Chapter 6: The Pranks Are On

Author's Note: Oh gosh guys, sorry it's been so long. The truth is, I was having trouble thinking of new ideas for this chapter… and as I'm writing this author's note I have little ideas but I'm just going to pretty much think of the ideas as I write the story… Anyway, I want to thank each of you for your reviews! They all mean a lot to me. But, there's one I want to answer, the one from Good Graces. I appreciated this review, and I agree. Edge and banter is what they need, or else it's a little too OOC. And one of the cute things about Seddie in the show is their fighting and stuff. So, I'll keep this in mind as I write. :)

Okay, I'm probably boring you, so here's the chapter!

That week, I was getting pretty used to the Benson life. And it was pretty cool, I guess. I've always thought it would be cool getting to live with a friend. I never pictured living with Freddork, though. But, I always pictured living with Carly. But of course, everything had to change. And I didn't even have time to picture life with the Bensons.

But, like I said, I was getting pretty used to it. I would wake up every morning, and at first I would be wondering where I was. But that happened less and less. Then, I'd try to go back to sleep but Freddie would make me get up. We'd both get ready in the same bathroom at the same time, which was kind of… weird. I usually got changed first, and then I'd make myself breakfast and try to act extra nice in front of Marissa, which was getting harder and harder. We'd then go and meet up with Carly, and Carly would always worry and ask if I'd hurt Freddie yet and we'd always say no. Then Carly would go off about how annoying it is living with her dad and how she wants her life back. Then we'd get to school and Freddie would try and protect me from mean people, but they always gave me mean looks. I didn't tell Freddie about that, though, because he'd freak out.

And then the three of us would walk home together. I used to go to Carly's after school, but because of her dad, we just went straight home. When we got in we would have a snack while watching TV. Then Freddie would start his homework and I'd continue to eat and watch TV until he nagged me enough and I'd do a little homework but basically I'd just copy from him. We'd then eat dinner and then Freddie and I spent some time talking, or we would just do our own thing for a while. We'd then go to sleep and I'd still get the chills at the thought that Freddie was sleeping two feet away from me.

And, it was crazy, but I almost got through a whole entire week with the Bensons. It was Friday, almost Saturday again. We cancelled iCarly that evening. Not the whole web show, just that one show, because Carly was afraid to ask her dad if we could do it.

Living with Freddie and his mom was comforting, but there was something missing. I guess, I've known Freddie for so long and my relationship with him has always been that I make fun of him, hurt him, and prank him. But, I had to make myself stop. He was doing such a nice thing for me, I couldn't be mean to him!

On Friday night, I was lying in my cot in the dark, with Freddie on his bed a few feet away. I smiled at Freddie as he said: "Hey, tomorrow's your week anniversary. Of living here, I mean."

I grinned. "I know," I said. I wanted to say more, to thank him, but I couldn't. I would probably end up saying too much. I wanted to tell him how much that moment meant to me, when he asked me to have dinner with him and his mom and that I could possibly move in with him. But I had to talk. "Freddie… what you did… that was the best thing anyone's ever done for me."

Although it was dark, I could see Freddie now sitting up. "Really?"

I smiled and nodded. "Really."

"Eh, well, I don't regret it," Freddie said. I grinned. He then said, "Well, you're not being mean anymore."

I frowned. "Yeah, I'm not being myself."

"Is this a new you, or are you not being yourself on purpose?"

I hesitated, but then I decided to tell the truth. "On purpose," I sighed.

"Sam," he said. "You don't have to change."

"Yeah, I thought so too, but if you like the new me then I guess the least I could do is stay this way."

"Sam…" Freddie said. "Yeah, you're all sweet now. But did I ever say I like the new you better than the old you?"

"Freddie, I know you hated it when we fought."

"You don't know how I feel about anything," Freddie said, and I could tell that he was smirking. The way he said that made me wonder. But hey, I over-analyze everything. "Fighting with you was always fun, Sam. It was us. The way we were. And it was fun."

I smiled. "Thanks," I said. "For letting me be me… but my mom kicked me out. And now I live with a whole different family. I'll always be Sam Puckett, but maybe I will change… because I wouldn't have to live with my mom always… just, I might change." I didn't want to go on too much. I didn't want to tell him what everything was like at home.

"Don't worry about it too much. Just be Sam."

I grinned. "So I can prank you and stuff like old times and you won't kick me out?"

"Yes, but just keep in mind that the hospital isn't a fun place and I don't feel like going back there."

I chuckled silently. "I got it."

Freddie fell asleep, and I pretended to sleep. Soon, I heard his calm breathing, and I crept out of my cot. I took out the whipped cream and feather I was hiding under my blanket and crawled over to his bed.

You know that old sleepover prank where you put whipped cream on their hand, tickle their face with a feather, and they touch their face because it tickles so then there's whipped cream on their face? Well, I was doing it. I never did the prank before, but I always saw it on TV and it looks sort of fun. Face it; pranking Freddie was the best.

I put the whipped cream on his hand, glad that it came out sort of quietly. It wasn't that quiet, but sleeping in the same room as Freddie for almost a week made me find out that he wasn't a light sleeper. I then tickled his face with the feather, only to see him smear the whipped cream on his own face.

I chuckled very softly. I wasn't tired, so I just knelt by his head and looked at him. He was sleeping on his side. He usually slept on his side, facing my cot, just like he did tonight. He had a small smile, and he was breathing silently. I was glad that he didn't snore. He looked so calm, just lying there.

I then took a deep breath, knowing that I had to go to sleep because I knew that if he woke up and the first thing he saw was my face, he would freak out. So, I took the whipped cream and feather and went back to my cot. I took one last look at Freddie's calm face, making me smile. I then fell asleep.