Hello guys. So this is my newest story. I have so many ideas, I just can't keep them to myself much longer. I've always wanted to do a story about the gang's ten year high school reunion. Some bits were inspired by Degrassi and others were inspired by one of my favorite shows growing up.
I hope you enjoy this one shot.
Freddie Benson looked outside of his window as he took a break from packing his stuff. It was a winter afternoon but the sun was shining brightly in the sky. Having sunshine year round was just one of the many perks of living in California.
Right after high school, he moved to California to get his teaching degree at UCLA. Though it took many years and a lot of hard work, he was working his dream job. He was the computer teacher at an elementary school in Los Angeles. Giving an early start on the wonders of technology to children brought him a great deal of joy.
He let the warmth of the sun heat up his skin before he went back to packing. After ten long years, he was finally going back to Seattle for his high school reunion. It is not that he didn't want to go back to Seattle while he was in college. His internship kept in incredibly busy that his mother had to fly to California to visit him.
When he was done with his packing, he walked over to his nightstand. On top of it was a picture frame and in it was a picture of the most important people in his life. iCarly was the best thing to ever happen to him. Without it, he didn't have a social life, a love life, and he wouldn't have made lifelong friends. It was an old picture of the trio on the day of their prom. He smiled.
He took one last look at his apartment before grabbing his suitcase and taking a taxi to the airport. Freddie made sure to buy a really thick coat on the way to the airport, knowing how cold it gets in Seattle during the winter.
After checking in and going through the intimidating process of a pat down, he was in the plane and in just a few short hours, he'd be back in his hometown.
He couldn't sleep so he took out his laptop and began to watch some of his favorite webisodes of iCarly. He was excited but very anxious about seeing the girls again. Sam didn't stay in touch with him at all. They didn't talk much after graduation and neither of them made an effort to stay in touch. Him and Carly talked on the phone all the time and chatted through emails during their long nights of studying. But after Carly joined a sorority, her calls and messages weren't as frequent as they used to be. And just like that, they lost touch. He was hoping to reconnect with the girls once again.
I wonder how everyone else is doing with their lives. I'm probably the only one in my entire graduating class who doesn't have a wife and kids.
He tried dating in college but none of the girls that he met were what he wanted. His heart ached for companionship but he just couldn't find it in California. He felt like something was missing in his life. A familiar feeling that he felt once in his life but he couldn't remember it. It was so long ago since he even had a date or a kiss that he couldn't figure out what exactly was missing in his life.
Pathetic is what he felt like. What if he was the only one without a family? What would others think?
All to soon, the plane landed and he was finally home in Seattle. He sighed in contentment as he saw snow falling lightly on the ground. He sure missed the snow even though he loved the sunshine. He stepped out of the plane, feeling cold all of a sudden and he put on his thick black coat on. After going through luggage claim, he was finally out of the airport. He took a taxi and he was on his way to Bushwell Plaza. (a/n: his mom still lives there)
An incredibly annoying alarm went off and a hand slapped it but it was still ringing. After trying so many times, she grabbed it and threw it against the floor. It was five in the morning on a Saturday.
Ugh, why am I up so damn early?
She got out of bed and looked at her calendar. It was indeed the day of her high school reunion. The note on her calendar was like the perfect doze of caffeine. She immediately woke up and hopped into the shower. She let the hot water run down her long blond hair, making her feel completely relaxed.
Sam Puckett. She stood in the shower, thinking of everything she accomplished over the last ten years. A prideful smile made its way onto her face. She never imagined herself to be in such a great position. She always saw herself as being a food critic, a high school drop out, even a homeless person. But after learning that she graduated from high school by the skin of her teeth, she knew she had to get her act together.
After taking enough credits at a local community college, she transferred to a better college to earn her teaching degree. She was a preschool teacher and the founder of the Ridgeway preschool center. Of all places, she was working at the place she last wanted to return to. But secretly, kids were a source of happiness for her. There's something about the innocence of a child that sparked her interest. They didn't have to deal with rejection from the person they like. They didn't have to deal with major friend drama. She loved being around children.
She didn't say anything because she didn't want to be a burden but when Carly and Freddie left to pursue their dreams, she felt like a part of her left with them. She felt empty inside, like she was nothing without them. It was the harsh truth and she discovered it too late. Without iCarly, she was nothing. Without Carly, she was nothing but a bully without friends. Without Freddie, she wouldn't have softened up. She couldn't bear to know the fact that they were moving on without her so she pushed them away before they could do any damage to her.
Making friends was hard. She found herself to be a loner. It wasn't until she got her first job at a day care center that she felt whole again.
Her stomach churned as she thought about what her former friends would look like or what they had going on in their lives. She felt like she was the only one that stayed in Seattle and stayed single. Carly was probably married to an incredibly hot bad boy and Freddie probably found a nerdy girl who loves computers just as much as him.
Suddenly, she wasn't so excited anymore. If anything, she felt pathetic but she was already signed up for the reunion so there was no turning back.
When she was done showering, she dried off and put some comfortable clothes on. Principal Franklin wanted everyone attending the reunion to bring items that they used to own during their time at Ridgeway to showcase how much everyone has changed in ten years.
She drove to her mom's house. Sam didn't want to live with her mom when she was in college. She saved enough to pay for her own apartment, to get the sense of independence because as much as she hated to admit it, she was never independent. She came off as a strong individual in high school but she was always depending on Carly. She hated herself for it so she wanted to work hard on her own for the first time in her life. Once she received the key to her apartment, she felt like she had the world at her finger tips.
She opened the door with the key that she never returned to her mom. Afraid of waking her up, she walked in quietly to her old room where she kept a lot of her old stuff. Even after ten years, the place reeked with the smell of bacon and fried chicken. She breathed in deeply, taking in the familiar scent as a sudden rush of nostalgia hit her like a ton of bricks.
