CREDAM

Carly casually slipped through her bedroom later that night, when she looked across at her alarm clock she saw it was 11 . She dropped her jacket casually on her bedroom floors with a sigh. Her skin was still tingling with her little meeting with Griffin. She felt like the dirtiest thing on the planet. She hated how everyone always put so much faith in her. Freddie did, Sam did, and even Spencer. All expected perfection from her but she was only human.

Carly ran her fingers through her jet black hair with a sigh sitting at the edge of her bed. When she looked up she saw things she wished she could deny. Her makeup was slightly smudged. She was glad she stopped things with Griffin before she took things too far.

She sniffed wiping away tears that dripped from her eyes. She didn't have it often, but sometimes the empty whole growing inside of her was just too much. She could have everything she ever wanted and still feel alone. Carly couldn't tell anyone because they would never get it, to them her life was a never ending episode of vh1's Fabulous Life.

Spencer heard her entering and knocked on her bedroom door before gently pulling it open. Carly quickly wiped her tears and smiled.

"Hey", she whispered.

"Are you just getting in? I didn't hear you from the front".

Carly waved her hand when he joined her at the edge of bed. "I tried to be quiet".

Spencer hit her thigh playfully. "You missed the fried rice".

"I'll manage", she smiled absently flipping her feet back and forth but all her mind kept doing was falling back to Griffin's room where she should have never been in the first place. She touched her cheek where his hand had been hours before and wanted to scream when she spotted a hickey.

"Oh yeah", Spencer flipped her dark shaggy hair out of his face. " Freddie stopped by, with Sam".

"Oh", she nodded somberly. " Okay, I'm kind of sleepy talk to tomorrow okay?"

"Sure, Goodnight", Spencer squeezed his little sister before pecking her forehead and walking out so she could rest.

"Kay", she whispered with a sigh once he had closed her door and quickly ran to her mirror to examine it.

////////

"Okay", Sam leaned across the arm rest to hug Freddie outside her house. After Carly wasn't home they decided to go to dinner alone. And, it was surprisingly not too bad or awkward. He was the perfect gentlemen and paid.

Freddie stopped her when she opened the car door.

"I can walk you up, if you want".

"If you want?" Sam shrugged and ignored the butterflies growing in her belly.

"I do", Freddie stuffed his hands in his pockets once he had helped Sam out of the car like a gentlemen as they rallied inside the run down apartment building.

She dug around her canvas bag until she found her cluttered keys and walked to the apartment on the 6th floor. Freddie was sure he'd seen at least three rats until they reached the apartment.

Freddie awkward sat of the lumpy couch and patted his knees over looking the room.

"Want something to drink?" she asked trailing over in their studio apartment to chug a orange juice bottle casually.

"No thanks", Freddie shook his head in deep thought. He still couldn't wrap his mind over the fact that the Griffin was in town.

"It's about Griffin isn't it?" Sam asked cautiously.

Freddie reluctantly nodded. " I can't believe she didn't tell me".

"Maybe she didn't want you to over react like you are now".

"I guess", Freddie toyed with his watch in deep thought.

Sam gulped watching him, as swat pricked at her nose. It was now or never, she had to know.

She grabbed his wrist to make him pay attention.

"Freddie can I ask you something?"

"Shoot", he smiled.

Sam cleared her throat and avoided eye contact.

"Freddie I have to ask-

A loud ring tone quickly interrupted the moment before it started cutting through the silence. Sam dropped his wrist and exhaled, of course his phone would ring at a time like this, she thought.

"Sorry, this will only take a sec", he quickly apologized pressing his phone to his ear.
"Hello? Calm down mom", he rolled his eyes. " Yeah, I'm still alive", he added annoyed. His mother over protectiveness was pushing him over the edge.

Sam smiled, despite the moment being ruined.

"Fine", Freddie groaned before shutting his cell close and stood slipping over his jacket casually.

He crinkled his brows. " Can it wait until tomorrow? My mom is a maniac", he confirmed with a last grin that made her heart skip a beat or two.

Sam stood to walk him to the door and shrugged casually even though she knew she would never how the courage to ask him again.

"Yeah", she nodded holding onto the door knob. " Nothing urgent".

Freddie stood outside the door and studied her face for a moment longer.

"Was it important?"

"No", Sam confirmed and quickly shut her apartment paint peeled door.

Freddie stuffed his hands on his pockets once he was in front of his car and called Carly again. And like times before her phone voicemail appeared in her cheerful fashion.

"Hey this is Carly, sorry I couldn't get to you in time. Leave me a message, bye!", she giggled before the beep sound appeared from the operator.

"Carly", he groaned with a sigh.

….

Carly emerged from her loft Sunday morning, and was somewhat calm. Every since Friday night she'd been dodging everyone's calls and was finally getting alone time with herself. She had been glad during her sulking she didn't bump into Freddie. He'd been calling her non- stop and had stopped by the loft a few times but she made Spencer tell him she was at the art center.

Carly sighed adjusting the golden retriever puppy she had offered to walk for the young expectation couple a floor down from her. She wrapped her long cardigan tighter around her body once she had made it downstairs to the lobby.

Just when she was about to exit, Freddie entered casually walking past until he noticed it was her and turned around. Carly squinted her eyes, she was hopping she wouldn't have to deal with him until Monday morning.

"Carly", he stated and walked over to face her furrowing his brows, but decided he wasn't mad enough to go without kissing her cheek.

"Hey", she whispered back softly and when he was about to speak she interrupted him.

"I have to walk, Ruffles", she added quickly and pushed the revolving doors back before stepping into the brisk fall air, as if they were acquaintaces from school.

Freddie followed her. "Good", he added. "We need to talk".

Once they had made it to the quiet park they strolled along the bike trail in silence until Freddie interrupted.

"Where have you been? Why haven't you called?" he asked abruptly and stopped walking as if everything was okay.

"What?" Carly asked shaking her head. " I've just been busy Freddie".

"Right", Freddie stated sarcastically.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked nervously and clenched tighter to the dog leash.

"I mean is there something you want to tell me?" he asked, meaning Griffin.

Carly stared into his bottomless brown eyes before walking past him. "No", she answered.

"Oh", he spoke darkly. "So I hear Griffin is back in town", he said pettily. He was so angry, and jealous at the same time he couldn't control his rage.

She quickly turned and crinkled her eyes in disbelief. "I was going to tell you", she protested.

"No you weren't ", he shook his head venomously. " You had Spencer lie for you, my only question is why?" he asked gripping to her slender arms. "Why?"

"You're hurting me", she whimpered. "Let go", she snatched her arms back.

Freddie quickly let go of his grip, he didn't even realize he had used so most force. She only wore 101 and was easily fragile.

"Sorry", he whispered with a sigh shaking his head surrendering. "I just hate the fact that you didn't tell me about Griffin".

Carly shook her head with tears brimming her eyes. "Theirs nothing going on with me and Griffin", she took his chin in her hands and hated herself. "I promise", she added before weakly melting into his arms as he gripped her body in a tight hug.

Sam crinkled her eyebrows when Griffin sauntered into the Groovy Smoothie confidently sitting in front of her. They'd only met a few times and although she hated to admit it Griff was devasataingly good-looking.

He leaned over the counter and winked. " Hey Puckett".

Sorry 4 the delay! I've been so busy. But please comment and review!!!!!!