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Midnight.

They are supposed to break-up then. At least that is what they told each other.

It's 11:59 P.M.

And questions begin to fill Sam's mind. Were they doubts? Doubts about breaking up with Freddie? No, of course not. This is what they wanted. This is what was mutual. This is what they agreed upon.

And in that moment she can hear the bells from the old Seattle Church Tower begin to chime.

It was almost midnight. But it was something they both wan-

One.

She can feel Freddie start to retreat. But who was she to care? In a matter of seconds he would not be her boyfriend anymore. She would be back to being the single Sam Puckett who did everything and anything she wanted.

Two.

As clock ticks, Sam crushes her lips to Freddie's. Sparks fly, hands travel, and doubt lingers.

But she knows she has to do it. It is not fair to him or to her. And she knows that once they get it over-once they break-up-she will feel free. She will be the Sam everyone knows and...

Three.

She takes a deep breath, remembering their first kiss. At the time they had just been two scared kids who wanted to get their first kiss over with. But the moment her lips touched his she knew there was something between them. Of course, she had not been quite sure what it meant at the time and she chose to ignore it.

It was not until that day, seven months ago, when Freddie was lying next to the fire hydrant, bloody, bruised, and crying out in pain, that the feelings started to reappear. He looked cute. And this time she could not ignore the fact that she had feelings for him. But she also could not tell him. She was supposed to hate him, he was supposed to hate-

Four.

So, she thought maybe she would try and hang out with him more-make sure that these so-called feelings were real. With Brad there it was the perfect excuse. No one would suspect a thing. It would seem like she just wanted to be "one of the guys" or that she wanted to be sweet to Brad so he would bring her more of that delicious fudge.

She had not expected Carly to think she was in love with the sandy-haired baking boy. She also had not expected Freddie and Brad's mood app to actually work.

That night at the lock-in—that kiss—it wasn't planned. Far from it.

As she sat on the cobblestone steps in the school courtyard, listening to Freddie talk to her, she became more and more aware that those feelings were feelings of being in love. And then she just kissed him. Partially, because she had wanted to just shut him up, but mostly because she knew, in that moment, that it was now or never.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

She thought she was insane after she kissed him. But then there was that day at the mental hospital that she let her guard down and everything seemed to fall into place.

And he kissed her.

And that time it was not an awkward first kiss between friends or her grabbing him by surprise and planting one on him. It was the kiss she had always wanted from a guy. One that was tender, meaningful, and full of love.

And this time, no one was running or hiding from anyone. There were no secrets. It was the start of a beautiful rel-

Eight.

Relationship. It was a funny word. Sam opposed all aspects of the word until that moment at the mental hospital. But with her lips pressed against Freddie's as the world wide web watched, all her oppositions began to fade away.

Nine.

Why had she fallen in love with Freddie? She had not really thought about it until Carly had brought up the question, nearly a month ago. And well, she loved everything about him. His face, his eyes, his intense concentration on his tech-projects, the way he made her smile and laugh...she loves all those things.

Well, loved.

Right.

Ten.

It was almost time—a split second away. In a less than two minutes, it would all be over. Everything would be said and done. Everything would be normal again.

But in that moment, Sam could not even remember what normal was.

When had her life ever been normal?

Eleven.

The words should have started to form in her mouth. She should have turn and ran. She should have retreated, backing up, letting go of this part of her life.

One word—and it would all be over.

But her mouth felt dry and no words could even begin to form.

Could she do this?

This was not what was supposed to happen. This was not what they had agreed upon. This was—

Midnight.

This was midnight.

Sam stared at Freddie.

And she could not do this. Yes, they fought more than the average couple. Yes, occasionally she would hit him. But that is just who she was—who they were. And they had so many great moments to add to it as well.

She was not ready to give up on him. Their relationship, him, everything—it was all worth it.

And she loves him more than anything.

"I'm not ready to give up," she whispers, as the wind whips around them in the chilly Seattle night.

And Freddie doesn't have to respond, as his face practically mirrors Sam's. All he does is scoot closer, cupping her face in his hands and slowly and tenderly kisses her in the same spot their first kiss had taken place—the fire escape of the Benson's apartment.

"Neither am I," he finally replies.

Midnight was supposed to be the end of what they knew over the past few months, but, in fact, it was just the beginning of something that meant everything.

Today's writer: totallygilmore

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