Though she stayed in Seattle, she never went into her room whenever she visited her mom. She took everything she wanted when she moved out and left everything she wanted to forget behind. The floor squeaked as she walked around, looking for anything she could bring to the reunion for display.
She noticed a large book on her bed. It was her senior year yearbook. She opened it to the page that was bookmarked and smiled at the pictures. Carly wanted to reserve one full page and make a collage of different pictures of iCarly. It was expensive but she said it was worth it.
I am definitely bringing this
She left her old house with a boxful of stuff like an old unopened Fatcake package, her fried chicken shaped flash drive, an old pair of sneakers with a black and red checker pattern, and her old Gary Coleman Grill.
Seeing everything in her box made her want to go back, Back to a time where she was carefree and her biggest worry was whatever problems Nevel was causing to their webshow. She wanted to go back to when she got a kick out of giving people wedgies and finding ways to take money from Freddie for food. But she could only move forward.
She sighed as she drove back to her apartment to get ready for the reunion.
Being back in his old room felt unreal to Freddie. He barely slept at all because the feeling of his bed was no longer familiar and he was incredibly nervous. After a long morning with his mom, eating breakfast and catching up on old times, he decided to visit Spencer. He was informed that he still lived across the hall with his wife.
He knocked on the door and Spencer slowly opened the door.
"Freddie?"
"Hi Spencer." He greeted him in a very nervous tone
"Freddo, wow. Come in." Spencer was cheerful as always.
The apartment was exactly how he remembered it to be. The same couch in the middle, the same crazy decorations, the same bottle bot by the stairs. After Spencer gave him a glass of water, the two sat down on the couch to talk.
"It's been so long Spencer. How have you been these past few years?"
"Everything is great. My wife is at the community garden right now getting some vegetables for the soup she's making for dinner." He smiled. Spencer seemed a lot happier and Freddie could tell that being a married man tamed him. He wasn't the crazy artist he remembered.
"That's good. So I'm guessing being a married man is great. Do you still sculpt for a living?"
"I do sometimes. I'm looking towards retirement in a few years."
"Well, whatever makes you happy. By the way, at what time is Carly coming?"
"Oh about that," he said as he stood up and grabbed an envelope from the table. "Carly's not going to be able to make the reunion."
"What? Why?" He felt suddenly disappointed. He was very excited about seeing his best friend again and she wasn't showing up? It didn't occur to him to check the reunion website to see if Carly checked in or not. For all he knew, Sam didn't check in either.
"She's very busy with her job and she can't miss a day of work. But she mailed me this letter for you and Sam to read. Here." Spencer handed him the envelope and he opened it eagerly.
Dear Sam and Freddie,
I checked the reunion website and I noticed that both of you will be attending. I am sending this letter to Spencer because I don't know where you live. I know I can trust Spencer into giving this to you. I am terribly sorry for not staying in touch with you. I wish I could go back to make things right. I hope you both can forgive me. I wrote my phone number down on a sticky note that I attached to the back of this letter. I hope to hear from you guys soon. Please give me a chance to start over and reconnect.
I hope you both have a wonderful time at the reunion and please try to get along.
Love, Carly.
"Wow… so she really isn't coming…"
"I know that if she could, she would have been here in a heartbeat. Call when you can," said Spencer. He patted Freddie's back.
"I will. I have to get going. The reunion is going to start in an hour and I have to get there as soon as possible. It was nice talking to you Spencer. I'll be sure to stop by before I leave okay?"
"Sure thing Freddo."
He walked out of Bushwell confused. Carly wasn't going to be there but Sam was. He decided to walk to Ridgeway instead of taking his mother's car to give him time to think. He had it all figured out in his head. He was going to see Carly and Sam and talk as if they were never separated. He was going to bicker with Sam for old times sake. But he knew he was in for a big surprise.
By the time he arrived at his old high school, it was dark outside. He saw many of his former classmates walked in with eager looks on their faces. Old friends were reconnecting, laughing, smiling, and having the time of their lives by simply talking.
As he continued walking towards the main entrance, a very familiar figure caught his attention. It was her wild curly hair that gave away her identity. But it couldn't be her. She was wearing a white dress that hugged her torso but it was loose towards the bottom and it flowed all the way to her knees. She was also wearing a dark green jacket and brown high heel boots that ended at her ankles.
He felt as if time stopped, everything was silenced, and all he could hear was the beat of his accelerating heart. She was fumbling around with her large brown purse, looking for something that was apparently important. It seemed like he was staring at her for hours but he finally made his move before she dashed into the school.
"Sam?"
She stopped when she heard a familiar voice calling her name. She wasn't prepared for this little meeting. She didn't think they would meet so soon.
He wasn't the dork she remembered. He was wearing a black buttoned collar shirt with a white shirt underneath, a pair of jeans and white sneakers. It made him look younger than 28 but it worked for him. He was no longer fashionably challenged, as she used to call him.
"Freddie." She stopped fumbling with her purse and studied him carefully.
Something in her chest made her feel uneasy. It was the beat of her heart. Freddie Benson never had that effect on her, except for that one moment they had on the fire escape.
"Hi, Sam." Freddie began to walk towards her. The tension between them was thick and heavy. Hugging wasn't in their nature. She didn't know weather she should open her arms to him or punch him playfully. Her hands latched onto her purse to avoid hugging him instead.
He sensed that she didn't want to hug him and he too felt awkward about it so he kept his distance.
"Wow, Freddie. I haven't seen you in so long." Her voice was so soft. It sounded loving and caring.
"Yeah. It's good to see you again." He gave her his signature smirk.
"So Carly's not coming. I checked the website before coming here. Have you heard from her?"
"No but Spencer gave me this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope that contained Carly's letter. He handed it to Sam as she read it carefully. She smiled at the part where she said she and Freddie should get along. She decided to change the subject as soon as she was done reading.
"So, you didn't bring anything to showcase?" She noticed that Freddie didn't have anything in his hands.
