SAM's POV

After Diggy left me to go to the dance, I had gone down the stairs and out the door and back into my car. I can't believe he would really leave me for a chick he just met when he KNEW that we had made plans already. Every Friday is Bestie Day! I'm so mad right now I can't even think straight! 

Once I get in my car, I began mumbling horrid comments under my breath about Diggy and Julie; the cars that passed by probably thought I was crazy since I was talking to no one. After a few beatings on my steering wheel and a huge sigh, I finally gathered myself together and took out my phone from my pants pocket. I texted my mom that me and Diggy were going to go riding around the city and that I'll be home at around 8:00 tonight. Not waiting for her reply, I went to my contacts and scrolled down the list of names until I saw 'Chris Travis'. I touched his name then sent him a text that said:

ME: Is it too late to accept your offer about BBQ?

He replied back within a few seconds: 

CHRIS: Nope, why?

ME: I got nothing to do tonight... so might as well eat.

CHRIS: If that's an excuse to hang with me then I'll accept :)

ME: Don't feel yourself too much. I had other plans but now I don't so R we eating or not? Pick me up in front of the Mini Mart on North WestBranch St.

CHRIS: Okay pretty lady. See ya then shawty

Cool, it was all set. Hopefully Mrs. Justine will think that I left with Diggy and my mom should trust me even though I lied to her in my text. Technically, it was only half a lie -- I'm still going out, just not with Diggy. I stuffed my phone, car keys, and wallet into my baggy sweatpants and got out of my car. I better start walking toward North WestBranch Street to meet up with Chris.

***

I see a black mustang pull up to the curb in front of Mini Mart. The driver honks at me and rolls down the window.

"Hey, Sam! Get in," he says.

I open the passenger door and slide in the vehicle. I close the door and look over at Chris who is sitting with a smirk on his face.

"What?" I say

"Nothing. Let's get this party started," he says as he speeds away from the curb.

Minutes later, we're in downtown Manhattan trying to find a parking spot in this small lot behind an unfamiliar building. It's getting a bit dark outside and it's barely 6 o'clock. As we step out of the car, the bitter cold hits my face making me shiver. Chris notices and puts his arm around me.

"Come on, let's hurry inside," he says.

We run around the building to the front and he opens the door for me. Inside the restaurant, I notice the crowds of people sitting at tables -- most of them look like high schoolers wearing their homecoming dance attire -- and notice the sign by the door.

"'Welcome to Big Daddy's BBQ. Make yourself at home.'" I recite out loud.

"Yup. It's tight, right?"

"Uh, looks like a normal restaurant to me..." I say, looking around.

"Wait until you taste the food. Follow me. I'm gonna get us some seats."

As Chris leads me through the crowded place, a few people that were standing in the long line shot evil glares at us because we weren't waiting in the back of the line. I love food and all, but is it really that serious? One of the waiters nodded a 'wassup' to Chris as we passed by. We finally made it to an office near the back of the restaurant that said 'Big Daddy' on the door. Chris knocks twice and opens the door leading us both inside. Sitting at a computer desk was a large man writing something on a piece of paper.

"Uncle Sean!" Chris greets the man.

"Nephew! Good to see ya!" The man stands up, reaching at least 6'2" and hugs his nephew, then eyeballs me. "I see you brought the pretty lady."

"Yeah. Uncle Sean, this is Sam. She plays basketball, too."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sean Travis, but you can call me Big Daddy!" He shakes my hand.

"I'd rather not," I reply without emotion. I didn't come here to meet people; I'm ready to eat.

"Hahaha! She's a funny one, Nephew!"

"Yeah, so, uh, you think you can get us a table?" Chris asks.

"Of course! I'll have Joshua wait on you all and-- oh..." He whispers something in Chris's ear and hands him some keys. Okay? That's suspicious.

"Alright, good lookin' out Unc! Peace!" Leading us out of the office, we follow the waiter named Joshua to a booth right by the window near the back. He hands us our menus and leaves.

"So, order whatever you want -- it's on me."

"You don't gotta tell me twice," I say. Chris smiles at me and I shoot a half grin back at him. I hope he knows this isn't a date and that I'm only here for the food.

"So, how was your day?" he asks me.

"Cool."

"That's all? No detentions or anything?"

"No." I say with attitude.

"Whatever you say..." he laughs.

***

~After the food arrived~

"Dang, you got a big appetite for a girl!" Chris says, watching me chow down in disbelief.

"For a girl? Tuh, a sistah's gotta eat too... but don't act like you ain't hungry over there eating on some-- what is that? Lettuce? HA!"

"It's a garden salad with all the vegetables of the gods. It's healthy. What you know 'bout this?"

