Chapter 7: Robbie's POV

Percy Jamrog comes over unannounced. I don't kick him out. He's been over for two hours, and I don't tell him a damn thing.

"Robbie, what the hell happened. You haven't said shit to me since yesterday. I know you kissed Sam. It's not something to beat yourself up over. She's hot, and you like her. It happens."

I take a sip of my cold beer, and Percy takes it out of my hand. This time I let him. I put my hands on my eyes and rub the sleeplessness away.

"Sam came back after you left."

Percy sits down next to me. He knows that what I'm about to tell him will be hard.

"What the hell happened? Did you kiss again?"

"Yeah, only this time I was lying on top of her, and I told her I love her. It just slipped out. But I've decided to let her go. She deserves better. And maybe I didn't mean what I said to her."

"Shit, man, that's intense. Well, you finally told Sam, and you're letting her go. I don't know if I could do that." Percy chuckles as he takes a bite out of his granola bar. The morning sun dances across the window, changing the shapes of the shadows in the room.

"It could have been the alcohol talking. You know-how I talk when I'm drunk. But I can't go to the wedding and watch Sam marry that bastard."

My fist tightens at my side. I don't want to be jealous. Sam's my best friend, but that kiss yesterday exposed too much of me. If I could go back to yesterday, I wouldn't have let her in my house in the first place. That was my first mistake. Every time I see Sam, I find myself staring at her lips.

"I think you should go to the wedding. Maybe you can get to know that Mr. Darcy asshat. If you really are planning on ditching Sam for the rest of your life, at least get to know her lover before she moves. Maybe it will give you peace of mind to know what kind of man she is marrying."

"You don't get it, Percy. Sam came over here last night and wanted to get me out of her system. I let it happen too, but then she didn't say anything back to me. I feel toyed with. I want to strangle myself for telling her in the first place."

Having a voice box is a curse. It's not my fault that my mouth has no filters when it comes to Sam. If I tell Sam, I was a little drunk last night. Maybe I could blame it on that. She'd understand that when alcohol hits my lips, I'll say anything. But the truth is, I think I meant it. Maybe I didn't. Perhaps it is just a damn crush.

"What are you going to do then? Skip the wedding, or are you going to get to know Mr. Darcy?"

If I blame my feelings on Prom night three years ago, my jealousy, and getting drunk, maybe I can move on from Sam.

"I think I'll meet Mr. Darcy and give him a chance. It's the least I can do for Sam. But after this wedding, I think I'm going to have to let Sam go, possibly forever."

"It might be for the best. Get through the wedding, man, don't be alone with Sam and blame your making out on the alcohol. Damn, that sucks. I'm sorry, Robbie. Are you sure you don't want to go after Sam?"

Percy stands up and finishes my beer. That prick only came over to drink. He might be my best friend, but he sure drinks my beer a lot.

"There's no point in going after her. There never was. I'll blame it on the alcohol like you said, and that will be the end of that. She'll move to England, and we'll message on I*******m. But the Sam I know will be better of without me. Maybe I could date Missy or Hazel. They aren't Sam, but they're available. I'm going to need a date for the wedding. I can take Missy. She's a better kisser than Hazel."

"How could you know that? Have you fucked all of them? Damn player."

"No, idiot. I've made out with all three. I almost hooked up with Missy in college, but she ended up going home after we made out. We had way too many beers that night too. She got sleepy, and her roommate picked her up."

Percy squeezes the beer can and shoots it in the air. Then, he makes the perfect basket into the trash can. It figures he used to be the best player on our basketball team back in the day.

"Call Missy and ask her out then. It might shock Sam. But it might help you move on to have a date to this thing."

Percy picks up my phone and selects Missy's number. Missy's a beautiful girl too, but she isn't my Sam. But the only way to move on is to find someone else to move on with. Missy doesn't pick up right away; she never did. Getting a hold of Missy is like contacting a Mount Everest Mountain Climber in a blizzard, impossible.

"Hello, Missy. It's Robbie. Did you want to be my date to Sam's wedding?"

"Hey. Yeah, sure, that'd be great. I'd like that. Want to come over later? We can hook up if you want?"

Percy puts his hand over his mouth. Missy doesn't know she's on speakerphone. If she did, she wouldn't have asked me to hook up in front of Percy.

"Yeah, sure, we can hang out later. What time can I come over, is seven okay?" I ask.

"Oh, Robbie, just come over when it makes sense. You don't always have to plan sex. We can put on N*****x and chillax if you know what I mean?"

Missy has had a thing for me for the longest time. When Sam moves to England, I'm going to ask Missy out. She might be a rebound for a few months, but I think I could grow to love Missy. If I slept with Missy, I bet it would cure me of all feelings for Sam.

"Sounds like a plan to me. See you tonight." I hang up the phone and head to the fridge. I open another beer and take a sip. Percy follows behind me and takes a beer out for himself.

"Damn, Robbie, all the hot ones want you. The only woman who wants to hug me is my mom. Are you seriously going to sleep with Missy tonight? You can't do that to Sam."

"Whatever. I can do whomever I want. Sam didn't tell me she loves me back. I'm going to blame my feelings on alcohol, and hook up with Missy. She'd be a great girlfriend. I could grow to love her. She's very likable you know. She's not a rebound anyway, it's not like Sam and I actually dated. It was a weird day yesterday, and I'm going to hook up with Missy. Or at least we'll make out and mess around a little. I need this, screw Sam. Mr. Darcy can have her for all I care."

But the truth is I do care. I care too much. I've been shot down by my best friend, and nothing hurts more than that. If I hook up with Missy, I can have a date to the wedding and forget that I ever fell in love with Samantha Laplow.

Percy pats me on the shoulder. It's his way of empathizing with me without using words. I hate words, it's too touchy-feely. I could barely tell Sam I am in love with her, but those words don't matter anymore. The person I thought I would grow old with isn't Sam, it's Missy there are worse things. Percy finishes his second beer and heads out of the house. I go upstairs and take a nap. Naps are the only way I can sleep anymore, without them I am a zombie to my thoughts.