Chapter 11: Trouble

Author's Note: In response to thegoodlife1's review: How'd you know? ;D And for all of you, your reviews really put a smile on my face. And it takes a lot for me to smile by just reading something over the computer. So thanks so much, guys! Now, here's Chapter 11!

"Mom, nothing happened!"

That was the first thing I heard in the morning. It was Freddie's voice, yelling at his mom. I opened my eyes, and everything looked different. Yeah, I was still in Freddie's room, but I wasn't on my cot.

That's when I realized I was on Freddie's bed. I was surprised at first because I didn't remember anything. When I started to remember the night before, I realized that the last thing I remembered was lying on Freddie's bed with Freddie and talking. I fell asleep on his bed.

Still tired, I got up anyway because I heard Freddie and his mom having a fight. I was pretty sure that I knew why. She probably saw Freddie and me. So, still wearing my red short-sleeved plain shirt and red-and-white polka dot pajama pants, I walked out into the kitchen.

Right when Marissa saw me, an angry look formed on her face. "Samantha Puckett, I let you live with me! I give you food and I treat you like a child of my own! I give you a place to sleep! And you thank me by…" She shuddered, and she didn't finish her sentence. But I knew what she was talking about.

I shot Freddie a quick glance, and I hoped that my face wasn't red because of what Marissa assumed. I looked back at Marissa and angrily said loudly, "Thank you by what? Having a conversation with your son and accidentally falling asleep on his bed?"

"Right," Marissa said angrily, turning to the fridge. I couldn't believe that I was fighting with her like she was my own mother.

I looked up at Freddie, and shot him a "what-the-heck" look, with my eyebrows down and my arms spread apart a bit on either side of me. He gave me the same look, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at his mom.

Marissa turned back around and put her hand on my shoulder. "Look, Sam, I wanted to help you. Really. But Freddie is my son. And even if you didn't do anything, sleeping in the same bed and cuddling with him is still too much."

"Cuddling?" I repeated angrily. "We weren't cuddling!" I turned back to Freddie.

"Well…" he said slowly to me. "We… were." He then looked back at his mom. "But we were asleep! A lot of people grab onto things when they're asleep. We didn't realize what we were doing!"

Now I knew that my face was red. Freddie and me were cuddling in our sleep? I wasn't sure if I was grossed out, embarrassed, happy, or a combination of the three.

"Well," Marissa said, quieting down a bit now. "I'm sorry. I just can't allow the risk that you two might sleep in the same bed again."

I was becoming nervous. Was she going to kick me out just like my mom did?

No. I wasn't going to let this happen again.

"I'll move my cot!" I suggested. "I'll sleep in here, or in the living room or something!"

"You could still sneak into his room after I'm asleep," she said. "Don't act like I don't know all of the silly things you teenagers do like that."

"Marissa," I said sadly, "I wouldn't do that. This is where I live. I won't have anywhere else to go."

"Sam, I just need time to think. You two can go to your room now." She hesitated as Freddie and I started walking. "Actually, only one of you can go to your room. The other has to go somewhere else."

"We can't even be in the same room alone anymore?" I yelled. If I wasn't trying to win her over, I would go over to her right now and snap her in half. I could if I wanted to.

"You can go in our room if you want," I sighed to Freddie, trying my hardest not to scream. "I'm gonna take a walk."

"Want me to come?" he asked softly.

"No," Marissa cut in before I could answer. "Freddie, go to your room. Sam, be back soon."

I started walking into our room to get clothes for myself, and Marissa asked, "Just where do you think you're going?"

"You want me to go outside in my pajamas?"

Wearing a regular outfit, I left the apartment. I was about to open Carly's door and just walk in like I used to, but then I remembered. Her dad. I frowned. Even if I knocked on her door, her dad probably wouldn't let me in.

I sighed and took out my cell phone. I called Carly, and she answered after a few rings.

"Hey Sam!"

"Hey."

"Uh, are you okay?"

"I've been better, why?"

"You sound upset."

