Chapter 21: Strong Emotions

FREDDIE'S POV:

It had been a week, since I talked about 'marriage' to Sam. One whole week. And she had not spoken to me since.

Officially, I had scared her off. Great. Not.

So maybe I shouldn't have just blurted it out like I had. I should have known that she'd run from the idea of any sort of commitment. It just wasn't her. Like she'd sit still long enough to be tied down, to anyone. Let alone me.

God, she must hate me right now.

I want to call her, and see if she's alright. But every time I go to pick up my phone, a hint of doubt stops me in my tracks.

Hate.

That's the reason. She'll never feel like I do about her. It's just not in her 'system' to love me… like I love her.

Sure. We've been spending so much time together. And laughing, a lot.

I love her. I love her so much, that it hurts.

That's why I'm here, on the fire escape. Our fire escape. Thinking things through. There has to be something that I can do, to make her see the actual reason that I want to marry her.

Not just because of the baby. But because I want to spend the rest of my existence with her.

The thing is, Sam jumps to conclusions. She doesn't give anything much thought. Or when she does, it's irrational and spontaneous.

Spontaneous.

Standing up suddenly, I hit my head on the fire escape ladder. My eyes water, and I rub my head slowly, but right now I couldn't care less about how much that hurt. I climb over the window ledge and make my way quickly, to the elevator.

When I realized that it was taking forever, I abandoned my original idea and rushed down stairs.

The lobby was unusually quiet.

It seemed Lewbert, the crazy doorman, had taken a short vacation, as I had not seen him in a while. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. He wasn't exactly the nicest person you could come across.

Looking around, before stepping out of the Bushwell Plaza, and I see Spencer and Sam talking. Or Sam is talking and Spencer is listening. Typical, really.

That's when I see Sam look up and stops talking. About a second later, I notice Spencer waving and smiling at me, as if he wanted me in their conversation.

"Hi Freddo- Ouch!"

Sam must have punched him or something, to shut him up. And turned to face her quickly, probably demanding what she hurt him for.

But then, as if a light bulb suddenly switched on, in his brain, he turned his attention back to me, then back to the girl. Then back to me again.

He looked about ready to murder me, where I stood.

Oh crap. He knows, about everything.

Suddenly, not thinking about anything else, that I came downstairs to do, I turned on my heel and ran back into the Bushwell Plaza and bolted upstairs. Spencer, I'm not surprised to say, charged after me, like some angry bull. A really angry bull.

I got to my apartment and slammed the door, hearing a scream of pain, from Spencer, most probably.

"Freddikins, what's-"

Slapping my hand over my mom's mouth, I lead her into the kitchen and sit her down, out of harms way.

Time to face the music, I thought to myself, while walking back over to quickly open the door. But I found no one angry… or even remotely a human being on my doorstep. I slowly creep out and into the Shay apartment.

I just entered the house of my current worst enemy… which was probably not the smartest thing in the world to have done right now.

"Run, Fredward," said a scared voice.

It was Sam. Scared Sam. Now, there's something I hadn't seen before. Well, except for when she told me she was pregnant. And perhaps when I told her we should get married…

…don't go there, Benson. Don't go there.

I'm looking at Sam, and her mouth was dropped open, and is pointing to the door, from which I had just entered.

Like she had seen a ghost.

There's a slight weight, pushing down on my shoulder, and I slowly turn to look at who was behind me, only to be greeted with the face of a furious crazy artist man, who had now entered Grizzly Bear, big brother mode.

I motion for Sam to step away, and slowly, she does so. The last thing I want, is for her to be hurt, just because Spencer is being stupid and irrational.

I turn to face Spencer Shay.

His eyes were glinting a dangerous red, by now and I think his hands were about ready to wrangle their way around my neck. They were twitching, a little.

"You will die," threatened the man, in a cold voice. "Now!"

Screams coming from Spencer, and also me, shook the whole apartment. He lunged for my throat, but I dodged him. Then somehow he managed to grab my neck and started to slowly lift me up. My face must have been turning blue, as my lungs were rapidly running out of oxygen. His grip tightened by the second. Like a Boa Constrictor.

"Help," I wheezed, and tried to get his grip to loosen slightly. "Sam, help!"

Sam ran to try and help me and somehow, through all the pain and strangulation, I managed to see Carly come running down the stairs. After seeing her brother, and her best friend, in a bit of a fix, she squealed and ran to rescue… well… me most probably. Sam decided she'd had enough and punched Spencer in the groin. Harshly.

He let go, causing me to fall to the ground in a heap, then he doubled over in pain. Serves him right though, for trying to kill me.

"What was THAT all about! ?" Carly demanded, looking at me, and then back to her brother. "Spencer? Explain yourself!"

"Ask HIM," replied Spencer, pointing right at me and glaring.

"Freddie? What does Freddie have to do with-"

"Spencer's mad because he found out that Freddie is the father of my baby," blurted Sam, kneeling down to see if I was okay.

The man growls, but it turns into more of a groan of pain. Carly is just looking from me, to Sam, to Spencer and back again. Well, she's not flipping her lid, so, I'm guessing she already knows, or her best friend already told her. Or she's a good guesser.

Yeah. No.

I think I'll go with the second option.

While Carly pulls Spencer off into his room, and scolds him for being an idiot, or that's what it sounded like, to me, anyway, Sam pulled me up and sat me down on the couch slowly, and paced around the living room.

Like she was thinking.

"I'm sorry I said no," she said, quietly, and stopped to look at me.

"Sam, it's okay, you don't-"

Her hand raises to shush me. And I oblige.

"Please. I have to ask you this."

Her face goes a little pale, almost as if she's about to be sick, or something.

"What is it?" I question, my voice going all gentle and soft.

There is a little hesitant pause, before she manges to utter the next words.

"Did you want to marry me because I'm pregnant with your child… or because you… kinda… sorta-"

"I love you," I say, quickly. "I'm falling in love with you, Sam. That's why I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Sam. I will do anything to stay by your side… the baby… well, that was a little 'bonus'."

I see her eyes light up, at the word 'bonus'. maybe she thought I thought that having a child was a burden.

Sure it'll be tough.

But together, Sam and I, we'll pull through. Together.