AN-This oneshot is a sequel to chapter 542, where Freddie tells Carly that Sam likes the same boy she does and that Sam always winds up feeling second best to her, and in the end, convinces Carly to help Sam go out with the boy, even though it kills him. Hope you enjoy!
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Amplifier
"Why is it that on Friday nights, there's never anything good on T.V.?" Spencer asked angrily as he flipped through the channels with Freddie.
"Because the T.V. people all assume everybody's out having a life?" Freddie suggested half-heartedly.
"Well that's just wrong!" Spencer scoffed.
"Let's just watch a movie on Getflix then," Freddie sighed.
"Can't, I had to cancel my membership this month," Spencer said. "Moneys been a little tight."
"It's seven dollars a month," Freddie frowned.
"Yes, and right now there's six dollars in my checking account," Spencer said. "And I'm not done perfecting my speech for asking my dad for money."
"Well, looks like we're just going to sit around here doing nothing then," Freddie said bitterly.
"Hey, why are you here sitting around doing nothing?" Spencer asked. "Carly and Sam are both out, why aren't you with them?"
"Because, they're both out doing their own thing," Freddie mumbled. "Gibby paid Carly forty bucks to babysit Guppy for him tonight and Sam is out on a date."
"A date?" Spencer frowned. "She's seeing someone?"
"I guess," Freddie sighed. "This is only their first date, but she really likes the guy. His name is Jacob Eitten and he's in mine and Sam's trig class. Apparently Carly set them up a few days ago and well…here we are."
"Wow…" Spencer said. "That's…new. You okay with this, man? I know it can kind of suck when your ex starts dating somebody new. Like after my ex-girlfriend, Lindsey, started going out with some male model after she dumped me, I felt horrible."
"Isn't Lindsey the one whose hair you set on fire?"
"By accident!" Spencer defended.
"I'm sure that made a real difference to her," Freddie said, rolling his eyes. "But anyway…look, it-it doesn't matter how I feel about Sam going on a date with someone else. She-She really seems to like him, and that's all that matters. If she's happy, I'm happy."
"Huh, you're handling this better than I did with Lindsey," Spencer said, impressed. "See, when I found out she was dating that model, I went down to one of his photo shoots to try and teach the guy a listen. You remember how I broke my arm in three places last summer?"
"Um, yeah."
"Well that's how," Spencer said, getting to his feet. "My elbow went right through a giant amplifier…Anyway, since T.V. finally let me down, I'm gonna hit the bed early tonight."
"It's not even nine o'clock," Freddie pointed out.
"Well if there's no quality programing on, what's the point of being conscious?" Spencer snapped as he retreated into his bedroom.
Once Spencer left, Freddie leaned back against the sofa cushions, staring up at the ceiling. All day, ever since Carly had told him nonchalantly that Sam had her date with Jacob that morning, he had been going back and forth with himself about how he really felt about the situation.
Of course, part of him despised the idea of Sam going out with some other guy. She was his ex-girlfriend and he had long ago come to terms with the fact that he wasn't completely over their break-up. But the other part…the other part realized how excited Sam must be about all of this. She had finally found a new guy who didn't simply glance over her as he went after Carly. She was finally someone's first choice, and he knew how much that meant to her.
Though he had never had the guts to tell her that she had always been his first choice.
She deserves this, Freddie thought miserably. She deserves to have someone treat her right…Even if that someone isn't me.
….
Freddie continued to sit in front of the T.V. for the next couple of hours, changing the channel frequently in hopes of finding something halfway decent on to watch. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be having any luck.
Just as he was thinking he'd give up and call it an early night like Spencer, the front door of the apartment opened and Sam walked in, wearing a simple red dress.
"Oh…hey," she said, clearly not expecting to see him. "What are you doing here?"
"Um, Spencer and I were, um, watching T.V.," Freddie replied.
"Where's Spencer?"
"He went to bed," Freddie told her. "There's-There's nothing really on."
"Oh," Sam shrugged, tossing her jacket and purse onto the floor next to the coat rack. "Carly's still babysitting, isn't she?"
"I assume so," Freddie nodded.
