Chapter Five: Generation Love

Weeks past and Carly still hadn't come around to Sam and Freddie's relationship, which worried Sam deeply. She developed theories that ranged from not wanting her friends to be happy to her having feelings for Freddie and wanting him for herself. This plagued her and prevented her from approaching Carly to talk to her. Carly wasn't the only one who provided the couple with a disappointing reaction to their relationship. Their friends had given them surprise, confusion and Sam was convinced some girl now hated her because she was dating Freddie. Not to mention Jennette hadn't spoken to either of them since news got out, in truth, this didn't bother Sam too much but Freddie had hoped to remain friends with her.

Even with everything going on with Carly, this wasn't the worst thing happening at the time. Finals were among them and somehow Freddie had convinced Sam to actually put some work in. Over the last couple of years, her grades had been steadily increasing to the point that a final push in her finals may give her a chance at college. Freddie on the other hand was already in a good position and was already applying to colleges out of state. Sam and Freddie hadn't dared to talk about what would happen to their relationship come next year, as it was so early on, however they had both known what they were getting into getting into a relationship this late in their senior year.

The closer the exams got the more the students looked ahead to the summer months and Sam was no exception. Far too often, she would find herself lacking the motivation to study and drawn to the idea of sun bathing in her garden. It was a beautiful spring afternoon; Sam had studying as much as she could bear without the nagging encouragement of Freddie in her ear to keep her going. She packed away her textbooks, notes, and changed into a pair of short shorts and a bikini top. Sam hadn't been outside long when her phone vibrated. It was a message from Freddie, Studying hard? It read, it was almost as if he knew she had given up. She had two options, she could tell him she had stopped and have him text back all the reasons she should continue. She chose the other option, she text him back and told him; where she was, what she was doing and what she was wearing. Within ten minutes, Freddie has arrived at Sam's house. "Wow," Sam heard Freddie's voice and jumped out of her chair.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked. Freddie didn't answer; he remained frozen in place starring at her. "Fredward!" She yelled.

"Huh, wha, where?" Freddie snapped out of it, realising what he had been doing he looked up at the sky to avoid eye contact. Sam smiled,

"Who knew my dork was such a pervert," She said playfully.

"Not my fault," He added once again making eye contact.

"I'm in my yard, no one asked you to come over," At this point Sam had returned to her bathing position and Freddie was slowing shuffling towards her.

"If you don't want me here I'll just leave,"

"Fine," Sam replied calmly and without looking at him.

"Ok bye," Freddie began to turn away.

"Fine stay, besides I think we need to talk," She said.

"What you breaking up with me?" He asked.

"No, well depends how this conversation goes," Sam had Freddie intrigued and he pulled up a chair and sat beside her.

"What's on your mind Puckett?" He asked.

"College,"

"What about it," Freddie asked, Sam turned her head and gave him a look that he had seen many times and every time he saw it, he could hear her voice in his head Why you so stupid?

"Okay I guess we had to talk about it at some point,"

"Yeah, we can't really ignore the big elephant in the room for much longer,"

"Sam we're outside," He said sarcastically. She shot him the look. "Sorry, so next year. What you think?"

"You're the one leaving for California so you tell me," She said.

"Why is it every time you bring it up it feels like you're mad at me?" He asked.

"It's not that I'm mad, it's that I'm trying to figure out what's worse the fact that you're going to college in another state or that your recently ex-girlfriend is going with you,"

"Guess that's still a bit of a sore point then," He said quietly. Jennette had surprised Freddie with her acceptance letter to UCLA a few weeks before they broke up. This made things a little awkward now they'd split up, to make things worse, at least for Sam was that Jennette still planned to go. Sam was very verbal about being unhappy about this.

"For someone who's supposed to be smart, you're really stupid sometimes," She snapped.

"I know, you never pass up an opportunity to remind me,"

"Can't help it, insulting you is so much fun and I won't get a lot of chances to do it over the next four years,"

"I think I preferred it when we ignored the elephant," Freddie said slouching back in his chair.

"Yeah we had more fun then," They both nodded.

"Hey Sam,"

"Yeah,"

"You wanna go to the Prom with me?" He asked.

"Oh my god Freddie I've always dreamed you'd ask," She said in low monotone voice. "Sure," she added in her usual tone.

"I understand your excitement,"

"You seem pretty thrilled yourself," Sam said with a little laugh.

"I love you Sam,"

"What's not to love," She laughed pointing to herself. Freddie followed her hand gestures as they motioned up and down her body.

"You make a good point," He said.

"I love you," Sam added. Freddie didn't respond. The two of them just looked up at the glaring spring sky in silence, their hands gradually moving away from their chairs and interlocking somewhere in-between.