"I did," Freddie said and he pulled out a little rectangular item from his pocket. "It's a flash drive with every webisode of iCarly. You know I kept them all in a flash drive."
"I do." She smiled. "I'm going to have to watch these later."
"Hm… hey, what about you? Did you bring anything?"
"I did but they are all in this monster I call my purse. I didn't feel like carrying everything in a box. You want to see?" Freddie nodded.
"Wow ha ha. You still have that portable grill with you?"
"Well yeah, I have everything in my old room. It's just the way I left it."
"That's pretty cool. Let's go inside." He motioned her to walk ahead of him as they both dropped off their items in the designated table.
They entered the auditorium where the used to go for mandatory assemblies. It was decorated with balloons and round tables along the walls for dinner. There was a huge gap in the middle of the room and a DJ on the side of the stage.
The former frenemies sat down with Gibby, whom they ran into earlier while they were dropping off their stuff. He was a lot slimmer but he still had a dorky look on his face. He informed everyone that Tasha was his wife of five years. Wendy and Jake were sitting with them as well. They were also married. Just as both Sam and Freddie suspected, almost everyone was married. They were both feeling awkward about it but they tried to shrug it off.
Once everyone was seated, Principal Franklin stood on the stage, ready to speak.
"Welcome Ridgeway High School, class of 2012. There are so many familiar faces here that I am happy to see. Take this opportunity to catch up and reflect on how much each and every one of you has grown over the years. Enjoy the food, dance, catch up, but most importantly, have fun. And now, a word from our very own founder of the Ridgeway pre school, Miss Samantha Puckett."
Before anyone could clap, everyone turned their head and looked at Sam in confusion, Freddie especially. He expected her to be so many things but not the founder of a pre school. As everyone clapped, they were also whispering as they watched her walk up the stairs towards the stage.
"Hi, everyone. A lot of you remember me as the iCarly co host. Honestly, iCarly was the best thing to ever happen to me. Just like all of you, I found a group of amazing friends even though we rarely agreed on anything. Wherever life has taken us, I know we are all on a good path in life. Even those who many us expected to be drop outs and going no where in life, I see you made it. We all did. And though some couldn't be here tonight, I know they are with us in spirit. Anyways, before I get all mushy with you guys, enjoy the night."
Everyone clapped and looked at Sam in awe after her speech. She went back to the table to sit down and eat. Every table had a box of pizza in the center for everyone to share. They were on a budget. The DJ started playing songs that were popular during their years in high school and everyone began to eat.
Sam ate silently as everyone else began to catch up. She wasn't embarrassed but she felt uneasy showing people a whole new side to her. Sure, she saw a few of her high school classmates out and about in Seattle but she never talked to them about working at Ridgeway with children.
"Sam? You work here?" Her eyes were on Freddie but they maneuvered around as she tried to explain to him what her job consisted of.
"What did you expect me to be after high school, Freddie?"
She secretly hurt but she knew what to expect. No one expected her to be successful.
"To be honest, when we were younger, I always thought you would be a professional competitive eater or something." He laughed to show her that he was joking but she wasn't cracking a smile.
"I knew I shouldn't have come. You have no right no judge me like that." She grabbed her purse and walked out of the auditorium as calm as she could so she wouldn't make a scene.
She made it outside but instead of going home, she sat on the stairs of the main entrance.
Why is this getting to me?
"Because when you actually do something good, they never believe you." Sam said to herself.
Just like the time I got that job at Chili My Bowl to pay Carly and Freddie back.
"Sam…" She looked up and jumped up a little when she saw Freddie sitting next to her.
"What do you want?"
"Do you maybe want to take a walk? It's a little stuffy inside."
"Sure."
Freddie and Sam were walking along the sidewalk, neither of them saying a word to each other. Despite the cold wind, Sam closed her eyes for a second to take in the icy air. For some reason, it was calming to her.
He studied her carefully. He noticed the way she seemed so calm after taking a deep breath, the way she smiled when she looked up at the sky even if there was only one star visible, the way she timidly brought her head back down to look at her shoes.
She's not the same.
Somehow, they ended up at the park. It was dark and empty but neither of them were scared. The silence between them was beginning to get awkward.
"So… what do you do for a living?"
"I'm a computer teacher at an elementary school in California."
"Well, what do you know. I'm a pre school teacher here at Ridgeway," Sam said. She noticed a small flower next to her shoe. She bent over and plucked it out of the grass, looking at it closely.
"You're different." He changed the subject.
"So are you. I have to admit, you dress ten times better." Sam laughed, trying to lighten the mood. She didn't want to show that she was annoyed and a little bothered by what happened at Ridgeway.
"No, I mean, you're a lot more cheerful."
"What do you mean? I wasn't some dark and mysterious loner, Freddie. I was always laughing and joking." She was confused.
"This is different. Back then, you laughed because you were making fun of someone. I just noticed how you seem to smile over small things. You smiled at me, when you were looking at the sky, and when you picked up the flower." He amazed himself at how he noticed such small things about Sam. Ten years ago, everything he noticed about Sam were her disgusting eating habits.
"Hmm." She took a deep breath. "I love children. They are everything I miss in my life. They don't worry about cheating boyfriends, selfish friends, or exams. I love what I do even though it's not what I thought I would be doing with my life. It's even better."
He was about to respond when he noticed her shivering for few seconds. It wasn't too late but it was pretty cold outside and she was wearing a dress.
"Maybe we should go somewhere warm. It's getting kind of cold." Freddie looked at her and stood up once she nodded.
"Let's go to my place. It's close to the school."
"Well here it is. My pad," Sam said as she opened the door and motioned Freddie to walk inside.
Freddie looked around for a bit as Sam hung her jacket and purse on the coat hanger. The living room wasn't neat and tidy like his own apartment. There was stuff everywhere. The pillows on the sofa were unorganized. There was an unorganized pile of magazines by the TV and a large pile of papers and books were on the kitchen table.
