Arcade

"I really like these French fries that T-Bo's got here," Sam commented as she bit into a fry. "They're crispier than the old kind, but not so crispy that it's like a potato chip. It's a good balance."

"Maybe T-Bo finally read all those comments you left him about them," Freddie said. "But then again, it doesn't look like he's been crying, so maybe not."

"Well, whatever he did, it actually worked," Sam shrugged, popping another fry into her mouth. "These fries are amazing."

"Maybe we should just come here for our big date this weekend then," Freddie chuckled. "Nothing says 'five-years-of-dating' quite like the Groovy Smoothie."

"You bring me here for our five-year anniversary, and I promise you, there won't be a six-year anniversary," Sam smirked, rolling her eyes.

"Relax, you know I was kidding," Freddie said. "But hey, speaking of our anniversary, what do you want to do. I've already got a little something special planned for us to do back at our apartment, but where would you like to get dinner? I figure it's best if you pick the place because, well, it's food. And if five years of dating you has taught me anything, it's that you don't mess around with your meals."

"Smart," Sam grinned. "Um…well I guess we could go to that cute little Italian place we like. The one with the candles at the table; that's romantic. Plus it's right across the street from that Churro stand so dessert will be covered."

"Alright, I'll call and make reservations when we get home," Freddie said.

"So what sort of 'something special' do you have planned for us after dinner then?" Sam asked.

"You'll just have to wait until Saturday to find out," Freddie replied, his eyes sparkling.

"What? Dude, tell me!" Sam laughed.

"Nope, my lips are sealed," Freddie smiled.

"Baby…" Sam pleaded. "Please?"

"Cute," Freddie chuckled. "But that's not gonna work this time, Sam. There's no way I'm going to-"

"Sam?"

Sam and Freddie looked up and saw a man with dirty blonde hair and a neat goatee standing in front of their table. Freddie didn't recognize him at all. He was just about to ask this man who he was when Sam's jaw dropped.

"Frankie?" she said. "Frankie Jacobs? No way! Hey!"

She stood up and gave the man a quick hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm back in Seattle for a few days for my sister's wedding," Frankie explained. "I'm here from Vermont, actually. I own a few tie shops over there."
"Wow, impressive," Sam nodded.

"So you're still living here then?"

"Yeah," Sam replied. "Carly and I went to Washington State after high school but we both wound up getting jobs here after we graduated. I'm a writer now."

"That's awesome," Jake said. "And you look great, by the way."

"Aw thanks, you too," Sam smiled.

At this point Freddie cleared his throat loudly.

"Oh, um, Frankie this is my boyfriend, Freddie," Sam said. "Freddie…Frankie. I don't know if you two remember each other from high school or anything, but-"

"You went to Ridgeway with us?" Freddie frowned.

"Well, I was a year above you guys, so we probably didn't cross paths," Frankie reasoned as he shook Freddie's hand. "But I remember you from that web show you all did…iCarly. It was cool stuff."

"Oh, well, thanks," Freddie said. "That's always nice to hear."

"Anytime," Frankie said. He turned back to Sam. "Well, it was cool seeing you again. I've got to get going, though."

"Yeah, okay, nice seeing you too," Sam said. "Good luck with the tie business."

"Thanks," Frankie chuckled as he turned and headed out the door.

"Huh…I really don't remember that guy at all," Freddie said. "But he seemed alright."

"Yeah, he's fine," Sam said quickly. "So, back to this surprise on Saturday."

"Wait, how did you know him?" Freddie asked. "If he was a year above us. Was he in your detention crew?"

"Um…no," Sam said. "But about Saturday-"

"Did he live near you or something?" Freddie continued.

"No," Sam said. "Now let's go back to-"

"Well then how'd he know you well enough to recognize you years after you left Ridgeway?" Freddie asked. "I mean I hung out with you all the time back then. I thought I knew most of your friends."

"Okay, first of all, don't say I left Ridgeway years ago," Sam said. "That makes me sound old. Second of all…he-he wasn't exactly a friend, okay. I, um, we hung out a little bit during our junior year."

"Oh," Freddie shrugged. "Okay."

He reached for a French fry from the basket in the middle of the table. "But I still don't get why I wouldn't have even met the guy back in high school. Like I said, me, you, and Carly were together all the time. Plus I would've liked to have another dude around every once in awhile, especially when you and Carly would go off and do girl stuff like getting your nails done or going to Build-A-Bra. I mean I had Gibby, but well, he's Gibby, and-"

"I-um, I-okay," Sam sighed. "I guess…whatever, there's no point in keeping it from you anymore I guess. It was years ago."

