The Casanovas (2)

20 | The Casanovas

The New Year approached, a time of supposedly new beginnings, and yet when Michael received an unexpected invitation to Ed's New Years party, the scars of the current year made him instantly sceptical. After receiving the text, a message from Sam quickly followed asking if Michael had also received the same invite.

Treating it with suspicion, once with Michael, Sam probed Ed on the guest list and was pleasantly surprised to discover Charlie was purposefully excluded, in the hopes that other undesirables would steer clear of the celebration too. The news left Sam speechless. Never, in all his years, had he received an invite to a large gathering when Charlie had not. It was clear Ed was aware of the beef between Sam and Charlie and had chosen the person he would rather know.

They sat on Michael's balcony while Sam gently tapped the corner of his phone on the table. One of Sam's legs jigged up and down rapidly and Michael was certain it wasn't because of the cold.

"What if it's a trap," Sam murmured. "He didn't specifically say others were uninvited."

Michael rose an eyebrow. "Ed doesn't seem the type" he offered carefully.

"No one seems the type, that's the problem," Sam snapped back before he looked over the lake.

Not that Michael was especially bothered about attending the celebration, it was clear Sam was torn between attending and hiding away and the latter didn't seem much like Sam at all. 

"How about you contact Amelia, find out from her if Charlie isn't going?" Michael suggested slowly.

Sam glimpsed back over at him. His eyebrows drew together to form a fresh picture of reluctance.

"You ring her," Sam responded.

Michael gave him a superficial, sarcastic smile. "No. I'm not the one she'll want to talk to."

He stood and gave Sam's shoulder a light pat. "You can do it," he added encouragingly.

"Wait, where are you going?"

Michael already had one foot through the bifold doors. "To stare at a wall, anything's more interesting than the phone call you're about to make."

The phone only rang twice before Amelia answered.

"Sam?"

Sam glanced down at his lap and reached to play with the chain around his neck.

"Hi."

He heard the crackle of a sigh through the phone. "I'm so glad you called. How are you doing?"

Sam was surprised by the warm welcome, part of him expected a cold shoulder after their last exchange.

"I'm...fine." He tugged on his chain a little more forcefully. "Look, did you get that invite to Ed's party?"

"Oh, er." Amelia seemed surprised by the question. He heard some rustling and a door shut before she returned to the phone. "Yes, Ed only invited a few people from school, the rest are friends from outside," she said. "Charlie's not invited, I checked, but he doesn't know it yet," she added in a stage whisper. "Are you going?"

Sam's lips squiggled. "Not sure."

Amelia sighed again. "I get it. The last one didn't exactly go too well."

Sam chuffed. "No, it didn't."

He could almost visualise Amelia lying on her bed, twisting strands of hair around a finger.

"Well I won't be drinking this time if that helps, and the dickheads won't be there," she offered brightly.

Hearing her insult Charlie caused his face to light up. "Yeah, that's true."