"Well, I kinda am. Are you home?"

"Yeah. You can't really come over though…"

"I know… want to take a walk, and go to Groovy Smoothies or something?"

"Yeah. Come in the hall, I'll be out in a minute."

I hung up the phone, and waited for Carly to be out. She really was out in a minute. She gave me a sad smile. "Hey."

We started walking, and there was awkward silence. I hated it. I used to go to her house every day, look through her fridge, eat all of her food and sleep there all the time. Now, I only see her in school. It's not the same. It scared me that it's possible that soon I'll be closer with Freddie than I am with Carly.

I decided to get my hopes up. We just needed to break the ice, and we'd be talking normal again. So, to start a conversation as we walked into the elevator, I said, "So what's up?"

"Not much," Carly said, sounding sort of sad. She looked at me. "I love my dad. But everything was better before he came. Spencer and me were doing fine. He took care of me well and he's the coolest brother ever. And you and Freddie got to come over all the time. And now it's like we don't even know each other anymore." I looked at her. There were tears in her eyes.

I sighed, looking back down. The elevator door opened and we were in the lobby.

Before I could respond to what Carly said, we saw Lewbert on the phone. He was screaming into it: "No. No! Mother! Just bring me my ointment? … What do you mean what for? You know why I need it! … But it itches!"

We walked out of Bushwell Plaza, both chuckling quietly at Lewbert. As we walked out, both of our laughters were growing louder and harder, until we were both laughing hysterically.

"I miss you too, Carls."

Carly grinned at me. We walked across the street to Groovy Smoothies. While opening the door, Carly asked, "So, why were you all upset before?"

I sighed. "I might have to move out of Freddie's."

Carly shot me a look. "What'd you do to Freddie?"

"Nothing!" I said, putting out my hands in defense. We started walking over to the counter to buy smoothies. I looked at her. "For once I did nothing! And I got in trouble!"

"Well what happened?" Carly asked, her eyebrows looking nervous.

I took a deep breath. I then realized didn't really want to tell her.

She knows Freddie and me as two people who hate each other so much. Two people who always fight and attempt to injure each other. Two people who would never, ever fall asleep in the same bed because they were having an amazing talk. And I knew there was nothing wrong with telling her, but I liked keeping it between Freddie and me. And his mom too, I guess. Freddie and me are becoming really good friends, and I want it to just happen without Carly knowing and being all surprised about it. I want it to be natural, without Carly trying to help or anything weird like that.

Maybe it's time that I don't have to tell Carly EVERYTHING. At least not for now.

I shrugged. "Nothing, never mind."

"What are you hiding?" Carly asked, in her "I'm-scared-about-what-your-answer-might-be" voice.

"Nothing," I chuckled, "never mind, it doesn't matter."

Before she could answer, I ordered my smoothie from T-Bo. After I got it, I lied: "Oh, I just remembered! Freddie's mom wanted me to come home. We're gonna talk about what's going to happen about… me moving out and all." The only reason I lied was because I wanted to change the subject so that she'd forget. Freddie and me sleeping in the same bed is not something to be told.

"Um, okay, bye," Carly said, confused.

I gave her a quick hug, and I quickly walked out with the lemon-flavored smoothie in my hand.

I went back across the street to Bushwell Plaza. After going up the elevator, I got to our floor. When I stood outside of the door to our apartment, I heard Freddie and his mom yelling at each other.

I sighed. More fighting? I thought.

I decided to eavesdrop. I'm Sam; it's who I am. I naturally need to eavesdrop when I know that people could be talking about me.

"Freddiebear, I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if I was making the right decision when I let Sam move in with us. But you're my son. Your safety is more important to me than anything. And so… I think Sam has to move out."

No! I thought. No, this can't be happening! My life has been going great since I moved in with Freddie. If she kicks me out just like my mom did, I'll have no options left!

But, my thoughts were interrupted by Freddie's voice saying something that shocked me.

"Well, mom, if she has to move out, I'm moving out with her."