Chapter Seven
Hit the Quan, Hit the Quan, Hit the Quan, Hit the Quan
The next month was quiet for Freddie who resorted back to his old ways, his quest for popularity long forgotten. He spent most of his time with the guys on his floor. There were video game tournaments, Netflix binges and plenty of pizza to go around. Focused solely on his classes, Freddie's GPA soared.
But his sex life plummeted.
Maddie was insistent on just being friends. Now they studied with a group and never in anyone's dorm.
Shannon and her boyfriend had gotten engaged. Now all she talked about was wedding stuff which was why Freddie began skipping their lunch dates.
Valerie had moved on to other guys which wasn't exactly shocking news.
By Halloween, Freddie has resigned himself to the fact that college was going to be just like high school. For the most part – he was okay with that. He was Freddie Benson – the tech guy.
But then Carly Shay showed up at his door and everything changed.
He hadn't thought about Jade West or cheerleading at all since that meeting with Student Affairs. It would be accurate to say that he blocked the whole ordeal from his memory. He signed the papers agreeing to the terms set by Miss West – which were practically that of a restraining order for a stalker – and let that be the end of it.
Until Carly sat on his bed and cried her eyes out begging for him to help her, seeming to forget the last time they saw each other she called him a dick and spilled coffee into his shoe.
Or was Freddie being petty holding a grudge for that?
"You don't understand," Carly sobbed. "The bid video has to be in the hands of the UCA office in three days or else we can't compete at Nationals!"
"I do understand," Freddie handed her a handful of McDonald's napkins. "But since you think I'm a dick, I don't see why you'd waste your time asking me for a favor."
"I don't think you're a dick," Carly's eyes widened innocently.
Apparently Carly had selective amnesia.
"You poured coffee in my Nikes!"
"Ohhhhh…." The lightbulb finally clicked in her thick cheerleading skull. "I'm sorry about that. I was having a bad day. Are your shoes okay?"
"Well, yeah – but that's not the point! You can't do that shit to someone and then expect them to do something to help you."
"I said I was sorry," Carly looked at him with oversized eyes, the kind that create weakness in the Y chromosome. Freddie looked away. He was not giving in to this girl. That whole squad could go to hell – he was not helping them get to Nationals.
"Please."
She looked so fucking pitiful sitting there with the shimmer of tears on her cheeks.
NO. Freddie told himself. Find an excuse. Say anything. Camera's broken. Too busy with school.
"I'm not allowed within a hundred yards of Jade." Why the hell did I say that?
"We can work around that," Carly sniffed. "Please. Please."
"What part of - I will be arrested if I go anywhere near Jade – isn't clear to you?" Freddie stated. He opened the door trying to get her to leave, fully aware that was only way to get out of this situation.
"All we need is video of a few partner stunts," Carly wiped her eyes. "It doesn't need to be a video of the whole team."
"I'm not going to jail so you can go to Nationals," Freddie told her.
"You won't go to jail. I promise," Carly stood up and approached him. "We wouldn't even have to tell Jade." She paced back and forth thinking. "We can do it secretly. Off campus somewhere. Maybe the high school. I'll call over there and see if we can use their gym. …." Carly paused. "If we can't…," she frowned. "I'll think of something." She smiled reassuringly. "I promise that Jade will never know." She crossed her heart.
"NO." Freddie held firm. His answer was set. There was nothing Carly could do or say to make him change his mind. Although a very brief scenario where Carly proposed sex in exchange for a video played through his mind.
But she didn't.
Instead she took a minute to compose herself before launching into the next level of her quest: Flattery.
"Forget about Jade because this isn't about her," Carly began. "It's about you and all the incredible things you do behind the camera. You're a natural at this. When I watched your web show – it wasn't always about the skits or the costumes. It was the creativity in the shots. When I saw your project video, not the one you showed us but the real one you submitted to the Athletic Director. You made a minute and a half of nothing into something. You made us look – good. You're an absolute genius, Freddie Benson. I know that making a bid video for Nationals isn't resume-worthy but it would mean so much to me."
She played to his ego which, given its current state, was like finding a Rita's Water Ice franchise in the desert. For a moment Freddie genuinely considered making the video. Then the reality of knowing that he wouldn't just be helping Carly, in a way he'd be helping that bitch Jade too, he couldn't bring himself to say yes.
"I appreciate the compliments, Carly. But I gotta pass on this. Sorry."
As Freddie began to respond, he saw his roommate coming down the hall on his way back from class so he hastily added, "But, I'm pretty sure Ethan would be willing to give ya a hand. Right E?" Freddie handed the situation over to Ethan before making a quick exit.
Saved by the roommate.
I said get down low and swing your arm
Four hours later Freddie was back in his room with Ethan, wasting away the night with video games and tacos.
"Carly's hot," Ethan remarked seemingly out of nowhere. "Why didn't you want to help her? I mean, if she would have even considered letting me do the video – I'd be on that in a second."
"Carly's alright," Freddie shrugged, not wanting to agree completely. "But Jade's a bitch and I…"
"Dude!" Ethan interrupted. "Take a lesson from Disney and fucking let it go."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm fucking sick of hearing you bitch about Jade fucking West," Ethan threw down his controller. "You bring her up every five seconds!"
