Chapter 13

Meeting The Family

"So are we like boyfriend and girlfriend now?" Freddie asked.

"I don't know. I guess," I replied.

We were walking side by side up the stairs back to Carly's. The air was tense and awkward. I mean what do you say after you just made out with your frienemie in a lady's lingerie store?

"Should...Should we tell Carly?" I asked.

I know we promised no more secrets but still. Even if we told Carly she would tell everyone! She has the biggest mouth ever! I usually don't care what people think but they would just tease us if they found out that two bickering teenagers who supposedly hated each other started dating.

"Let's wait a day. You know. Figure out this whole new thing about us and then tell her."

I nodded. We weren't technically ling per say, we were just not talking about stuff that happened.

Freddie then opened the door for me and we walked in. Carly was waiting for us on the couch, eating low fat fat cakes. Spencer was in the kitchen humming to himself.

"Sooo. Did you guys find the phone," Carly asked as we sat down next to her.

"Yeah," I replied.

She raised her eyebrows.

"You guys were gone for a long time. Did it really take that long to find your cell? Where was it?"

"Uh Build A Bra. In a bin," Freddie replied, blushing.

Carly started laughing.

"You made Freddie go to Build A Bra?! Oh I can just imagine the look on his face!"

Freddie and I glanced at each other and blushed remembering the kissing scene.

She looked at us suspiciously.

"Did something happen?"

"Uh-"

"AAAAHHHH! HOW CAN YOU EVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE!? ITS NOT SCIENTIFICALLY POSSIBLE!" Spencer yelled from the kitchen.

"What did you caught on fire now?"Carly asked clearly annoyed. She marched into the kitchen and screamed. "How can you caught that on fire?!"

"That's what I would like to know!"

While the two siblings bickered me and Freddie backed out of the room, into the Benson's living room, and out to the fire escape.

We sat down on the fold out chairs and stared at the Seattle sunset. The sun was setting right behind the skyscrapers and office buildings lighting up the architecture designs. I glanced at Freddie. he had pulled his laptop out of nowhere and was now surfing the web. I rolled my eyes.

"You're such a nerd," I said.

"You're still going to insult me."

"Of course. It's just to much fun to give up."

He looked at me with a "you have got to be kidding me" look.

"What? Habits die hard."

He shook his head and smiled.

We were silent as we watched the sun move slowly away from view. I suddenly felt Freddie hand on mine. The hairs on my neck prickled and I turned red. I glanced at him and he smiled at me.

"So.....,"I said.

"So...," he said.

"So we are dating, right?" I asked.

"If you want us to."

I glanced at the sun and back at him. I nodded furiously and his grin widened.

"So should we tell Carly?"

"I don't think so. Well not for a little bit at least. she would freak and tell everyone. I don't care what people think, but they would tease us if they found out we were dating, you know."

He nodded and went back to looking at the sun.

I know this was really cliche but I didn't want this moment to end. I just wanted to stay here with Freddie forever-well until I had to pee or until I ran out of bacon. Good think I saved some in my pocket. I pulled it out and with one hand stuff bacon in my mouth and with the other held Freddie's hand.

I felt my phone vibrate and I jumped and fell on the cement floor with a thud.

"Uh. What?"

"Samantha Joy Puckett! How dare you hang up on me!"

"Sorry. Geez. i just had some business to take care of," I said glancing at Fredward.

"In other words, boy business?"

"Uhhhh."

"OOOH! Is it that tech nerd, what's his name?"

"Freddie?"

"Yeah! He was so cute, but you can have him. I'm more into blondes and red heads.."

"Uh-huh."

"Yeah, so will you check-"

"Yes. I'll see if any stores have those shoes."

Melanie squealed with delight.

"OMT! (Oh my taters) Sammy you have got to introduce your new boy toy to daddy and mommy! We all can have a big dinner and stuff!"

"Uh no thanks."

"I'll go tell dad! He'll love the idea. I'm sure he can't wait to meet your new boyfriend."

"Melanie! He can't meet them. You remember last time when I showed them Pete."