"I know that you're starving. Shoot, don't you know you supposed to eat BBQ at a BBQ joint?! You over here eating salad and all that craziness," I say laughing at him.

"Man, I ate some ribs earlier... I got a game tomorrow, so I need my vegetables and milk," Chris explains as he gulps down his glass of milk. Moving his drink away from his mouth, he was left with a milk mustache.

"Um, you got a mustache..."

"Huh? What?" He continues to eat without caring.

"Wipe your mouth," I try not to giggle.

"Why don't you wipe it for me?" He wiggles his eyebrows up and down and I put my hand to my face and shake my head, still holding my giggles.

"You're too much." I throw a napkin at him and he wipes away his milk mustache and starts laughing. "There."

Chris finished his salad and looks at my plate. "Them beans look good."

"They are..." I say, not looking at him.

"You should let me taste some."

"Nah..."

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Come on. I'll use a new fork and just taste a little bit -- please, Sam?" He was acting like a little kid whining and everything. It was too cute. I mean... not cute. I mean...

"Sam, I'll share my dessert with you! Please, girl, please! I'll do anything!" People were staring at us and I covered my face.

"You're embarrassing me, Chris. Stop being thirsty," I couldn't help but smile though.

"I don't care. I won't stop until you gimme some beans!"

"Lawd! Okay, here!" I push my plate towards him and he scoops up some beans with his fork and eats them.

"Mmm! These are amazing! I could eat a whole plate of these!"

"Mhmm. Well, don't eat 'em around me, because I'm not tryna be here for the end result," I tell him, fanning my nose like something stinks. We both laugh and take a sip of our drinks. 

Looking a few tables down behind Chris, I notice that Diggy and Julie are sharing a bowl of ice cream. She's spoon feeding him. Wait. WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE?!

I notice that Julie is wearing a red strapless dress with a white sweater over her shoulders... leaning all up on Diggy, with his overly expensive tux... smiling too hard... putting his arm around Julie. Ugh! I hate his guts! Ditching me for some easy wannabe cheerleader who he thinks he knows and... heck no. HE'S KISSING HER?!

"Are you okay?" Chris could read the disgust on my face and quickly but nonchalantly turned his head around to check out the action going on a few booths behind him. "Is that Julie? And Digs?! Dang, he is sooo in there!"

I scoff and roll my eyes at his last comment and immediately get up from my seat. "Come on. We need to leave, now!" I grab him by his sweatshirt and pull him out of the booth.

"Okay, okay! Follow me."

***

He leads me towards the back of the restaurant and up some stairs which lead to a hallway with two doors. He takes a key out of his pocket and unlocks the door. I have no idea what this is, but I follow him into the room anyway.

Turns out that it was like a mini apartment upstairs. There was the living room which connected to the kitchen which connected to the small dining room. Around the corner was a bedroom, bathroom, then another closed door.

"My uncle lives on top of his restaurant," Chris reveals, "And this is his secret room." 

He opens the closed door in the bedroom and we walk in. The room was filled with a whole bunch of boxes of old music records and an antique, dusty record player sat on one of the tables in the junky room. Chris pulled out a folding chair for me and I sat down not knowing what to think.

"What do you think?"

"Does your uncle live alone?"

"Yeah."

"I can see why." I scrunch up my nose. Who has a room full of old records?

"Hey, he's really proud of his collection. Plus, he used to be in this doo-wop singing quartet when he was my age, so he really likes music."

"Mhmm..." I look around the dark apartment.

"Here, listen to this..." Chris takes out a record from a box, taking it out of its covering and placing it on the record player stand. A soothing melody starts to play and a man's deep voice starts to sing.

"Do you take all of the girls you go on a date with to your uncle's secret room?"

"Naw, just you," he replies while grinning at me.

"Well, don't I feel special," I said sarcastically.

Chris laughs. "I thought you said this wasn't a date anyway?"

"It's not..."

"Baby girl, you must not have been on a date before. Ha. Anyway, I'm glad I could show you how much fun it can be."

"Boy, please. I can have fun all by myself. I don't need you or any dude."

"Not even Diggy?"

"Psh, who's that? I knew someone with that name that used to be my best friend, but he left me for a stripper," I said bluntly.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Chris busted out laughing and shook his head. 

"You're a mess, Sam. Y'all been tight since freshman year -- y'all did almost everything together. Now a new girl comes in and you're gonna let her ruin your friendship? Tsk, if I were you, I would support my homie and his new girl and be done with it."

I stare at Chris, who puts on some headphones and connects them to the old record player. He thinks it's so simple, but it's not.

"You're only saying that because you have a thing for Julie."

He didn't hear me. His head was bobbin' to whatever music he was listening to. I stood up from my seat, walked over to him and took off his headphones.