"I haven't talk about Jade in weeks," Freddie snorted. "What's your problem?"
"Definitely NOT Jade West," Ethan grabbed his jacket and headed out into the hallway.
"What the hell?" Freddie called after him. "You gonna finish the game or not?"
Ethan didn't reply.
"Douche," Freddie mumbled at the silence. He continued playing alone for quite some time before he heard footsteps coming toward the door. Turning around, expecting to see Ethan – Freddie was surprised to see someone else standing at the threshold.
"Hello Benson," the guy said. His lips pursed together in an "ew" as he observed the filthy state of the dorm room.
"Nevel, right?" Freddie replied. He sighed at the thought of the many visits he would probably get from the team. He wondered if Jade knew anything about this.
"Nevel Papperman." He extended his hand but as Freddie reached out to shake it, Nevel suddenly pulled his hand away. "Is that dirt?" he asked.
Freddie looked at his palm. "I think it's ink." He licked his index finger and began to rub the smudge. As it smeared across his skin, Freddie confirmed to Nevel, "Just ink."
Nevel grimaced, folding his hands together. "I'll make this brief," he announced, stepping lightly as he entered the room – as though he expected land mines to detonate any second. "I understand that Carly Shay was here earlier."
"Yeah," Freddie shrugged. "She stopped by."
"And what did you two discuss?" Nevel turned sharply, staring at Freddie suspiciously.
"She asked me to film some cheerleading thing...,"
"The partner stunt bid video!" Nevel's voice inflected accusingly.
"That sounds right," Freddie stared at the strange little guy standing there in his polo shirt, Dockers and loafers. "But I told her I couldn't help her."
Nevel's face twisted into an irritated scowl. "What's it going to take, Benson?" He reached into his pocket and removed his wallet.
Freddie's eyes widened at the amount of cash inside.
"Keep in mind that I am fully aware of the fair market value of your services."
A crisp hundred dollar bill found its way to Freddie's hand.
"Consider this a deposit," Nevel confirmed. "You'll get the rest when the video is done."
Freddie stared down at good old Ben Franklin. Shit. He was holding a hundred dollars in his hand and that was only a portion of what he was going to be paid.
"Do we have an agreement?" Nevel's beady eyes locked upon Freddie's.
Freddie cursed to himself again but cash was cash and when he thought about all the things he could do with a couple hundred dollars…
"I have one condition."
Nevel raised a single brow.
"Jade West never finds out about this."
"Done," Nevel agreed instantly.
I said get down low and hit the Quan
By the following day Nevel Papperman had made all the arrangements. He communicated the time and place to meet via text. It meant Freddie had to cut class, but as Benson was doing so well academically he figured missing one English class wouldn't be a big deal.
He strolled through the parking lot with his equipment to where Nevel and Gibby were waiting alongside Papperman's brand new BMW took one look at the car and wondered how Gibby was going to fit inside – let alone himself, Carly and his equipment.
"She's running late." Nevel let out an irritated snort at the text from Carly. "We'll pick her up in front of the dorms. He directed everyone to the car. Gibby had to adjust the passenger seat until it was pressed flush against the back seat, leaving no leg room. Freddie was able to fit most of his equipment in the tiny trunk but only with Nevel's help. He was fortunate enough to sit behind Nevel, who even with the driver's seat pulled almost all the way forward (he wasn't the tallest guy), Freddie still felt cramped in the tiny car. He kept his head down for fear that Jade might be lurking nearby and see him with her teammates.
But staying under the radar with Nevel driving at five miles an hour and Gibby blasting music wasn't going to happen. Freddie kept an eye out for the cheer captain as they made their way around campus to the small lot by the dorms.
That's when Freddie's saw Carly Shay.
It's hard to explain the degree of disconnect his brain experienced at the sight of her long legs and the tiny cheerleading skirt.
He stared.
Realized he was staring.
Blinked.
Then began staring again.
"Hurry up!" Nevel yelled. Carly dashed to the passenger side of the car. When she opened the back door – she hopped into the seat, folding her legs beneath her and sitting on them, since there was no room for them anywhere else.
The drive to the high school was quick, with essentially the only conversation taking place between Carly and Gibby as they reviewed what they were going to do once they were in the gym. Freddie listened, although he didn't understand a word of what they said.
They checked in at the main office and then went directly to the gym. Nevel and Gibby went to the locker room to change as Freddie began to set up his equipment. Carly jogged a couple laps around the basketball court and then began stretching.
Naturally, Freddie watched her every move.
Carly's skirt was very short and anytime she moved he could see the metallic orange shorts she wore underneath her uniform. When she removed her warm up jacket, he swallowed hard. Despite the top having long sleeves, it was a half shirt – showing off her stomach.
High school cheerleaders didn't wear uniforms like this.
From a tiny zippered bag, she removed a pair of pristine white sneakers. Sliding her feet into them, she jumped a few times on the wrestling mat beneath her. Not up and down jumping – but the style of jump that her legs were in a wide straddle.
This was definitely worth skipping English.