspected, Sascha instead let out a dramatic sob.
So it was one of these days, he thought to himself indignantly. Fantastic.
He decided not to leave. Even if she was bossy, annoying, controlling, and almost always angry, Sascha was his friend. Nic attempted to close the door quietly behind him, and winced as it slammed.
Hopefully it didn’t wake Sam up. Wait, why was he so concerned about Sam?
Sascha still didn’t acknowledge his presence. Something must be really wrong.
“Nic!” She wailed as soon as he sat down. “Oh thank you!” And then he found himself uncomfortably squished between the side of the couch and Sascha’s upper body. Her head was tucked into his shoulder.
A few months ago, this would have been like Heaven. Now, it was just probably going to leave his shoulder sore for a day or two.
Nic resisted the urge to slap himself. How hadn’t he realized! He didn’t like Sascha anymore! That was good.
When he felt tears start to seep through his shirt, Nic also realized that it may not have been the most ideal time to have an epiphany.
“Why doesn’t he love me?” Sascha suddenly asked. She sounded sad. Sad and pitiful.
Sad and pitiful were not words Nic associated with Sascha at all. She’d once given him a black eye that lasted two and a half weeks.
He pet her hair.
“Sam?” He asked.
His friend just nodded, and then the tears came again. It was too early in the morning to deal with this.
“He told me he wants help dating Anna! Why Anna! Why not me!”
Nic felt his heartbeat in his throat, as a cold sensation swept through him. Huh? What?
“He likes Anna?”
Sascha just nodded miserably.
On the television, a couple was dramatically kissing. When he had come in, Nic remembered they had been screaming at each other about cheating.
Sascha cried even louder into his shirt. Nic was worried about Anna waking up, and then remembered that she could sleep through anything.
Nic could also sleep through anything. Getting to sleep, however, seemed to be his one problem.
Anna wasn’t special. Why did Sam like her?
Of course, she was petite, and pretty, and had a strange obsession with infomercials. That didn’t make her unique at all!!
So why did Sam like her?
And why did that fact make Nic want to cry?