Chapter 5 – Lost and Found
I sit on my park bench shaking. I know I'll have nightmares now. I did the first few nights after my mother's murder. The police had come in and taken away her body, I'd seen it all from behind a garbage can. They hadn't found Steve's body though. I'd bolted before I could see whether they did or not. After a while, I haven't stopped trembling and I decide to listen to my Pearpod. With the earphones in my ears and Bird Town's 'Chocolate Evening' blaring into my ears, eyes closed, I don't notice the person behind me.
Freddie sits down on the bench beside me and I don't realise he's there until he pokes me in the shoulder causing me to jump. My eyes snap open and I glare at him, staring down those chocolate pools he calls eyes. Honestly, they look like melted milk chocolate spooned onto white chocolate. Or icecream. Oh no. I cannot be having these thoughts. But I am. He glares back, but there is a scared look to his chocolate puddles. I roll my eyes and rip out my headphones.
"What Benson?!" I ask roughly, still shaking.
"Just wondered why you where shaking," he replies casually.
I roll my eyes and mutter, "If you knew, your mommy would never let you near me again."
"Why not? What did you do? Did you lick another swing set?! I've told you before Sam!" Freddie exclaimed exasperatedly causing me to laugh a little.
"No Freddork, it's not another swing set," I say darkly.
"C'mon Sam! It can't be that bad!" He says with a smile. 'If only you knew,' I thought miserably. "Please tell me Sam," Freddie pouts. I look at his puppy-dog expression and give up. No-one can resist it, even if it is a dork. He must've learnt it from Carly. I sigh.
"Fine. But you have to promise not to tell anyone. Especially the police," I glare at him sternly. We spit-shake on it which causes Fredderella to squirm slightly.
"I murdered someone," I watch as he stiffens. I can't stand it. I run for it. I don't know where, I'm just gonna run.
I slow down as I reach the Groovy Smoothie. I order a Strawberry Swirl with the money I stole from Freddie's wallet when he wasn't looking. I sit down and sip my smoothie in silence, glaring at T-bo as he tries to sell me an avocado on a stick. Geez he puts some crazy stuff on that stick. It isn't long before the bell clangs. I freeze as Freddie's eyes sweep the room, searching for me. They lock their meatball gaze on me, trying to turn invisible in the corner. He orders a Blueberry Blitz and sits down opposite me, ignoring T-bo as he hampers him for an avocado. He looks me straight in my ocean blue eyes and says only one word.
"Why?" I feel like bursting into tears at the tone of his voice. I would have much preferred him to be angry or unable to speak, not this inquisitive tone he used. I pull myself together and glare at him.
"Why do you care?" I ask roughly, my voice choking.
"Sam, this is serious. Why? Who?" he asks.
"Does it matter?!" I snap.
"What would Carly say?!" Freddie says, trying to get it out. It's not gonna work. Suddenly I snap.
"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BRING CARLY INTO EVERYTHING?! I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'D SAY! SHE'S NOT HERE! SHE'S IN FREAKING YAKIMA! SHES NOT GONNA COME BACK! GET USED TO IT!" I shout at him, "I KNOW YOU LOVE HER BUT SHE'LL NEVER LOVE YOU, ESPECIALLY NOT FROM ANOTHER PART OF AMERICA WHICH IS 2 ½ HOURS AWAY! YOU'RE STUCK HERE WITH ME, THE MURDEROUS PSYCHOTIC TEENAGE GIRL WHO BEATS UP ON YOU EVERY DAY AO GET USED TO IT FREDWARD! I KNOW YOU'D LOVE IT IF I WAS IN YAKIMA AND CARLY WAS HERE BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS, OKAY?!" I realise I'm being stared at so I run out of the shop and away from Freddie.
I run outside and it's started to rain. I slow down and look for somewhere to sit. I sit at a bus stop and pull out my Pearpod, switching it onto 'September Snow' By Weapons and Flowers. I close my eyes and let the rain soak my skin. It's so cleansing. It's as if the icy droplets are washing away all that's gone wrong. I sigh and turn my music up louder. After a while there is no rain on my head but my legs are getting soaked as the rain drums down harder. I open my eyes and see Freddie holding an umbrella above my head. This boy doesn't give up. I sigh and turn my music down. It's a good thing the song had just finished because I hate it when someone interrupts my music, especially some nub. I turn to him.
"What do you want now Freddifur?" I ask roughly.
"I want answers," he replies in a tone which mimics mine. Gee, where'd this boy get guts from? I mean, hello, I beat him up all the time, why give me attitude?
"Really? Too bad. Go away," I say giving him a push.
"No." he sits down beside me and stares at me. Ok, this boy is nuts.