"Yes?" he says.

"You have a thing for Julie don't you? You were with her this morning in that corner, weren't you?" 

Chris doesn't say anything.

"I bet you're trying to use me to get to her through Dig. But I don't know why you wouldn't just tell Diggy that you liked her first before he had the chance to even get with her."

"...maybe because I know he wouldn't have a chance with her. She's way out of his league." Chris smirks and shakes his head before continuing. "Julie needs a real man who isn't afraid to jump in front of a bullet for her, or catch a grenade for her."

"Okay, Bruno Mars... if that's how you feel, then why don't you tell her that?"

"She knows already. We're just... trying to figure out how to get Diggy out of the picture." He finally makes eye contact with me. "That's why I need your help..."

"Hold up. I'm not trying to get caught up in any of your drama. Diggy may be stupid and annoying, but I'm still on his side."

"Really? After all he's done to you? After 18 years of friendship, he ditches you for someone he doesn't even know and you're okay with that? Don't tell me you didn't feel just a little bit mad when you saw him all up on Julie -- shoot, I know I did! He don't even deserve her..."

Chris clenches his fists and an angry look is plastered on his face. He looks to the floor and I realize he's serious. 

"Wow... you're really pressed, huh? I don't know what y'all see in this girl, but she is really having an impact on you."

"When I see something I want, I gotta go after it. That's fact. And I will run through who I have to just to get it, so you're either with me or against me," Chris says, that same serious look never leaving his eyes. It's kinda crazy.

It's even crazier that he's telling me all this. Like, I don't care who he likes; I don't care what he does; I don't care about Julie. The only one I'm looking out for is Diggy. I don't want him to get hurt because he wanna wear his heart on his sleeves. I have no idea what kinda idea Chris has about getting with Julie, but if it removes her from being around Diggy, it can't be that bad of an idea. Long as no one on my side gets hurt.

"Listen, I'm not against you having a thing for Julie. But what are you thinking of doing? And why do you need my help?" I ask while crossing my arms.

Chris looks up at me and says, "Pretend to be my girlfriend for a week."

My eyes buck out of my head.

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yeah. See, if Diggy sees we're together and that you're spending more time with me, then maybe he'll start acting jealous. Then, he'll take away some of his attention off of Julie, leaving me a chance to take her from him."

"Hold up. So... you're playing the jealousy game? You wanna use me as bait to get Diggy away from Julie so you can have her?"

"Yeah. Julie can make up something -- like act completely controlling over him, and start doing all this crazy girlfriend stuff -- then Dig might want to leave her. Then, Dig should realize what a fantastic, trustworthy, beautiful girl he's throwing away by ditching you," Chris smiles at me and and moves a stray hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. I smile at him and start to blush.

"Um. Okay. I guess that could work..."

"So you agree to helping me?" Chris asks with a seductive smile.

"Um, yeah, it's a deal. When do we start?"

"We can start now if you want," he smirks. "Oh, and we might have to get you some new clothes if you're gonna be hanging with me starting next week."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" I ask while looking down at my sweatpants.

"It's a bit too man-ish for my taste. Although you still look good, I'm thinking more leggings and a halter top maybe. A short skirt."

"There's no way I'm going to school looking like a hooker! I can borrow some clothes from my girl Becca maybe?"

"Eh, we'll see... baby," he winks at me.

"Don't call me that."

"Don't act like you don't like it," he says while coming closer to me and biting his lip. Since he was about four inches taller than me, I had to look up at him. His curly hair, fine eyebrows, chiseled cheekbones, and soft lips were directly in my face. I hadn't realized how good-looking he was until now. I always thought his arrogance made him unattractive regardless of his outward features. But right now... a sistah might risk it all...

Before I could make sure my hormones were in control, Chris leaned down and kissed my lips. I would've returned the gesture, but I was in shock. He pulled away and smirked at me. 

"Don't get too used to that," he says.

"Sh-Shut up," I manage to get out. 

Woo! This next week may not be too bad if you know what I'm saying. I turn to leave the room, still in a daze from that sudden kiss, and head out of the upstairs apartment. Chris follows me out of his uncle's apartment and we go back down the stairs, through the restaurant, and outside to his car.

***

He dropped me off an hour ago at Diggy's house so I could retrieve my car and drive home. I've been in my room for 45 minutes now. My mom isn't at home yet; she's most likely out with her friends tonight. I text her and tell her I'm at home. I also text Chris and tell him thanks for everything. 

Tomorrow is the basketball tournament, but also the first day of the plan. Operation get my best friend back. I hope this works. I know we argue from time to time, but he can't diss me forever. I refuse to lose my best friend.