Chapter 13 - flashback to June, 2014

Freddie was discussing with Wendy that he had almost asked her to their senior prom.

She was flattered but confused. The girl had ended up going to their prom without a date. "Me? Seriously? Wait, why didn't you ask me?"

He was beyond hiding the facts any longer. "Well, for one Brad. I knew he liked you and I didn't want to step in."

"Psh! Guys and the stupid bro code. Besides, I was never interested in Brad. I mean, he was a friend and all but definitely not boyfriend material." She had a look on her face at the thought of the other boy like Carly thought of Freddie in their younger days.

He said the next line with embarrassment. "And then Melanie and I got together but I guess that was a disaster. I swear I was going to ask you. And I wish I would have."

"I wish you would have, too." She moved closer and was now mere inches from him, staring at his lips, touching his arm.

"R-really?" He squeaked. "You would have went with me?"

"Yep! Because I need to tell you something." The drinks had loosened up her inner feelings as well as her libido. "I think you're cute. And if it wasn't for you and Sam being exes, I would have totally made a move on you. But, I was kind of afraid if I did she'd kick me in the taco."

"And you talk about bro code." She scoffed. "You think I'm cute?" He raised an eyebrow.

She nodded and turned on her 80's valley girl tone. "Ye-ah."

"Really, you think I'm cute? Like, that way cute."

"Totally. And I don't understand why either of the Puckett sisters broke up with you. Unless you completely suck in bed or some chiz." She said with a flirty giggle and touched his arm. "You don't do you?"

Freddie turned red. "First off, Sam and I never had actual sex. Like, we did other stuff but . . . "

"I don't know if I believe that. You did do it with Mel though, right?" She asked. "Because she said you were her first."

"Well, yeah. We went out for like 8 or 9 months, of course we did. And she never complained, so I guess there goes your theory." He joked with a shrug, turning partly away in embarrassment.

Suddenly she was hit with a wave of boldness. "I don't believe you. Prove it to me."

"Prove it? You seriously want to ask her." He sneered and turned back. "Um, not so sure that's a good idea."

"No, goofy. Prove to me that you're a decent lay." She snickered.

"And just how am I supposed to do that?" He was too far gone to realize the play she was making. "Call other witnesses? 'Cause there really aren't any other than Mels."

"How do you think?" She smirked and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I want to have sex with you."

"Wendy!" He gasped but by that time her lips were on his.

She kissed him for a good while before breaking.

Of course, Freddie began to sober up quick. "We're not going out or anything. I only ever slept with Mel and we, like, dated for months before."

"I've never had a steady boyfriend and I've had sex before. Twice in fact. With two different guys."

"Bu-but . . ."

By now the girl was not in the mood to hear a rejection. She pushed back a couple of inches and looked deep into his eyes. "Freddie, you need to stop being a pussy and grab life by the balls. Do you want to get lucky or not?"

He just looked confused.

"Have you ever done anything just for fun even once in your life? Before stopping to over-analyze it?" She confronted as much as asked. "Just do it."

"I've done that plenty of times." He huffed.

"Psh." She blew him off. "You're just like Brad. A total boy scout. That's why I could never go out with him. He's too much of a goody two shoes. I thought after hanging out with one Puckett and banging another you'd be different. You know, cool. But I guess you'll always be a nerdy momma's boy."

He just looked deep into her hazel green eyes trying to not be too offended.

Wendy continued lecturing. "So what if we're not dating? So what if it's just a one time thing? So what if it's something we're both ashamed of after it's over? Because I'm sure as hell ashamed of the two guys I already banged. Just, for once in your life, quit thinking and start doing. Take me upstairs and screw! My! Brains! Out! If you can, that is."

By now, he was ready to prove to her that she was wrong, he wasn't a nerdy momma's boy, and he could definitely make her squeal like a pig. Freddie grabbed both sides of her face and smashed his lips to hers. This was not the gentle, loving kisses he shared with Sam in high school or even the passionate make out sessions he shared with Melanie a year later. No, this was the hard, soul-sucking, lip chewing full on assault on her senses and Wendy was more than ready for anything he could throw at her.

"Atta boy!" She smirked when he broke off the kiss. "This is going to be awesome." She grabbed his hand and headed for some place a little more private.

An unoccupied bedroom with a door lock was found and the two tumbled inside and onto the bed. Freddie wasn't prepared for this, no precautions were taken. What they did, didn't take long and even though it was over quickly, they were both completely satisfied.

"Guess I was wrong, you don't suck in bed. At least not in a bad way." She giggled. "Not that I have all that much to compare you to. The other two were definitely not climax worthy. Come on, we'd better get dressed and get out of here. I heard someone trying the door a couple of minutes ago."

They got up and proceeded to pull clothes back on. "In fact, you were more than good because I'm going to tell you something I've never told either of the other guys I screwed. I wouldn't mind doing that again. Here, hook my bra." She turned her back to him and pulled her long, red hair out of the way.

He did as ordered and put his arms around her as she turned around to face him.

"You're not gonna be all touchy-feely now are you. Because I've got to warn you it's a big turn off. Just because we made the beast with two backs doesn't mean I want to be your little girlfriend or some chiz."

He just looked confused. This sounded more cold and emotionless than even Sam was capable of.

"OK, Freddie. Here's the deal. You proved you know what you're doing with this." She grabbed his crotch. "And I would like to try it again some time when I'm not drunk, but I'm not looking to be tied down. I don't need everybody in the world going 'hey there's Wendy, Freddie isn't too far away' or that we have to do everything together and we're some cutesy little couple. And God help anyone who comes up with some weird little nickname for us like Frendy or Weddie or some chiz. Maybe we can just simply be sex buddies. You know, get together once in a while to relieve our frustrations and once we both get off, we're back to being just us again."

