Carbon

"No, Sam, you can't just multiply those things together," Freddie said.

"You said I could!" Sam exclaimed.

"They have to be in the same units though," Freddie told her. "You have one amount in joules and another amount in kilocalories!"

"Aren't calories in food?"

"Yes, but they're a chemistry unit too," Freddie explained. "See, a calories is the amount of energy that-"

"Hey," Sam said, cutting him off as she scooted closer to her boyfriend. "How about instead of boring me to death with all that chiz…we do a little lip exercise."

"Um…well, you-you have your big chemistry test next week," Freddie said weakly as Sam wrapped her arms around her neck. "We really should be working on preparing you for that."

"Uh-huh," Sam nodded, breathing heavily into his ear.

"I'm serious," Freddie said, almost breathlessly. "I-I promised Carly I'd have you through chapter seven of the chemistry textbook, and we've barely made it through three."

"Yeah," Sam whispered as she began to gently kiss the tip of his nose.

"We-We need to-" Freddie said, but as his girlfriend began nipping at his earlobe, he let all reason flow from his body.

"Oh what the heck," he mumbled, grabbing her and wrapping his arms around her as they couple began to make out.

"Hey," Carly said, coming downstairs into her living room. "How goes the chemistry-Oh come on!"

"We-We were just taking a break," Freddie said quickly as they pulled apart.

"Yeah, you can't expect me to just spend the whole day studying straight through," Sam said.

"Have you really been studying?" Carly asked. "Or have you just been trying to rope Freddie into your make-out sessions again?"

"Well, you see Carly," Sam said. "I think that should technically still count as chemistry…"

"Ha, ha, very cute," Carly said, rolling her eyes.

"She's made a decent amount of progress, actually," Freddie said. "Look, I'll show you. Sam? Name the seven diatomic elements."

"Um…Hydrogen, Chlorine, Nitrogen, Fluorine, Oxygen, Bromine, and…Iodine?" Sam recited.

"Wow," Carly said, impressed.

"And what are the products of any combustion reaction?" Freddie asked.

"Carbon dioxide and water!" Sam said proudly.

"Well…okay," Carly said. "I guess you've earned a little smooch time with your boyfriend. Besides, you do have a whole week before the test."

"So I can be done for today?" Sam asked hopefully.

"Yes," Carly grinned.

"Yes!" Sam cheered, throwing her fists into the air. "Finally!"

"And as promised," Freddie chuckled, pulling out his wallet. "A fried chicken dinner on me."

"Thanks, baby," Sam smiled, giving him a quick kiss as she grabbed the bills from him. "I'll be back in a minute."

"You bribed her to study with food?" Carly asked Freddie, amused. "What? Your lips weren't enough?"

"There are some things that only fried chicken can get done," Freddie said.

Carly laughed. "Well as long as she passes her test…she needs to get at least a C or else she'll have to go to summer school, and we both know that would be a disaster."

"She will, Sam comes through when she needs to," Freddie said.

"I know," Carly nodded. "And maybe I can convince her to study for another hour tonight during our sleepover."
"Sounds like a real riveting sleepover," Freddie said.

"Oh shush," Carly smiled. "Mine and Sam's sleepovers are the best. You're just jealous that you're not invited because you're a boy."

"Yeah, whatever," Freddie smirked. "What do you two even do?"

"Oh you know, just girl stuff," Carly shrugged. "We pig out on junk food, paint each others nails, talk about boys-"

"Wait what?" Freddie frowned. "You talk about boys?"

"Duh," Carly nodded.

"Like…boys like Spencer and Gibby?" Freddie asked.

"Ew, no way," Carly cringed. "Boys that we're interested in."

"So…who does Sam talk about?" Freddie asked.

"Well lately she's been real chatty about this guy on the baseball team…"

"What?!" Freddie yelped.

"Relax," Carly laughed. "I was kidding. Of course she talks about you, her boyfriend."

"Oh," Freddie said, sighing in relief. "What-What kind of things does she say?"

"I'm not going to tell you!" Carly said. "That's like, the first rule of sleepovers! You don't tell what the other girl says! Ever!"

"Come on, Carls," Freddie begged. "Just tell me what she says about me?"

"Why do you need to know so badly?" Carly asked.

"Because, you're the one who brought up that you guys sit around and discuss me!"

"So what?" Carly said, rolling her eyes.

"Please," Freddie moaned. "Don't do this to me!"

"I'm going to get some iced tea," Carly said, slightly amused.

"Well at least tell me if it's good things or bad things she says about me," Freddie said, following Carly to the fridge. "Wait…if she talks about these things to you and not me, then they've got to be bad! Oh man! What is she saying? Does she not like our date nights? My cologne? Am I not a good kisser?"

"Okay, you need to chill," Carly said firmly.

"I can't now! You've got me all worked up!"

"You're ridiculous," Carly said.

"Well how would you like it if me and the guy you were dating became all buddy-buddy and I told you that he talks about you, but I refused to tell you what he says?" Freddie snapped.

Carly sighed. "Okay…do you really want to know what it is that Sam says about you when we're hanging out?"

"Yes!"

"Well, first of all," Carly said. "You should know that there are some nights when you're all she ever talks about. And if you two weren't so dang perfect, it'd actually be really annoying."

"But what does she say?" Freddie asked.

Carly gave him a small smile. "She talks about how much she loves you. She says that you treat her like a princess and that you're the first guy she's been with that she really feels a connection with. She'll talk about all the sappy romantic stuff that you do for her that she says she pretends not to be that into in front of you, but really does love. And then she'll say that she doesn't know what she would do if she didn't have you, because you mean so much to her.

Freddie blinked. "Sam, Sam Puckett, really says all that stuff about me?"
Carly nodded. "She does."

"Wow…" Freddie said softly.

"I'm telling you, a good sleepover can bring out even her chick side," Carly grinned. "Of course after hearing about what a great boyfriend you are, I usually have to go grab a second pint of ice cream when I remember that I'll probably die alone-"

"How great is that?" Freddie said, smiling.
"Well thanks," Carly said.

"No, not that," Freddie said quickly. "I mean…it's nice to find out that Sam really says those things about me when we're apart."

"Come on, you knew she loved you before," Carly pointed out.

"Yeah," Freddie nodded. "But still."

"Mama's back with the grub!" Sam said, bursting back into the apartment with a grease soaked bag. "Fry-O Mania had a sale on double fried wings, so I got us all some. Oh, and here's your change, Fredwad. It was more, but then I passed a hot dog stand on the way over…"

"Thanks," Freddie said, walking over to her and kissing her. "I love you Sam. So much."

"I love you too?" Sam frowned. "What up with the mush?"

Freddie shrugged. "I just wanted to say it, that's all."

"Well alright then…nub," Sam said, rolling her eyes. But as Freddie headed into the kitchen to grab plates, he snuck a look over his shoulder and saw Sam beaming as she took a bite out of one of the wings.