I guess some things never change…
He laughed quietly to himself as he looked around the apartment. Apparently he wasn't quiet enough.
"What's so funny?" Sam asked as she sat on the couch.
"I just think it's refreshing that you're still messy and unorganized." He sat down next to her.
"Yeah…," she responded awkwardly.
Before things became any more awkward, Freddie spoke up.
"So… do you want to want old iCarly videos?"
"Sure," said Sam as she walked over to her desk and grabbed her laptop. She handed it to Freddie so he could hook up his flash drive (he picked it up before they left the school) while she prepared popcorn and drinks in the kitchen. Soon, they were both watching their old webisodes. Their shoes were off and they made sure to get very comfortable.
"Oh my god, this is one of my favorites," said a giggling Sam.
"You only like it because you got to wedgy bounce your ex-boyfriend."
"Well, yeah. No one messes with Mama," Sam said proudly.
"I guess you haven't changed completely." He smiled.
"What do you mean? You mean the whole Mama thing?"
"No, not just that. You've changed a lot but at the same time, I can still see some of the old Sam in you."
"Eh, let's just keep watching."
He nodded in agreement.
Throughout the night, they enjoyed watching many webisodes of the show that they started when they were barely teenagers. They shared many good laughs. Sam especially laughed when they showed bits of her messing with Freddie. They relived many moments together and found it to be rather enjoyable to talk about their iCarly days.
It was probably the first time in a long time that they actually had a civil conversation in the years that they have knows each other. Freddie assumed that it was because they were older and more mature. He found himself to really enjoy their time together.
As they enjoyed many webisodes, the one episode that changed their relationship was on. The episode that Sam publicly apologized for taking her teasing a bit too far. The episode that lead them to their first kiss. Soon their laughter died down and the entire apartment went silent. The awkwardness in the room was too much for them to handle.
"Wow…," whispered Sam to herself but Freddie heard it.
"That was such a long time ago," added Freddie as he shifted on the couch so that he was looking her.
"Yeah…"
He looked at her closely. She looked so serious and sympathetic. Then, memories of their first kiss came back to him. He didn't think much of the kiss when they were younger but he felt a sudden rush of curiosity.
"You know… we're not 15 anymore. Hell, we're almost 30. I uh… I just want to know… remember when Carly asked us about the uh… kiss?"
"Yeah…," she responded, not looking at him.
"Did you like it?"
Her eyes were wide open in surprise. Over ten years after their kiss, he wanted to know. Why didn't he ask her when they were still in high school? Was he that afraid of her? Was she that much calm and tame as an adult? She thought about her answer. She didn't want to tell him that she actually spent nights thinking about their kiss but she eventually got over it because the possibility of them being together was a big fat joke.
"I said it was nice, didn't I?" She turned to look at him with a "are you stupid?" look.
"Yeah, you did. Sorry. Let's watch the next episode."
"Actually, Freddie," said Sam as she stretched and yawned. She looked at the time on her laptop and saw that it was past one in the morning.
"It's getting late and I'm really tired. How long are you staying in Seattle?"
"Uh, I'm going to be here for a week before I go back to California."
"Okay. If you want we could watch more of these episodes one of these days after school."
"Sure."
He put his shoes on and walked to the door with Sam behind him. He stepped out of the apartment and turned around to look at a tired looking Sam standing by the door. Even with tired looking eyes, she managed to look beautiful. He didn't know why he was just now finding her so attractive. Other than her more feminine way of dressing, she didn't look all that different. She still had that wild curly hair and those blue eyes that he never paid attention too.
I don't understand this feeling…
"See ya later?" Sam snapped him from his thoughts.
"Yeah… you know, even though we skipped most of the reunion, I had a good time." Freddie offered her a genuine smile.
"I never thought I'd ever see the day. Freddie Benson, telling ME that he had a good time with me," she teased and that caused him to laugh.
"But all joking aside, tonight wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," she said. She returned the same genuine smile that let him know she really meant what she said.
"Okay, goodnight, Sam," he whispered and he leaned in a gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.
Her cheeks began to burn as soon as his lips came in contact with them. She looked at him as he pulled back slowly. They were about an inch apart from each other.
He didn't know what he was doing. All Freddie knew was that all reasonable thoughts were no longer in his head. He had no clue where his sudden courage came from. Maybe it was the fact that she took his breath away the moment he saw her for the first time after ten years of not seeing each other. Maybe it was his desperation for a companion after being lonely for so long. Deep inside, he hoped that wasn't the case because not even Sam deserved that. All he knew was that he wanted to feel those lips against his once again.
She felt his face closing the distance between them. She didn't know why he was so interesting in kissing her all of a sudden when all he ever saw her as was a meat eating machine. But there he was, in front of her with his eyes closed and his lips willing. If this was any other day, or any other man for that matter, she would have pushed them away and threaten to break their arm for hitting on her. But this was Freddie Benson. Her long time frenemy. The person she hated to like and liked to hate. But something about spending the night with him made her want him to crush his lips against hers.
Neither of them understood their urge to kiss as if they were preteens again. Freddie thought that since they were older and on a higher maturity level, that it could actually work between them. But why such a sudden rush of emotion? Why did he feel this way on the night that he saw her for the first time? Nothing made sense to him other than the fact that it didn't feel like they spent so many years without speaking despite how much both of them have changed. Sam, deep inside, felt the exact same way.
After what seemed like minutes, even hours, Freddie pressed his lips gently against hers. It felt like their first kiss again. It was innocent, slow, slightly awkward, but enjoyable. Only this time, he didn't want to pull away after eight seconds. He wanted to go on and on. He was about to pull away when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. She was reacting. How could he pull away now? He leaned in closer and gently grabbed her waist.