I shivered rembering the thought.

"I'm sure he wasn't in that much pain. I mean, Frothy is just a cat."

"A demon cat," I corrected.

"Yeah but still, I'm sure we can avoid some of the mistakes made last time."

"Oh and what about Mom and Dad? Mom will be wearing barely any cloths, maybe a bikin, and Dad will be spraying everyone with holy water! Oh yeah it'll be fine! He won't think our family is messed up at all!"

Melanie was silent for a few minutes.

"Well it's kind of to late to cancel..."

"What did you do?"

"I kind of, maybe, already told dad about you having a Beau-"

"You did what! Melanie! Now we have to have the stupid dinner! I swear when I pick you up from the air port I'm going to kill you," I yelled into the phone.

She laughed nervously.

"Ummm. I got to go pack, bye," she said hanging up.

I growled and put my phone back in my jean pocket. Freddie gave me a questiony look. I tried to smile, but it turned into a grimace.

"What do you think about meeting my rents?"

Surprisingly Freddie said yes. I doubt he knew what he was getting himself into. so anyway it was the day after Melanie's and my dad's plane landed. It was kind of awkward when me and Dad were in the same room and even more awkward when my dad was in the same room as my mother, who insisted on wearing her new neon pink bikini. My parents decide the diner should be held tomorrow so the whole day I was pleading mom to wear something that covered more skin and begging Melanie not to say something stupid or embarrassing about my childhood. I was also keeping a eye on Dad to make sure he wasn't planning to spray anyone with holy water. So far there was no evidence of religious water. Besides my consistently pleading for a normal family I was deciding what to wear tomorrow. I know, I know. I usually don't care about that stuff, but if tonight was the night my relationship with Freddie was going to end, at least I would look good when everything crashes down.

That night i had finally decide on an outfit and got my mother to promise to wear something besides a bikini, see through tops, and short shorts. Her outfit still showed cleavage, but not has much as it usually did. I went to bed feeling nervous. One can only hope that Frothy wouldn't attack Freddie, that my Dad wouldn't go crazy, that my mom wouldn't act like a ****, and that Melanie would keep her big mouth shut. After hours I finally closed my eyes and drifted to sleep thinking about what the next day would hold.

"You nervous?" I asked Freddie.

He shook his head.

"You should be."

Before he could ask why Miss Benson, my parents, and Melanie came in carry bowls of food Miss Benson and Melanie had prepared. We sat down at the table next to each other. Melanie sat across from me, Miss Benson was on my right, and my Dad to Freddie's left, and my Mom across from Freddie. It was silent while we piled our plates high with potatoes, chicken, gravy, and other stuff.

"Well you look lovey today Samantha..and you too Miss Puckett," Miss Benson said.

My mother was wearing a purple dress that barley covered her butt and had a huge V-nick that showed some cleavage. I was wearing a simple blue dress, flats, and a headband.

"Thanks," Mom and me said at the same time.

Melanie looked offend.

"What about me?" She asked.

"Oh. You look good to dear."

She smiled real big. She was wearing the pair of pinks shoes she wanted me to get her and a strapless floral pink dress. Miss Benson wasn't into dresses so she was wearing black dress pants and a ugly orange yellow and blue striped long sleeve tee.

"Um. So as Melanie told you this is Freddie," Mom said to Dad.

My dad snorted and narrowed his eyes.

"Let us pray before we eat," he said.

We said a quick grace and then everyone dug in. My mom, Melanie, and Miss Benson were the only ones talking and having a good time. Freddie, my Dad, and I were chewing silently glancing back at each other.

"So tell me Freddie, are you in any sports," my dad asked.

"Uh, no sir."

"Hmm. Any clubs?"

"The AV club."

My dad glanced at me with a surprised look. He was probable wondering why I was dating a nerd.

"What are your grades like?"

"I get all A's and sometimes A+'s."

"You're the tech producer on iCarly,a re you not?"

"I am."

"And you saved Sam's friend Carly from a taco truck one time?"