"Figured. She'll probably be there all night," Sam chuckled. "Gibby's off at some cat show, and you know he can hang around that place for hours."
"Yeah, he's a real weird kid," Freddie said. "So how'd your date with Jacob go?"
Sam frowned. "How'd you know-"
"Carly mentioned it this morning," Freddie said, trying to keep his voice casual. Though he really couldn't help but wonder why Sam hadn't mentioned the date to him herself.
"Oh," Sam said. "Oh, well…it-it was…good."
"Good?" Freddie repeated. "You've liked this guy for ages and you finally go on a date with him and it's just good?"
Sam gave him a strange look. "How'd you know I liked him for ages? What, did Carly tell you that too? I swear, when she gets back I'm gonna-"
"No, I-I actually put that one together on my own," Freddie admitted quickly. "I-I see the way you look at him in trig."
"Oh," Sam said softly, looking down at her lap, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Um, well…"
"He seems like a nice guy," Freddie said, attempting to alleviate some of the awkwardness that had suddenly come between them.
"Yeah, he-he is," Sam said, still not meeting his gaze. "He's super cool and all, it's just…I don't know."
"What?"
"Nothing," Sam sighed. "Look, you're the last person on earth I want to be talking about boys with, so can we drop it, okay? Let's just, I dunno, order a pizza or something. I'm starving."
"What, you didn't eat on your date?" Freddie said, rolling his eyes.
"Not really," Sam mumbled. "Apparently Jacob is a vegan. You know there's people out there who don't eat meat or anything that comes from an animal? So we went to this weird little place that made everything out of tofu and soybeans and cauliflower."
Freddie couldn't help but let out a little laugh.
"Yeah, okay, laugh it up," Sam snapped. "But you should've seen the things they were trying to pass off as meat substitutes. I'm going to be scarred for life!"
"So that's all that's bugging you?" Freddie asked. "Because Jacob took you to a vegan restaurant?"
"No!" Sam said. "And I told you, I'm not discussing this with you, Fredwad."
"Fine," Freddie said simply. "But Gibby just posted a picture of Splashface of him stuck in some Kitty Condo at the convention, so it looks like Carly's going to be babysitting Guppy for him for a long time. So you can either get whatever's bugging you off your chest now with me, or you can wait until tomorrow and let everything stay bottled up inside until Carly comes."
"Are you new?" Sam sneered. "I happen to be an expert at keeping things bottled in. Unlike you and Carly, I'm not some emotional sap who has to share my feelings every ten seconds."
"Whatever you say," Freddie shrugged, knowing full well that Sam wasn't as tough as she let on. It was one of the many things he had picked up on over the years.
The two were silent for a moment.
"So, you going to order that pizza?" Freddie asked. "Or are we-"
"I don't like him."
"What?"
"Jacob," Sam said softly. "It turns out…he's not for me. We just…we don't have a lot in common and-and I dunno, I just felt like something was missing the whole time. Plus, well, I know I haven't been on too many dates, but I think this one was the lamest."
"I'm sure the vegan restaurant wasn't that bad," Freddie chuckled.
"Please, the restaurant was probably the highlight of my night," Sam smirked. "Before we ate, he took me to a tea room."
"You hate tea," Freddie said. "When you were three your babysitter spilled green tea all over your favorite blanket and ever since you haven't been able to stand the smell of any kind of tea."
"That's right," Sam said, slightly amazed. "You-You remember that?"
"Sure," Freddie shrugged.
"Wow, that's-that's, um, well, anyway," Sam said, shaking her head. "Um, so after the nauseating tea room and disgraceful, meatless restaurant, we went to this bookstore and Jacob thought it'd be all romantic for us to sit around and read together."
"This guy really didn't know who he was taking out," Freddie grinned. "Tea, vegan food and books?"
"The book part wasn't-wasn't the issue," Sam said. "Not exactly, anyway. It's just-it was the actual book he picked to read that-that kind of killed it for me."
"What book was it?" Freddie asked.
Sam looked away. "He-He thought it'd be sweet if we read each other our favorite kid books. So-So I just went with Boogie Bear and-and he picked…he picked The Three Little Pigs."
Freddie knew instantly why Sam would be so put off by that particular story.
