And Brooke knew that there was only so long Lily would stand by and wait for her to make up her mind. Lily was not by nature passive, she saw something she felt needed to be done and she did it. There was no reason to think that this whole `Sam’ thing would be any different. Lily loved Sam and Brooke was beginning to think she did too but wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to handle the ramifications if that was true. She was telling the truth when she told Lily she was scared. She pulled her mind back to the here and now and saw Sam smiling at her. Sam waved.

"Hi! Have a nice mental vacation?" Sam asked cheekily. Brooke blushed.

"Zoned out, did I?" Sam nodded.

"Oh yeah, big time. Totally different planet for a few seconds there."

"Sorry," Brooke sighed. Sam shrugged.

"Eh. Are you going to answer my question? What did you two rumble about anyway? And don’t lie and say nothing because I’m not stupid." Panic flashed through Brooke. (Oh crap, how do I get out of this one?)

"Uh, we argued about Mary Cherry and her affinity for fur," Brooke lied lamely. Sam glared at her.

"I just said I wasn’t stupid. Fine, suit yourself if you don’t want to tell me, I won’t push. It’s obviously an issue between the two of you, but for the love of God, iron whatever it is out before the rest of us get caught in the cross fire," Sam asked as she left the bathroom. She was slightly insulted that Brooke had looked her in the face and blatantly lied to her.

She shut the door to her bedroom and leaned against it heavily. (There is so much more going on here than I’m aware of, I just know it) Sam thought. (It all comes back down to what went on in that bathroom) She knew this but neither girl was talking. You couldn’t even mention Brooke’s name around Lily without the shorter girl going postal and flipping her lid. (When did my life get so complicated?) Sam wondered. She smiled humorlessly. (Oh, yeah, when I fell madly and completely in love with my stepsister-to-be) she turned around and rested her forehead on the door. (Somebody shoot me and put me out of my misery) she begged the cosmic masses. They weren’t listening.