Tidying
"Spencer, for the millionth time, use a dang coster for your root beer!" Carly said loudly, frantically wiping off the ring of liquid from the counter.
"I used them all in my sculpture," Spencer said, taking his beverage from his little sister.
"What sculpture uses costers?" Carly frowned.
"I used them for the eyes of my ten-eyed zombie."
"Why are you going crazy cleaning?" Gibby asked from the sofa.
"Because," Carly replied, grabbing a disinfectant wipe and beginning to polish the door knob. "I have a super cute boy coming here for a date in one hour and this place has to be spotless or otherwise he won't kiss me and I'll be sad and Spencer! What is this paint stain doing on the door knob?"
"Oh that, I had green paint on my hands from my finger painting day last week and then I decided to go down to the convenience store and buy some strawberry milk," he explained.
"Are you trying to make sure I never find true love?" Carly exclaimed. "I've spent all day tidying up the apartment, and now it's all useless because of your hand print malfunction!"
"You can give the boy the finger paint picture I made."
"No thanks," Carly sighed. "Look, you're going to Socko's house, right? Like, now?"
"I'm still not crazy about you being alone with this boy," Spencer said.
"Oh calm down, he's an honor student," Carly said.
"Really? Well alright then."
"Gibby, you've got to leave soon too," Carly said.
"But I have a pie in the oven!" he cried.
"I'll mail it to you," Carly said. "Come on, out you go."
"How come Sam and Freddie get to stay?" Gibby pouted.
"They don't," Carly said. She walked over to the foot of the stairs. "Puckett! Benson! Stop shoving your tongues down each other's throats and get down here!"
"I hope this boy knows what he's getting into," Spencer mumbled, massaging his ear, which Carly had accidentally screamed into as he was passing.
"What?" Sam asked as her and Freddie descended down the steps.
"You guys have been making out in the studio for like an hour," Carly said. "Don't your lips get tired?"
"We weren't making out," Freddie said. "Then what were you doing?" Carly asked, crossing her arms.
"Um, reading?" Sam said lamely.
"Reading what?"
"Um...the one with words?"
"Really?" Freddie said, rolling his eyes at his girlfriend. "You're a top-notch liar and that's what you come up with?"
"I'm not good with book lies!" Sam defended.
"Then why did you say we were reading?"
"Well it's the only thing nerdy enough for you to be doing!"
"Guys, take the fight somewhere else," Carly cut in. "You need to leave."
"Why?" Freddie frowned.
"Because Chip's coming over!"
"That dude with nice calfs?" Sam asked.
"Yes, and I really like him, so get!" Carly said.
"Don't feel bad, we're all getting the boot," Gibby said resentfully, glaring at Carly. "And we don't even get to bring our pies."
"There's pie?" Sam asked. "Where? What kind?"
"No one's getting pie!" Carly said firmly. "You guys need to find somewhere else to hang out tonight."
"You know, I pay the rent here," Spencer said.
"No you don't, dad does," Carly pointed out.
"I pay half of it!"
"We can't leave, Carly, it's pouring out there," Freddie said, looking out the window as a loud clash of thunder sounded.
"Well can't you go across the hall you your place?" she asked desperately.
"My mom sprayed it for some Swedish virus and no one can go in it for twenty-four hours," he replied.
"Let's just grab an umbrella and head down to the smoothie," Sam said.
"I'm sorry to kick you out like this," Carly sighed. "But I just want to spend the night with Chip."
"Hey, I get it kid," Sam said. "That boy's got some fine calfs."
"Why are you staring at this guy's calfs?" Freddie frowned.
"You jealous?" Sam grinned.
"Maybe."
"Relax, you have much bigger biceps than him," Sam assured him.
"That's better," Freddie said, satisfied.
"I'll drop you guys off at the Groovy Smoothie on my way to Socko's," Spencer said, grabbing an umbrella. "Come on, let's-"
There was another loud roll of thunder, and then the lights went out.
"Ah! This is exactly what happened in my dream last night!" Gibby screamed. "Everyone, be on the look out for elves!"
"What goes on in that demented little of head of yours?" Sam said through the darkness.
"I guess the storm took out the power," Spencer said. "Hang on, I'll go grab some flashlights."
"I think it took out the whole street's power," Freddie commented. "I don't see any lights on outside."
"Oh, this is just perfect," Carly moaned. "Why's everything happen on my date night?"
"Here you go," Spencer said, coming back and handing everyone a flash light. "I'll call the power company and see how long they think the lights will be out."
"Man, it's really coming down now," Freddie said, watching as the sky continued what seemed like buckets onto Seattle. "I haven't seen it rain so hard since-"
"No!" Carly exclaimed, looking down at her pearphone. "No, no, no!"
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, going to her best friend's side.
"Chip just texted me," Carly said. "He said his power went off too and his parents won't let him come over."
"Aw, well, you can reschedule, can't you?" Sam asked.
"I guess," she sighed. "I was just really looking forward to tonight. Maybe the power will come back on in a few minutes and we can still have out date."
