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My name is Samantha Goode and I've been best friends with Daniel "Diggy" Simmons since birth - literally. We grew up doing almost everything together thanks to my mom - Martha Goode, or as I like to call her the MG (she hates when I call her that) - and his mom - Mrs. Justine - being best friends since they were toddlers, too. It'd be really cool if me and Diggy could have a similar type of friendship like that too, growing old together and having fun. We both share a passion for playing basketball; in fact, we each play on the girls' and boys' Varsity basketball teams at school. From a young age, together we've experienced the ups and downs of life from birthday parties, church events, sporting events, doctor visits, family trips, grade school graduations, and even my parents' divorce -- so it'd be great if we were also by each others' side playing ball at UCLA after graduation. 

Along with Diggy, I also have two other close friends named Becca and Khalil. All of us are seniors at Wesley High School in New York City. It's a pretty decent school. As long as nobody gets in my face with drama, it's great. Next week is the last week of school until winter break - WHOOPIE! I can't wait to spend my month-long vacation sleeping and eating my boring life away at home. But enough about next week because today is something special.

Today, my children, is a new day.

Today is the best day of our lives.

Today is Friday! And you know what that means? 

...BEST FRIENDS DAY!!!

...You haven't heard of it? Well, Best Friends Day is always on a Friday, and it's when me and my amigos kick it at each other's houses and play video games, watch movies, and eat our heads off! Mhm! Today, I will be snacking on some pepperoni pizza, barbecue potato chips, spicy hot wings, grilled hot dogs, cookies, candy, and... celery sticks?!?!

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"Mom, what is this?!" I yell in disbelief to the MG.

"Celery," my mom says, oblivious to what she just did.

"Are you crazy?! Who eats celery sticks and other unidentifiable vegetables at a party? Are you trying to kill us?!" I ask her, in a serious tone. She obviously doesn't understand the meaning of the term 'party'.

"You already eat enough junk food, Samantha. I'm trying to be the good mom and provide my daughter - and her friends - some healthy choices," the MG says.

"Sam," my best female friend Becca says. She's Puerto Rican and oh so fashionable. "It's really not that bad. Just try it, it's good!" She enthuses while munching on a celery stick. Why does she always join the enemy's side? SMH.

"No! I will not try it! Now where is the soda? Mom, we have to have soda, G," I whine.

My mom gave me the 'stop playing' look. Aw man, she's about to shut me down.

"Samantha, stop whining. And I am not your G. Now you oughta be grateful I let you bring your friends over some time. All I'm doing is trying to help, but I'll get out of you all's way... have fun." 

And with that, she walks up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Dang, Sam. You're too dramatic," Khalil says with a laugh, fixing his cap on his short-shaved head. He's also a Varsity basketball player at school.

"If you thought that was bad, you should see what she does when she can't find her lucky socks," my main dog Diggy says. He has a handful of chips in his hand, stuffing them in his mouth.

I roll my eyes and walk over to the kitchen table, where all the snacks are laid out.

"Whatever. Y'all can get your snacks. Let's watch the game already!" I say. I grab two slices of pizza on a plate and a handful of chocolate sandwich cookies and walk into our small living room. Even with only four people, the small space feels crowded. It's only me and my mama living in the house, so it's not too bad for us. But when company comes over, it gets packed like crazy. 

I sit on the floor in front of the couch and turn on the TV to college basketball. I love watching sports - especially basketball! Being the captain of the girls' basketball team at school is no coincidence. As I make myself comfy on the floor, Diggy, Becca, and Khalil all walk in together carrying their plates of junk food. Khalil and Becca sit on the couch while Diggy plops down beside me on the floor.

"Oh yeah! Basketball!" Diggy cheers.

"Maybe #42 on the blue team will actually make a shot this time, ha," Khalil said.

"For sure! He's too busy trying not to scuff his Jordan's man," Diggy says while stuffing almost half his slice of pizza in his mouth.

"Man, he got some sharp shoes though, bro. I might have to cop me some of them."

"Do we have to watch basketball every time we're at your house, Sam?" Becca whines. She isn't the sporty type. The closest sport she's tried is cheerleading, but my girl's actually not too bad seeing that she's been on the school's cheer squad for four years.

"YES!" We all yell. She must've forgotten that her friends are all a part of the basketball team at school. We live, breathe, and eat basketball. I feel sorry for her sometimes, but she knows she still loves us.

"Can we watch an actual movie?" She requests.

"Okay, Becca. What movie are you thinking about?" I ask.

"Hmm... what about 'Lottery Ticket' or that new movie with Zac Efron?"

"Dig, put in Lottery Ticket for this woman," I say, calling my best friend by his nickname.

"Why can't you do it? It's your house," he tells me.

"Yeah, and since it's my house, I have the authority to tell you to put the dang movie in!" I yell back.