Her mind and her heart were racing. A small part of her felt dirty and easy for letting Freddie kiss her on the first night that they reunited. But the fact that it's Freddie and not a stranger calmed her down. She didn't know where the kiss was going to take them. It was far too similar to their first kiss. But with her lack of experience, unfortunately, she didn't exactly know what to do other than put her hand on his shoulder. When she felt him get closer, she put her other hand on his other shoulder and gently pulled him back inside her apartment. The kiss between them wasn't heated or demanding like most cliché situations. Their kiss was soft and slow. They found a perfect rhythm, the perfect way for them to move and massage their lips together. Slowly, their bodies pressed together so that there was no space between them. Freddie wrapped his arms around her small waist completely and she did the same around his neck.
Both of them felt like teenagers again, experiencing their first kiss. Their kiss was long but it wasn't like making out. Their hormones didn't drive them crazy. They equally wanted to enjoy the feeling of being in each others arms. The feeling of finally having someone to hold and kiss in a way that both of them have been longing for.
After what seemed like hours, they pulled away but kept their foreheads connected. He kept his eyes closed in fear of what she was going to tell him. She was probably caught up in the heat of the moment but came back to her senses and wanted to slap him for making a move on her. His eyes were shut tight, waiting for the slap that was never given to him.
Sam, on the other hand, didn't want to open her eyes because of the realization that she had just kissed Freddie… and for a long time. She felt embarrassed but she couldn't help the rush of feelings that were making her heart race. She was never this vulnerable. At least not around Freddie. She always wanted to maintain a strong image around him to prove to him that Mama was always in charge and he could never win against her. But in the short hours that they spent together after so many years of not speaking, it all changed.
She opened her eyes, avoiding his face, and looked over at her clock. It was way too late for Freddie to go home alone. She wasn't sure if he had a car with him and she was too tired to drive him back to his mom's apartment.
"It's very late," she said in between breaths.
"Oh crap." He immediately let go of her and his head went to the palm of his hand in frustration.
"I walked to Ridgeway…"
"Uh… if you want, you can camp out here. I'll give you some blankets and a pillow," said Sam as she made her way to her closet.
"No, Sam. You don't have to-"
"I want to okay? Look, the streets are crawling with creepers. Just stay here and you can go to your mom's place in the morning."
"Thanks…"
Freddie woke up feeling very uncomfortable. He looked around and hoped that Sam was still around but the place was quiet. It was only eight in the morning. Maybe she was sleeping. He stood up to stretch and yawn. He sat back down and noticed a note on the small table in front of the couch. He picked it up.
I went out for a run. Make yourself whatever you want. I have plenty of food in the fridge.
-Sam
He took a deep breath when he was done. He wasn't very hungry so he just put his clothes on and walked back to Bushwell Plaza.
The entire weekend was a slow one for him. He spent most of his time with his mother, helping her with her job at the hospital, cooking for her, and helping her around the house. He insisted because he knew that he owed her for the lack of visits.
When he wasn't with his mother, he spent his time helping Spencer with some of his sculptures and hearing many stories of Spencer and his wife from when they met to how he proposed.
When he wasn't with Spencer, he spent his time catching up with Gibby. They spent one night at the club, drinking and catching up. Though neither of them were big drinkers, they wanted to relax and enjoy their week off from their hectic lives.
He didn't spend any time with Sam nor did they speak over the phone. He knew she was busy planning lessons for the children and buying the supplies that were needed for the activities she planned for them. He did not want to disturb her but he did want to see her that Monday.
The weekend was finally over. Although two days may not seem like a long time, the two days seemed incredibly long for Freddie. He planned on visiting Ridgeway to speak to the principle and catch up on old times. During his break, of course.
Freddie was a little shaky as he fixed himself to visit his old high school. He didn't know whether a suit or a casual outfit would spark Sam's interest. He felt so foolish, trying to find something that Sam might like. Of course, he was excited to see her again and wanted to make a good impression.
He didn't want to look too fancy so he decided to wear something casual that still looked appropriate for a teacher to wear.
After having his breakfast and saying goodbye to his mother, he walked to Ridgeway. He couldn't use his mother's car because she needed it for work but he honestly didn't mind walking. He didn't realize how much he'd miss doing simple things like walking down the street. With him being so busy in California, he had to rely on his driving to get to places.
He arrived at Ridgeway and as he walked the halls of his old school, he couldn't help but smile at all the teenagers who were getting ready to go to their next class. High school wasn't any different at all. He saw the typical nerds who studied in between classes, the kids who hung out by their lockers as they waited for their friends, and of course, that one person who enjoyed teasing everyone. He had to control himself and not laugh.
He checked in at the main office and knocked on principal Franklin's door before opening the door an walking in.
"Freddie Benson," said Ted with a smile on his face as he removed his glasses and stood to hug Freddie.
"Hi, Ted. How are you?"
"I'm great! How about you?"
Freddie and Ted came a lot closer when he was studying at UCLA. Ted would travel to California twice a year for meetings and conventions and that's how he and Freddie stayed so close. He became his mentor and provided letters of recommendations when he needed them. It was awkward for him to call his former principal by his first name but after building a very strong friendship, it was easier and easier for him.
"I'm doing good as well. Wow, the school has changed so much," said Freddie. The school did indeed change a lot. But it was still a very special place to him.
"It has. So how are things over there?" asked Ted, referring to Freddie's job.
"I'm enjoying every minute of it, actually. I asked for the week off so I'm going to be in Seattle this week and I'll be leaving this Saturday. I can't believe I haven't been here in ten years. I should plan on visiting more often."
"Being committed to your dreams can lead to many sacrifices, Freddie. But you turned out as successful as I imagined you to be. And about your stay here, you are more than welcomed to stop by when you have time. If you could come speak to our current AV club, that would be great."
"Thanks, Ted. I would love to come speak to your club. Um… I could come on Wednesday, if you'd like."
"Sounds perfect. I'll let the club know tomorrow. Do you want a tour of the school?"
"Sure."
