Chapter 3: Moving In
I was in shock. Freddie had a big room and he was going to share it with me for a while. Don't ask me why, because I have no idea, but Miss Benson had this spare cot thing. Amd that was the closest thing to a bed that she could provide me with. I gladly accepted though, since I've always thought cots were comfortable. And anyway, it's better than sleeping on the streets.
I was unpacking my stuff, or should I say trying to, but my mind was too in shock. I couldn't get over the fact that I was so desperate for somewhere to live that I was going to live with Freddork.
When I was finally starting to unpack, I noticed that Freddie was just sitting on his bed and staring at me. I looked up from my suitcase and raised an eyebrow out him. "What?" I snapped.
Freddie had a sad look on his face. "Sam…" he said softly. "I'm so sorry…"
"About what?" I snapped again. I knew that he was trying to be nice and all but I had no idea what was going on.
"That your own mother would… you know, kick you out," Freddie said gently. He then got a scared look on his face. He probably was afraid that I was going to hurt him for bringing it up.
Suddenly sadness came over me and my eyes got teary. I looked down. "Yeah, well," I said quietly. Without looking up, I continued, "I knew it was going to happen someday. But it's just hard… because if my mom doesn't want me, who will?" A tear almost escaped my eye but I knuckled it back in. I wasn't looking for sympathy. I didn't deserve it.
Freddie's hand touched my shoulder gently, trying to comfort me. He probably knew that I was on the verge of crying. He then got off of his bed and sat next to me on the floor. He smiled at me, even though I was still looking down. "I do," he told me, and then corrected himself. "We do."
"You just feel bad for me," I said, sort of angrily. I don't know why I wasn't being nice to him at the moment. I was so mean to him over the years and he actually let me move in with him.
"I do feel bad for you," he admitted. His hand was still on my shoulder. "But I also care about you, Puckett."
I smiled and finally looked up at him. My eyes were still teary. "Thanks, Benson."
Freddie just grinned. He then looked at my full suitcase. "Do you need help?" he asked, probably wanting to change the subject.
"Oh," I said, looking at my suitcase. "Um, sure."
We unpacked and time actually went by pretty fast because we were talking. We weren't talking about anything special, we were just chatting and making fun of each other as if nothing was wrong. He was probably trying to get my mind off of the fact that my own mother kicked me out. And it sort of worked.
It was a Saturday night, and we had school on Monday. I was really glad that I didn't have school the day after all of this happened, because I wouldn't be able to think straight. Sunday was going to be my day to take this all in.
So on Saturday night, I was lying on my cot that was a couple of feet away from Freddie's bed. The lights were off but I was wide awake and I was pretty sure that Freddie was, too. So I asked, sort of quietly but loud enough for him to hear it, "Freddie? Why do you think Carly's dad wouldn't let me move in?"
I heard a smile in Freddie's voice. "Because he's stupid."
I grinned. "So it was really your idea to have me move in?"
"Yeah," Freddie admitted. "We fight and all, but if we didn't take you in, then no offense, but I don't know what would happen to you."
Tears were filling my eyes again. I'd never been this emotional before. It was weird to me. But I didn't feel like crying hysterically. "Yeah…" I said. "But I really can't believe you did this for me. And I can't believe your mom, who despises me, would let me into her house."
"She doesn't hate you!" Freddie exclaimed from his bed. "If she did, she wouldn't even let you near me. Trust me. She thinks you'd be a good person if you had an adult who taught you well… and she wants to like be that adult, I guess. Sam, my mom actually feels for you. She feels bad for you. She actually cares about you."
I was surprised. I hadn't really thought of it that way. "Really?" I asked softly.
"Yes," Freddie said, and I knew that he was smiling.
"Freddie," I told him, changing the subject. "I don't know if I'll be able to fall asleep tonight."
Freddie laughed. "Don't worry. Me neither."
"Do you snore?" I asked.
He laughed again. "I don't think so."
"Good," I said, relieved. "Wait, so you don't mind at all that now you have to share a room with me?"
"Nah," Freddie said. "Just don't prank me while I'm asleep."
"Good idea," I said with a smirk. It was too dark for him to see me smirking, but I bet he knew I was.
"Sam," Freddie laughed. "Well maybe I'll return the favor."
I grinned. "Yeah, good luck with that," I chuckled. Then my voice became serious. "Freddie?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks so much, Freddie. For everything."
"Anytime."
I smiled. I felt so peaceful, so calm. I finally lived somewhere where I didn't have to worry. I finally lived with two people who weren't going to come home drunk, and who I didn't have to worry about hurting me. Freddie and I were now silent, and I was so calm and so happy, that I was able to just fall asleep.