Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter One - 2002
"Sam! Come on," Freddie groaned at the blonde before him.
"I don't wanna!" She whined.
"Sam you have to come to class!"
"I don't want to!"
"Why?"
"I don't like Mrs Roberts. She's gonna give me detention again!"
"She won't if you behave!"
"Like that's gonna happen," Sam snorted.
Freddie rolled his eyes and took Sam's soft hand and led her towards the class room. Sam couldn't resist when Freddie did this. Why? Because it was just one of those things.
They soon got to their third grade class, and Freddie took charge in apologising to their teacher, "Sorry we're late Mrs Roberts. I dropped my books and Sam was helping me pick them up." Freddie didn't usually condone lying but for Sam he would tell a world of lies.
"Okay. Take your seats," Mrs Roberts said in her brittle voice.
Sam had already sat down at her desk and Freddie quickly slipped into his desk next to her.
Mrs Roberts turned back to the book before her and she took the class register. They began the lesson soon after. Sam was not the smartest in the class but she got good grades. Why? Because Freddie helped her. Freddie was the genius child of the class and Sam on the other hand was not. If Freddie saw Sam struggling he would drop his work and help her. Teachers could try and explain the work to her but her mind could make no sense of it, but when Freddie expalined it she suddenly understood.
The maths lesson began and Sam sat and attempt her work. She looked over at Freddie who was flying through the questions. Freddie looked up at her and smiled and mouthed, "Need help?"
"Nah, I'm good," Sam mouthed back and she shot him a grateful smile.
Freddie nodded and turned back to his work.
The lesson was nearly over when there was a knock on the door and every head in the room looked up from their work and towards the door.
The school secretary stood there with a small girl with dark brown hair and eyes. She was wearing a blue dreess and had her arms cradled around her books. The girl looked nervous and Sam could understand that, she remembered how she felt on her first day of kindergarten.
Mrs Roberts smiled and welcomed the girl into the class, the secretary left after making sure the girl was taken by Mrs Roberts. "Class this is the new girl Carlotta Shay. Carlotta care to introduce yourself?"
The girl nodded and looked out at her fellow classmates, "Hi. I'm Carly Shay. I just moved here from Yakima. I live with my brother Spencer, he's twenty one, which means he's thirteen years years older than me. He's an artist. My Dad, is a colonel in the U.S. Navy, which is pretty cool. My best friend Missy, her dad is in the Navy to but he got stationed in Florida and my dad got stationed here so I won't get to see her much now. I love pink and I've always wanted a cat but my Dad's allergic so we can't get one."
"Class say hello to Carly," Mrs Roberts said.
"Hello Carly," The class said in unison.
"Okay Carly, you can take that seat there in front of Freddie."
Carly walked forward then paused, "Um... whose Freddie?"
Freddie waved at her, "I am."
"Cool," Carly smiled warmly at him and sat down.
The bell rang to signle lunch and the class began packing up their things.
"Freddie..." Sam began as she got up fronm her desk and stood next to Freddie who was still packing up his things.
"You need lunch money don't you?"
"Well, yeah... kinda."
Freddie shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out some money,"Here. It's a good thing my Mom gives me money for you now to."
Sam grinned, "Thanks Fredward. Come on let's go to lunch," Sam walked passed Carly and towards the door.
Freddie walked behind her, "Sam, you kow I've got an AV Club meeting."
"Freddie!" Sam whined. "Why did you have to join the AV club?"
"Because I like it," He said as they walked down the hallway. "You'd like it to. Why don't you join?"
"I might... but not today. Moma's hungry," She grinned.
"Okay. The meeting should be over in thrity minutes, then I'll meet you outside in our place, yeah?"
"You know it!"
"See ya Sammy," Freddie smiled hugging her.
"Later Fredward," She said hugging him close.
They released each other and Freddie entered the AV room sending one last dazzling smile towards Sam. The moment he was gone Sam realised that she wasn't exactly sure what to do now. Sam was always with Freddie. Always! She didn't have many other friends. Well, she did, but none like Freddie. Okay, so there was Gibby. She and Freddie sometimes hung out with him, but Sam liked it better when it was just her and Freddie. Besides Gibby was out sick to day so he was no use.
Sam sighed and made her way to the cafeteria.
Fifteen minutes, and two meatball subs later and Sam was still hungry. Or at least she thought she was. There was something missing and she had put it down to hunger. Sam walked outside onto the playground, before her was a large jungle gym, a swing set, the softball fiel and lots of other stuff. To her left was an area of tables at which kids were loitering on, talking, eating their lunch and what not.
Sat on her own eating her lunch was the new girl, Carly.
Sam walked over and introduced herself, "Hey I'm Sam."
The girl looked up at her sandwich in hand, "Hi I'm Carly."
Sam looked at the sandwich and licked her lips, "Can I have that sandwich?"
"No way! Get your own."
So Sam did. She took the girl's sandwich and pushed her off her seat.
"OW!" But Carly Shay knew how to stand her ground. Getting up quickly she grabbed back her sandwich and pushed Sam out of her seat.
Sam got up from the floor, dusting herself off. She was shocked this new girl had stood up to her. "Your alright kid," she smiled in respect, before she sat down next to her.
In the next fifteen minutes Carly Shay and Sam Puckett learnt a lot about each other. Like, Carly lived across the hall from Freddie.
Sam looked down at her watch and gasped. She was ten minutes late for Freddie.
"What is it?" Carly asked in a concerned voice.
"Nothing, I just... I gotta go! But I'll see you in class," She said as she hoped off the table.
"Wait! Do you wanna come over after school?" Carly asked.
"Uh - Sure," Sam smiled and then she hurried away.
