This is the first chapter on what will hopefully be a very good series. This just randomly popped into my head one day and I decided to roll with it to see where it went. I liked it so much I decided to share it on the site. Please feel free to review, because I like feedback. Next chapter should pick up slightly, so enjoy and Review!!

How To Find The Perfect Guy

Chapter One

Sam handed the girl her change, “Here you are, and have a nice day.” The girl smiled, ice cream already all over her face, before joining her mother outside. “Hey Paige we’re getting low on cherries.”

“On it,” her long time best friend came out of the backroom, “One tub of cherries. Check.”

It was a hot summer day, which made it more perfect that they were spending they’re days working at Ned’s Ice Cream Parlor, where every shift they got free ice cream. Business was booming with the usual crowd, happy little kids, uptight office woman who swore they would start their diets tomorrow, fat men who could barely walk to the front door, and the teens who were on a casual date which usually ended in a tongue war in the corner booth away from the windows.

Paige glanced at the clock, “Another hour and we get our free cones, and it’s hello superman ice cream.”

“I can’t stand that stuff, I don’t see how you can either,” Sam laughed as she rearranged the cup sizes and trying to ignore the couple in the back of the room fiercely engaged with each other.

Although Paige and Sam were best friends, they were as opposite as could be. Sam had short light brown hair with hazel eyes, while Paige had long dark hair with brown eyes. Paige loved darker clothes, Sam preferred lighter clothes, Paige loved to read, and Sam hated to read, unless it was magazines. Sam had talents designing and sewing her own outfits, while Paige had talents speaking and writing French fluently.

“Hey Paige, want to go with me to the fabric shop,” Sam scooped out yet another customer’s ice cream, “I have a new order for a dress for this girl going to some cousin’s wedding. It should be fun.”

“Can’t. Brad and I are going to this poetry reading, then the movies,” Paige giggled.

Sam rolled her eyes, ever since Paige started dating Brad it had been Brad this, Brad that, or Brad and I. The time they usually spent hanging out together dwindled down to the hours they spent at work. Honestly Sam couldn’t understand what Paige saw in him. Despite his killer smile, blonde hair, and green eyes he offered little if anything intelligent. “Fine, how about tomorrow then?”

“Can’t. Football game.”

“You hate football.” Sam said surprised, they had always prided themselves in skipping the football game that their school had always went on about.

“Well, yeah. But Brad’s coming to the poetry slam and, well, I just couldn’t say no.” Paige sighed dreamily.

“This weekend, you can’t possibly have plans this weekend, I mean you never have plans two days in advance” Sam said exasperated.

Paige blushed, “Well, I’m going to his cousins open house and then his mom’s birthday party.”

“Come on Paige, we haven’t hung out in forever. Girl time, remember? We used to do it all the time before boys became important. Can’t you spend one day away from him and hang out with me for old time sake?”

A customer entered and stood at the counter, waiting patiently. They both ignored her, there conversation too important.

“Oh, but Sam, it’s his mother’s birthday, her birthday. It’s so sweet he wants to invite me to that. I mean it just shows he’s into a long-term relationship. Not like all those other guys who were jerks. He means something, and he’s so special. I mean he admitted to me he’s a mama’s boy. How cute is that?”

Sam slammed the counter interrupting Paige’s long-winded snore fest, “I don’t care. I want to hang out with my best friend. I guess it’s too much to ask though because you have to go scuttle off with your lover boy and make sweet noise with him.”

“Excuse me?” Shrieked Paige.

“Excuse me, can I order now?” A tall brown haired woman in a suit asked grouchily.

“Miss, you’re not going to start your diet tomorrow, or even the next day because you keep coming hear cause of your god damn ice cream craving.” Sam snapped angrily.

The woman glared at her before sauntering off muttering something about her diet and proving Miss Fruity-Tootie wrong.

“I thought you’d be happy for me Sam, that I’ve finally found a decent guy after all the other’s had hurt me. I guess that was too optimistic.” Paige whipped off her apron and grabbed her purse, “I’m taking the rest of the day off.”

Sam scowled and banged around the shop the rest of the day. She ended up driving a little girl to tears when she kept coming up with the wrong change and told her she couldn’t have ice cream.

