Chapter 27: Who Told Sam?

"So the 23rd? Definitely?" Cam asked as she sat down beside me with her food.

"Yeah, don't let Sam find out," I told my friends as they all began eating their lunch. "I'd invite him but the guys are going to be there and I don't want anyone to feel awkward."

"As if it's not already awkward," Oliver noted, earning an elbow from Sidney.

"You have our word," Sid grinned widely.

"You're just excited because Isaac is going to be there," Cam retorted with a roll of her eyes.

"If you guys could, you know, refrain from making out, that would be great," Oliver noted and Sidney immediately reddened as she buried her face in her hoodie covered hands.

"Guys, leave her alone," I said with a smirk as I looked at our shy friend. "She's just a girl in love."

Sidney's head immediately snapped up. "I'm not in love," she practically screeched.

My eyes widened slightly in surprise and Oliver snorted. "Okay, you're in like."

"That's not even a thing!" Cam retorted and Oliver narrowed his eyes at her.

"You're not even a thing," he responded sassily.

"You two should be a thing," Sidney smirked and I refrained from nodding in agreement.

"Shut up," they both said simultaneously.

"Look, you two are speaking at the same time," Sid noted.

"Shut up, Sid," they spoke again. "Shut up!" This time, the two were saying it to each other but obviously this backfired. "No! You shut up!"

"Both of you shut up," I snapped when I saw Axel getting up from his spot at his table. Isaac was following suit and I quirked a brow. Where are they off to?

Cam and Oliver were bickering quietly together and Sid was staring in the same direction as me. I looked at her and nodded to the boys who were crossing the cafeteria. Without hesitation, she grabbed her bag and led the way with her trash in her hands. By the time we turned to exit the cafeteria, the boys were already approaching Axel's locker.

"Sneaking off to the janitor's closet?" I called jokingly as the boys headed down the hallway where Axel's locker resided.

"Where else would we be going?" Isaac responded as he kept walking, not even glancing back.

"I don't think Sidney would be too happy about that," I snorted, earning a sharp jab from my friend.

"She can come, too," he retorted.

"Don't mind if I do," Sid blurted from beside me and Isaac turned around while Axel laughed, rolling his eyes. The twin stood, waiting for us to catch up so he could stand beside Sidney. I watched curiously as he snaked his arm around Sid's waist, earning a light blush from the innocent girl. Axel was digging around in his locker and I stood beside him.

"Come here often?" I asked, deciding not to pay too much attention to the practical couple a few feet away.

"Every so often," he answered simply, giving me a short glance before rolling his eyes. "I'm starting to think that Isaac's flirtatiousness is airborne."

"Are you insinuating that I'm flirting with you?" I asked while raising my eyebrows.

"You catch on fast," he grinned at me before messing up my hair like I was a dog. I narrowed my eyes at him, slapping his hand away. "Guess what the guys decided?"

"What?" I asked as I stared at him.

"We're going to do secret santa, too," he smirked. I scoffed, shaking my head.

"Who brought it up?" I asked.

"Dylan," Axel replied with a grin and I scoffed again but louder.

"You've got to be kidding me," I noted. Dylan? The same Dylan that was mocking me for participating in the activity just a couple of days ago? "Who do you have?"

"Miles," he told me simply. "I'm just going to get him something stupid, like a gag gift."

"I'm sure he'll love it," I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"I know what I'm getting you, by the way," he smirked at me.

"Yeah, what?" I asked, my ears perking up.

He closed his locker and grinned at me. "Don't worry about it."

"Why would you even mention it if you aren't going to tell me?" I asked him.

"To mess with your mind, of course," he announced as he smiled at me.

"I hate you," I retorted as I stared at him.

"We both know that's not true," he chuckled as he lead the way towards the stairs. I shoved his back and he laughed, starting to jog. I had to run to keep up. Yet again, here I am, chasing him. Why is this such a familiar scene?

+++

In Spanish class, the twins had made a mistake- a very bad one. I had entered the class a couple minutes early and when I arrived, I noted the two boys talking to Sam, who looked at me upon my entrance. I slowly approached them with furrowed brows, trying to listen in as I came closer.

Isaac whipped around and looked at me. "Hey, Lex, we were just telling Sammy here about the party."

"Party?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows. Please don't tell me they're talking about the Christmas party.

"Yeah, the one you and Dylan are throwing," Isaac clarified. "Sam said you hadn't told him about it."

I looked to Sam and struggled to think of an excuse. "Yeah, I was going to do that now," I lied. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

"Really?" Sam asked, perking up slightly.

"Yeah..." I trailed, trying my best to seem believable.

