Seventh

"You know what I love most about the Fourth of July?" Spencer asked as he painted a fresh coat of red on his Uncle Sam sculpture.

"The barbecues?" Freddie suggested, looking up from the Pear Store catalogue he was flipping through. "Hanging out in the sun? All the watermelon?"

"Uh, no!" Spencer said. "The fireworks!"

"I thought Carly said you weren't allowed to have fireworks," Freddie frowned. "Not after what happened last year."

"Please," Spencer said. "My little sister is not in charge of me. Anyway, you know how I'm driving us all down to the beach tomorrow for a little Fourth of July fun?"

"Sure," Freddie nodded.

"Well Socko's nephew, Sparky, is going to meet me there with some insanely cool fireworks all the way from Japan!" Spencer said excitedly. "And we're gonna set them off for everybody's viewing pleasure."
"Dude, you're gonna wind up setting the entire beach on fire," Freddie said, rolling his eyes.

"You can't set a beach on fire!" Spencer scoffed. "Jeez, I thought you were good at this science stuff. But do me a favor and don't mention this to Carly, okay?"
"I thought your little sister wasn't in charge of you," Freddie smirked.

"She's not!" Spencer defended. "But seriously, don't tell her."

"Fine," Freddie agreed. "But I don't want her coming to me when you wind up-"

"Alright, Puckett, in!" Carly suddenly exclaimed, slamming open the front door.

"Carls, chill," Sam said, following her best friend into the apartment.

"I will not chill!" Carly snapped.

"Um…what's going on?" Freddie asked.

"You wanna know what's going on?" Carly said, spinning around to face him. "You wanna know what's going on? Huh? Do you?"

"Um, that's sort of why I-"

"Our friend Sam decided to get into another fight today at the mall!" Carly said loudly.

"It wasn't a fight," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "It was a minor disagreement."

"The cops had to be called!"

"Wait, what happened?" Spencer asked.

"We were at Build-A-Bra," Carly explained. "You know, for the pre-Fourth of July sale, and Sam wanted to get some of those cool glow in the dark straps they have."
"Yeah, so that way I could eat ribs in the dark," Sam said.

"I told you to stop eating ribs with your shirt off in the first place!" Carly hissed.

"That takes all the fun out of it!"

"Anyway," Carly continued, shaking her head. "There was only one set of straps left, and when Sam went to get them, some woman cut her off and got them instead."

"Ah," Freddie said. "I see the problem now."

"That poor woman was in a headlock before she even knew what was happening," Carly sighed. "Long story short, we then had to spend three hours with mall security sorting this whole mess out." She turned back to Sam. "You realize you could've been arrested?"
"Could've," Sam pointed out. "Hey, do you have any pie here?"

"Sam!" Carly exclaimed. "How can you think of pie right now?"

"Um, have you met me?" Sam smirked.

Carly looked over at Freddie. "A little help here?"
"Sorry, Carls," Freddie said. "These were my problems back when Sam and I were a couple, but not anymore."

"Ugh!" Carly groaned. "Spencer?"
"Yeah, like I want to get involved with that," Spencer said, turning back to his sculpture.

"Look, Sam," Carly said, trying to calm down. "I don't know if you've been keeping count, but this is the seventh time this year that you've gotten into some sort of altercation."
"Really, only the seventh?" Sam frowned. "Huh…I've been holding back."
"This isn't funny!" Carly said. "Sam, you heard what that security guard at the mall said. You keep this up and you'll wind up in prison soon. Not Juvie, real adult prison!"

"Eh, what does that guy know?" Sam shrugged. "He's not even a real cop. He just rides his little Segway around the mall."
"Um, that actually sounds serious, Sam," Freddie frowned, joining the two girls in the kitchen.

"Oh what do you care?" Sam snapped. "You just said a minute a girl it's not your problem anymore."

Freddie didn't reply.

"Well I don't care if you're going to take this seriously or not, Sam," Carly said firmly. "Because I am. So you know what? You're-You're grounded from using any form of violence or aggression towards anybody for-for till ever!"

"What? Carly, do you hear yourself?" Sam laughed. "You can't ground me from fighting."

"Yes I can!" Carly snapped. "And I just did! You're not getting into any more fights on my watch, Sam! If you get into trouble one more time, it could really mess up your future."
"Eh, you're just being dramatic," Sam said, rolling her eyes.

"I am not being dramatic!" Carly cried. "You're my best friend, Sam! You think I want you to spend the rest of your life in prison or something?"
Sam's face fell.

"Look…just-just promise me you won't fight anymore, okay?" Carly said, lowering her voice. "Please? At least try."

"I-Fine," Sam said, not wanting to let down her best friend. "I-I'll try to cool it with the fighting."

"Thank you," Carly said, relieved. "Now then…since that's settled we can focus on getting ready for our big beach day tomorrow!"

