Across the street from where Chris and Sam stood, the pedestrian crossing signal turned white. Bundled up against the crisp early winter air, they crossed the street, leaving the dance studio behind and making for the house of pizza that they frequently visited after classes.

"Jarin isn't that bad," Chris said to her as they entered.

"I don't understand half of what he says!" retorted Sam. "And the rest is usually awkward or only makes sense if you get the parts I don't get."

"Well..." Chris paused. "I guess."

"I'm sure he's nice and all, he just creeps me out sometimes. Like someone who walks around laughing about stuff with their friends in some foreign language. You just always feel like they could be talking about you or something and you wouldn't even know it."

"What about Trevor?" Chris asked. Sam didn't often spend time with Chris' friends, so he really had no idea what she thought of them.

"I dunno, I've never really talked with him."

"You never talked with Jarin either."

"Yeah I did," she corrected. "We had a physics project together. He kinda did all the actual physics parts and had me just do the stupid poster. I had no idea what was going on, but we got a good grade on it so I'm not really complaining." She paused, shooting a look at the man ordering, who seemed to be having the worst of times deciding between sausage and hamburger. "But he still creeps me out."

Being 'creeped out' is not, Chris would admit, an experience he was overly familiar with. In fact, Chris had even considered the possibility that being 'creeped out' was really more of a catch-all for use when a person simply wasn't liked for no given reason. However, this was not a discussion Chris could win. It is decidedly very difficult to present a counter-point when no solid point was given in the first place.

"I like Sarnrei though," Sam continued. "We were in the same history class Sophomore year. He's kinda funny."

"Sarnrei's kinda like our connection to the real world," Chris said. "He's a smart guy, but he's--"

"Less awkward?"

Chris peered at Sam. "Ok, yeah, less awkward than the others."

"The thing I don't get is his name though. What kind of name is 'Sarnrei'?"

Chris shrugged. "We asked him about that once," he said. "He maintains that his parents invented it. Literally just pulled it out of nowhere and called it a name."

Sam snorted. "Yeah right."

"You haven't met his dad, have you?"

Sam shook her head.

"Meet his dad sometime. The dude is freaking weird. It makes a lot more sense than you'd think." Chris grinned and watched the indecisive man finish paying for his order and leave to find a table. "It's actually a bit surprising that Sarnrei's as normal as he is."

"You wanna share a medium veggie?" Sam asked, now placing their order.

"Half veggie half sausage?" Chris proposed. "I feel like eating something that could have fought back. It makes me feel victorious."

Sam chuckled, despite the perplexed look she gave him. "Alright," she agreed. "Half veggie, half sausage. For victory."

"Yes!" Chris proclaimed. "Victory! And soda."

"Mhmm," mumbled the cashier. "One medium half-sausage half-veggie, two sodas... and victory?"

"Precisely," nodded Chris. "Come, m'lady," he said, offering his arm to Sam. "Let us fetch the seat at which we shall feast!"

With the coming of December came colder weather and shorter days, so Sam and Chris were hardly surprised to find it dark and cold when they'd left the house of pizza. Together they crossed the street, and Chris walked her to her car. It wasn't that the town was unsafe, quite the contrary. The town had a reputation for being quite friendly, but it wouldn't have felt right to him leaving her on a street corner.

"Thanks for dinner," Sam said happily. "Really, I had a good time."

"Thanks for putting up with me," he replied with a grin. She laughed, and a moment of silence fell between them.

Alone in the parking lot behind the dance studio they stood. It was an eternity for Chris, who was building the courage to make a move.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, opening her car door.

"Alright, bye," Chris replied. He turned and, with every step toward his own car, hoped that she'd appear behind him and give him a second chance to do something.

All the way home, Chris silently yelled at himself for not even trying.