Hang
"This is so unfair!" sixteen-year old Ashton exclaimed as she stormed into the Benson house after school one day.
"What is?" Sam asked, looking up from her computer she had been typing on.
"Valentine's Day is tomorrow!" Ashton snapped.
"What? It is?" Sam frowned. "Dang it! I knew I was forgetting something! Now I have to run out to the store and try and find something for your dad…Wait, I thought you loved Valentine's Day."
"I do!" Ashton said. "It's my favorite holiday! I love getting cute cards for people and wearing a new pink outfit and watching all the sweet T.V. specials. But this year is the first year in like, ever that I'm dateless! Even when I was in kindergarten I had boys lining up to play tag with me on Valentine's Day!"
Sam rolled her eyes. "Well honey, you'll just have to celebrate Valentine's Day like the rest of the single people in America. Buy yourself a box of chocolate and curl up in bed while you hate on everybody who is in a relationship!"
"Please mother, only losers do that," Ashton scoffed.
"Hey! That's how I spent some of my best Valentine's Days when I was in high school!" Sam defended.
"And what makes this whole thing even worse," Ashton continued, ignoring her mother's comment. "Is that Emma, the girl who has tried to write to D.C. to get this day off the calendar, has a date! Her and Quincy will get to have an adorable, romantic Valentine's Day while I'm stuck here."
"Aw, Ash," Sam said as her daughter sat down next to her. "I know it's probably a little weird seeing your sister in a relationship while you're not-"
"I'm not jealous or anything," Ashton mumbled.
"Um…okay," Sam said. "But sweetie, you know how happy she is with Quincy. Shouldn't you be glad that your sister can enjoy Valentine's Day for once?"
"No," Ashton said darkly. "Because she doesn't even appreciate the holiday!"
"Hmm," Sam said, smiling knowingly. "You sure you're not even a tiny bit jealous right now?"
"No!"
"Well Ash, your sister is going to spend Valentine's Day with Quincy no matter what," Sam told her gently. "Now you can either mope about not having a date or you can try and still enjoy tomorrow. Why don't you and Clarissa hang out? She's not dating anybody either. You two can watch movies and do your nails and all that sleepover chiz you like to do. Wouldn't that be more fun than just pouting around?"
"You know what? This is not the time for a pep talk, mom," Ashton said, getting to her feet.
"Where are you going?" Sam asked as Ashton stomped off towards the stairs.
"To pout!"
…
"Happy Valentine's Day, baby," Freddie said, walking into the house and wrapping his arms around his wife.
"Happy Valentine's Day," Sam smiled, kissing him deeply.
"These are for you," Freddie said, handing her a large bouquet of roses.
"Aw," Sam grinned, taking them from him. Though she got them every year, she never got sick of them. "Thank you."
"Close your eyes now," Freddie said, his arms still wrapped around her. "Those flowers aren't all I have for you."
"Dude, the kids are right upstairs," Sam said.
"Not that," Freddie said, rolling his eyes. "Now come on, just close your eyes. For me?"
"You're not supposed to use that line on me," Sam chuckled, though she shut her eyes anyway.
She felt Freddie's arms leave her body and a few seconds later she felt him push her hair away from the back of her neck as he laced something cold and metallic around it.
She opened her eyes and looked down, letting out a soft gasp as she stared down at the beautiful diamond necklace. "Oh my God," she whispered. "Freddie, it-it's beautiful."
"Like you," Freddie said.
Sam threw her arms around her husband, kissing him again.
"What? I'm not gonna get punched for that cheesy line?" Freddie chuckled when they pulled apart.
"This is the one day of the year you can get away with that stuff, so you better get it all out of your system," Sam smirked. "Seriously though, baby, this-this is amazing. Thank you. Although…now I kind of feel bad about my gift for you."
"Don't worry about that, I don't need anything today other than you being here with me," Freddie said.
"Yeah, well, I got you this anyway," Sam said, handing him an envelope. "I-I spent all day at the mall today trying to find you something, but, well, I couldn't find anything I thought you'd like. So I got you that."
Freddie opened up the envelope and pulled out a small slip of paper. "This coupon entitles Freddie Benson to thirty minutes talking to his hot, sexy wife Sam about his stupid boring train obsession without any insults, sarcastic remarks, punches, or any other interruptions at all," he read. He looked at his wife. "Are you serious? You're gonna let me talk to you about trains without hitting me or calling them stupid?"
"I guess I am," Sam sighed.
"Okay, this is the best gift ever!" Freddie grinned, picking her up and spinning her around. "You're the best!"
"I know," Sam said. "Oh…" she lowered her voice. "While I was at the mall, I did get a few things from Build-A-Bra you might also like. So tonight, I'll give you part two of your gift."
"Part-Part two?" Freddie whispered, his eyes widening.
"Yup," Sam grinned. "So if I were you, I wouldn't use that coupon tonight."
"I'm not a moron," Freddie chuckled as him and Sam sat down on the sofa, cuddling together. "So where is everybody?"
"Well Emma's getting ready for her date with Quincy," Sam said. "And Tyler's playing videogames upstairs. Oh Jason called today to tell me he needed to borrow fifty bucks to take Eileen out tonight. I swear, he's twenty years old and still thinks he can spend all our money."
"You gave him the money, didn't you?" Freddie said knowingly.
"Well…yes," Sam nodded. "But I told him it was the last time!"
