All In For The Same Love

Just Like Old Times

Chapter 72:

Arabella's POV:

Sam comes to the hotel at about noon. We walk to his house.

Before we walk in, I hear a familiar-ish voice.

"Arabella!?!"

I turn around.

I think that's...

"Zoë!" I scream.

She runs up to me and hugs me.

"You're living back in Atlanta?" she asks.

"No, just visiting," I say. I look over at Sam, who doesn't look the least bit impatient.

"You wanna hang out with us?" Sam asks. Zoë nods.

"So guess what, Arabella?" Zoë asks excitedly. I look up at her.

"So Hollie got sent to juvy because they caught her hacking Sam's profile."

Sam looks shocked. "That was Hollie?"

Zoë nods. "And, before that, she was the cheer captain on the team. Now I am!"

I congratulate her. I'm also relieved that it for sure wasn't Sam who said that stuff.

"And, the cheer squad made it to Regionals in competition! Regionals is sometime in January, so we have a month to improve our routine. I'm excited!"

It's nice to know that everything is going great. I smile.

"Maybe over break, since we'll be practicing, maybe you can come visit and watch!" she says. I smile and nod.

Zoë was probably one of the only true friends I actually had. Aside from the majority of the cheer squad, most people didn't really like me for me. They just saw me as "omg she knows Sam and Chandler so maybe she can make them notice me." But Zoë seems different. Not only is she one of the prettiest girls I know (beauty doesn't say anything, because Hollie was pretty too), but also one of the nicest.

We all hang out, and talk.

Christmas is in five days. I can't believe it! It sure as hell doesn't feel like Christmastime. It never does anymore...

Zoë has to go, so it's just Sam and me.

We watch "Dark Skies" on Netflix. He holds me close when I tense up. I keep jumping at all the scary pop-ups.

It reminds me of old times.

After the movie, we go to the park. Of course, we play our favorite childhood game: tag.

Afterwards, despite the 20 degree temperature, we are tired out and panting. Sam's face is starting to turn red. We walk back to his house and Sam starts a chimney fire. He lets me borrow his coat and I sit by the fire.

"Later on," he says, "we can make a campfire outside."

I smile. He sits next to me and I rest my head on his shoulder.

All serenity seems to come to a halt when I jolt at the sound of the doorbell.

"Its just Chandler," Sam says.

Chandler walks in. "It is cold," he says as if no one knew.

I stretch and plop on the couch.

"Sam make me food!" Chandler says.

"Make your own food!"

"But that requires work!"

"Chandler, technically even breathing requires work," Sam says, starting to make hot chocolate.

Chandler holds his breath. "That takes work, too," Sam doesn't turn around when he says this, but he knew what Chandler was doing. Chandler huffs out his air and catches his breath.

Sam shakes his head and laughs.

"So you know Zoë?" I ask Sam. Chandler looks up immediately at the sound of her name.

"What about her?" Chandler asks, ready to jump in the air.

"She asked me, Chandler."

"Oh."

"Well I think one of these days, when I can, I want to go with her to one of the cheer practices. You know, to see how the squad is doing," I say, playing with a string that's on the couch.

"Can I come?" Chandler asks excitedly.

I nod. "Sure," I say with a smile.

Sam comes in the living room with three hot chocolates. "Be careful guys, it's still really-"

"HOT!!! OW OW OW OW!!!!!" Chandler screams, fanning his lips. He runs to the kitchen and puts ice on his tongue.

"-hot..." Sam finishes. He sits on the couch and we set our hot chocolate on the coffee table.

I rest my head on Sam's shoulder and he holds me close.

We hear Chandler scream.

"What now, Chandler?"

"THBA ITHE GOTH STHUCK TO MAH THUNG!" Chair shrieks.

"What?"

Chandler opens his mouth, and the ice is stuck to his tongue.

Sam and I both laugh.

"ITH NOT PHUNNY!!" Chandler himself starts laughing.

"Try melting the ice with hot chocolate?" I suggest.

"TOO HOT!"

Eventually, after like 5 minutes, the ice melts away. "See how hot I am?" Chandler smirks.

"What?" I say, laughing.

"I'm so hot, I melted the polar ice caps away."

"Ehh... Close enough!" I giggle.

Now it's really like old times.

I wish this moment would never end.

But it did.