Rumors: Someone's spreading rumors...and Sam's gonna get to the bottom of it.

Her blue-grey eyes flashed the halls...she knew that among all of them one had spread this lie...even though it wasn't really one.

"Sam..." a deep voice interrupted her.

"No! I'm getting to the bottom of it! Who in their right mind would spread that kind of filthy rumor? That lie!"

"But it isn't a lie."

Slender fingers curled around his mouth and he felt himself being dragged into the janitor's closet. She let him go and stared daggers into his own eyes.

"I know it's not a lie, and you know it's not a lie...but the whole school should stay clueless to that truth!"

Freddie rolled his eyes. Ever since Gibby had come along and asked them if it was true that they had kissed, she had been on a rampage to find out who had spread the 'rumor'. Not to mention that Gibby was brutally beat for saying that loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I think you're making too big of a deal about it. People are just going to think it's true if you freak out," he explained.

She groaned and sank to the floor.

"Oh God, you're right...I've made a bigger mess. But who could've told? I didn't...and you didn't, did you?"

"Of course not," he said, then he sighed, "but I almost did."

Sam frowned, "Dude, why would that idea ever cross your mind?"

"They were talking about," he replied, fists clenched.

"Who?" she growled menacingly. "And why...and about what?"

"These guys in the hall. They said that you probably still hadn't been kissed because you're cruel...and ugly."

Sam's hand curled into fists. "Why...I..."

"But I told them that you did have your first kiss...and that you'd probably have more on the way. And that you weren't ugly or cruel."

He didn't add the fact that the guys had told him that the only reason he was saying that was because he was terrified of her...or that his response had been that fear had nothing to do with it.

Sam sighed and brought her knees up to her chest.

"But they're right...I am cruel...and ugly. I'm even surprised that you were willing to kiss me."

"Sam...don't be like that," Freddie said. "Who the heck told you that you're cruel? And who told you you were ugly?"

"You...every other kid I've ever bullied...and as for ugly...every freakin' guy I've ever liked," Sam yelled and swung her arms in anger, slamming her hands against the shelf behind her in the process.

"Fudge!" she hissed and cradled her hands in pain.

Freddie lowered himself next to her and tried to coax her hands out of her possession and into his. She complied hesitantly but relaxed once he began inspecting the apendages for any fractures or breaks.

"Oh Sam," he cooed, unceremonially.

"What Freddison?" huffed Sam, refusing to look at his face.

He shook his head as he held her hands, the injury having sound worse than it had been.

"Sam, you're not cruel, you're just very out there, you think that you can express yourself by beating on kids, or that if you do that you gain their respect...you do gain their fear, though."

"That's probably why the only two friends I have are you and Carly...three if you count Gibby." Sam mumbled.

"And ugly...geez whomever told you that was delusional." he told her.

Blond curls sprung up at his words, face contorted into one of confusion.

"What are you trying to say, Freddie?"

He chuckled as he brought her in for a hug, "You're not ugly, you're beautiful and no one should be able to change your mind. There's millions of girls that would just die for looks such as yours. And many guys that would like to have someone as good looking as you at their side."

She relished in the moment, that someone was calling her beautiful instead of talking about how beautiful someone else was. But then suspicion began to dawn on her.

"Are you just saying this because I was bummed out."

"No, I mean it." he said as he pulled her away to look at her. "Look at my face and tell me if I'm lying."

She looked into his brown eyes as he talked:

"Sam...you are beautiful."

And there was nothing untrustworthy in his gaze.

She brought him back in for a hug, and she squeezed tightly.

"Thank you."

A light buzzing sound made the two teens scramble away from each other. Sam reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out her phone.

"Holy mother of ham!" exclaimed Sam.

"What? What happened?" asked Freddie.

"It was Carly!"

"Carly?"

"She let it slip that we kissed. I swear if I didn't love that girl so much I'd kill her, I swear I would." Sam said, shaking her head.

"Well, now that the whole school knows, what do we do now?"

"I guess we're just going to gave to continue being the same as always."

Freddie sighed, "Guess so..."

Sam got up, wincing when her hands brushed against the hard surface of the floor. Freddie following in suit.

He opened the door and gestured for her to step out.

"After you beautiful," he said smoothly.

Sam gave him a slight push and walked out before he could see her red face.

'There goes the rest of the day,' thought Sam forlornly.

Ta da! I'm done with another. Hope you like it.