CHAPTER 11: iHAVE ALWAYS LOVED HER

Drowsily awakening from deep sleep induced by a multiplicity of incredible orgasms, Carly began rubbing her eyes, in an attempt to jolt herself back to full consciousness. Glancing towards her shoulder, she noticed that Freddie, still naked, and somewhat sweaty from their erotic consummation, was still asleep next to her, his face cradled into her tender bosom. Caressing his soft hair, Carly smiled, her heart beating softly. Subconsciously, she realized that the sensual moment they shared was undoubtedly inevitable – they had known each other for years, and their love, as well as their subtle cravings for intimacy, had only grown over time. After all the effort Carly spent trying to find love, be it with Griffin, or Kyle, or any other guy, she failed to pay attention to the fact that the man she should have fallen in love with had been by her side all along. In retrospect, she was grateful for her failed attempts at love, for had she not experienced romantic frustration with other guys, she would never have realized what true love could feel like.

Grabbing for her Pear Phone, she unlocked it and gazed at the digital clock. It read 5:45 AM.

"Shit, I need to go back to the couch before Sam wakes up! If she finds me in bed with Freddie..."

Attempting to get out of bed, Carly slowly tried to lift Freddie's gentle and sleeping face from between her breasts as she gently slid away. She didn't want to wake him, but she also knew that she had to leave his bedroom without any sudden noises. Stroking his sexy face and chest one more time, she leaned over and kissed Freddie quickly and softly on the lips. Mouthing the words "I love you!", aware that he was still sleeping and couldn't see her, Carly rose from the bed, and began to put her clothes back on. As she rustled around in the dark, attempting to get dressed, Freddie slowly began to awaken.

"Mmm...what's up, Carly?" he whispered, the drowsiness still quite heavy in his eyes.

"It's almost 6 AM, Freddie! I don't want Sam to find me in here with you! I'm going back out to the couch, so she'll assume I slept there last night," she whispered in reply.

Somewhat disappointed by her revelation, Freddie rose from his bed and gently grasped her by the arm as she finished getting dressed.

"I fucking love you, Carly...more than anything in the world," he whispered as he rubbed his drowsy eyes. Noticing his nakedness, Freddie sat up in bed a bit straighter, folding his knees.

"I love you too, Freddie – and we'll have to tell Sam at some point, but we have to wait...gosh, this is so complicated..." Carly replied softly, turning around to kiss him passionately once again. Freddie, not one to turn down a kiss, especially from a woman so beautiful, gently clutched her, cupping his hands behind her neck, and kissed her back just as deeply. Savoring the soft and tender sweetness of Carly's kisses, he released his grasp as she began putting her pants back on. As she slid her Pear Phone back into her pocket, Carly slowly left the room, quietly opening and shutting Freddie's door. Awash with romantic ecstasy, Carly collapsed onto the couch, and wrapped herself in the blanket she had left there. Freddie did the same, collapsing back into bed, as if they were mentally linked by their actions.

"Damn, that was awesome."

The exact same sentiment crossed both Carly and Freddie's mind at the exact same time, as if sharing their thoughts and feelings telepathically, a mental phenomenon often caused by true love. Falling back asleep, in a bid to regain a bit of energy before classes began at 10:00, Freddie curled back up, catching the gentle scent of Carly's Coconut Shampoo on his pillow. Hell, it may as well be an aphrodisiac for him, as the subtlety of the aroma aided him in his request to fall back asleep.

"Carly Shay really is something else," he thought briefly. "A girl in a class completely by herself."

Before she could drift back into sleep for a couple of hours, Carly retrieved her Pear Phone from her pocket, and began typing a text – to Freddie:

You are so amazing, Freddie Benson. My heart belongs to you. 3 3

Smiling, Carly slid her Pear Phone back into her pocket as she drifted off to sleep once again. She was immediately greeted by romantic dreams of her and Freddie, as though her mind was reminding her subconsciously of the depth of the love she had rekindled with Freddie after all this time – as well as the awkwardness of being able to keep their romantic reunion a secret from Sam, for the time being. As much as Carly hated keeping things from either Freddie or Sam, she thought about her blonde-headed best friend, and the feelings and thoughts that must be swimming around inside her own heart and mind. Samantha Puckett was, and always will be, important to Carly – just as important to her as Freddie. She couldn't manage without both of them in her life, and she'd simply go insane without either of them.

Rolling onto her side while still in bed, Sam began to stir. Drowsily reaching for her Pear Phone on the nearby nightstand table, she immediately noticed that her bed was strangely empty. Using her other hand to check for another sleeping individual, Sam was surprised to discover that there wasn't one.

"Hmm – I guess Carly decided to sleep on the couch or something," she thought to herself as she unlocked her Pear Phone to check the time. The digital clock read 7:25 AM. "I hope that bubbly brunette is okay...I know yesterday was just chock full of awkwardness and silence and whatnot."

Summoning the strength to rise out of her cozy bed, Sam turned on her lamp and slid her feet into a pair of nearby socks. Leaving her and Carly's bedroom, she approached the Living Room. Glancing off to the side, she saw that Carly had indeed fallen asleep on the couch.

"I honestly don't know what the hell I'd do without this chick," Sam contemplated as she quietly opened the Fridge. Grabbing a small bottle of Orange Juice, she twisted off the cap and took a sip, then proceeded to sit down on the floor, near Carly, in front of the couch. Gazing at her sleeping friend, Sam smiled gratefully. Carly really was the best thing she had in her life. Had she never met her, she'd likely have ended up in Juvie indefinitely – or worse. Watching Carly sleep was probably the closest thing Sam had ever come to witnessing true tranquility – Carly appeared to be an angel, almost as if she possessed another form whilst sleeping.

Leaning forward, Sam gently nuzzled Carly, barely rubbing the tip of her nose against Carly's. Being fully awake, Sam decided to do something to pass the time. After all, she had an hour or so to kill before classes began. "Fuck it, I'll make some breakfast."