Chapter Ten

An Itchy Feeling

Sam

It's official. I've lost my mind. Again. But this time over Carly Shay. Ever since Freddie asked me that question, that question about her, I've been thinking non stop about her. Every time Freddie kisses me, the first thing that comes to my mind is her name. How we never kissed at the movie, how we never actually dated. How she fell for me out of the blue, how she wanted to kiss on the first date. How she was the only girl in my life that I actually accepted a date with. How she's my best friend. And whenever we talk to each other, I have an itchy feeling of love spreading through me. I watch her mouth, wondering how it tastes, soon to watch it stick to Gibby's for a second.

It's Friday morning, three weeks after the movie date that was ruined. I wake up to Freddie lying next to me, facing away from me. He spent the night at my house, and I barely remember what happened. I sit up to find me still dressed. That's good. I read my alarm clock. 6:15 AM, it reads. One hour until school. I get out of bed and into the bathroom. I take off my t-shirt, pants, and everything else and open the shower door. The glass is made so you can't see me 100%, so Freddie can't see me naked. I turn on the water and it's cold. I stand there for a minute, getting myself together. I'm with Freddie. I think to myself, He's my boyfriend. So I can't be with Carly. She and I didn't work. Or could we? Snap out of it. Carly has a boyfriend. So all in all we both moved on. I just can't think about her, I just...

"Sam?" says a voice belonging to Freddie.

"Freddie?" I say in panic, remembering I'm in the shower.

"Yeah."

"You scared the hell out of me." I say, speaking the truth, but thinking a billion other things.

"Sorry. I was just wondering where you were." he says and stops for a second, "I should take a shower too..."

"NO!" I say thinking he meant right now.

"Not now! We're not that serious." he says, and I calm down.

"I guess we aren't." I say, fully agreeing and continue showering.

"So, are you going to the game tonight?"

"I don't know, but I have no plans. Why?"

"I was thinking we should go. On a date. But Carly and Gibby will be there, I asked."

Oh no. No, no, no, NO! I can't go. I just can't. I can't be there with Freddie and Carly. But he's serious about going. And he is my boyfriend. "Okay." I say, not telling myself that I'm making a dumb mistake.

"Great. I'll text Carly."

"Okay." I say, the only word I can actually say right now. "Hey Freddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you get me a towel?" I say, just wanting him to leave.

"Sure." he says and I hear the door close.

I turn off the water and think to myself what I've done. I just completely screwed myself. But then the door opens. "Here you go." he says and I open the door partway to get it.

"Thanks." I say and I notice where his eyes are, "Stop looking!"

He just laughs. I roll my eyes and close the door and put the towel on. I open the door fully and he's standing there waiting. "What?"

"What? I can't admire your hotness?" he says and I laugh.

"You can." I say and he kisses me.

I have that feeling again. That... that feeling. Carly. Freddie lets go and smiles. "Now, we don't wanna be late."

"I'll go get dressed then." I say in the half real, half fake lovey-dovey tone.

I walk out and see his smile from the corner of my eyes until he closes the door. I lay on my bed and sigh. I can't do this to him. He loves me. It's just not fair. But then my phone dings and I get a text. I open it. It reads:

Hey. I'm sorry about leaving unexpected yesterday. Glad your going to the game. See you soon.

-Carly

I have to tell her. Tonight. I have to get it out. I open a new message box and say:

Okay. Meet me in the locker rooms at seven. I have to talk to you.

I force myself to hit send. After I hear the door open form the bathroom. "So, you ready to go or not?"

...

At seven o' five, I'm running into Ridgeway Middle and High school to find my locker and just be able to make it to first period without being late. I find my locker and Carly's nowhere in sight. I grab my lock and quickly do my combo and the door pops open. I find my math notebook and textbook and place them in my hands, soon to hear, "A little late, huh Puckett?"

I turn to find a five foot four girl with brown hair put up in a high ponytail and a devious smile on her face, her body framed by a Ridgeway cheerleader uniform. "Go away Valarie."

"Not in the school spirit?" she says and fixes her ponytail, "The game's tonight, you know."

"I know. What do you want? And aren't you supposed to be talking to those cheerleader friends of yours?"

"Can't a friend say hello?" she says, done fixing her ponytail, which is lower now.

"Are you that stupid? We are NOT friends." I say. knowing she's out of her mind.

"Oh come on Samantha, you know we're friends."

"I. Don't. Like you." I say, just wanting her to leave, she's the last thing I need.

"You don't like three fourths of the girls in this school. You can be friends with someone you don't like. I've done it various times."

"That's you, not me. I'm not trying to achieve the head honcho status." I say, but she doesn't move.

"Think about it, if you are my friend, I can give you everything you want. I can get you all the bacon you want."

"I don't take bribes Valarie." I say, and give her an evil look, but you can't do evil on evil.

"I'm not bribing you. I'm just saying. And Carly can be on the ride too, but I'll pay more attention to you. We do have something in common."

I come off puzzled. I have no idea what we have in common. Wait, is she talking about...

"Freddie Benson." she says and rolls her eyes at my now mad look, "We both have a place in his heart. I should know. And you do too."

"He can't love you if you're dead." I say to get her to go away.

"You can't touch me Samantha Puckett, you never can. Now, if you'll excuse me. I have to get to Science." she says and starts to walk off.

But she turns around, and stares at me for a second. "I'll see you at the game." she takes a moment to think about what to say next, "Friend."

And then after that single word comes out of her mouth, she turns around and walks away, but I know she's watching me out of the corner of her eye. I close my locker door, and stand in front of it for a minute and process what she said. Is she actually offering me a truce? Or is she trying to steal Freddie from me?