"Bad news," Spencer said, hanging up his phone. "The power company said we probably won't have power until tomorrow afternoon."
"Tough luck," Sam said sympathetically to Carly.
"Well, at least I'll have more time to clean the apartment for our next date," Carly sighed. "If he calls back to reschedule."
"Okay, I don't think any of you guys should be going out in this weather," Spencer said as a large streak of lightning flashed outside the window. "So how about you all spend the night here? Will your parents mind?"
"My mom's at work, and she's not allowed to use her cell phone there ever since she spent an entire hour texting me about some big chicken pox outbreak at the nursery school across from Ridgeway," Freddie said happily.
"Yeah, my mom usually just assumes I sleep here if I don't come home," Sam shrugged.
"Well my mom still hates you ever since you dated her," Gibby said.
"She looked like you!" Spencer exclaimed.
"Having a giant sleepover with everyone might be fun," Carly said, brightening up.
"Yeah, we could tell ghost stories and play truth or dare," Spencer said eagerly. "Or I know, we can make prank calls!"
"What is this, 1999?" Sam scoffed. "No one makes prank calls anymore, dude."
"They do too!"
"I'll go grab some pillows and blankets," Carly said. "Come help me, Sam."
"And I'll go get that mini grill from my closet," Spencer said. "We can roast marshmallows!"
"Er, maybe I should light the matches for that," Freddie said. "You don't have the best track record with fire."
"And I'll sit here and be Gibby," said Gibby, settling down on floor.
"That's the only thing you're good at," Sam shot at him.
"Manners, Puckett," Carly laughed. "Now come on!"
The girls headed up to Carly's room.
"I think this should be enough pillows," Carly said, tossing Sam several pillows from her bed and window seat. "Shoot. We only have four blankets though."
"That's cool, Fredbeans and I will share," Sam said, shifting the pillows in her arms.
"Aw, see, that's adorable," Carly smiled. "You can't wait to get all snuggly with your boyfriend during a huge storm."
"It'll be easier to steal his marshmallows if we're closer together," Sam said.
"Uh-huh, that's the reason," Carly said knowingly. "Now come on, let's get back downstairs. I don't like being up here with all the thunder."
The girls walked back into the living room, where Freddie had lit Spencer's tiny grill and Spencer was getting a large bag of marshmallows from the kitchen.
"I call thirty of those!" Sam said, settling down next to Freddie, throwing a blanket around both of them.
"Or we could spilt them among the five of us equally," Freddie suggested.
"I'm your girlfriend. I get half of your share then," Sam said.
"That's totally unfair!" Freddie exclaimed.
"You guys, there's more than enough for everyone," Carly said. She picked up the bag. "Let's see, there' s 100 in each bag apparently, everyone will get-"
"Oh, can I do it?" Gibby asked eagerly.
"Um, sure, go for it," Carly frowned.
"Twenty," Gibby said proudly.
The others simply looked at him.
"Um, yes Gibby, twenty," Carly finally said. "Way to divide there big fellow."
"There was a song on Sunflower Block yesterday that helped me figure it out," he said, still beaming.
"Man, it's times like these when I wish I still had my giant lawn," Spencer said, sticking one of his marshmallows."
"It would be nice right now," Carly nodded.
Sam and Freddie exchanged confused glances. "What lawn?" Freddie asked.
"You know, the I spent seven hours making," Spencer said.
"Yeah, I know you guys saw it," Carly said. "How can you not remember it?"
"Are you sure?" Sam asked.
"Definitely," Carly nodded. "It was right around when you and Sam first starting dating for the first time."
"Still doesn't ring a bell," Freddie said.
"Well that's probably because they were so busy fighting and then making out to notice it," Spencer said.
"Oh God, that's right," Carly laughed. "That was back when they were calling me ten times a day to referee their fights. Luckily they're better now."
"Yeah, Sam takes all her anger out on me," Gibby said. "You know she glued my locker shut last week?"
"There's a special solvent that will get that right off," Freddie said, roasting a few of his marshmallows. "I'll give it to you Monday. She used to do it to me all the time."
"Thanks man."
"So who's up for some ghost stories?" Spencer asked.
"Oh, I know one," Sam said through her mouth of marshmallows. "It's about a guy who's in a this village and has to go to this old abandoned house and-"
"Not that one!" Spencer cried.
"What? Why not?" Sam frowned. "It's the best!"
"You told it to me last New Years and I couldn't sleep for a month!"
"Well if you're going to chicken out over everything, why did you want to tell ghost stories?" Sam asked, rolling her eyes.
"Not all ghost stories have to be scary," Spencer said.
"What ghost story isn't scary?" Gibby asked.
"You know, the one with the friendly ghost who helps children on Halloween," he replied. "Or the ones about the ghosts from Galaxy Wars who help take down the evil androids."
"Those are technically not ghosts," Freddie said. "They're holomorphs. A ghost's plasma wouldn't be able to hold up in the atmosphere of-"
"So no ghost stories then," Carly said, cutting him off before an all out debate started between him and Spencer. "Let's move on to truth or dare."
