I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks. He put his arms around me.
"Really?" I asked through my tears. He nodded.
"Sam, what is wrong? Please tell me ." Freddie asked once we had sat down on a bench. I was still sobbing.
"I like you." I whispered. "That's my problem. I can't think, I can't eat, I can't even sleep. Because of you." I started to cry harder.
"So you're acting strange because you like me?" Freddie asked. I nodded.
"I know there's something else." He said, after we sat there in silence for a few minutes. "Why are you walking home this way? Your house is on the other side of town, so don't try to deny it. Are you avoiding your mom or something?" He asked. I didn't answer. Instead, I cried harder.
"Oh Sam." He said softly, as he pulled me closer into him. "What is she doing to you? Is she abusing you?" I still didn't respond.
"Oh Sam." Freddie said again softly in my ear. We sat there in silence as I cried. A few minutes later, Freddie broke the silence.
"Where are you sleeping, Sam?" He asked.
"Here." I said, barely audible, as I motioned to the park. I looked up at Freddie and I swear I saw tears in his eyes.
"Really?"
"Really." I said. The waterworks started again. Freddie looked at his watch.
"Sam? Do you think maybe that you would want to come to my house tonight?" Freddie asked. I shrugged.
"My mom would let you stay. She's even noticed that there's something different about you lately." He said. I must not have looked excited or convinced because he added, "Sam, I'll sneak you into my house if necessary."
"Really?" I asked. My tears were slowing down.
"Really." He said as he stood up and pulled me after him.
We walked to Freddie's house in silence. It was unusual for us for a couple of reasons, mostly because we weren't arguing and we were holding hands. Freddie broke the silence once we were in the elevator.
"I just remembered that my mom is going out of town tomorrow." He said, "for a whole two weeks."
"And?" I asked, trying to act normal.
"If I ask about you spending tonight, she won't let you stay for a while. But if I snuck you in tonight, then you could stay for a while. She just thinks we're going to have sex or something." He said, as he rolled his eyes. I giggled. When we got to Freddie's apartment, he let go of my hand.
"Look, I'm going to go inside and see what my mom is doing. She has a pretty early flight in the morning, so she's probably already asleep. She'll leave the house at six, so we just need to wake up a few minutes before so you can hide, okay? He said as opened the door. I just nodded in response.
After about five minutes I heard the door open.
"Sam?" Freddie asked. I was hiding behind a plant incase Carly or Spencer came outside.
"Yeah?" I said from my hiding spot. Freddie laughed.
"Okay, first off, why are you hiding?" He asked, still laughing.
"I don't want to talk to Carly right now. She'll wonder why I'm here at 11:30pm. So I'm hiding." I said simply.
"Well come on, my mom is asleep." He said as he offered me his hand. I followed him into his room. I think he was expecting me to plop onto his bed, but instead, I hugged him.
"Thank you Freddie." I whispered.
"Um... you're welcome? What exactly are you thanking me for?" He asked.
"Everything." I said.