"Yes. I'd do anything for my friends and family."

"Melanie told me you went on a date with her once. And that you used to like Carly. Do you still have feeling for your exs? Are you a playboy?"

"I did go out once with Melanie because I thought she was Sam. As for Carly, I have no more feelings for her. I broke up with her."

"Huh. What colleges are you planning to apply or go to?"

"Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and community college."

"How many relationships have you been in?"

"Counting Sam, three. But I don't know if you would count me and Valery a relationship because she used me, so I guess two."

"Religion?"

"I'm Christian, so is my mother, but my father was Jewish."

"And who are your friends?"

"Sam, Carly, Gibby, Shane, Wendy, Reuben, and Spencer."

A chill went up my back as I remembered Reuben. That freakazoid. I had to double date him while Gibby tried to make that one girl, oh what was her name? who really cares. Anyway, he tried to make her like him. Well one good thing came out of that, a huge salad! I'm not usually a veggie girl, but the put bits of bacon in mine so it was pretty good.

"Freddie you seem like a nice young man...and a nub, as Sam likes to say."

I smiled. My dad liked him!

"Just promise me you won't hurt my daughter and you can date her."

"I promise," Freddie said.

"Oh. And please try not to present yourself as a.....oh whats the word?"

"Nerd? Dewb? Nub? hobo? Dork?"

Freddie glared at me.

"Nerd! That's the word. Yes try not to come across as too much of an intelligent man."

Freddie nodded, but looked kind of shocked. I guess he never thought he would be called names by a priest.

The rest of the night went on better. It was still awkward and Melanie's still told embarrassing stories about when I was trying to be potty trained. And then Frothy came down into the dinning room and attacked Freddie. I wasn't to mad with him. he didn't scratch Freddie up too bad and it just showed Frothy liked him.

"Demon cat," Freddie grumbled as we walked to school together, hand in hand.

"Oh is wittle weddie still wad at the wittle warmless wat?"

He glared at me. He had a bunch of scratches on his face and arms.

"Oh come on. Frothy just wanted to play."

"Then he can go play with Nevel."

I laughed.

"You know you-" I stopped and quickly let go of his hand. Carly was walking towards us.

"Hi Carls," I said.

"Hi guys! You won't believe what happened yesterday."

"What? Spencer glued a toilet seat to his head by accident again?"

"Yes, but that's not the news I wanted to tell. There's actually two things that happened yesterday."

"What," Freddie asked.

"Sasha came over and Spence and her hooked up."

"Sasha Striker?"

"That's the one."

"didn't she break up with him because he sprayed her with green goop when he was making his sculpture "The Green Goop Thing"," i asked.

"Yeah, but she forgave him and now there dating."

"Coolio. So what's the second thing?"

She laughed a little.

"Someone told me they saw you kissing yesterday at Build A Bra."

Me and Freddie started laughing nervously.

"Oh that's funny."

She stared at us, trying to make us nervous and spill.

"We never kissed a Build A Bra. We just looked for my phone, and we found it."

"You guys were gone a long time..."

"Carls we aren't dating."

She nodded.

"You're right. We promised no more secrets. You guys would tell me if you were going out, right?"

"Yeah of course," me and Freddie said.

Something gave me the idea she wasn't buying our little act.

"Then we're clear. You guys are not dating."

We nodded our heads.

"You guys are my best friends. I can tell you anything and you can tell me anything. No matter what it is, we all trust each other, right?"

We nodded again.

"Even if it's something silly like you two secretly dating behind my back or Melanie coming to visit or even Gibby's girlfriend being a robot."

She was now in our personal bubbles and staring at us suspiciously.

"Coz that's what friends do. they tell each other EVERYTHING."

"Yeah. Hey look it's already seven-fifteen. We better hurry or we're going to be late," I said.

Me and Freddie hurried down the street with Carly behind us mumbling stuff about keeping not keeping secrets and friendship and telling the truth. Someone had saw us and told Carly. And when I find out who that person was I was going to make them pay.

So what did you think? Please comment/review!

-Nikki Adams