Listen to this one; "Dear Sam, I have an allergy to bacon, but it's my favorite food. I can't resist eating large quantities of it for elevensies but I always break out into large rashes. What should I do?"
What's elevensies?"
"It's a meal invented by hobbits in the series King of the Rings eaten between-"
"Shut up Fredward. I refuse to answer such a dork encrusted inquiry. Next!"
"This is a good one; "Dear Sam. I have a big crush on one of my best friends and I don't know how she feels. She acts like she hates me but my mom says girls do that when they like boys. What do you think?"
"Why is the world so pathetic?"
"How is that pathetic?"
"It's a little pathetic." chimed in Carly
"It's a real problem many young boys face!" retorted Freddie
"You sound like an after school special." Sam reached over Carly and pushed the hibernate button on the pairpad. "Can we please table this one for now? I'm starving."
"You're always starving. But I guess now is as good a time as any to stop for the day. You guys wanna stay for dinner?"
"Nah, I gotta go home and shave mah legs"
Carly laughed. "I thought you were hungry?"
"It's both! Jeeze."
"All right then." Carlie replied knowing Sam had something on her mind and there wasn't any way of making her spill unless she wanted to. "How bout you Freddie?"
"I promised my mom I'd eat with her tonight, but thanks."
Carly opened the door as Freddie and Sam finished gathering thier stuff up.
"Happy shaving!" Carly exclaimed and pat Sam on the back, hoping she would feel better after a good night's sleep.
"Night Sam." called Freddie as he crossed the short distance between the Shea apartment and his own. Sam, is her usual disregard, had continued sauntering down the hallway, and gave a half hearted wave in response. Freddie paused for a seccond, wondering if it made him a bad friend not to ask what was wrong. Although Sam's random acts of violence had diminished after the court ordered anger management, he wasn't entirely willing to provoke. Against his better judgement, he trotted down the hall to catch up with her at the elevator.
"Hey Puckett. You ok?"
"Why? Is my skin a weird color or something?"
"No no, your skin is the proper coloring and all. You just seem...down."
"Well I'm not down."
"Ya seem down."
"What can I do to stop making you say that?"
"C'mere" Freddie grabbed her wrist and opened the window next to the elevator, leading her out to the terrace.
"You know there's something on your mind, and I'm pretty sure you'll feel better if you speak."
Sam punched him, although it lacked the power of a sincere wallop.
"I really need to get home." she replied, finally breaking the stagnant silence. Getting up, she climbed back through the window and pushed the elevator's button.
"Hey Freddie?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"Sure...no problem Sam. You're my friend."
Sam stepped into the elevator and pushed the ground floor button. Once she was sure Freddie had gone back to his apartment, she pressed a new button. Getting off on the top floor, Sam plopped her stuff down next to the sleeping bag she had set up last night. Luckily, some of Freddie's stuff had been abandoned in the utility attic from his brief foray into independant living several years back. Grabbing one of his facecloths off a shelf, she tried to wipe off the day.
"Mornin' fellow Icarlyites. How's it hangin'?" Sam slung her arms around her two best friend's shoulders as they walked down the school hallway to homeroom.
"Hey Sam" they replied in unison.
"No bacon this mornin'?"
"Nah. Cuttin back on mah meats. Listen kids, I can't reherse tonight.I got a thing."
"A thing?"
"Yeah a job. Or whatever. Gotta go!"
"Oh well that sounded convincing."
"Let's just drop it Carly. It's Sam, she won't talk til she's ready."
Carly stopped walking and faced Freddy. "Hey. Just...make sure she's okay. Please?"
"Why would I be able to-"
"C'mon Freddie. We're not tweens anymore." she put a hand on his shoulder. "She's my best friend, but sometimes she feels like I won't understand. She'll talk to you."
"You know I'll try."
He felt like a creep, following her like this. The feeling subsided quickly however once he realized she was headed to the apartment complex where he in fact lived. Maybe she had changed her mind and was headed to Carly's afterall. Freddie kept a far enough distance to not be noticed, until the elevator doors closed behind Sam. He watched the light blink through the numbers, blinking past Carly and Freddie's floor without pausing, stopping only at the topmost level.
Chosing the stairs, Freddie reached the annex minutes later. His arrival unbeknownst to Sam, he found himself in an embarassing situation. Sam was sifting through an open suitcase, shirtless. Throwing various articles aside, she reached the bottom and let out a shuddering sigh. Inexpiclibily, Sam was crying.
Freddie knew if he didn't announce himself now, the situation could only get worse.
"Sam-"
She whipped around and gasped, but it was Freddie who got the bigger shock. Sam had a huge cut accross her stomach, almost deep enough to require stiches. Without thinking he closed the distance between them.
"What happened?"
He expected scathing words. A fight even.
But once the tears had begun, she had lost her fight. She needed to let someone in.
Her knees became weak and she sank to the ground, her hands clutchinig her stomach. Freddie fumbled through the suitcase and found a sweatshirt.
"Hands up" he said gently, kneeling down next to her, though it seemed she couldn't hear him. He embraced her head to his chest and buried his face in her hair.
"C'mon. Hands up Pucket." he wispered as softly as he could.
She pulled away slowly, wiping her eyes before meeting his gaze, and finallly putting her arms in the air. He pulled the sweatshirt over her head carefully, stopping before covering her stomach. He traced his thumb along the cut from, one end to the other. Gently Sam tugged at the sweater's hem, ushering his fingers away.
"Thank you." she wispered.
Freddie's head swam with thoughts. A million senerios that led to Sam being hurt and hiding away in the building's annex. Each one worse than the next.
"Sam, I need to know who hurt you."
"It doesn't matter. You and I both know I can take care of myself better than-"
"Sam, I need to know who hurt you." he repeated, his words forced out through a stoic expression.
She sighed and got up from the floor. "No."
He followed her and grabbed her shoulder, wirling her around.
"My mother."
"Please I don't want to talk about it and there's nothing to explain. You know how she gets. It's just...I needed this to be the last time."
"We need to tell Carly. She can talk to Spencer. He's offered you a bed before. You can't stay here."
"I know all of that. I need a little time. I don't even have most of my stuff. I haven't even spoken to her since..." Sam scooted so she was sitting on the counter top next to the sink. Freddie stood between her legs and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear the way a parent does after mending a child's knee.
"I'll go with you. We'll talk to Carly first and she can get Spencer to help."
"You know, I'm sorry about how mean I've been to you."
"No you're not" Freddie replied, smiling a little.
"No I'm not." Sam returned the smile.
"Besides. My mom always told me that when a girl picks on ya it's because they like you."
"Your mom is crazy Benson."
They both laughed a faces were so close their noses were almost touching.
"But she's right, isn't she."
Sam wasn't good with words. It was hard to articulate feelings or to even say yes in response. Instead she closed the distance between their lips. Freddie sighed into her mouth, not thinking, just reacting. "It's been a long time comin' Samantha Pucket. But you're worth any wait."