Sam's POV

Darn it. Why did I let my tongue slip like that? Argh! Now, the entire world knows that I like Freddarn Benson! Wait a second, maybe that nub didn't hear a thing! Yeah, that dork is oblivious to almost everything in the world. Hmm...

"Sam," mom yelled into my room. "Come help me, you lazy sandbag!"

I guess my mom and I both have something against sand... or bags... or both...

"Coming..." I replied.

Ugh... The holidays... Besides the fact that I get to torture Fredison for 12 days, I don't get much fun around here.

My phone vibrated on the table. I read the label and picked up the phone with an annoyed tone.

"What do you want, dork?" I asked.

"I just wanted to ask if you would like any help with the decorating since there are only two women in your house," he replied, seeming a little afraid of me. Perhaps my tone was a little too much? Ugh, it doesn't matter.

"No thanks," I frowned. "The last thing I need is for a nub to come ruin everything that me and my mom have done up."

He sighed on the other end of the phone. "Well, okay then. But if you need-"

"Nah, I'm good," I said. "Just leave me al-"

I was cut off by the sound of broken glass, followed by a shriek.

"Mom?" I yelled down the stairs. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she yelled back. "But it would be great if there were people who could help us."

She looked up the stairs at me and smiled.

"Are you on the line?" she asked. "That's great, get your friends over to help out for the welcoming party."

I rolled my eyes. "Mom, we don't need any help!"

"Yes we do! Now get those helpful and nosey friends of yours to help. Especially that Frederick Benson boy," she said.

"It's Fredward Benson," I placed my phone back near my ear. "You heard the lady, now get here right now."

"Yes, madam!" he yelled into the phone. I could imagine him saluting then.

As soon as he arrived, we started to pack the place up, even my room, since Melanie would be sleeping over. It was a tough operation cleaning up every dusty corner of my room since that applies to everywhere. Since I cleaned up most of it earlier that year, I didn't make too much of a mess to make it hard to clean up.

"Leftover tacos?" Freddie asked. "How old are they?"

"No wonder I couldn't find you!" I exclaimed, ignoring his snide comments. "You were hiding under that pile of clothes, weren't you?"

He smirked. "Now I totally understand why Carly reacted that way when you invited her to your room."

"Watch what you say, Benson," I glared, then pulled out a drumstick from no where. I was about to take a bite from it when Captain Antibacterial Underpants stopped me.

"Whoa, don't eat that!" he held onto my wrist. "It has mould growing all over it!"

"It's still edible," I tried to convince him. "And it still tastes good."

He snatched it away from me. "These things can no longer be eaten. It will make you sick like the time Missy gave you Persian chocolates."

"Speaking of Missy," I smiled. "Weren't we lucky? She won the School At Sea trip and was sent far, far away from us."

He grinned. "Yup, it was worth it."

"Huh?" I was confused. "What was worth it?"

"Err... nothing," he lied. "I just thought that the School At Sea trip must be worth a lot of money. It's a coincidence that among all the students who applied for it, she got it, right?"

"Fredweird Benson," I narrowed my eyes and tugged at his collar. "How many times must we go through this? You're not a good liar, now speak the truth and only the truth!"

He sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay, I admit it. I won the School At Sea trip."

I let go of his collar as my eyes grew wide in shock. "What?"

"I was the one who won the School At Sea trip. But I gave it to Missy," he repeated.

I narrowed my eyes again. "Don't you lie to momma..."

"I'm not lying!" he exclaimed. "It's true, I was the winner of the School At Sea trip. But you seemed so upset about Missy's behavior when you asked me for help, so I just gave it to her."

"Why?" my eyes were tearing. "Why must you do this to me?"

"I, I-"

A tear fell down my cheek. "I treated you so badly, I torture you everyday of every month; I punch you, I kick you, I hit you. But, why do you still treat me this nicely? I don't deserve these. Is it out of sympathy? Out of pity?"

By then, I was already crying as though the world has ended. But it was. My world was tearing apart. What I knew of has already become something that I no longer know.

"You deserve to be treated nicely, or even better," he wiped the tears off my face. "You're beautiful, you're smart, you're strong, you're everything a guy would ever wish for."

I pinched him.

"OW! What was that for?" he asked.

"You're lying again!" I pinched him once more before pushing him away.

"I wasn't lying!" he looked shocked.

I pinched him again. "Yes you are."

I pinched him two more times before pausing for breath.

"You're just saying all that to make me feel better!"

"What?" he raised his eyebrow. "You really think I was lying?"

I pinched him again to tell him that I agree. "Why else would you say all those stuff?"

"Because I love you!" he looked into my wide eyes as I was about to pinch him again. "I... I love you..."

"You're lying!" I continued with my pinching game. "You've always loved Carly and you always will!"

"I've gotten over Carly!" he stated as he placed his hands on my arms. "I really really love you."

I frowned. "LIAR!"

"You said that I couldn't lie, right?" he tried to dodge me. "If I lie, my eyes will blink like crazy. But are they blinking now?"

"No..." I stood further away from him.

"Then I'm not lying," he finally said calmly. "Sam Puckett, I love you and that's a fact that will remain a fact for the rest of my life. And I'm sure of it, hundred per cent."

I looked at him doubtfully before pinching him one last time.

"Ow! What was that for? Don't you believe what I said?" he asked.

"That was the eleventh pinch," I smiled. "Merry Christmas, Fredmud."

He smiled sheepishly. "You know what?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"I meant every word I said just now," he smiled. "Every single word."

"I hate you," I exclaimed. "With every inch of my being."

"I love you too," he hugged me and caught me in surprise. "With every inch of my being."