Who would have ever guessed? I sure hadn't seen it coming. But it had happened. I, Fredward Benson, was head over heels, for Samantha Joy Puckett.
I was standing on the sidewalk outside Bushwall Plaza, craning my neck to get a peek at the new family as they unloaded their truck. I noticed a girl roughly my age, with beautiful dark hair. Her pink dress was billowing in the slight breeze, as she pranced about. I wanted to go introduce myself to her. My mom and I had just moved here too, so neither of us knew anyone.
"Hey Dork!" said an unfamiliar voice. I turn just in time to see a blonde girl wearing dirty jeans before I feel two hands shove me backwards.
"Hey!" I shouted, looking up at the strange blonde bully, "What was that for?"
"For annoying me," She said. She starred at me for a minute and then bent down. For one crazy second I thought she was going to help me up. Wrong. She picked up the smoothie I had dropped and began slurping it.
"But I didn't do anything to you! And that's my smoothie!" I wildly grabbed for my drink. She stood up and held it out of my grasp.
"Nub!" She shouted as she ran away.
And it was that day, exactly 12 years ago, that my life really began. No longer boring and safe, my world was now plagued by constant abuse by the blonde-headed demon. Sam and I walked a fine line between friendship and rivalry. To this day, I'm not exactly sure when we fell over the edge and our vicious fighting became friendly bickering. But no longer did I like awake at night in anger, I instead was kept awake by my growing affections for the spunky blonde. I couldn't imagine my life without her in it, and I never wanted her to leave.
"Hey T-bo, can I get one extra-large Strawberry Splat and one medium Pineapple Palooza please?" I say digging in my pocket for my wallet.
"Sure thing Fred-o" T-bo grabs two smoothie cups and starts towards the blender.
"Hey don't forget what we talked about," I wink at T-bo. Ever since that year he'd lived with me, we'd developed an almost brother like bond.
"Oh of couuurse Freddie," he flashes his signature goofy grin and I hand him the small box. He finishes preparing my smoothies, and hands them to me. I make to pay for them, but he waves me off.
"Nah man it's a special occasion, they're on the house,"
"You sure?" I ask warily, remembering the last time he'd told me to have a smoothie on the house, and then tried to charge me $32.
"Yeah! Now, would you like to buy some sushi?" T-bo pulls out a sushi-adorned stick from underneath the counter.
"Um, I'm good," I say starting towards the door.
"Ok, well good luck my man!"
"Thanks,"
I get to the park, and Sam's waiting just where I told her to me: on a bench next to Seattle's biggest tree.
"Hey Princess Puckett," I greet her. She rolls her eyes at my nickname for her but accepts the smoothie happily.
"So why'd you want me to meet you here?" she inquires, already slurping away on the Strawberry Splat.
"No reason," I shrug my shoulders in what I hope is a casual manner, "Just thought you might want to go on a walk," I offer her my hand. She gives me a curious look, but takes my hand. I pray to God I timed this excursion right.
We stroll leisurely around Seattle, hand-in-hand, just enjoying each other's company. We were approaching Bushwell Plaza when Sam can't get anymore smoohie up through her straw. She pauses on the sidewalk, right where we met, and pulls off the lid of her cup, just like I knew she would. She moves it up to her mouth to drink the last few drops when her eyes widen. That's my cue. I get down on one knee just as she pulls the diamond ring out of her cup and stares at me. I stifle a laugh at her deer in headlights expression.
"Sam, I love you more than you can imagine. You are my whole world, and I never want to live a day without seeing your beautiful face. You make my life worth living. You brought excitement and passion to a life that was dull and lifeless. I'd be lost without you. Please make my the happiest person in the world, and marry me." I hope I didn't sound as nervous as I felt.
"That was probably the cheesiest thing I've ever heard!" Sam laughs. Panic builds inside me before she continues, "But I loved it. And I love you too baby. More than anything."
"Is that a yes?" I gaze up at her, still unsure. She takes my hands and pulls me to my feet.
"Yes that's a yes, Dork,"
"Is it necessary to call your fiancé names?" I ask pulling her close to me. She rolls her eyes in her wonderful Sam way.
"Of course it is. Only a nub like you would bring me to the spot where we met, on the anniversary of the day we met, and say a cheesy monologue declaring your undying love for me. But for some reason, I loved that. I love you, for who you are, nubness and all. I wouldn't want you any other way. Just like how you love my constant insults. It's strange. It's unexplainable. But that's love."
"Wow, who knew Samantha Puckett could be so insightful," I lean my forehead against hers and grin, wrapped up in us and completely oblivious to the hustle and bustle of the street.
"Yeah well Mama's full of surprises."
"That I can believe" I whisper before closing the distance between us with a kiss. I pull away after a minute and take the ring from her.
"Sam, are you ready to be the future Mrs. Benson?" I ask.
"Mrs. Puckett-Benson, there's no way I'm having the same name as your crazy excuse for a mother," she says holding out her left hand for me.
"Fair enough." I slide the ring onto her third finger. She stares at it with a giant smile.
"It's perfect Freddie,"
"Yeah well, only a dork like me could have picked it out." Suddenly I feel two hands shove me backwards and I stumble onto the ground. I look up to see a laughing Sam.
"What was that for!" I ask, righting my smoothie so it wouldn't spill. She bends down next to me and begins drinking my smoothie.
"For old times sake," is her response.
"Oh yeah?" I grab her around the waist and pull her so she crashes into my chest. She begins to say something but I silence her with a kiss. In this moment I don't care that we are sitting on the sidewalk in downtown Seattle. I don't care that people are starting to stare. All that matters is the girl in my arms, who'd promised to love me forever. What else could I ask for?