"It's gonna be amazing," Spencer said. "I already bought everything we need. Sodas, hot dogs, pre-sliced watermelon, sunscreen-"

"And you stayed away from the fireworks, right?" Carly asked.

"Er…yeah," Spencer said lamely.

"Good," Carly said. "Because we don't need a repeat of what happened last year."

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad," Spencer said.

"Dude, you almost set the entire parking lot at the bowling alley on fire with your little sparklers," Carly said, raising an eyebrow.

"It was a small fire!" Spencer said. "Thank you!"

….

"We really should go to the beach more often," Carly said as her, Sam, Spencer and Freddie stepped onto the white sand the next day. "It's beautiful out here."

"Yeah," Freddie agreed as the group set their bags down at an empty picnic table. "It's pretty packed, though. It's like everybody decided to go to the beach today."

"On the Fourth of July?" Sam said in mock amazement. "Gee, who would've thought?"
Freddie simply rolled his eyes as he sat down at the table.

He had been thinking about Sam for the past twenty-four hours, ever since the incident at Carly's the previous day; about her pointing out that he didn't care about what happened with her fighting problem because they were no longer a couple.

He supposed her words shouldn't have had such an impact on him. After all, he had said the same thing to her just moments before she said it back to him. But still…he hadn't expected to feel such a blow.

But it was true; why should he be bothered about Sam's fighting? You weren't supposed to get involved in your ex's problems.

Yet, no matter how many times Freddie had told himself that as he lied awake last night, he still couldn't make himself feel any better about the situation.

And no matter how much he tried to deny it, he knew that he did care. He cared a lot about what happened to Sam. It would devastate him if she got herself into so much trouble that she wound up in prison. He couldn't not care even if he tried.

Well that's because she's my friend, Freddie told himself as kicked off his shoes and accepted the bottle of sunscreen that Spencer passed him. I care about her because she's my friend.

"So why don't I get these hot dogs started?" Spencer said to the three teens. "You all go and enjoy the beach."

"Okay," Carly agreed. She pulled off her sundress, revealing a bright pink bikini, and kicked off her flip-flops. "Come on, Sam, let's go."

"Alright," Sam nodded, standing up and pulling off her own t-shirt and shorts, leaving her in nothing but a solid black bikini.

Freddie's eyes widened at once as he stared at Sam. Was it just him, or did the beach suddenly get several degrees warmer?

"Come on, nub," Sam said, bringing his attention back to reality. "You gonna stand there like the world's lamest statue all day or what?"

"Er, yeah, I-I'm coming," Freddie said quickly, following the two girls.

I care about her because she's my friend, Freddie told himself firmly. Just my friend. My good, insanely hot friend.

….

"You were right, Freddie," Carly said as the three teens walked along the beach. "It really is crowded."

"Yeah, and most of these people look disgusting," Sam cringed. "Look at that guy! I think he's using mustard as sunscreen!"

"Be nice," Carly warned. "Remember our deal?"

"I'm not going to fight, Carly," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "I'm just observing that most of these people are freaks."

"Good," Carly said, satisfied. "Because I think I see a cop right over there."

She nodded over to a nearby beach towel where, sure enough, a man wearing a policeman's uniform was sitting on a captain's chair, scanning the beach.

"Aw man," Sam moaned. "What kind of cop hangs around the beach on the Fourth of July?"

"Well it doesn't matter, because you're not going to do anything," Carly said simply. "So what should we do? Sunbathe? Go to the boardwalk? Head into the ocean? You have any ideas, Freddie?"
"Hmm?" Freddie said, looking up. He had been so busy trying not to stare at Sam that he had been oblivious to the entire conversation.

"Let's just go to the boardwalk," Sam said. "I want some fish sticks."
"Er, yeah," Freddie said, willing himself not to notice the way the sun reflected perfectly off of Sam's golden curls. "That-That could be fun."
Pull it together, Benson! Freddie told himself firmly. Stop ogling your friend! Jeez…this is ridiculous. Why'd we have to come to the beach on the Fourth of July anyway? We could've gone to the movies or the library or-or anywhere but here!

"Um, you okay, Freddie?" Carly frowned. "You look a little…distracted."
"What? No, I-I'm fine," Freddie said quickly. "Let's just go to the boardwalk like Sam said."

"Hopefully we'll find some shade there," Carly said, squinting in the sunlight. "Good thing I brought my-Dang it!"
"What?" Sam said.

"I left my sunglasses back at the picnic table with Spencer," Carly said. "You two wait here, I'm gonna run back and get them."
"Bring me back a soda!" Sam called after Carly as the girl turned and hurried back over to her brother.

Freddie let out a long breath. This is just what he needed…to be left alone with Sam.

