The Lock-In
A/N: This is a fic based off of my speculations for iOMG. I dedicate this to the Seddie forum. It's a little rushed, I apologize xD
"Are you sure it's mandatory?" Sam grumbled into her cell phone.
"YES! Especially for you. Ms. Briggs doesn't want you skipping out on any more mandatory school events, so she threatened before-school detention for a week."
"Before-school detention? Oh God. Uh… When does it start?"
"6. And it goes until 10. So you better hurry up."
"Ugh. MOM! GET YOUR LAZY BUTT OFF THE COUCH AND TAKE ME TO SCHOOL!"
Carly giggled and hung up the phone.
Freddie turned to Carly, an eyebrow raised. "And why did you tell Sam it's mandatory when it actually isn't?"
"'Cause Brad's going to be there! Sam's totally in love with the guy. She hasn't had a boyfriend since that weirdo in the 8th grade, and I feel bad for her… So I'm gonna get them together!"
Freddie felt a twinge of annoyance at the mention of Sam being in love with Brad. He then swiftly shook the feeling away. He was just a bit… possessive of Sam. He was her close friend, so hey, he had to look out for her.
That night, several hundred Ridgeway High students sat in the gym for the "Pre-Lock-In Assembly," which consisted of Mr. Howard saying that he and the other teachers would be patrolling the school at all times, and making out in the janitor's closet was strictly prohibited, punishable by 3 days of detention.
"Well, we'll just get them to kiss somewhere other than the janitor's closet," Carly mumbled to herself.
"That concludes the assembly. Please try and finish your schoolwork and bond with each other. Now get out of here, you stupid kids."
"Sam! Look! There's Brad!"
"Huh?" Sam turned her head, then saw Brad out of the corner of her eye. "Ah. Him."
"What do you mean, 'ah, him'? Don't you totally like him?"
"I said he was hot…"
"I knew you liked him!" Carly jumped up and down in excitement.
Sam rolled her eyes. "Where's Fredly?"
"Right here, muchachalata," Freddie sauntered into the classroom with an armful of books and his laptop.
Sam laughed. "What up with the random Spanish?"
"Shouldn't you be used to it by now?" He grinned.
"Anyway, guys," Carly said in a hushed tone, "Our mission right now is to get Sam and Brad in a room together. Alone."
"Brad's probably in room 104. That's where a bunch of our friends are hanging out. Wendy, Sean, Gibby, et cetera," Freddie mumbled mechanically while typing on his laptop.
"I'll go check!" Carly squealed, running out of the room.
Sam twiddled with her thumbs for a minute. She looked over at Freddie. "What'cha doing there?"
"Oh, just coding something for the new layout of the videos page on our website," he replied, his eyes not moving away from the computer.
"So what the heck are we supposed to do in a lock-in, anyway?"
"Well, you're supposed to do your homework, but seeing as you didn't bring any, that wouldn't be an option… The second objective is to bond with your classmates."
"Bond?"
"You know. Become closer."
"Well, that's easy. All I'd need to do is to get a couple pairs of handcuffs and handcuff you, me, and Carls together. Then we'd be 'closer'," Sam chuckled.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Handcuffs aren't a good thing. When I used them last, Gibby needed extra sessions of therapy after I handcuffed him to you. And then you announced in front of the entire internet that I'd never kissed."
"And then you were a sissy and didn't come to school for a week. And made me feel like a pile of chicken poop."
"Sorry. I was just sheltering myself from the rabid teenagers that like to pry into people's non-existant love lives and make fun of them."
"Well, the outcome of that fiasco was okay."
"What do you mean?" Freddie asked hesitantly.
"You know… Me apologizing, and all that… and, uh, my first kiss…"
"…Yeah."
An awkward silence hung in the air. Sam played with her hair, her face bright red. Freddie slumped more in his seat and paid acute attention to the computer screen in front of him.
"We never answered Carly's question, though," Sam said quietly. "And I've always wanted to know the answer. Just… uh, just 'cuz."
"What question? How long it was?"
"No, the… other one."
"Oh. That one."
"So, did you… like it?"
"It was… nice. It was a good kiss." Freddie said after much contemplation, throat-clearing, and chair-shuffling.
"Yeah, I liked it…"
More silence. More throat-clearings and twiddled hair.
"You know, I've never kissed anyone since then."
Freddie looked surprised. "Seriously?"
"Yeah… kinda sad, isn't it? First kiss. Probably last. Hah." Sam grumbled, kicking the desk in front of her.
"Don't say that."
"Well, from the rate I'm going, I'm never going to get another one."
"You never know! You could get one tonight, if Carly's plan goes well.
Carly burst in at that moment with a grin on her face. A confused, dirty-blond boy was trailing behind her. "Uh, what's going on again?" He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Sam, come here with me! I have something to show you and Brad!" Carly grinned enthusiastically.
Sam awkwardly stood up and went over to Carly. "What is it?"
"You'll see!"
"So why did Carly lock us in the dark?"
"She thinks I like you. Which I don't."
"Oh. I don't either. I have a girlfriend. Doesn't she know that?"
"Apparently not."
"Oh well. She meant well."
"I can't believe she'd think that! I'm in love with someone else."
"Really? Who?"
"Not telling. My fellow delinquents would have me burned at the stake if I ever told."
"Ah. Whoever it is, I wish you well," Brad smiled, extending his hand to shake Sam's. She grasped it firmly and shook.
"Thanks. And good luck getting Carly to think I don't like you," Sam laughed.
"Will do!"
And with that, Brad left the room, leaving Sam alone in the darkened room. She waited there for several minutes, not sure what to do. Go back to Carly and convince her Brad's not her type? Go back to Freddie and finish that awkward conversation?
"Hey."
Sam nearly jumped five feet in the air. She turned around. Freddie was standing in the doorway.
"How'd it go?"
"I didn't confess." Which was the truth.
Freddie sighed and slowly walked over to where Sam was.
"I know it's scary for you to put your feelings out there, because you never know if the person you like is gonna like you back. But you never know what might happen."
"I know what's going to happen. He's going to reject me, and it's going to suck."
Freddie put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Don't say that. Be optimistic. Who knows, he just might—"
Freddie was interrupted by Sam's lips pressed hard against Freddie's. He stood in shock, unresponsive. Slowly, he closed his eyes and leaned in, instinct and déjà vu taking over.
When Sam pulled away, Freddie took in a shaky breath.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"It's not Brad."
"Yeah."
"It's me."
