AN: Happy Friday! Did I drop off the face of the earth for a while? Yes, yes, I did. I'm very sorry for that. College has been getting busy with Christmas exams, then I was broken up with, and then my friends decided they no longer wanted to know me, and then I got ill. Well, that was a fun little bundle of excuses aha. I'll definitely try in future to be more regular with updates. In case you've forgotten what's happened so far, like I have, Sam confronted her mom about her college money and Freddie has come to pick the twins up from the Puckett house. Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Eleven

"Well, this may be controversial, but I think that went well."

Freddie frowned from the driver's seat, leaning over to unlock the passenger door for Sam and her twin. He'd picked the two up immediately, as soon as he'd got the "I'm ready to go now – why did I let you talk me into this" message from Sam. Melanie got into the back and Sam slid into the seat beside him, her backpack at her feet. The atmosphere in the car had changed instantly.

Melanie looked at her twin. "Went well? She stormed out and tossed my cookies in the trash. Do you know how long they took?"

"The cookies, Mel? That's what you're concerned about?" Sam scoffed. "We just found out she's been keeping thousands of dollars from us for years. And now, she's going to transfer the money to us, so we actually get a chance of going to college."

"She was trying to make sure we had a house to come back to, Sam. You have to understand why she did it."

"Oh, so you're defending her? I thought you had work anyway."

"I called in sick."

"Gasp," Sam said mockingly, feigning surprise in the most animated way possible. "Prissy Melanie breaking the rules?" She eagerly looked out the window. "Are pigs flying?"

Freddie quickly cut in. "Anyway, let's go, go, go. I'm guessing I'm dropping you at the Bushwell, Mels? My mom and her sister are having a girly spa day, and I think Spencer is watching the kids – god help them."

Melanie agreed and said that her and Carly had some plans to go to the mall. "Glitter Gloss are having a sale. Do you want any glitter?"

"I don't fancy myself as a glitter man," Freddie joked.

"Oh, Freddie, you're so funny," Melanie said with a laugh, placing her hand on his shoulder. Sam glared at the hand and waited for her sister to remove it; meanwhile, Freddie was trying to focus his eyes on the road, attempting to ignore the hand. Not being able to take it anymore, Sam removed the hand herself and threw it back at her. "Aish, Sam, be nice. I was just being friendly."

"Okay, well, just don't be," Sam said, rolling her eyes. The drive was short to the Bushwell, and Melanie thanked the brunette for the ride, hopped out the car and skipped her way to the entrance of the building. The sound of Lewbert's snarly voice greeted her. Sam turned to get out the car but Freddie placed his hand over hers, stopping her. "Nub, I'm getting out. From the sounds of it, we have the apartment to ourselves so—"

"So," Freddie grinned, locking the door. "We are going on a trip."

Sam groaned lightly, sitting back almost exasperated. "Where? I'm tired – today has been so long and I need ham."

Freddie gestured to the back, where a picnic basket laid in the seat beside where Melanie once was. "In the back, but you can't have it yet. Patience is a virtue, Puckett."

"That God didn't give me, Benson." Sam went for the basket, but Freddie quickly held her back, his arms around her waist. "When did you become so strong?"

"Like I told you years ago, when the voice got deeper."

Sam huffed and sat back in the seat again. "Where are we going?"

"Just wait for it, wait for it."

"Is that why we're in Spencer's truck? I left a packet of Fat Cakes in the glovebox in your car."

"I wondered where they came from," Freddie teased.

"Did you eat my Fat Cakes?" she accused.

"No! No, I wouldn't dare."

"Good, nub."

In all honesty, he'd missed Sam, even though it had only been a few hours. It was only May, so the sky was going to remain light for a few hours than normal, which made Freddie's plan that little bit better. The food was all packed and everything was in the flatbed. Now, all he had to do was drive the short distance to the surprise destination.

Sam reached over to turn on the radio.

I want you ruin my life, you to ruin my life, you to ruin my life, yeah.

"I love this song."

"I swear, Carly has this song on repeat."

Sam nodded her head, sneaking her hand to turn up the volume. "She listens to it while doing the dishes. Swear that's the only reason I like this song." The air was becoming cleaner, as the wind invaded the truck through the open windows. Sam's hair picked up, blowing into her face, so she hurried to tuck it behind her ears.

Without even looking, Freddie took the hairband off from around his wrist and handed it to her. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. When they were dating, he always had one on his wrist in case she needed it, but she didn't think he still did that. "Old habits die hard," he told her simply, and the two listened in silence to the rest of the song.