He didn't know what was going on with him. Him and Sam had broken up months ago! So why was he suddenly getting those same feelings he used to get when he would look at her? The feelings that seemed to always pull him closer to her and cause him to lean down towards her lips and-

"Well hellooooo," a voice from behind the two suddenly sounded, pulling Freddie from his thoughts.

Him and Sam spun around and saw a teen about their age strutting over to them.

"Er, hello?" Freddie frowned, confused.

"Oh, I was not talking to you," the boy scoffed as he reached them. "I was talking to her."

He smiled at Sam and held out a hand. "It's a pleasure to see your beautiful body gracing the beach on this oh sacred of holidays."

Sam glared at his hand and did not shake it. "Do you want something?" she snapped.

"As a matter of fact, I do," the boy grinned. "What's your name, hon?"

Hon? Freddie narrowed his eyes. Who is this guy?

"My name is Get Lost," Sam smirked. "So why don't you do that? Get lost."

"Ha, good one," Freddie smiled.

"I can do that," the boy said, stepping closer to Sam. "If you come get lost with me. Come on, you can't be with this loser, can you?"
"Hey!" Freddie exclaimed indignantly.

"Are you with her?" the boy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Er, no, I-I'm not," Freddie said lamely. "But-"

"Then why don't you give the two of us some privacy?" the boy spat. He turned back to Sam, putting an arm around her. "Come on, sweetie. Why don't we find a nice secluded slice of beach and make some fireworks of our own?"

"Yeah…I think I'd rather cough up blood," Sam said, shrugging the boy's hand off of her.

This guy is a class-A jerk! Freddie thought as he watched the boy put his hand right back on Sam's shoulder. Come on, Sam! You can flip a truck driver in less than three seconds; what are you waiting for? Slug this guy right in the-Oh.

Freddie realized that the only reason Sam hadn't taught this guy a lesson was because of the promise she had made Carly. He saw that her fist was clenched and she was practically shaking with anger from having to hold back.

Well if she can't do anything about this, I will, Freddie decided firmly.

"Alright, look," he said, grabbing the boy's hand and taking it off of Sam. "She's made it perfectly clear that she's not interested in you, buddy. So I think it's best for everybody if you just continue on your way and let us enjoy our Fourth of July."

"Hey, I told you to stay out of this," the boy frowned. And with that he shoved Freddie to the ground.

"Hey!" Sam cried. "You can't push him like that! That's it!"
She raised her fist. "You're about to be knocked out until Easter, you-"

"Sam, no! You're not going to risk getting arrested!" Freddie exclaimed, jumping to his feet and holding Sam back. "Not over this loser."

"I'm the loser?" the boy scoffed. "You're the one who's too big of a nub to land a hot chick like her. That's not my fault."

Freddie glared at the boy. "Hey! Only one person is allowed to call me a nub, and it is not you!"

"Whatcha gonna do about it?" the boy sneered. "You gonna-"

But before he could finish his sentence, Freddie grabbed the boy's wrist and flipped him down onto the ground.

Sam's eyes widened in amazement. "How did you-What just-"

"So I'm going to give you one more chance to get out of here," Freddie said to the boy as he staggered back to his feet. "Now."

The boy narrowed his eyes, but quickly turned and ran off in the other direction.

"Um, what just happened?" Sam demanded, utterly confused. "Since when can you flip people?"
"Since now, I guess," Freddie said, surprised himself at what he had just done. "I've never tried it before. But I must've picked up your technique from all the times you've flipped me. Did I do it right?"

"Dude, that was insane!" Sam exclaimed, her face lighting up. "You should've seen that creep; he looked like he was about to cry!"

"Yeah, well," Freddie said modestly.

"Seriously, I can't believe you did that," Sam said. "That-That was so-"

"Okay, I got my sunglasses!" Carly said, returning back to her two friends. She looked back and forth between Sam and Freddie, sensing that she just interrupted something. "Um, everything okay here?"
"Yeah," Sam said quickly, clearing her throat. "Yeah, everything-everything's good. Let's go to the boardwalk."

"Okay," Carly shrugged. "Hey, by the way, you'll never believe what I caught Spencer doing when I went back to the picnic table. He was just about to buy a whole box of Japanese fireworks from some dude! Can you believe that? It's real lucky I was there to shut the whole thing down or who knows what would've been left of this beach. I swear, that guy is so irresponsible with anything flammable and-"

As Carly continued to rant, Sam and Freddie trailed behind her slightly.

"So um, thanks for, um, that back there, Benson," Sam said softly to Freddie.

"Anytime, Puckett," Freddie smiled. "That guy deserved it. And I couldn't have you risk getting arrested again. I need your chaos in my life."

Sam smirked. "Glad to hear it."

And with that, she hurried ahead to catch up with Carly.

Freddie sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Yeah…so I think she might be more than a friend, Freddie thought to himself. A lot more.