Last time: Freddie had just left Melanie's house after their first date.
Chapter 5 - We join another flashback to Freddie and Melanie April, 2013
As he drove home, Freddie couldn't help but think this was the way the whole dating thing was supposed to work. His romantic experiences beforehand were odd to say the least. Valerie, Magic Malika, that extremely tall girl, Sabrina, that he invited over the time there was a heat wave, even Carly, none of them would be considered normal dates. And heaven knows what he had with Sam was far from traditional.
He parked his car and made his way to the apartment door and no sooner had his key in the lock, when his mother yanked the door open. "Fredward! It's after ten, I was getting worried!"
He explained to his mother that everything was fine and went to his room to get ready for bed. Before he even changed clothes, he did as requested and sent a text to Melanie that he was home safe along with a cute emoticon and a wishes for a good night.
While he was in the bathroom, he heard his phone ring but ignored it. He had just texted Mel and figured it was simply Gibby calling to ask him how the date went. A minute later, Melanie's phone rang, too.
"Hi, Sammy." Melanie answered, cheery and happy as ever.
"Have you seen Fredbag lately?" Sam asked, she knew the two had been spending time after school together but was unaware of their date. "Since school on Friday?"
"Yeah. Just a little bit ago actually. Why?"
"Because he's not answering his phone. What were you doing with the nub on a weekend?" Sam sneered, only partially in jest. "I know he hauls you to school and chiz so you don't have to take the bus but you mean to say you were just hanging out with him?"
Melanie ignored her sister's cynicism. "He just sent me a text that he made it home and said goodnight. Why?"
"Because I just tried calling the doof and he didn't answer. Wait, wait, wait. It's Saturday night, you two were together? He told you he got home safe? And Goodnight? Were you on a date with that dip wad or something?"
Melanie again chose to ignore Sam's dig and simply exhaled loudly.
"OMG! You were! Melanie, I can't believe this!" Sam huffed.
"Well, believe it, because we were and I had a really great time, too. Best date ever in fact."
Sam simply sneered. "Then you have a pretty low standard, sis."
Melanie just made a grumbling sound. Sam was the only person she ever argued with or made her act that way.
"So what do a pair of geeks like you do on a date anyway? Study for school or sit around putting puzzles together with his mommy?"
"He took me to a movie and we had dinner at the Chopsticks House if you mist know. Actually, I haven't met his mother yet." Melanie simply replied.
"Lucky you." Sam cracked. "That woman's a real whack-job."
"Sam! That is so rude to say that about someone's mom."
"That doesn't make it not true. It wasn't that long ago she made him bath with tick soap and wear antibacterial under pants."
Melanie figured Sam was just making things up. "Alright, first of all he's not a collie. Why would any teenage boy need a tick bath unless he was camping or something and secondly, how do you know so much about his underwear? Or care about it for that matter."
"He told me about both. And, EW! I don't even want to think about Frednerd's underwear?"
"You dated him, too if I remember correctly." Mel reminded her sister.
"It wasn't for that long." Sam cracked back. "I hardly ever seen him without socks let along pants. And how did we get to talking about Fredwad and me dating all of a sudden? You're the one that just went out with him. Gross."
"Listen Sammy. There's something you should know. Freddie and I kind of, tonight, we, I uh, like . . ."
"You'd better not tell me you and Freddie did what I think you're gonna tell me you did." Sam bristled again and if Melanie were in front of her, she would have undoubtedly been sitting on her.
"Well, that all depends on what you think I'm about to tell you. I, like, kinda, oh gosh! I told him I like him." Melanie said quickly and waited for the blowup, which never came. "An-and he said it back. Wait. What did you think I was gonna say?"
"Never mind what I thought." Sam hissed, relieved. "How can you like that dweeb? He's so, so, he's a nyeeh!"
"You're not fooling anyone, Sammy. I know you don't really hate Freddie as bad as you ever let on. I know you and him are friends and that him and Wendy are the only two in Seattle you've kept in contact with. You did date Freddie for what, a month, month and a half last year?"
"But he's so. . . " Sam acted like she was about to be ill.
Melanie began to list Freddie's virtues. "He's so what? Funny, smart, respectful, kind, considerate, caring, generous?"
Sam, while showing nothing but anger, felt betrayed that Melanie got to see that side of him. "What do you think you're doing, reciting the scout motto?"
"Sam!" Mel scolded. "I'm simply telling you what I find attractive about him. Oh, and I almost forgot, he is hot as heck. I would sooo love to see him without a shirt. I'll bet he has chest hair. Do you know? Does he have chest hair?"
"Gah! How would I know? I just ate here and I'm getting queasy." Sam snipped. "The words hot and Freddie Benson cannot occur on the same plain of existence."
"Sam!"
The twin in L.A. toned down her sarcasm and got serious. "So what did you guys do?" She almost sounded sad when she said it.