"You're crazy. You're not gonna get answers from me," I say each word slowly and clearly, "No. N-O. No. Okay?"
"Of course I'm not," he says with a smirk.
"Wait, what?" I ask, surprised.
"I'm not gonna get answers from you," my eyebrows shoot up, "I'm gonna get them from Carly who'll get them from you."
I laugh. "Yeah, right. Carly's not in contact for another week. Your curiosity is so gonna get the better of you before that," I smirk.
"Ok, fine. It's a bet. You don't tell me and I get the answers from Carly in a week. If I ask you once, in the whole week, you can do what you like with me," he says boldly.
I give him a funny look, "Umm… No thanks Freddie?"
"Not like that Sam!" he exclaims, smacking his forehead. I laugh and he smiles at me. I smile back.
"I'd better get home," Freddie says suddenly, "otherwise my mom will probably make me take several tick baths," he finishes with a roll of his eyes.
"Ok. See ya Fredward," I say as we stand. We walk a little bit and part ways at the lights by Bushwell Plaza. I wave and he waves back. Alone, I walk to my bench, kick some hobo off and curl up for the night.
*****
I wake up to cold wind blowing on my face. I shiver and open my eyes, pulling my blanket around my chin more, promptly throwing it off, sitting up as I see a brunette male sitting on the other end of the bench, looking at me intently. I reach for my Pearpod and glance at the time. 11:30pm. I'd only slept for an hour. I sighed and my thoughts returned to the fifteen year old boy sitting by my feet. I glare at him and he returns it with a puzzled look.
"Sam the hobo?" Freddie asks with a smile.
"Shut up Fredderly," I snap, "its 11:30 get to your mommy. Im tired."
He chuckles, "My mom isn't at home, she's at a convention for Over-obsessive Parents."
"But-you said-," I stumble, thinking back t what he'd said to me at the bus stop.
"Sam, surely you of all people know what lying is," Freddie sniggers.
I glare at him. "Okay, so now you're the creepy stalker dude. Why?"
"I was just wondering if you were gonna go home," he replies casually. I give him a quizzical look. This is just weird. I yawn and roll my eyes at him. He smirks again.
"Ok, so my mom is drunk, I didn't feel like going home," I lie smoothly. He nods.
"If you want, you can stay at my place. I mean, its gotta be comfier than that bench," Freddork mumbles, a slight blush creeping across his face, barely noticeable in the half-light. This was really weird. I mean, Freddie is being nice to me, like, blushing standard nice. I feel my cheeks colour too and roll my eyes to cover it. I think he's seen it though.
"Im not Carly Freddie," I say, staring past him.
"I know that."
"So why are you being nice to me? Offering me your home. I told you I murdered someone and you're still being nice to me. Why? I don't deserve it," I mumble, looking down. He is smiling when I look up again.
"Because Carly hates hobos and I'm sure she wouldn't want her best friend falling under that category." I laugh at that and my mood lightens.
We both get up and I shove my blanket into my bag. We walk together to Bushwell Plaza and Freddie unlocks his apartment. He flicks on a light and we walk to his room.
"I'm sorry, we've got nowhere else," he blushes.
I smile and say to him, "I dibs top bunk!" before catapulting myself onto his Galaxy Wars bedspread. Geez, what a dork. He laughs. "Sure. I was gonna sleep on a mattress on the floor anyways." We share a brief smile and he leaves the room while I change into some shorts and a tank top I pinched from Carly earlier that day. We swapped rooms and I waited while he got into his PJs. I climb beneath the warm sheets, savouring the warmth and softness. Freddie walks over to his stereo system before turning to me apologetically. "Sorry, music helps me sleep. I hope you don't mind."
"No. That's fine." I smile and he turns on some music before walking over and laying down on the mattress he pulled out for himself while he was getting changed. It's strange. Never, even in my wildest nightmares, would I have ever thought that Freddie and I, the dork and the demon, would be sharing a room off our own backs. Geez, lack of food must be making me crazy. I close my eyes and let Brutal Patch's 'Collapse and Combust' wash over me as I sink into a dreamless slumber.
A/N: Hey guys! Thnx 4 the reviews! Sorry about any scary bits in the last chapter. After some helpful tips from a reader, I changed some things and the story rating. :D Glossary of parodies:
Bird Town – Owl City
'Chocolate Evening' – 'Vanilla Twilight'
Weapons and Flowers – Guns n Roses
'September Snow' – November Rain
Brutal Patch – Savage Garden
'Collapse and Combust'– 'Crash and Burn'
Thnx 4 reading! Plz review! :D
MJ-obsessed95.x