Sam didn't know where they were going, but she felt content in the journey. They must've been driving for forty minutes when she turned to him. "Okay, now will you tell me? We're almost there, right?"

"Another ten minutes ish, Sammy. Be patient."

Another thing from when they were dating. She didn't bother to correct him, just watched the scenery disappear through the window. They approached a large set of traffic lights which stretched for what seemed like miles as cars zoomed past – a lot of cars. "Haven't we been here with Carly?" As the traffic picked up and they were on their way again, she remembered said best friend and Spencer in the front seats yelling to a song on the radio while her and Freddie sat in the back, bursting into laughter at the siblings' tradition of singing on their way to the—"Wait, isn't this the way to the—"

Then as she looked ahead of her, she was greeted with the prettiest ocean she had ever seen.

"The beach, yes."

Sam smiled, sitting up in her seat. She remembered the journey with her friends, but she couldn't remember for the life of her when that was. Must've been two years ago at least – definitely before her and Freddie became a thing. She even remembered burying him up to his head and leaving him there. Gibby got there with his girlfriend Tasha a few hours later, bringing with them the basket of food that Spencer had forgotten to pack in the car amongst all the towels and Carly's sittable rubber ring. Sam was, of course, devastated that they'd forgotten the food of all the things, so the sight of the picnic basket in the back of the truck instantly made Sam's evening.

Freddie parked the truck up and got out, before circling the vehicle and opening Sam's door for her. "My lady," he grinned with a bow, to which Sam asked what the occasion was. "Nothing, nothing. Just wanted to be a gentleman. Plus, I'm just glad you didn't slam the door in my face when you saw me coming."

"Mama was thinking about the food in the back," Sam replied, leaning into the backseat to grab the picnic basket. Freddie took it off her, closed the door behind her, and led the way to the flatbed. With a click, he unlocked the chain on the back, followed by the side coming down so the two could get on top. Spencer had bought the pickup truck a few months ago from Socko's cousin, Trucker, and would only let Freddie borrow it in fear of Carly covering the whole thing with glitter. Sam took his hand, so she could step up, and he joined her shortly after. "Food, food, food."

"You're here for the food, aren't you?" Freddie asked knowingly.

"You'll never know," Sam teased, but she quickly dug into the basket and found the ham he had chopped into thin slices. "This is sacrilege, Fredward Benson. Your mom would be disappointed."

"Yes, disappointed that I even bought it. Hey, you're lucky you even have that. Went shopping for it this morning after you left, and Aunt Cathy had to help me hide it in her kids' room from my mom. She would've murdered me if she found out I had meat in that apartment." Freddie stole a slice of ham, which made her glare at him, making him laugh as she continued to devour it. "When did you last eat?"

"Stole some ham from Carly's," Sam told him. "Must've been a good three hours ago though."

"How did it go with your mom?"

"What is this, a third degree?" Sam frowned. Of course, she was happy she could go to college, despite her previous hatred for the idea, but she couldn't help but question the morals behind it. Pay for college, go to California at what expense? Her childhood home and her mom's food? God, she'd been hanging around with Carly and Freddie for way too long. "I'm just trying to enjoy the meat you packed me, alright?"

Freddie chuckled. "Help yourself, Princess Puckett."

"Is that a new cast?" Sam asked, finally realising his new accessory. It was much smaller than the old thicker one and had a red coating, allowing him to be able to move his fingers more freely.

"Yeah. Got it changed this morning after you left, and I stopped at the supermarket for the food afterwards. It was the same nurse as when we went, aha. She asked how my girlfriend was."

"And what did you say?"

"I said she was more beautiful than ever."

Sam couldn't help the blush that crept onto her cheeks. "Nub."

"Are you blushing?"

"…no."

A little while later, when the sky finally grew the slightest bit darker and after a bunch of teasing about the blushing, Freddie managed to convince Sam to allow him to drag her onto the sand. The truck was parked across from the beach with the promenade between the two. Excitedly, he tugged her across the sidewalk and right into the sand, not even giving her the chance to take off her Converse which she was now guaranteed was full of sand.

The beach was practically empty, the sand catching the sun and goldening under the light. A few families with small kids and a couple of teenagers hung around, feasting in the last of the Spring weather. Then amongst the families and teenagers, there were Sam and Freddie, two of the most dysfunctional teenagers in the history of America, or even the world, who were still drawn to each other no matter their faults.