"You ain't my mama!" He stuffs a chocolate sandwich cookie in his mouth. I shove him really hard on his shoulder and he falls over onto his side. "Dang, all you had to say was please!"

"Thank you," I say, while giving him a smile.

***

*2 hours later*

"I love that movie," Becca says.

"It's alright," I say.

"I would get with Bow Wow any day!" Becca says with a daydreamy look in her eyes. I roll my eyes at her and laugh.

"Bow Wow wouldn't wanna get with you," Khalil jokingly says.

"Shut up. He's my perfect type of man."

"And what's that? Short and stupid?" Khalil thought that was the funniest joke ever. His pearly whites made an appearance, contrasting with his caramel-colored skin.

"No sweetie, I think you're describing yourself..." replied Becca. I can't with their lame comebacks.

"...I'm not short though, so ha!" Khalil chugs a can of orange soda then burps.

"Why are you so rude and disgusting?" She asks with a stank face.

"Why are you so annoying?" He replies right back with a roll of his neck.

Diggy decides to interrupt their little argument. "Alright, alright. Come on. We got a few hours left. Who wants to get smashed in Call of Duty?" He grabs the two game controllers from the cabinet and offers one to us. I grab one from him and get ready to beat some zombie butt!

***

"Oh my gosh, Sam! Can you believe next week is homecoming week?!" Becca practically shouts from behind me. She's still lounging on the couch.

"Oh, forreal? Hmm... I would've never guessed since this is the FIFTH time you've told me this week, Becca," I tell her, killing my 123rd zombie in the process. "Yes!! Eat that, stupid zombies!"

"I'm just being a good friend and reminding you why you came onto this earth. Homecoming, like any other dance or social function held at school, is the reason why us girls were born. It's a chance for us to dress up in the finest dresses ever made and flirt with all the cutest guys!"

Becca has always been the girly type. She loves any and every chance to dress up in her finest threads and get up in someone's face. I, on the other hand, hate dressing up. When I was younger, my mom had to force me to wear Sunday dresses to church instead of jeans and a sweatshirt. I guess I was like that because I always used to play with my older cousins, who were mostly boys. I remember playing football in the mud with them once after a rainstorm. That was the BEST time to play because the mud made it extra slippery and extra fun to roll around and tackle people! Although our moms got mad at us for getting our clothes dirty.

"Becca, what makes you think I could give a dang about dressing up and impressing people?" I reply.

"Yeah. She's never impressed anyone before, so why should she start now?" Diggy chimes in. I give him an evil glare and focus my attention back on our game.

"Well, you should!" Becca says," I mean, just this once, amiga... I'll help pick out your dress and everything. I can do your hair, and give you a manicure, and--"

"Sorry. Me and Diggy have never gone to any school dance and we promised to keep it that way. Right, son?" I said.

"For sure! Dances just aren't for me either. I don't have time to stand around and have girls drool over me all night. It gets annoying," Diggy says with a cocky smirk.

"I hear you, bruh. We're just too sexy for the ladies. They can't handle this," Khalil says, popping his collar like the pimp he thinks he is.

I finished killing all the zombies and threw my hands up in victory. "I AM THE CHAMP, ONCE AGAIN!" I throw down my game controller and start randomly dancing. The guys look at me like I'm crazy and Becca rolls her eyes at me.

"Khalil, you've been to a school dance before - why don't you persuade Diggy to go and maybe it'll persuade Samantha to go?" Becca flashes a smile.

"I mean, I went to prom last year with this one chick that dug me and it was fun. It may seem really boring, but it ain't too bad, Dig. As long as you got a date," Khalil says with a chuckle.

"See? It's not too bad," Becca says. "Y'all don't have to go alone, you can go with each other!"

"Nooo." Me and Diggy say at the same time.

"Why don't you and Khalil go together?" Diggy suggests, wiggling his eyebrows up and down at Khalil.

"You're real funny, Dig," Khalil replies.

"I feel offended that you'd even suggest a thing like that! Ugh, I can do better than Khalil, thank you very much," my girl Becca said.

"Pshh. You ain't any better..." Khalil murmured. "Plus, I got a pocketful of honeys that will run to my side if I asked them to. That's what you call a perk of being on the basketball team, sweetie." He flashes a smile at Becca and pretends to shoot a basket. He is too full of himself.

I roll my eyes and yawn. "Alright, 'playa', I think it's time for y'all to go. Sorry."

"Saaamm!!!" They whine.

"I love y'all too, but I got practice early in the morning and it's already late. I'll catch y'all Monday at school," I say while kicking my friends out my house. I didn't mean to be rude, but a sistah has got to get her beauty sleep. Plus, everyone relies on the team captain. If I ain't in good shape, the whole team ain't in good shape.