Insistence

"Well, that's a new all time low for my dating career," Carly said bitterly as she stormed into her apartment, tossing her coat and bag onto the nearby chair.

"Your date with Troy didn't go well?" Sam frowned, pausing the movie she had been watching.

"It went horrible!" Carly replied. "Troy is practically the epitome of a disgusting boy. He talked with his mouth full the entire time at the restaurant, he must've burped at least a dozen times and he called me dude."

"Huh…maybe I should've gone on that date," Sam smirked.

"You want me to set you up?" Carly asked.

"Nah," Sam sighed. "Mama's flying solo for now."

"But it's been six months since you've been on a date," Carly pointed out.

"Thanks, I've been keeping track too," Sam said, rolling her eyes.

"I just think it would be good for you to maybe start seeing some new guys," Carly shrugged. "I mean I think it's good that you waited for a few months after you and Freddie broke up, since we all see each other so often, it could've gotten pretty weird, but I think a decent amount of time has passed now."
"I'm not staying single just to not hurt that nub's feelings," Sam snapped. "I just like not having to deal with all the late-night phone calls and the hand holding and the uncomfortable dresses."

"Well okay," Carly conceded, sitting down next to her best friend. "I guess I have to end it with Troy, though. I just don't like breaking up with guys, it's so sad. Hey, what did you say to Freddie when you broke up with him? I could use some pointers."

"Um, I-I just told him we were better off as friends," Sam mumbled.

"Well I don't want to stay friends with this guy," Carly cringed. "But I guess maybe I can just say that to make him feel better…did Freddie take it well?"

"Yeah, he-he was fine," Sam said, looking down at her lap.

"So you really just told Freddie you wanted to just be friends and that was why you were breaking up with him?" Carly continued. "You didn't give him any reasons?"

Sam didn't reply.

"You know…you never did tell me why you and Freddie didn't work out," Carly said thoughtfully.

"I just told you, I wanted to just be friends with him," Sam said.

"Well what made you realize that?" Carly said. "I mean you don't wake up one morning and just say 'I don't like my boyfriend romantically anymore, I want to just be friends'. There has to be more of a backstory. So spill, Puckett."

"We-I don't want to talk about it," Sam mumbled.

"Come on, Sam, I'm your best friend," Carly smiled. "You can tell me. Was it because you didn't like all the geeky clubs he was in? Did his mom get to you?"

"Carly, please stop," Sam moaned. "I don't want to-"

"Did he just annoy you or something?" Carly asked. "I mean, that could've led you to wanting to break up with him and-"

"We broke up because of you, okay?" Sam finally snapped.

Carly blinked. "Because-Because of me?"

"Never mind," Sam said quickly. "Don't worry about it."

"How am I not supposed to worry about it?" Carly frowned. "I-I really made you guys break up? How? I-I didn't think I did anything…what did I do?"

Sam sighed. "You didn't exactly do it on purpose. Do you remember the night Spencer and that Jenna chick broke up?"

"Yeah," Carly nodded slowly.

"Well, um, you know how you gave them that whole speech about how they were forcing a relationship because of some tiny connection that they had and their relationship was unnatural and weird?" Sam continued.

"Yes, I remember," Carly said. "But what does that have to do with you and Freddie?"

"Freddie and I were standing at the top of the stairs the whole time," Sam admitted. "We-We heard every word. You might have been talking to Spencer and Jenna, but it was pretty obvious you might as well have been talking to us."

"That-That's why you broke up?" Carly said softly.

"You made a good point," Carly said heavily. "Our relationship was just weird…we fought a lot, we were completely different-"

"But you guys were a much better couple than Spencer and Jenna!" Carly exclaimed. "You loved each other."

Sam shrugged. "Didn't change how incompatible we were. So that night we decided to break up. It-It was actually mutual…I didn't exactly dump him like I said."

"I can't believe this…" Carly mumbled. "I made you guys break up with that speech?"

"Hey, don't feel guilty, kid," Sam said, giving her a small smile. "It-It was for the best."

Carly said nothing.

"I'm gonna run down to the lobby," Sam told her, getting to her feet. "I ordered a pizza a while ago and I just got a text that it's here."

"Sam, I-I'm really sorry," Carly whispered.

"Pfft, don't be," Sam said, pulling a grin onto her face. "You probably did us a favor."

Carly sighed as she watched Sam run out of the apartment.

I can't believe I broke them up, Carly thought sadly. I made a huge mistake…