After finally getting the chance to strip from her shoes, Sam ventured into the water, allowing her feet to sink into the wet sand. Freddie stood beside her, and slowly, they both walked into the water, not caring about the absence of swimming trunks or bikini shorts. They were still in their jeans, rolled up to just below their knees, but they stopped when the water reached their waist. Sam splashed him, smirking when he flinched and shook his head like a dog trying to dry off. His hair splashed the water back at her. She shrieked and tried to run away from her, forgetting how difficult is to run in water, so really, she was walking away in a very excitable manner.

Freddie managed to get her, so she splashed him back and they chased each other around in circles. If anyone else saw them, they'd think they were a cute couple, trying to drown each other – but like, in a cute way. "I'm going to get you, Puckett."

"I'd like to see you try, Benson," Sam grinned.

But then, throwing her off guard, she watched his expression change as he came over to her with his hands above the water. It was clear he had no intention of splashing her, so she dropped her arms to her side and allowed him to come closer. Then, his face was directly in front of hers, noses touching, parted lips, but the final lean felt too difficult. Because they both knew that if they went through with this, there was no coming back.

Not this time.

"No, we shouldn't," Sam whispered. "You said we should wait and—"

"I don't care what I said, Samantha Puckett. I want you and only you."

She breathed, breath tickling his face. "Then do it," she told him.

And he did.

Their lips touched, as did their hearts. This time, though, it wasn't a jokey kiss. This time, they knew what they wanted and it was each other. As they made out in the water, hands in hands and bodies on bodies, they didn't remember where they were, didn't remember the exploding trains, elevator breakups, prison trips, large pretzels, innocent kisses, and intrusive friends – they only remembered each other in that moment, eyes pressed shut and souls moulding into one.

When they finally pulled away, their eyes met, and Sam couldn't help but laugh, trying to get her breath back. Freddie grinned and continued to hold her hand, liking the skin contact that he didn't realise he missed. "Now what?" Sam asked, feeling nostalgic from the first time they'd kissed. Though they'd only kissed the night before, it had felt like forever since that magical experience.

"Now, this is when I planned to ask you to be my girlfriend but—"

"But what?"

"We aren't where I planned and I haven't got your gift and—"

At the word "gift," Sam's face lit up. "What are we waiting for then? Let's go!" She tugged him by the hand back towards the sand and the truck, ignoring how drenched she was from the water. "You have towels, right?"

"Yes," Freddie told her with a laugh. "Not bringing towels to the beach? How dumb do you think I am?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but he quickly interrupted.

"No, wait, don't answer that."

"Hey, I was going to say that you weren't dumb," Sam huffed. He rolled his eyes at her, still grinning as he led her towards the truck. He opened the back and helped her up, allowing the two to sit with their legs dangling over the truck. Then he grabbed her a towel from behind them and helped her to wrap it round her lower half, but she knew it wouldn't take long to dry with the current heat enveloping them. For Spring, it wasn't exactly cold, unlike the previous stormy spells. "What did you say about a gift?"

"I had a whole speech planned and everything."

"Freddie, honestly, I'd be happy if you just asked me. Just come out and say it."

"Okay, but at least let me do this." Freddie got down from the truck and kneeled in front of her one knee, taking her aback, a velvet jewellery box in his hands. "Sam, will you be my girlfriend? I know I'm not any more abnormal than last time, but I want to try again, so please if you could give me that chance to show you just how special you are, I would love that, Sam."

With him kneeling in front of her, a box in his hand, she felt excited yet overwhelmed. Of course, he wasn't asking her to marry him, and she would happily be his girlfriend after the last few weeks they'd had, but he sure knew how to make a big deal about everything. "Romantic gesture, huh?" Sam smiled. "And yes, of course. But I'll warn you now that I'm not any more normal either."

Freddie laughed, stood up, and pulled her close to him. "I know – and I don't mind." He opened the box finally, revealing to her a gorgeous, silver, heart-shaped locket. "I got this for you earlier too aha."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh, my god, Freddie," she gasped, feeling the girliest she ever had in her life – even when she wore Melanie's clothes, Carly tried to make her girlier for a guy she had liked at the time, and when she bought a deep purple dress in the sales. "That looks way too expensive."

"It wasn't that much," Freddie said to her, knowing fully well that that was all of his savings and more. "And I want you to have it, Sam. I got it for you. At least let me put it on you so you can see how it looks. If you don't like it, I promise we can return it and pick out something new tomorrow." She knew she liked it just from looking at it, and he just seemed so excited about her liking it, so she turned around for him to clasp the necklace. Then once she heard the small, almost inaudible click, she let her hair down and returned the hairband to Freddie, who quickly secured it back around his wrist.

"Okay, now just kiss me, you nub."