Carly's POV
"Tell me frankly," I requested. "Am I too meddling?"
"Is 'meddling' an adjective?" Spencer questioned me back. I shot him a serious glare and he knew I was trying to be serious. "Okay, I think that as a good friend to Sam and Freddie, you're not too 'meddling'."
"Really?" I asked. "I mean, I was the one who forced them to take part in this dating competition. And after Sam almost got killed, I even kept the truth about the loopholes in the document from them. Worst of all, I made Sam feel all horrible after saying those mean things to her when we swopped partners. Am I a bad friend or what?"
Spencer turned away. "Well, you can't blame your acting skills."
"SPENCER!" I yelled, all agitated.
"Carly, come sit down here with me," he gestured to the couch, which he called it his 'discussion couch' since we held most of our family discussions there. "Look, you've been trying for ages to get those two together. I'll admit that last week's deal with the acting was a little too much, but other than that, you have been doing a great job."
I sighed. "I know, but-"
"When I was your age, I had two really good friends," he started. "They hated each other at first, but after a little pushing and a little fate and destiny, they ended up together."
"Then, what happened?" I asked.
"They broke up," he gave me his sad face. "But, that's not the point. It's the fact that we helped that made all the difference."
I smiled. "Thanks, Spencer."
"You're welcome," he smiled. "Now can you be my sculpture's model?"
"No," I declined.
"But you said that after the talk, you'd be my model!" he sulked.
I frowned. "I didn't say that!"
"Yeah, you did!" he argued. "I was like 'Will you come help be a model?' and you were like 'Later'."
"But I said that because-"
"AH HAH!" he yelled. "You admitted you said it!"
I tried to defend myself. "Spencer!"
He ran into his room to grab his sculpture materials. "La la la la la, I can't hear you!"
Sigh, sometimes, I wonder if he's my younger brother or older brother.
Sam's POV
Things aren't gonna be easy. My best friend's gone bonkers, the dork just gave up on me and now, Pete's trying to get the fact that he still likes me into my head.
"What do you want, Pete?" I asked.
"You didn't answer my question," he replied. "Who was that?"
"Just a friend," I lied. He was more than a friend. But now, I'm pretty sure he would rather be friends with me for the rest of his life.
Pete frowned. "Just a friend? I thought I saw Freddie Benson kissing you. I guess you didn't want me to find out."
"It's none of your business, Pete," I snapped. "Now get out of here before I break your thumb."
"What do you mean it's 'none of my business'?" he asked as he approached. "You're my girl. If another boy lays a finger on you, it's my business."
"I'm not your girl," I frowned. "I'm no one's property."
He calmed down. "Okay, I'm sorry about breaking up with you that night. I know you saw me with Rebecca. But we've broken up now. And I still love you."
"I lost all feelings for you the moment I saw you dating that daffodil," I gritted my teeth.
"You're lying!" he grabbed my wrist. "Freddie told me that you still had feelings for me even weeks after the break up. That's why he wanted to quit thee competition and let me replace him. But too bad. Griffin came and asked me to replace him. That's why he's still in."
"What?" I relaxed myself. "Why did he do that? I thought there was no way we could quit the competition."
He smirked. "Carly lied. And do you know why she did that?"
I just stood there, before he continued.
"She wanted Freddie to herself," his grip around my arm tightened. "She knew that if you couldn't quit, Freddie would try to quit. And once she gets rid of Griffin, she would be able to have Freddie all to herself while you end up with me."
"No... That's not the way it's supposed to be. You're lying!" I yelled.
"Face it, Sam," he called. "The old Carly is gone. Your best friend is out against you, your partner turned his back against you. You have no one to rely on except for me. I will take care of you, Sam. I will make sure that you will never get hurt again."
I remember the times when we were young, I laughed at Melanie when she cried. I never understood why girls could be so emotional. Then, when it was finally my turn, I finally realized – we were never strong. And it's time to find someone you can rely on, someone who can protect you and swear that you'll never hurt again. But is Pete the one?
I think of you and me as really close friends. I remembered what Frediffer told me on my birthday a few years ago. He never knew that the only reason why I managed to smile everytime after I insult him with nicknames was because I was insulting him. He was the only one who could make me smile. But he was the one who made me feel the worst.
How can love and hate happen at the same time? I would never know.
"Sam, stay with me, please?" Pete pleaded.
"I... I..." I didn't know what to say. "I... I-"