"Well, We went to see the Road Trip movie, which was hilarious by the way, and then we had more Chinese food than anyone should have in one day. My word, the selections at that place. And on the way home, we stopped for gelato and he even walked me to the door. Oh, I almost forgot, your dumb cat tried to chew his leg off."
Sam for some strange, sadistic reason found this laughable. "Hah! I trained him so well!"
"It's not funny. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to have a monster like that attack your date? If he were any other guy he'd probably never talk to me again."
"If he were any other guy he wouldn't be so desperate for a date that he'd willingly go out with big foot."
Melanie just huffed. "Sam, I really like him. An-and I know you do, too. And if I'm missing something and you tell me there's still feelings between you two and I shouldn't go out with him anymore, I won't."
Now Sam huffed. "There's nothing between me and that nub, Melanie. If you want to go out with him, go ahead. He's your problem" Of course, Melanie picked up on a certain vibe, which was now unmasked since her sister dropped the hostilities.
"But . . . "
"Look, I might not hate his guts as much as I let on, but he is my friend, so don't toy with him." Sam said honestly. "He's too good of a guy to have his heart tramped on."
Melanie remained silent and Sam added one more line in sarcasm. "I'm just sayin' don't hurt my nub, that's my job."
"Why do you think I'd hurt him?" Melanie asked, "I'm not that bad am I?"
"Not bad, just fickle and unless he's changed since junior year, he pours his entire soul into a relationship." Sam replied, knowing how he was with her. "And because you're going to college in the fall and so is he. I just can't see how you two will last if you're a couple thousand miles apart. You know I don't believe in long distance relationships."
"Is that why you're not together with him?" Melanie might have hit the nail on the head.
"Oh, dear sister, if you ever say that again I will personally drive back to Seattle just to kick your butt."
"Sounds like I hit a nerve. But if you're not interested, I supposed there's no reason he can't go out with anyone he wants to."
"I could care less who the dork dates, or who you do for that matter. Like, I said, just don't end up hurting him. Please. For me."
As the girls were having their conversation and Freddie was in his apartment. He picked up his phone to see who called while he was in the bathroom and noticed Sam's number. He was about to call her back when it rang again. This time it was Gibby checking up on how his buddy's date went.
"Yo, Gibbs. Whats up?" He answered.
"You tell me. You're the one who had a date tonight." Gibby suggested. "How'd it go? First base? Second?"
"You have a girlfriend and you go on lot of dates." Freddie replied with a laugh. "And I don't ask you how far you've gotten on any of them. But it was awesome. Well, except for Sam's sinister cat attacking me when we got back to their house."
"She even took you back home? Dang, that was fast." Gibby gasped. "So third base then? I didn't think she was like that from what I've seen at school, but . . ."
"It wasn't like that, Gib! And I've been to Mel's house a lot. We usually go there after school to do homework together. No big deal. It's not like we ended up making out for an hour or anything?"
Gibby kept pushing. "So you didn't get any play, then? Or did you make out for less than an hour?"
"Dude!" Freddie exclaimed. "I'm not talking about this. But I did get a kiss."
"Woo! Smooth operator." Gibby teased. "The way you two act at school, I'd have thought you guys kissed already."
"Maybe." Freddie wasn't the kind to kiss and tell, no matter how bad his buddy pried. "Maybe not."
"What are you gonna do about Sam?" Gibby asked. "She'll be so wazzed off. I mean, she'd be all jealous if you smooched up on Wendy or any other girl too, but her sister? Man, she's liable to come back just to kick you."
"Sam and I broke up junior year, remember? Besides, I'm sure she's had plenty of dates since she's in L.A. Because, you know, Sam's well, hot. And I'd be really surprised if guys weren't falling all over her."
"I thought since she was in L.A. that you two had gotten closer. Like, not being around each other all the time, you finally figured out what you mean to each other. You told me you guys talked about getting back together the day I was stuck in the head duplicator. She talks about you every time I talk to her, asks if you're single. Granted that was only twice but still."
"We call, once in a while, send emails and texts, whatever. We're not together, you know that. And I didn't know you guys talk."
"I haven't heard from her since that time Nora kidnapped her room mate and threw a hose at her. I think she got upset because I might have left slip where she lived."
"Yeah, I heard about Nora. But I don't think Sam was that mad. She didn't come back to give you a Texas wedgie, did she?"
Gibby got back to the question at hand. "So are you and Mels getting serious, like are you two going out again? You know, second date is a big deal. That's when you're guaranteed to get some boob."
"Gawd, Gib! I was kind of thinking I should say something to her about prom. I mean, we talked about it a little but I didn't officially ask her."
"That's next month! Dude!" Gibby said with excitement. "Talk about waiting till the last minute."
"Well, I never did ask anyone. I was going to say something to Wendy but then Melanie came back and I've been spending so much time with her. Plus I know Brad really likes Wendy even though he asked Veronica to the dance way back last winter when Wendy liked Jonathan."
"High school is like a soap opera. I'm glad I already have a girlfriend." Gibby snickered. "Good luck. With everything. Especially Sam."