After all what did Paige know? She’d been dating Brad for three months and already declared she was in love. When they had first started going out Sam had been thrilled, it knocked out all of Paige’s past failed relationships of Trevor, Howard, Nathan, Paul, and Eric. And Brad had been a really decent guy, showering her with love and attention, and apparently was an amazing listener. In fact, at first Sam was even jealous that Paige had gotten to this amazing guy first. Things may have been different if Sam had been serving ice cream that day instead of Paige. She would have been the one flirting with Brad and ended up with a date to the restaurant after her shift.

After a few months however the lovey-dove stage hadn’t worn off and they still wouldn’t spend a moment apart. Sure Brad was nice to her, it’s not like he abused her, but Sam suspected his constant work hours had more to do with bootie calls than burgers and fries.

It seemed like forever till closing time, and Sam found sweeping was a wonderful chore to do when one was mad. The madder you were, the harder your strokes were, and the cleaner the floor got. Satisfied she threw off her apron and went to the fabric store. That was the one place that could always lift her spirits.

In a few minutes she had the four yards of chiffon fabric she would need for the dress. Picking up some red satin fabric for her prom dress, she felt better. She even considered apologizing. After all, if things were really going well why should she interfere? Eventually Paige would come around.

Sam glanced at the clock for the third time in ten minutes. It was 2:30p.m. Why the hell was Paige so late? She was never late before; she had prided herself on always arriving on time for work. It had to be what Sam had said. Still, she couldn’t believe she had made Paige angry enough to skip work. Nah, she was probably playing tonsil hockey with Brad in his car and lost track of time. She’d probably show up late, still mad at Sam with a bright red face and two new hickeys. Satisfied, Sam forgot about Paige and the clock, instead throwing herself into work.

It was near 4:00 when she heard the back door open. “Hey Paige, nice of you to finally drop in.” She glanced over at Paige who was turned away from her. “Look Paige I’m sorry about what I said, it was really nasty.”

“It’s ok,” Paige replied in a strange voice.

“No, really, I was in the wrong.”

“I said it was ok,” Paige’s voice got tighter.

Sam drew back, surprised. She’d expected anger, sadness, maybe even remorsefulness, but this was a complete shock. “I’m not stupid Paige, we’ve been friends for ages. What the hell is wrong?”

Paige turned towards Sam. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her shoulders shook as she tried to control her tears. “Brad broke up with me, today.” She wailed, new tears springing up.

Conscious of all the people at the booths pretending not to stare, Sam drug Paige into the backroom/office area. “Ok, so what happened exactly?”

“Well,” Paige wiped her nose, “We had a wonderful date last night, but then Brad got called into work early. He always seemed to work so hard.”

Sam held back a snort, “Then what?” she handed Paige tissues.

Blowing her nose Paige continued, “Then I went home and today I went to the movie theater because I realized I forgot my scarf. I saw Brad making out with the popcorn girl who was on her break. I felt like I was tore in half. So I talked to him, hoping he would say it was all a mistake.”

“My guess is he didn’t,” Sam commented dryly.

“He told me everything Sam, he’s been cheating on me since day one since I wouldn’t give him anything. He saw the popcorn girl last night and had her call him when she got off shift, and I always thought he was working,” she cried.

Sam winced at the service bell ringing. “I’m going to take care of these customers and I’ll be right back ok?” When she came back she found a calmer Paige. “So are you ok?”

“Yes, and I’ve made a big decision.”

“Um, ok, I’m all ears.”

“I’m swearing off guys forever.”

Sam cracked up at the ridiculous statement. Paige hadn’t been without a boyfriend for longer than a week since seventh grade. “Yah right, good one.”

“I’m serious.”

“No your not.”

“I am. I’m tired of being screwed over by guys. I’m not going to let them hurt me anymore,” Paige sounded determined.

Sam shook her head, “You can’t. I mean you can’t let some jerks throw you off all the nice guys.”

“What nice guys? I’ve discovered there’s no such thing. No such thing as the perfect guy. The one who’ll give you flowers just because, the one who makes you your favorite snacks, listens well, never pressures you into anything.”

“Sure there is, you just haven’t found him,” Sam reassured her.

“Don’t be such a hypocrite Sam. You haven’t had a boyfriend in three years ever since Billy dumped you for the head cheerleader.”

Sam frowned, “I’ve been busy with school, and work. Sooner or later I’ll get around to finding the perfect guy.”

Paige snorted, “Sure, sure, to bad there’s no such thing.”

“I bet you I’ll find him.”

“Bet you won’t.”

“Fine then, how’s this. I find the perfect guy, and you promise to get back into the dating world.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

The bet was on.