"Huh?" Freddie frowned, confused. "Keeping what from me?"

"Frankie and I we…we went out a few times," Sam said slowly.

"Um…what?" Freddie said dumbly.

"Yeah, um, we went on a few dates," Sam nodded. "Carly set us up. She met him at a pep rally and thought the two of us would hit it off."

"But…I-I thought the only guys you dated in high school were Jonah and Pete," Freddie said. "And, well, me. Why didn't I know about Frankie? Where was I?"

"I, um, Frankie and I dated, um, during that time between when you and I broke up and then got back together," Sam explained.

"Wait…seriously?" Freddie frowned.

"Yeah…" Sam said. "But, you know, it was like, three dates. Then I realized that I wasn't into him and I ended it."

"I-You never told me you dated anybody when we were broken up," Freddie said.

"Well, things were kind of awkward between us then," Sam reasoned. "I figured if I brought it up it would just make things even more awkward."

"So for those six months we were broken up," Freddie said, looking completely flabbergasted. "When I was miserable, hating my life, wondering how I could've been stupid enough to let the best thing in my life go, you were out there flirting it up?"

"Hey! We weren't a couple; I could've flirted it up with as many guys as I wanted to!" Sam snapped. "And I told you, I ended things with Frankie real quick!"

"But why did you never tell me about Frankie?" Freddie asked. "When we got back together…you could've at least mentioned that you went out with him."

"Honestly…when we got back together, the other guys were completely erased from my head," Sam said. "They meant nothing to me, so I didn't even think to mention them. If you feel so strongly about it, fine, I'm sorry, but baby…I love you, and-and you're ridiculous if you think the fact that I dated other people while we were broken up would ever change that."

Freddie sighed. "You're right. I guess I overreacted. I mean we were broken up when you dated Frankie and it was years ago. Besides, we're together now, and that's all that matters."

"Exactly," Sam smiled as she stood up and hugged Freddie. "So don't worry about-"

"Wait a minute," Freddie said suddenly, pulling away from her. "You said guys. With an 's'. Plural. There-There were more guys you dated besides Frankie?"

"Um…well…okay fine! Yes!" Sam conceded. "But it's just like I said; that doesn't change the fact that-"

"And were you just never going to mention this to me?" Freddie snapped.

"I told you, I didn't think it mattered!" Sam said. "And it doesn't!"

"I just…Sam, I was miserable during those six months we were broken up," Freddie said heavily. "I was going crazy missing you, and-and I guess I just always assumed you-you were just as upset about the break-up as I was. But…clearly you weren't."
"Freddie…" Sam sighed.

"I'll see you at home," Freddie mumbled, getting to his feet and heading out of the Groovy Smoothie.

That evening Freddie was laying on his and Sam's bed, absentmindedly flipping through channels on the television. He heard the front door of the couple's apartment open and a few seconds later Sam stepped into the bedroom.

"Hey," she said, giving her boyfriend a small smile. "I picked up Chinese food for dinner. I got that vegetable lo mein that you like so much."

"I'm not hungry," Freddie replied simply.

"Baby…" Sam sighed. "Are you still mad at me?"

"I'm not mad," Freddie said. "Just…caught off guard. I can't believe I didn't know you actually dated other guys when we were broken up. How many were there?"

"Three," Sam said. "Frankie, Chet, who was the younger brother of one of Spencer's sculpture clients, and Phil, who I knew from Juvie…he wasn't a real winner. None of them were! Freddie, I don't understand why this is such a big deal to you! You don't see me getting all wazzed off about people you used to date."

"Because there was like, two other people I've dated in my whole life besides you," Freddie scoffed. "And I didn't date either of them during those six months! Sam, we-we said we were going to get back together! We said we loved each other! We-We just needed a break to figure some stuff out on our own! We wanted us to work! So why would you go out with other guys if you-"

"I was confused, okay!" Sam cut in. "I did want us to work; I thought we were going to get back together. But-But then you…look, can we just drop this? It was so long ago and it-"

"No," Freddie frowned, siting up. "What-What were going to say? What did I do?"

Sam sighed as she sat down next to Freddie. "I-I was miserable too, you know. When we were broken up. I-I cried for days after. The only thing that got me through those first few days was knowing that we wanted to get back together. But…you know, a few weeks passed and-and we didn't even mention anything about it. And then a whole month passed and-and you-you were acting differently."