"Sure," Freddie said. "What about Ashton? What's she up to tonight?"
"She's still upset that she doesn't have a Valentine's date," Sam sighed. "Poor kid."
"Eh, one Valentine's Day alone won't kill her," Freddie said. "Besides, I don't think I could handle having both girls out on dates on the same night. My heart's not as strong as it used to be you know."
"I think she's a little jealous that Emma has a serious boyfriend now," Sam continued. "I mean Emma has been spending a lot of time with Quincy lately."
"Well, I'll say this again," Freddie said. "We wouldn't have any of these problems if we followed my No-Dating rule, now would we?"
"You're a nub," Sam said as she rested her head on Freddie's shoulder. "You know, I sort of wish we could've gone out tonight. It sucks that everybody else had their own Valentine's Day plans and couldn't watch Tyler for us."
"Yeah," Freddie sighed. "Hey…he is twelve. We left Jason and the twins home alone when they were his age. What's the worst that could happen if we left him here while we went out for dinner and a movie or something?"
"Mom! Dad!" Tyler said, running into the living room, his hands and shirt covered in dirt. "I just dug a giant ditch in the backyard! Come watch me do an awesome jump over it with my dirt bike!"
"No! Tyler you're gonna break your-" Sam yelled, but the boy had already run off back outside.
"Yeah, we're not leaving him alone until he's thirty," Freddie said as him and Sam quickly got up off the couch.
….
Ashton laid on her bed, rolling her eyes as she stared over at her twin, who was playing on her Pearpad, popping her bubble gum.
"Could you just spit that stuff out?" Ashton snapped as Emma popped her gum again.
"What's your problem?" Emma asked. "You've been on the jank all day."
"I don't have a problem," Ashton said defensively. "Excuse me for wishing the person I'm forced to share a room with wouldn't be so loud!"
"Pfft, I know why you're in such a bad mood," Emma grinned. "You're peeved off you don't have Valentine's date tonight."
"Shut up!" Ashton retorted.
"Hmm, it must suck having to spend this day all by yourself," Emma said brightly. "Good thing I have a date tonight. Try not to make too much of a mess up here tonight, Ash. You know, while you're busy being alone."
"Will you knock it off?"
"What?" Emma asked innocently, enjoying finally having a chance to be the one going out on this day instead of it being the other way around. "I was just saying how excited I am for my date tonight. It's not my fault your jealous that I have a boyfriend and you don't."
Ashton rolled her eyes. "Then maybe you should actually start getting ready for your date."
"Eh, I have time," Emma shrugged, looking back down at her Pearpad. "Quincy isn't picking me up until six."
"Yeah, and it's five-forty, genius," Ashton said. "Have you checked the clock?"
"What?" Emma exclaimed, tossing her Pearpad aside as she checked her phone. "No! I set my alarm to go off at four! How am I supposed to get all dolled up in twenty minutes?"
"Ha, Valentine's Day amateur," Ashton chuckled as she watched her sister rush over to her closet.
"I don't even know what I'm wearing yet!" Emma moaned. "Ugh! This is just great!"
"Please, since when do you care what you wear?" Ashton pointed out. "Just throw something on like you always do."
"This was going to be my first fancy night out with Quincy!" Emma groaned. "I wanted it to be nice and special! He was taking me to a really expensive restaurant and then we were gonna go to this little outdoor theatre."
Ashton's expression lightened slightly as she continued to watch Emma tare apart her closet.
"Now our first Valentine's Day is gonna suck all because of me," Emma sighed. "As usual, I messed everything up."
"Well, um if-if you want, you can borrow the dress I bought last month to wear tonight," Ashton offered, going to her own closet and pulling out a light blue dress. "You know, when-when I thought I would have a date."
"You never let me borrow your clothes though," Emma frowned.
"Yeah, well, as long as you promise not to get food on it, I guess it's okay," Ashton shrugged. "I mean…it is your first Valentine's Day with Quincy."
"Oh, well, thanks," Emma said. She looked up at her sister. "Um, sorry for making fun of you earlier for not having a date tonight."
"Eh, I deserve it, I've done it to you every other Valentine's Day, " Ashton pointed out. She cleared her throat. "So, um, I-I can put a few quick curls in your hair if you want? And I'm good at doing make-up fast. Here, sit down and I'll start your eyeliner while we wait for the curler to heat up."
"Not too much of that gunk, okay?" Emma said as Ashton grabbed her make-up bag. "I don't want to look like a clown."
"You won't," Ashton promised.
She rifled through the bag, looking for the right shade to use on her sister.
"So," she said. "You-You excited for tonight?"
"Yeah," Emma said softly. "I've never had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day before…Not like you."
"You and Quincy have been together eight months though," Ashton pointed out. "Trust me…I-I'd trade those short little relationships I pull together on Valentine's Day for what you and Quincy have any day."
"Really?"
"If you want to know the truth, I-I guess I am a little jealous of you guys," Ashton admitted, applying some blush to Emma's cheeks. "Seeing you guys spending all your time together, being all cute and everything. I mean…I'm happy for you guys. But I just wish I could find a guy who loves me as much as Quincy loves you."
Emma frowned. "You-You really think he loves me?"
Ashton nodded, smiling. "Duh. He's crazy for you, Em."
She could see her sister's cheeks reddening even through the blush.
"Thanks for helping me get ready," Emma said to Ashton. "You really saved me big time."
"Just have a good time with Quincy tonight," Ashton told her.