"Friends with benefits?" He asked. "Is that what you want?"

"And if you're good with that, so am I." She replied and opened the door to leave.

The next few weeks saw them having a few benefits. He tried to ask her out a few times but other than allowing him to buy her food, Wendy wanted no part in being anything other than what they were, bed buddies.

Summer was drawing to a close and Freddie prepared to return to his full time schedule at Seattle Tech. One of their last times together, Wendy announced that she had secured a student loan that would allow her to return to college in the south. So ended Freddie's short, but very fulfilling affair with the red haired girl that Sam used to bat gold balls at popular girls with.

End of flashback

"So you and Wendy weren't really even a couple back then? And you still did 'that' with her. Freddie, I'm surprised at you." Carly's eyes were wide. "I thought you guys were an dating, not just, well, you know, eff buddies."

It was no secret that at some point he had slept with Wendy but the dark haired young lady had no idea they were merely bed buddies. There was no use in trying to make himself seem innocent and 'pure'. Carly was his friend and she would have to accept things as they were. He shrugged in acknowledgement.

The girl just shook her head. "I - I don't know what to say. You just got together with her and were intimate and then broke it off, that was it? I guess we all change because you just never seemed like the kind of guy who would just up and sleep with a girl if you weren't seriously dating her."

"I'm not, Carls. Not anymore. Believe me, it was a low point in my life now looking back on it, I'm not proud of it. But it was pretty simple back then. I had no one, neither did she. We just filled a role in each other's lives."

"So how long after Wendy left did you get back together with Sam?"

Not really having anyone else to talk to, Freddie felt it relieving to tell Carly the truth. He wondered how much of this information Sam had given Carly. Or was Sam too mad at him to even speak his name to her friends?

"It wasn't all that long, really. But in the meantime, um, there was sort of . . . well, Melanie and I sort of, kinda got back together for a little bit. But you probably knew that."

She just looked shocked, she hadn't. "No-o! I mean, yeah, I knew you guys . . . "

He now made another confession, stopping her thought. "And then there was the time I ran into Valerie."

"Oh, holy cheese balls." Carly exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "You're seriously a bigger man slut than Spencer! Am I, like, the only girl in our class that you didn't screw?"

Flashback to late July, 2014

Freddie's phone rang on a Saturday morning. It was entirely too early for his liking, especially after he had stayed up late with Wendy the night before, saying goodbye in their own unique way.

He barely glanced at the number on the screen before answering it, only wanting to make it stop buzzing.

"Hello?"

"Um, hey. Freddie?" The girl's voice was familiar yet not one he had heard in a while. "It's Valerie. Valerie from school. We used to go out, way back."

The neurons in his brain began to fire slowly and Freddie recalled his failed relationship with Valerie.

"Oh. Hi, Valerie."

"Listen, I've been meaning to call you. I, um, Gheesh this is awkward, but I, um, have owed you an apology for a couple of years now. And I wanted to see if you'd like to meet up some time and I could say it in person."

"Huh?" The poor guy was so confused it wasn't funny. His first 'girlfriend'? Calling him out of the blue? At such an early hour? Offering an apology? For something that happened how many years ago? Maybe it was a dream.

"Freddie, when we dated back in middle school, I treated you bad. I tried to use you to do something nasty to Carly and Sam and their web show and I've been thinking how wrong it was. How you really were one of the sweetest guys I ever met and how much I really need to apologize for taking advantage of you.

"O-Kaaay." She apologized. Now what? "I guess you apologized."

"So, did you have any plans for later on?" She asked somewhat shyly. "Could we maybe get together at Skybucks for a cup of coffee or something?"

Without thinking, he agreed. "I guess that would be alright. Say, four?"

"Alright. See you then. Thanks, Freddie."

Several hours later, Freddie walked into the coffee shop she had sent him the address of to find Valerie already sitting at a table waiting for him. "Freddie!" She jumped up to pensively hug him. "Thanks for agreeing to meet with me."

"Oh, yeah. Sure. Listen Val, for what it's worth, I really haven't thought about what happened between us in years. I got over it and moved on. I appreciate your wanting to make amends but it's really not necessary. At least not for me."

"It is for me. I just need to tell you face to face how sorry I am for trying to come between you and iCarly, the girls and all. And if you're wiling go back to being friends, I'd really like that. We've known each other since what, fifth, sixth grade, I feel so bad for taking advantage of your heart the way I did." She had by now taken his hands in hers and was giving him a serious look. "You know, after the way I treated you, I was never able to forgive myself and even have another boyfriend. Like, seriously, I never even dated anyone the whole way through high school. I went to the prom with my cousin's best friend. I never even kissed him."

"It's alright, seriously. I forgive you." He smirked. Over the past six hours, Freddie had hatched a plan in his head. What she had just told him should have made a difference but it didn't. His victim was walking right into a trap.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear you say that. Maybe now I can move on with my life. I've just felt so guilty about it all. I don't think I could even have a relationship without your forgiveness."

Freddie's plan was nothing short of getting revenge on the young woman by using her heart and tramping on it the way she used his. She had set her own noose and all he had to do was pull the lever.

"Listen, I know this may be awkward but would you like to go out just for old times' sake. Just once." He asked with a shy tone. He would start off easy and slowly turn up the heat.

"Sure." She happily agreed. It was true that she would gladly go out with him. All he'd have to do would play Mr. Nicey-nice for a couple of weeks and he'd get his revenge.