Freddie and Ted walked throughout the entire school. Ted showed him many of the changes that have been made to Ridgeway. The vending machines were now stocked with healthy snacks as opposed to those Fat Cakes that everyone loved so much when he was a teenager. There were tables outside of the school for students to have lunch outdoors and relax. Murals were painted on the larger walls and the halls were a lot more colorful than he remembered.
Their last stop was the preschool located in the of the school. There were children playing outside and a few students playing with them and making sure that none of them would get hurt.
"This is our new preschool," said Ted as they walked closer. "It's been open for about three years and it took a year to build. Believe it or not, Ms. Puckett worked very hard to get this place up and running."
"Really? Wow. So what was she doing before she found this place?"
"She was working at a local day care center while she was in school. You know, a lot of the students here look up to her. They all know her story and they are very inspired by her change."
"That's amazing," he said and couldn't help that his lips curved into a proud smile. Just as they were finishing up their conversation about how Sam found the preschool, she walked out of the classroom with a clipboard in hands and told the children to get their stuff. The students helped the children get in line as their parents arrived one by one to pick them up.
He was mesmerized at how caring and graceful Sam looked as she was saying goodbye to the children. Some of them even hugged her as they exited the center. The big smile on her face really showed him that she loved her job more than anything.
Freddie and Ted walked back to his office to finish catching up.
After school, Freddie stood in front of the center and waited for the former blond headed demon to come out so they could spend some time together.
His heart accelerated as he watched her exit the center and walk towards him. She looked pleasantly surprised to see him. She was wearing a white buttoned blouse and a beige skirt that stopped right above her knees. Her small wedges and black cardigan complimented her perfectly. She looked stunning and he couldn't stop looking at her in awe. She went from a teenage girl who wore sneakers and graphic tee's to a beautiful woman with a more feminine style.
Sam was surprised to see Freddie at Ridgeway. She knew they were going to hang out but she didn't expect him to actually wait for her. He looked incredibly handsome in his navy blue shirt and his hair styled back. She didn't want to show him that she was very happy to see him so she gave him a small smile as she walked towards him. She was holding many papers, binders, and books in her hands so she had to walk carefully or else, she'd fall.
"Freddie, what are you doing here?"
"I actually came to visit. The school is very different huh?"
"Yeah, it is," she stopped to give him some of the books she had in her arms. They were beginning to hurt. "If I didn't work here, I'd be lost."
The two walked over to her car and put her stuff in the trunk.
"So, what do you want to do?" she asked.
"Well, if you want, we could finish watching those iCarly webisodes we didn't get to watch."
"Not that I don't want to, Fredward, but could we do something outside? Every day, it's just me going to work and coming back home."
"Oh okay. Yeah, we could do something outside." He chuckled, noticing a little frustration in her. He understood her completely. His life wasn't exactly a carnival to begin with. The only time he actually had the time to go out was during the weekends.
"Let's go then." They both stepped inside her car and they drove off.
They arrived at The Groovy Smoothie for old time's sake. Freddie suggested it because he actually missed the place and the Robeks' in California didn't do the ones at the Groovy Smoothie any justice. T-Bo was still running the place and he was so happy to see them that he offered them free smoothies and fries. They found their favorite table and sat down to enjoy their food. The place wasn't crowded but a lot of students from Ridgeway were hanging out after a stressful day. Some of them even greeted Sam when they saw her. She wasn't one of those teachers who got odd looks when students saw her outside of school.
"A lot of students must really like you, huh?" Freddie asked, completely shocked even though Ted explained to him that she was a very well liked teacher at the school.
"I think it's because they feel like they can relate to me. You know, when we were in school, a lot of us were put down by teachers because of our age. If teachers got a chance to know their students, the would see that they are not stupid." She took a fry and put it to her lips when she was finished.
"Wow, Sam." He looked at her in awe. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. It's like I'm looking at a different person."
"What's that supposed to mean?" She looked offended.
"Oh, no, Sam. Don't take it negatively, please. I'm actually amazed." He smiled at her to let her know that he meant it.
"Well… maybe if we haven't been so out of touch, you wouldn't be too surprised. You know I wasn't a terrible person. I was just troubled. But I wasn't going to spend the rest of my life doing nothing. I know I'm better than that."
"I know that now. And I'm sorry that I was always stuck with these negative expectations of you. You sure showed me."
"Eh, I guess. So Fredward, how was your weekend? I didn't see you when I arrived home on Saturday," she asked, changing the subject completely.
"My weekend? It was okay. I spent most of the my weekend with my mom and I caught up with Spencer and Gibby."
"Ah Spencer. I still see him around sometimes."
"You don't really talk to him that much or what?"
"It's not that. It's complicated and hard to explain. Well, hard to explain here in public anyways."
He looked at her curiously. Sam seemed happy one moment and the next, she had a look of sadness. They were both done with their smoothies and their fries so he stood up and grabbed her tray to throw away.
"If you want, we could talk about it."
Sam analyzed him carefully. She hesitated but she could tell that he was being genuine and although they spent many years not speaking to each other, she felt like she trust him. Those walls that she built around herself as a teenager came crumbling down years ago. She wasn't going to say no to him with a fist. She was a grown woman and nothing could hurt her anymore.
"Sure."
He threw away their trash and they ended up back in her apartment. They didn't talk about the kiss. It was almost as if it didn't happen. Both wanted to talk about it but they wanted to avoid any awkward tension between them so they didn't bring it up.
They were both back on the couch like last time. She told him everything. Everything from the loneliness she felt in her heart when him and Carly left to why she shunned everyone when she was in college. It wasn't something that she could explain to them at the young age of 18. But she trusted that since they have grown up, he'd be more understanding about it.
"So that's why you didn't say goodbye at the airport? Or why you didn't email us?"
"Yeah," she said softly, looking a little hurt. As if a barely healed wound suddenly opened up again. "And that's why I don't really talk to Spencer as much either. I knew Carly would come visit an I honestly didn't want to face her. I do talk to him sometimes when I'm walking to the local store but we're not as close as we used to be."
