Also, this chapter will be longer because I am really bored and have nothing else to do.

Chapter Three: iHate Mrs. Benson's cooking

"Good morning, Carly," said Mrs. Benson. "We're having waffles and bacon." Great!! I didn't have to make my own breakfast. That almost made up for sleeping in the same room as Freddie (Sam was right, Freddie snores).

Freddie said he would be gone all day.

Sam said she would be gone all day.

Carly was stuck here in hell with Mrs. Benson all day.

Sounds like fun, right?? No.

"Thanks," I mumbled. Mrs. Benson handed me a waffle and two strips of bacon. I poured my own syrup over them both and took a bite.

Gross. Was that really a waffle?? I don't think so. I tried to keep a straight face. I thought I did really well.

"You don't like it?" said Mrs. Benson. "They're protein waffles, Carly. And the bacon—it's not from a pig."

"A turkey?" I asked, all very calm and innocent.

"No," she said, in an almost understanding tone. WAIT!! I was talking about Mrs. Benson, annoying extraordinaire. She is the woman who fails to notice anything and hates my brother with all her body.

***

I opened my locker and groaned because it was Monday. Neither Freddie nor Sam was here yet, and Freddie was never late. And, because of Mrs. Benson, neither was I.

Suddenly Freddie was looming over me, with his arm around Sam's freaking shoulder. Holy. Crap.

"Hi, Carly," he said. There was one plus to this—now Freddie wouldn't annoy me about him and I (which was never going to happen anyway, after all).

"Hey," I replied quickly and happily because, like I already said, this was GREAT.

"So," he said, "did you see me this morning?" I had not—but I wasn't ready to admit to that.

"No," I answered truthfully, "but I had some whole-grain whole-wheat cereal at four in the morning."

"Tired of ... my mother's cooking?" asked Freddie. Right on!! Did he like his mother's cooking??

"Whatever," said Sam, acting like her usual self, acting like Freddie's arm wasn't around her shoulder (which it totally was!)!

I'd been living with the Bensons for a week—and already I wanted to break Freddie's neck (and his Mother's!).

I really, really need a boyfriend (don't you think?).

"So," said Freddie. "Sam, do you want me to get that book?"

"Yeah, Freddie," said Sam. "Thanks." And that's when I knew they were "together", because Sam does NOT say thanks, unless it's to me (or my brother, and that's only because he's my brother).

And before they left Freddie asked me again, "Tired of my mother's cooking, Carly?"

I looked him in the eye and lied, "Of course not."

What kind of person lies to one of their best friends the day after Christmas break is over?? Carly Shay, that's who.

***

I was back with Spencer, in his room, looking into his dead eyes.

No, my brother wasn't dead—he just almost was. The doctors weren't sure Spencer was going to make it.

If it had been two weeks ago Freddie and Sam would've been here, yelling at each other and competing for my attention. But things had changed since two weeks ago, and now my friends were at the movie theatre watching Maybe I Think You're Ugly. No, I wasn't invited. Did I want to be invited? Some small part of me wanted to be there, watching over them ... being able to remind Sam of her "Freddie days" when we were older. Then some part of me knew it was best for Freddie and Sam to be alone without me there, and it was for the best. I knew that if Sam was going to even touch Freddie, I couldn't be within fifty feet.

I was in safe territory, here at the hospital with my dying brother.

"Is there any information from the doctors yet?" I asked the nurse because it was a different one than the cruel one.

"Don't know, don't care," said the nurse under her breath as she walked away from me, a mere teenager with her brother.

Everything was wrong.

a) Spencer was supposed to be here, taking care of me and building sculptures that catch on fire. Spencer was supposed to be here in two weeks when my other older brother, Daniel, came. In two weeks he wasn't supposed to be d—No, Spencer was going to live.

b) Sam was with Freddie, and they were out and not here with me or with the definitely alive and well Spencer.

c) Freddie wasn't going absolutely nuts because I was in his house sleeping in the bed next to him. How did Mrs. Benson allow it, the overprotective freak?

And lastly, d) I wasn't supposed to be in Freddie's house. Period.

When would things be right again?

I kind of wanted my best friends back at least moderately soon.

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