She finally made it. Their special place was a shaded area under two trees, it had been Sam and Freddie's place ever since first grade, they spent every lunch there and most recess'.
Freddie was sat down under the trees, all alone. He looked kinda weird on his own. Any other kid on the playground would know how weird this was, because Sam and Freddie were always together. Neither was ever alone because they had each other.
"Hey," Sam said quietly as she walked towards him.
Freddie didn't say anything and waited until Sam was sat down beside him, "Where've you been?"
"Around, " Sam shrugged.
Freddie looked hurt, she could see it in his eyes. He fiddled with the grass and pulled strips of it out of the ground. "Oh."
"I'm sorry I was late Freddie. I went to get food from the cafeteria, but I still felt hungry, so I tried to still Carly's food but she wouldn't let me and we ended up talking. We're friends now."
More hurt. Freddie nodded and continued to play with the grass.
"But your stilll my best friend Freddie!" Sam cried.
Freddie looked up at her, the hurt in his eyes slowly diappearing. "Really?"
"Yes really!" Sam wrapped her arms around his shoulders but Freddie removed her and pulled her in for a proper hug.
Sam kissed his cheek and Freddie returned it.
They sat on the grass in a comfortable silence, Sam's head resting on Freddie's shoulder, and Freddie playing with a daisy he had picked. And that is how they stayed. At least until the end of lunch.
"BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
"Okay class dissmissed," Mrs Roberts stated.
The class packed up and began leaving and heading home.
Sam was packing up her things when Carly turned to her, "Hey Sam. You ready?"
"Yeha, I'm just packing up my stuff, which you can see... so I don't really understand why I'm telling you..."
Carly giggled.
Freddie looked at Sam and sent her a confused look.
"Oh, Carly this is Freddie. Freddie, Carly."
"Hi," Freddie waved.
"Hey," Carly smiled.
"Carly lives across the hall from you Freddie," Sam explained.
"Oh cool," Freddie smiled. "Anyways, we gotta get going. Come on Sam."
"I thought you were coming over my place today?" Carly asked Sam.
"I am."
"You are?" Freddie asked shocked.
"Yeah, but I can walk with the both of you."
"Okay, come on," Carly smiled and headed towards the door.
"Come on Fredward," Sam said softly to Freddie before following Carly.
Freddie trailed slowly behind, not enjoying having to share his best friend with the new girl.
Freddie soon caught up with the girls, he didn't say much, he just listened to them talk. Usually when they walk home Sam and Freddie hold hands. Not today. For two reasons. One, Freddie was annoyed with Sam. Two, Sam didn't even attempt to hold his hand which just annoyed Freddie further.
They finally reached the eighth floor of Bushwell Plaza and they stood between the two apartments.
"Sam you coming in?" Carly asked as she opened the door.
"Sure," Sam said.
"You wanna come Freddie?" Carly asked politely.
"No thanks, I have homework."
"Okay. I'm gonna do mine later. See you Freddie," Carly smiled as she entered her apartment.
"Me to," Sam nodded.
Freddie knew that Sam wouldn't do her homework unless he was there to do it with her. And Sam was with Carly now which meant the homework would be left and Sam would get detention tomorrow.
Sam followed Carly inside without one glance towards Freddie.
The small boy, felt as though she had just ripped up his heart. He felt abandoned. He entered apartment 8-D, his heart feeling torn, and his expression full of gloom.
"Hey," A voice from behind him said quietly.
"Hey Sam," He replied, no emotion was evident in his voice and this scared Sam.
"Still doing your homework?" She asked timidly.
"Nope."
"Oh, cool."
"How was Carly's?" He asked, jealousy now surging through his veins like fire.
"It was good. Her brother is pretty awesome. He's an artist. We hung out but then she had to do her homework so I left."
"Cool."
"Freddie?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you help me with my homework?"
"Yeah, I guess."
Sam pulled her homework out of her book bag and sat down beside Freddie on his bed.
"What time you going home?" He asked.
"I don't know. I'll ask your Mom now and see if my Mom called," Sam said, hoping back off the bed and out of the room.
Slowly Freddie was calming down but he was still annoyed at Sam.
Sam skipped back into the room and jumped on the bed, "I'm staying here tonight."
"Kay. Let's do your homework then."
After fourty minutes, the homework was done.
They sat in silence before Sam spoke up, "Freddie, how come...well, why are you being so nice to me? I was horrible to you today. I thought you hated me."
"I don't hate you, I could never hate you. It's just... well, you annoyed me."
"I've annoyed you lot's of times. But you've never looked at me the way you did today. You looked like you wanted to kill me."
"I didn't wanna kill you."
Sam looked confused and then realisation hit her, "Oh my gosh! You wanted to kill Carly!"
"Sam, your exaggerating."
"No, I'm not."
"Ugh! Sam, look. I dno't hate her. I just don't like her."
"Why not?"
"Because she's stealing my best friend, okay?"
"I told you, your my - "
Yeah, yeah. I know. But ever since I can remeber we've been best friends. Me and you. Even when Melanie was here it was me and you. I was there for you when Melanie left. I was there for you when your dad flounced back in and then back out of your life. I'm here for you all the time and you ditched me for Carly. You didn't even say goodbye to me earlier Sam," Freddie let all his emotions out at once.
"Freddie..."
"I just don't wanna lose my best friend," Freddie sighed lying back onto his galaxy wars covers.
"I love you Freddie. Your my best friend. Nothing is ever going to get in the way of that. Nothing. Not Carly. Not my Mom. Not your Mom. Not anything. Cause it's me and you. We're a team."
Sam wasn't expecting it when Freddie nearly tackled her to the ground with a hug but her arms instinctively returned the embrace to pull Freddie in tighter.