He felt incredibly sad for her. A part him blamed himself because he knew that if she were to express her doubts to him when they were 18, he would not take it seriously. He knew what he thought about her in the past was the reason why she didn't trust him with serious issues. And he knew he didn't trust her with serious issues back then either. The only reason why they hung out was Carly. But Carly wasn't with them and he wanted to make it right.
"I know it's stupid… but it all hit me so suddenly," she added.
"It's not stupid, Sam. I understand," he said sincerely.
He scooted a little closer to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly in a comforting hug. He held her tight around her waist and her face was buried in his neck. He waited for her tears to soak up his shirt but it never happened. He loved how even in a vulnerable moment, she still stayed strong.
She was amazed at how understanding he was. She wanted to cry but crying was something that she did alone. In rare occasions, she had cried in front of him but covered it up quickly with insults. Although he was only doing it to comfort her, it felt good to hug someone like that again. She didn't have a lot of close interactions like that with any man in a long time.
They stayed in that position for a few minutes before she pulled back only slightly to look at him. She really enjoyed the way he was looking at her with such tenderness. She didn't want to kiss him again. She spent enough time thinking about their kiss the day of the reunion and she didn't want to add more to her sleepless nights. It was all she thought about during the weekend, while she was out jogging, while she was planning her lessons, and many other activities throughout. She felt like a stupid delusional teenager with a school girl crush. A crush on Freddie. But she couldn't control her feelings. In the short hours that they have spent together, she realized that it was him all along. Despite their lack of communication in the last ten years, she felt as if those short hours made up for those ten years.
Neither of them could take it any longer and they closed the distance between us. Just like last time, it wasn't a fast and lustful kiss. It was soft, innocent, and sincere. They felt at home with each other. They broke off the kiss and Freddie leaned back on the couch and laid down with Sam on top of him, her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat which was accelerating. They spent the rest of their time together that day in that position, feeling completely happy to be in each other's arms.
Sam and Freddie spent the entire week together after school. He'd wait for her outside of the preschool and they'd drive off to her apartment. On Tuesday, they spent their evening watching a movie. On Wednesday, he helped her cook dinner which ended up in them having a food fight. They'd end their night doing the exact same thing they did that Monday. They laid together on the couch with Sam on top of him, listening to his heartbeat.
They didn't talk about their moments together. They just enjoyed countless kisses and many opportunities to cuddle but neither of them spoke about their feelings. They knew, however, that they had to talk about it sooner or later. More like sooner.
It was Thursday night, and they were in the same position on the couch as they watched their favorite sitcom on the television. Freddie knew she didn't want to talk about it and as much as he didn't want to, he had to bring up the topic.
"What are we doing, Freddie?" Sam asked as she lifted her head up and rested her chin on his chest.
She beat him to it.
"What do you mean?" He tried to play it cool.
"Don't act stupid, Fredturd. We've been hanging out together a lot. We've kissed and we always end up in this position. What are we going to do about this?" By the time she was done, she was sitting up on the couch and away from Freddie.
"I don't know, Sam. I leave this Saturday."
"So what? Tomorrow is your last day and you're just going to go back to California and act as if nothing happened?"
"Wha- what? Of course not." He lied. He knew he had to go back and he had no idea when he would be back in Seattle for a visit. He was also surprised. Sam was the kind of girl who tried to avoid any serious conversation with a threat.
But she's a woman. Not a little girl…
He was taken back.
"Why did you kiss me the other day?" she asked, angrily.
"I don't know," he threw up his hands in frustration. The last thing he wanted was to fight. "Maybe it's because you inspired me or because I thought you looked so beautiful the moment I saw you for the first time in ten years. Maybe it's because for the first time in a long time, I actually enjoyed spending alone time with you."
"So that's it?" She was hurt. "You're just going to tell me that you like this new tamed, girlie, and changed Sam. So if I was still doing the same things I was doing ten years ago, dressed the way I dressed, you wouldn't look at me twice?"
"That's not what I'm saying, Sam. Please don't twist my words."
"Maybe it's not but it doesn't change the fact that tomorrow is your last day in Seattle and we both got carried away with whatever we were feeling. This whole week was a mistake."
She turned so that she wasn't looking at him. As much as she wanted to deny, she couldn't. She also didn't want to face his reaction. He was hurt and she knew it.
"You and I both know this wasn't a mistake." He tried to remind her that it wasn't but if there was one thing that didn't change about Sam, it was her stubbornness. "Please don't deny that you feel something for me because I know you do."
Tears formed in her eyes but she quickly blinked them away. She didn't want to get hurt again. She didn't want to have him for a moment only to watch him leave again. It was unacceptable.
"I don't, Freddie. Maybe I did some time in the past," she confessed, "but it was dumb. Now, just leave. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay here."
He was shocked. Sam liked him at some point in her life? Maybe it was her brutal punches and hurtful words that blinded him. But he couldn't dwell on the past anymore. He wanted her to understand.
"Sam, don't be mad at me. I wish I could stay, believe me. I want it more than anything. And maybe we should have spoken about this before, when I kissed you on Friday. But… as much as I would like to, I can't just leave everything I have accomplished in California."
Freddie tried to convinced her and she appreciated his attempts to make things right but in her eyes, things would never be right. She knew she wasn't destined for anyone and she was fine with it.
"Look, I could throw you out of here. I could scream insults at you, I could punch the senses out of you, and I could kick you until you were outside my apartment. But I won't. I'm asking you nicely to get out."
She still wasn't looking at him.
"But, Sam-"
"JUST GO… please…"
He felt hurt. Sam was never one to give up so easily but he somehow understood what she was feeling. He didn't want to leave but he knew he had to. He knew that they were both at fault for getting carried away but he knew he was more at fault for allowing it. Sam wasn't the one leaving, he was and it broke his heart to let her go so easily.