"What do you mean?" Freddie asked softly.

"I mean I-I know we were never exactly super nice to one another, but-but we had been getting along pretty well before we started dating," Sam said. "We were friends. But after we broke up it seemed like…like you-you didn't even think of me that way."
"Sam, I-That's not true," Freddie said, reaching for her hand.

"You started making fun of me in school when I would get stuff wrong," Sam said. "You started saying things like how annoying you though I was. And-And you started going back to favoring Carly over me. And every time I tried to get closer to you…you pushed me away. Like that time I took that job at the Pear Store. I took it because, well, I missed you, but…but you just thought I wanted to destroy that opportunity for you."

"Sam…" Freddie whispered, absolutely stunned.

"So, you know, I-I thought you were over me," Sam sniffed, wiping a tear from her cheek. "And I didn't want to just sit around waiting for something that-that wasn't going to happen. It would be too hard. So when Carly brought up the idea of me getting back out there and dating other people, I thought that would be the best way to get over you. But, well, it didn't really work."

"You thought I was over you?" Freddie said in disbelief. "Sam…I was never over you. I-I can't believe I-I actually made you think that. I'm so, so sorry."

"It's okay," Sam said, wiping her eyes. "It was years ago."

"I still feel bad about it," Freddie said, shaking his head. He stared down at his lap. "I really was kind of a jerk to you after we broke up…wasn't I?"

Sam shrugged.

"I guess…maybe that was my way of dealing with everything," Freddie said heavily, squeezing her hand. "Those were the worst six months of my life…I was so confused and upset too. I wasn't myself. I hate that I acted that way, I-I really do."

"I know," Sam said, squeezing his hand. "I guess those six months really did a toll on both of us."

"Yeah, they did," Freddie sighed. "But…at least we're here now. Together."

"That's right," Sam nodded, leaning up to kiss Freddie. "Thank God."

The two were silent for a few moments.

"I overreacted earlier," Freddie said. "About you dating those other guys…I'm sorry. I just…I really hate thinking about the break-up."

"So do I," Sam said. "Maybe that's why we never did talk about it."

"Yeah, I guess we never did bring it up," Freddie nodded. "After we got back together at the start of our senior year we never brought up those six months apart again. We never talked about how heartbroken and miserable we were without the other. Guess neither of us wanted to bring up something that made us feel so terrible. But…I think it's good that we're finally talking about it. It-It makes me realize just how lucky I am to have you in my life now."

"Yeah, as rough as it was to go through not having your nubby self as my boyfriend back then, it would be about a million times worse now," Sam chuckled. "You've really grown on me."

"I'd be crazy without you bringing extra craziness into my life everyday," Freddie grinned, kissing the tip of her nose. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you too," Sam said. "And I never stopped. Not even for those six months."

"Same here," Freddie said.

The couple simply sat there, holding each other, for several minutes.

"So," Freddie finally said. "You never want me to stop being your nubby boyfriend then?"

"Nah," Sam chuckled. "I think I've got a pretty good set-up going."

"Huh…" Freddie said slowly. "Well…Sam, I-I think I'm ready for you to stop being my crazy girlfriend."

"Huh?" Sam frowned. "What-What do you mean?"

Freddie didn't respond as he reached over to his bedside table and opened up the top drawer. He pulled out a small, velvet box.

"What is that?" Sam asked softly.
"This-This is the surprise I had planned for us for our anniversary," Freddie said, taking a deep breath. "But…I don't want to wait any longer."

He opened up the box and revealed a beautiful, sparkling diamond ring.

"Oh my God…" Sam whispered.

"I was going to plan this huge speech," Freddie said. "But um…oh." He quickly lowered himself down to one knee. "Sam…You are the single greatest thing that has happened to me in my life. I'm so lucky to have met you all those years ago when I was just some dorky kid. I had a glimpse of what it would be like to not have you in my life all those years ago and…there's no way I could do it. I want you in my life forever; I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want to go through life with you at my side; I want to be your husband, and I want you to be my crazy, beautiful wife. So, Sam Puckett…will you marry me?"

"Freddie…" Sam said shakily, wiping an eye from her eye. "I-Yes. Yes! Of-Of course I'll marry you, you nub!"

Freddie beamed as he helped Sam slide the engagement ring onto her finger and then quickly got to his feet and kissed her senseless. When they pulled apart Freddie smiled down at her as he rested his forehead on hers. "We're getting married, baby."
"I know," Sam nodded, her face absolutely glowing. "I can't wait."