Chapter Seven
"Okay we have an issue," Walter said in his over-exaggerated voice.
"What?" Carly asked annoyed, ready to leave.
"I took a cab, you don't have you're car and Freddie drives a two seater."
"How do y-," Freddie asked wondering how Walter knows he drives a two seater, but Walter cuts him off.
"Never mind that, it's not the issue, so anyway I decided Carly you ride with Freddie and I'll go back to the office and run things."
"I don't want to go with Freddie." Carly said protesting.
"Oh good for you. Too bad I didn't ask!" He said with a hint of pride in his voice. Freddie expected Carly to down talk him, but she didn't she just crossed her arms and revealed a bad attitude.
"Wow okay!" Freddie said impressed by Walter's power over Carly.
"Okay bye sweetie," Walter said he kissed Carly's cheek and shook Freddie's hand. Freddie was scared he was getting a kiss on the cheek too, knowing how Walter is, but Walter knew his place. As they were walking away, rose up his hand trying to flag down a taxi. Carly didn't say a word. They walked to parking garage and got to Freddie's car. He opened her door, she stepped in, and Freddie walked around and got in on his side.
Freddie decided not to say anything; he didn't want to anger Carly anymore than she already was. She frowned just looking ahead, he did seem to notice her constant checking of the time, and how restless she was becoming. They drove out of the city completely into a gorgeous rich suburb. Walter had texted him telling him not to take Carly to her apartment, but do something fun- which was exactly what he had in mind.
"Where are we going," Carly asked as they pulled into a large Wal-Mart Super Center.
"Where does it look like were going?" Freddie answered smiling. She sighed deeply then looked at him. For a minute Freddie saw so many things in that one stare. He saw hurt, suffering, and love. Nevertheless, she turned and it went as quickly as I came.
"Come on Carly, please." He pulled into a parking spot then went around opening Carly's door.
"It's cold." She said as soon as he opened her door. "I'm not wearing a coat and its cold."
"Here take mine." He handed her his short thick leather jacket that he had.
"I don't want to take you're coat, then you'll be cold." She murmured still seated in the car.
"Listen, Carly, don't be difficult," he said in a tone she recognized. She stared up at him and got out of the car without a word. He tried to offer her his coat, but she kept walking as if he wasn't even there.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." He said coming to realization as he got a basket.
"Just smile Carly," he said but she didn't reply. "Fine, I have an idea." He walked away into a 24-hour photo mart, leaving Carly with the basket.
"Hello, how are you sir?" he said smiling to the man at the counter.
"I'm stunned, it's Freddie Benson!" he said in a voice as if working at Chuck-E-Cheese and had to please little kids.
"I have a favor to ask you, is that all right?" Freddie asked irritated by his enthusiasm.
"It's perfect, I mean it's great, It-" he was running all over himself not able to get his words out correctly. He re-adjusted his glasses every couple of seconds. Seeming as if a nervous habit.
"Can I borrow one of you're stuffed animals, you know the ones you guys use to get people to smile." He asked almost laughing at himself, as he heard the sentence come out.
"Sure." The boy said- probably his first understandable word.
"Thanks," Freddie said and walked out of the photo mart hiding the stuffed striped tiger behind his back.
"Hey Carly." He made the tiger say as he reached her sitting on a bench near a Subway.
"Freddie!" she said trying to swat him away with a puzzled expression.
"My name isn't Freddie my name is Luther." He made the tiger say. A small group of people had now gathered around Carly and Freddie sitting on the bench.
"Well whatever, just stop it." She said crossing her arms.
"You want me to stop? I will stop." He made the tiger say.
"Good," Carly said in a dead tone.
"Only if you smile."
"What? Freddie this is insane." She said uncrossing her arms and threw them up, emphasizing her statement, now realizing how the group gathered around enlarged greatly.
"I said my name is not Freddie! Who is this Freddie you speak of?" He said making the tiger have a slightly angry voice.
"I said stop."
"You heard me sister; I will only stop if you smile. Luther never changes his mind. So you really don't even have a choice."
"You can't make me smile." She said her cheeks turning red.