"Now are you going to come?" Isaiah asked him and I immediately had to repress the urge to slam my hand against my forehead. He had said he wasn't going to go before? Why did I have to walk in when I did? If I'd have given it five more minutes, they probably would've finished the conversation and Sam would've been too embarrassed to bring it up.

"Yeah, I mean, if you want me to," Sam looked to me curiously and I felt my stomach clench tightly. Should I say no and then explain that it'd be awkward? As I stared into his eyes, I felt my conscious give in.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" I asked him and he smiled a half smile that would make any girl melt, except me. I stood there, playing with the straps of my bookbag as regret seeped through me. This is going to be bad.

"Great!" Isaac and Isaiah said simultaneously. I wanted to stab them each with my pencil, but a short glare would do just enough. As Sam was making his way back to the table, I shot both of them sharp looks as they wore matching grins. They knew just what they were doing.

As the class came to a close, the twins rushed to leave the classroom. I stood behind with Sam, who was taking his time putting his things away. Though I wanted to chase the twins down and scream at them, I knew I should probably stay and wait with Sam, seeing as he'd done it multiple times for me. He looked at me as he swung his bag over his shoulder and started towards the door beside me.

"So how are you?" Sam asked curiously and I answered positively, returning the question to be polite.

A couple minutes worth of small talk later and we arrived at the parking lot, a few feet from the truck where my brother's friends were standing around, clearly listening in. I planned to wait until Sam was out of hearing distance to start scolding the twins but they'd beaten me to it.

"Guess who is coming to the Christmas party?" Isaiah asked everyone.

My brother quirked a brow as Axel looked at me as if he'd already known what had happened. "Who?" Miles asked innocently, not picking up on it like anyone else.

"Sam, you idiot," Colton retorted as he looked at Miles.

"Really, Alexis? The one thing we agreed not to do and you go and do it," my brother said with an annoyed tone in his voice.

"No! I didn't invite anyone! The twins did!" I retorted as I pointed to the two brothers, who were trying to feign innocence.

Gasping, they looked to each other before turning their gaze on me. "How dare you lie about such a thing?" Isaac asked as he held a hand to his chest.

"Cut the act," Dylan retorted as he looked at the twins. He turned his attention towards me and pointed over his shoulder in the direction Sam had disappeared. "You're going to uninvite him."

"And how do you expect me to do that?" I asked.

"You could always tell him the party is cancelled. Our mom did that one time to our aunt but she ended up showing up to drop off a gift and they got into a fight. Three lamps were broken," Isaac explained as he stared into the distance.

"I'm not going to tell him the party is cancelled," I stated.

"Then figure something out!" Dylan responded.

"Why are you getting so mad?" Axel asked Dylan. Everyone turned to Axel, who had been quiet the entire time.

Dylan sighed and shook his head. "I'm not."

He grabbed his keys from his pocket, signaling everyone that it was time to go. As his friends dispersed, Axel looked at me and placed his hands on my shoulder. "Whether or not you decide to cancel on Sam, don't stress it too much. It won't be that awkward." He tousled my hair and pulled me in for a hug. "Besides, if it does become awkward, you and I can always just sneak off and spend time together alone."

As I pulled away from the hug, I looked up at his smirking face. Unsure of whether or not he meant that in a joking way or a serious way, I shrugged it off. I'd rather not dwell on it. Instead, I backed up to the car, giving him a short smile before getting in and closing the door. With a sigh, I buckled my seatbelt and closed my eyes. Today was a long day.

+++

"So who's going to be at this gathering?" my dad asked me and my brother. We were helping him make dinner; I was peeling potatoes and Dylan was cutting up vegetables.

"The guys," Dylan spoke before looking to me.

"Cam, Sid, and Oliver," I replied with a shrug.

"Who else?" my brother pressed and I shot him a glare.

"Sam," I retorted as I looked at my brother with narrowed eyes. My father turned around.

"Sam? The one that likes you?" my father inquired.

"Yeah," I mumbled.

"Oh...are you two dating?" he questioned.

"Why would she be dating him if she likes Axel?" my brother retorted, answering for me.

"First of all, I don't like Axel," I lied, "and second, I don't like Sam. I don't like anyone."

"Okay..." my father trailed as he glanced at me with furrowed eyebrows as if not understanding my frustration.

"Liar," my brother coughed and my father didn't seem to notice.

"Speaking of Axel, is he coming too?" my father asked. It was directed towards no one in particular but my brother looked to me as if I was supposed to answer. When I glanced away from him with no intent to speak, Dylan cleared his throat.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Alright," my father spoke before giving further instructions on what to do with the foods we were preparing. He wiped his hands on his apron before removing it and moving to set the table.

"I'll be right back. Call me if you two set anything on fire," my father insisted as he started towards the stairs.

"Will do," my brother muttered.

I suddenly wished something would get set on fire. Me.