She winced when she heard the door open and close. He was gone and this time for good.
How many hours she spent that night thinking about what happened with Freddie, she didn't know. It wasn't until the next day when she woke up early for work that her head was pounding and she realized that she didn't sleep much. All she knew was that she was hurt but she preferred to feel a little pain that to start a relationship with Freddie and be hurt for the rest of her life.
Every moment they spent together replayed in her mind. When they kissed, when they walked around the park in the middle of the night, when they watched iCarly. Everything. She was certain she let a good thing go but she wasn't going to allow herself to get hurt. Not again, not ever.
Sam and Freddie didn't talk since their argument on Thursday. He didn't call her and she didn't bother to call him. Maybe they were better off. She was happy, however, that her job kept her busy enough to keep her mind elsewhere for almost ten hours straight.
It wasn't until that Saturday morning, running on one hour of sleep, that she realized something. She was reliving the year of her 18th birthday. The year that changed her life forever. The year that she realized she was nothing with her friends and that she wanted to shun them before they could do any damage to them.
She was doing the exact same thing again, ten years later, to Freddie. She didn't want to live ten more years wondering what could have happened if she didn't say goodbye. Was her conscious that big now?
With her messy and wild curly hair, she swept it to the side to make a side braid, put on her jeans, a blouse, and boots and stepped into her car. She called the airport ahead of time to make sure she arrived before he left.
Freddie sat in the waiting area, looking at the photos on his camera. One day, that week, Freddie took his camera to Sam's apartment and they took a lot of photos together. It was a nostalgic moment for them because it felt like the iCarly days when they did at home silly photoshoots for the website. His favorite picture was one where Sam was turned to him and her tongue was on his cheek and he made a goofy, slightly disgusted face. He pressed the delete button and a notice that said "Are you sure you want to delete?" appeared on the screen. He didn't want to delete them but keeping them in that memory card would only remind him of what would have happened if they were in a better situation. Looking at those photos would only hurt him in the ling run.
He tried his hardest to keep himself busy the day after their fight. He packed everything, he brought to Seattle, he went running, he cleaned his mother's entire apartment and tried to find little specs of dirt so that he just take his time to clean it up.
Just as he was about to press the "yes" button to delete the photos he took of him and Sam, someone took the carryon bag he had on the seat next to him and sat down. He was about to yell at the person and ask them to be nicer but when he looked up, Sam was sitting next to him.
"Hey," she simply said.
"How did you get here?" he asked. He was more than shocked to see her next to him but he was also curious how she managed to get there without a plane ticket.
"Don't you remember? Mama never loses." She laughed so there wasn't any tension between them and he couldn't help the chuckle that came out of his mouth.
"What are you doing here?" He was hoping that she changed her mind and wanted to tell him that she too felt something for him the week they spent together.
"Look, I still don't think that what happened between us will work out. But that doesn't mean I'm just going to let you leave again without saying goodbye. I won't make that mistake again…"
He pulled her into a hug. Her goodbye wasn't what he expected but Sam made up her mind and he needed to respect that.
"Thank you," he whispered thankfully in her ear.
Two week after Freddie left Seattle, Sam found herself back on track. She was very upset to say goodbye to him at first. She was literally visibly upset. Her aids, her students, and ever her co-workers noticed. Ted insisted she take a few days off to get herself together but that was the last thing she wanted. Keeping herself busy was exactly what she needed and if were to spend her time at home, she'd become even more upset.
She walked back into her apartment with a smile on her face. All the children at the preschool made her cards. They were concerned for her and wanted to see her happy. When she looked through the cards, she knew that being a preschool teacher was the best decision she ever made and the struggles to get there were worth it.
When she was done reading every card, she heard a knock at her door. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. No one ever visited her, not even her own mother. The only person that ever knocked on her door was the landlord but she just paid the rent three days ago.
Nonetheless, she stood up and opened the door. Her heart was pounding in her chest almost immediately. She wanted to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she just wasn't in some deep sleep. Freddie was standing in front of her holding that same carryon bag that she moved aside when she saw him at the airport. To say that she was confused was a major understatement.
"Uhhh…"
"I thought long and hard about this." he started, still standing in the hallway, in front of her door. "I had a wonderful week with you. I feel like a dumb ass for not seeing how incredibly amazing you are when we were younger. I didn't want to stay in California without you knowing how I feel. Even though we spent one week together after so many years, I feel like that week made up for it. And I realized that I like you more than a lot and I kicked myself every day for leaving and not trying to work something out with you."
She couldn't believe her ears. Freddie Benson was declaring his feelings for her and she just stood there looking at him like an idiot.
"Wha- what are you saying?"
"You're looking at Ridgeway's new computer teacher." The smile on his face widened. He couldn't hold it in.
Her smile too widened and she jumped into his arms, both embracing each other tightly. They didn't cry but they knew it in their hears that they were happy and that they would be for many moments to come.
They pulled away but her arms were still on his shoulders and his were still on her hips. He lowered his head down and captured her lips with his finally sealing what they should have that night of their high school reunion.
So there you have it. This took me months to write. I know some people might find this completely out of character but let's be realistic, how many people do we know that stay exactly the same ten years after their high school graduation? Hell, I graduated three years ago and I've changed so much.
I just really wanted to take a stab at writing a future fic and I tried my best to still keep some of Sam's traits in this Sam.
So I really hope you like this story. It's very long (over 10k words and 26 pages) and I worked really hard on it. If you read my other stories, I will be updating You Lose You Win very soon. I'm not taking summer classes and I still haven't been able to find a job so I will be updating more often. If you have not read it, please check it out. I've been writing it for over a year. Thank you.
PS. If anyone is wondering, Carly is not in the story because I honestly didn't know what to do with her so I just came up with the idea of her being too busy. I also was originally going to write a part where Freddie is back in California and talks to the principal of the school that he works in about wanting to go back to Seattle but I thought this was much sweeter and it's already long enough lol.