"Wanna bet?" he asked luring her in to his trap.
"Yea I do." She said feeling stupid for talking to a puppet.
"Okay spell fun." he said then waited for her to speak.
"This is dumb, f-u-" he cut her off before she could finish.
"What did you just say to me?" he made the puppet shriek and move wildly. This caused the newly gathered audience to laugh hysterically. Then finally, Carly broke down in a laughing fit. She couldn't help but smile at Freddie's stupid joke- it was just too funny.
"Freddie you're so crazy." She muttered between laughs.
"Okay ladies and gentlemen shows over." He said fanning away the audience.
"Oooh!" Carly's eyes grew wide as she spotted a large bag of gummy bears for $3.79.
"I'm guessing this is what you want." Freddie said grabbing the bag off the shelf and putting it in the basket that consisted of way more junk food. Popcorn, Twizzlers, Skittles, ice cream, Pretzels, and much, much more.
They reached the checkout after picking Carly out some chill clothes: sweatpants, socks etc. He couldn't get her to stop smiling.
"Thanks Freddie," she said, as she looked trough the DVD's they picked. They had picked some childhood comedy's to warm their spirit.
"Hey look." Carly pointed to a magazine with Freddie and a tall blonde-haired woman on the cover.
"Oh that's me and Eva," he pronounced it as Ev-uh.
"No I'm talking about this one," she picked up The National Inquirer. "According to the National inquirer- "Freddie Benson is trying to control the earth, he secretly works with the Secret Underground Agency to take over the world." She laughed, "look at this UFO they had photo shopped in, and it's so obvious. Who believes this stuff?" she said tossing it back on the shelf.
"You'd be surprised." Freddie said laughing himself.
"So back to this one with Eva," she said picking it up and admiring her dress.
"It's Ev-uh," he said, dragging out each syllable to her understanding. "The dress is Vera Wang if you want to know." He said noticing her admiration.
"People like you Freddie, they like you a lot." And she sat the magazine back on the shelf acting as if she weren't happy at all.
"Carly people love you, and you have to let them." He looked sincerely into her hazel eyes.
"Next in line please." The cashier said rudely after waiting on Carly and Freddie to snap out of their daze.
"Oh sorry." Freddie said throwing his stuff on the conveyor belt.
"Hey you're that tech dude." She said in a slightly irritating voice.
"Yea, and you're." he looked down at her name tag. "Um-Pam." She smiled which was worse than her voice.
"Have a nice day." She said as she finished checking them out.
"Um yea you too," he said in a very awkward tone.
Carly hadn't spoken since he made his last statement. She was mixed up with her emotions everything was telling her something different and she couldn't figure out which way to go. She was fine being lonely and a workaholic. She liked her life style; she felt that she was dealing with her depression and stress issues perfectly. She hadn't seen a doctor in months. Then here comes Freddie walking back into her life making it so much more difficult. Why couldn't he just back off didn't he get the message.
Her train of thoughts stopped as they reached Freddie's car. He opened her door, she mumbled thank you, and got in the car. He tossed the bags in the trunk, took out something black, and got into the drivers side. He started the car and revved up the engine.
"Take my coat," He said in a strange tone as he handed it to her. She grabbed it and put it on, his strong woodsy smell embraced her, and she felt as if he wrapped around her.
"Good," he said then put another coat, which he must have retrieved from the trunk and his sunglasses. "Hope you have that coat buttoned," he said then let down the convertible top.
Before Carly could protest, he sped out of the parking lot. Her heart dropped to her feet. Her face was flushed with panic. She buttoned the coat up sealing in the smell and her warmth, while Freddie drove like a maniac zipping in and out of traffic.
"What you doing?" Carly managed to get out-finally, having to yell over the wind whipping their faces.
"Carly, you need to loosen up, and that's exactly what were going to do."
Endnotes
Wow I actually liked this chapter. Next one will be even better… trust me ;). Anyway, Freddie is supposed to be like Tony Stark, from Iron Man, but not as crazy just as popular though. Well I hoped you enjoyed this and as always read, favorite, and review! ~Thanks.