"I hate that game," Sam moaned. "Ever since Leslie Morris's sleepover in sixth grade."
"What happened is sixth grade?" Freddie asked.
"Sam had dared Leslie to dip her slice of pizza in the toilet and then take a bite of it," Carly explained. "So when it was Sam's turn, to get even, Leslie made Sam-"
"Don't say it!" Sam hissed.
"Oh come on, it's funny," Carly laughed.
"Yeah?" Sam frowned narrowing her eyes. "Hey, Freddie, Gib, you wanna know what the goat did to Carly?"
"Okay, I'll shut up," Carly said quickly.
"Can I go first?" Gibby asked. "I've got a good one."
"Sure," Freddie nodded. "We'll go in a circle, so you ask Spencer."
"Okay, truth or dare?" Gibby asked Spencer.
"Um, truth."
"How tall are you?"
"How-what kind of question is that?" Spencer asked.
"I've always wanted to know," Gibby said. "I feel like your six feet, but a part of me's telling me you're stuck at five-eleven."
"I am not! I'm six-two!" Spencer said.
"Darn, I owe Guppy twenty bucks then," he sighed.
"Why are you betting with your little brother about Spencer's height?" Carly frowned.
"It helps our relationship, all right?"
"Whatever," Sam said, shaking her head. "Go Spencer, now you ask Freddie."
"Alright, young Freddie, truth or dare?"
"Um, truth."
"No, pick a dare," Spencer begged.
"But I don't want to-"
"Pick a dare!"
"Fine, dare," Freddie sighed.
"Yes!" Spencer cheered. He tossed Freddie his cell phone. "Make a prank call."
"Dude, nobody does that anymore!" Sam said.
"Seriously, people have found more sophisticated pranks now," Carly said.
"No way, prank calling is a classic," Spencer said firmly. He turned back to Freddie. "I've already got a number saved in there. Just hit send and then put it on speaker."
"If you insist," Freddie said, sending the number. The phone began to ring.
"Shhh, everyone, it's ringing!" Spencer said excitedly.
"You're the only one talking, dipthong," Sam said.
"Shhh!"
"Hello, thank you for calling Cheesy Chumps Play Palace," a voice on the other end of the phone picked up. "How can I help you?"
"Um, yes, um, I'm trapped in one of your play sets," Freddie said.
"What was that?" the voice said.
"Er, yeah, um, help me, I'm stuck in one of the tunnels and I can't get out," Freddie said.
"The Tunnel of Good Times?"
"Um, sure," Freddie said. "Help me down from here, I'm going crazy!"
"I'll be up there in a jiffy, little guy," the voice said. "Or my name isn't Steve Nichols!"
"Dude, that was hilarious!" Spencer burst out laughing the second Freddie hung up.
"Was it really?" Freddie asked. "You mean I was funny?"
"Yeah, baby, even for a prank call, that was pretty good," Sam said.
"Awesome!" Freddie grinned. He turned to his girlfriend. "Alright, Sam. Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Okay...oh, I've got it!" he said. "When we were at the Groovy Smoothie yesterday, were you the one who threw a corn dog at the girl who complimented my shirt?"
"I already told you," Sam groaned. "T-Bo slipped while he was carrying the stick of them and it hit her."
"Sam," Freddie said knowingly. "You can't lie in truth or dare."
"Yeah," Spencer said. "It's against the law!"
"Please, like we're supposed to believe you're six-two," Sam scoffed.
"Want me to get a ruler? I'll get a ruler!"
"Sam, look me in the eye and tell me you didn't throw that corn dog," Freddie said.
"Give me some of your marshmallows."
"What? Hey, Sam, paws off those are mine!" He grabbed the marshmallows Sam had taken from him and licked them. "Ha. Now they're definitely mine."
"Yeah, because I've never tasted your spit," Sam said, grabbing the marshmallows back and popping them in her mouth.
"Sam! I was going to eat those!" Freddie exclaimed.
"Then come and get them," Sam grinned.
"Don't do it, Freddie!" Gibby cried. "She's trying to distract you from your question with her girl lips!"
"Huh, yeah, you are!" Freddie, who had been leaning towards Sam, said.
"You can't get out of this that easily," Carly said. "Answer the question!"
"Carly!" Sam cried.
"Sorry," she mumbled. "I got caught up in the moment."
"So what's your final answer," Freddie asked Sam.
"Fine, I threw the corn dog!" Sam said loudly. "You happy?"
"Very," Freddie said, smiling.
"You assaulted a poor girl with meat because she made a comment about Freddie's shirt?" Carly asked. "Doesn't that seem a bit extreme?"
"No, Freddie's shirt was hideous," Sam said. "She was obviously complimenting him."
"Hey, my mom gave me that shirt for Christmas," Freddie said indignantly.
"And it should be burned right away," Sam said simply. "Alright, Shay. You're up. Truth or dare?"
"Oh, i guess I'm feeling a little risky," Carly smiled. "I'll take a dare."
"Good," Sam said happily. "I dare you to tell everyone what the goat did to you."