"That book," Sam sighed. "It-It was sort of-"
"It was the book your dad read to you before he left," Freddie finished softly.
Sam blinked. "Yeah…yeah, that's right."
"You told me awhile ago," Freddie whispered. "Back when we were dating."
"Yeah, I-I remember," Sam said. "It was the first and only book he ever read to me."
Freddie pretended not to notice as she quickly wiped her eyes.
"So," Freddie said, clearing his throat. "All in all, not one of your better nights, huh?"
"No chiz, Benson," Sam said. "I would've had more fun watching my mom experiment with her new waxing kit."
"Well…that's okay," Freddie said. "So-So just don't go out with him again, it's no big deal."
"Yes, it is a big deal," Sam moaned. "Don't you get it? Jacob is the first guy I've met who didn't try and get Carly first and then just turn to me as their second choice if she blew them off! He actually chose me over Carly. That's never happened before, and who knows when it will ever happen again! I-I can't just give all that up after one lousy date."
She sighed, kicking her feet up onto the coffee table. "Maybe…maybe after I go out with him a few more times, I can make myself feel something for him."
Freddie frowned. "You really think you can force something that's not there?"
"Well it's better then spending another ten years in Carly's shadow while all the guys go after her," Sam muttered. She looked over at him. "So we don't have a lot of chemistry between us…so what? I wasn't his second choice. That's…that's something."
"You're settling," Freddie said simply. "You're settling for somebody who you know you're not going to be happy with."
"I'm not settling!" Sam defended.
"You said so yourself that you don't like the guy!" Freddie said. "You admitted that you don't feel anything with him! You're only staying with him because he picked you over Carly!"
"So what?" Sam retorted angrily.
"Don't you see how messed up that is?" Freddie said, getting to his feet. "Sam, that's not a reason to be with someone if that's all they've got for you! If you're not going to be happy with Jacob, then you shouldn't force yourself to be with him. I bet there are plenty of guys out there who would choose you over Carly and actually know how to take you on a real date."
"Well if you find any, pass them along, will you?" Sam scoffed. "Because I still can't even find one who-"
"Yes, you did!" Freddie said before he could stop himself.
"Yeah, right," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "Who have I met who has actually preferred me over-"
"Me!" Freddie said loudly. "Me, okay? Me!"
Sam's jaw fell open. "You-You?
"Yeah," Freddie said, crossing his arms over his chest. "And as the only guy who you've both dated, I'd think my opinion would count more than Jacob's."
"But…come on," Sam said, clearly not believing him. "Carly was your dream girl! You wanted her to be your future wife for years before you went out with her."
"And yet," Freddie said. "I'd still pick you any day of the week."
"You-You're serious?" Sam asked skeptically.
"Carly's great, and she'll always be one of my closest friends," Freddie nodded. "But you…you've always been, well…you've always been special."
Sam gave him a small smile, but said nothing.
"Look," Freddie said heavily. "I just-I just don't want you to sell yourself short because you think you're second best…because you're not. You're Sam Puckett…you're this amazing, funny, strong, talented girl that nobody should ever overlook, and-and you deserve to be happy. Remember that, okay?"
Sam looked down at the ground. "Not really used to these pep talks from you…you could give Carly a run for her money with them, you know."
Freddie laughed as he sat down next to her. "I'm really serious though, Sam. Don't think of yourself as second. Because…because to me, you'll always be first."
Sam looked up at him, their eyes locking. And before either of them realized what they were doing, they moved their heads closer together until their faces were only inches apart. Their lips were closer than they had been in months, and all Freddie had to do was move his neck ever so slightly and he'd be-
"Freddie, good news!" came Spencer's voice suddenly as he raced out of his bedroom.
Sam and Freddie, finally becoming aware of what they were doing, quickly moved apart, both blushing furiously.
"Socko just texted me and told me there was a Girly Cow marathon on channel twelve!" Spencer said. "We're saved! There's finally something for us to watch on-oh."
He looked back and forth between Sam and Freddie, who were both determined not to make eye contact with the other.
"Did-Did I interrupt something here?" Spencer asked.
"Yes," Freddie sighed, trying to will his heart to beat normally again. "You did."
