・ | Notes |・
- Seddie.
- Season 3.
- I apologize for the delay in publishing this chapter. I had the ideas, but I struggled to write them. However, it's ready, and I'm happy with the outcome, even though it's simpler than I had imagined. I hope you'll enjoy it too, because the Seddie in this chapter is going to be amazing.
-I recommend listening to some of these songs while you read, as I was writing everything while listening to them: Sometimes (Britney Spears), Aquí/So close (Encantada), So close (Jennette McCurdy), Just a cloud away (Pharrell Williams), There's nothing holdin' me back (Shawn Mendes), Suerte/Whenever, Wherever (Shakira), Hello Hello (Elton John), Don't go breaking my heart (Elton John), Your Song (Rita Ora), "You're the one that I want (Grease)." Choose any of them if you want, but I highly recommend Sometimes, So close (both songs), Your song, and You're the one that I want.
Enjoy the reading and blessings! ૮₍˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ₎ა
・ | ✦ʚ 3 ɞ✦ |・
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✧ [ - iThink I like you-] ✧
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After that day, Freddie felt frustrated at not being able to engage in a conversation with Sam. It wasn't due to a lack of willingness on his part, but because something always seemed to get in his way. Whether at home, at school, at the studio, at the Groovy Smoothie, in any of those places, there was always someone interrupting them.
On one hand, this had its positive side, as Freddie had more time to reflect on the situation and his feelings for Sam. After pondering it over, he came to the conclusion that he didn't just want to be Sam's "friend", he wanted to date her. Sam was impressive in many aspects: she was strong, beautiful, funny, and, apparently, affectionate when it came to love. Although they hadn't formally broached the topic, when they were alone, she showed a less rough and more affectionate side towards him. Freddie longed to discover more of that soft side of her; he wanted to see her smile and enjoy their silly arguments, but just for fun and not out of "mutual hate."
However, Freddie was also aware that the arguments could negatively affect their relationship, especially because both tended to be very proud when it came to apologizing, often ending up relying on Carly to patch things up. Therefore, he knew that it was important to have an honest conversation with Sam and establish agreements so that both could have a healthy relationship. But of course, all of this was easier said than done, especially when they were constantly being interrupted.
Freddie sighed and set aside the homework he was supposed to be doing instead of thinking about Sam again. He looked at the Galaxy Wars DVDs wearily; maybe watching a movie or two of his favorite saga would help clear his mind and relax a bit.
The next morning, after diving into several movies all night and completing his homework more or less halfway, Freddie regretted his decision. Not because the movies had bored him after watching them again, but because he had ended up staying up all night and now felt as energetic as a sloth. The bell hadn't even rung for the first class, and he already felt like he was about to collapse from exhaustion.
After grabbing what he needed from his locker, Freddie headed towards where Carly was to greet her, more out of habit than genuine desire. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone (except Sam, maybe).
"Hey," he greeted dryly, leaning against the wall.
"Hey there, Freddie," Carly responded energetically as she searched for something in her locker. Once she had what she needed in her backpack, she observed how her friend seemed to be about to collapse from exhaustion against the wall. "Wow, you look very... lively right now."
"Haha. Very funny," Freddie complained, grimacing sarcastically.
"Relax. It was just a silly joke," she replied lightly. "But seriously, did something happen? Did you've trouble sleeping?"
"Well, I couldn't stop thinking about something, so I couldn't concentrate on doing my homework. So, I decided to watch one or two Galaxy War movies, then watched another one, and ended up doing my homework at four in the morning. I barely slept an hour and a half."
"Very healthy and exemplary of you."
"Carly..."
"Sorry, I was with Sam all day yesterday, and I think her sarcasm is rubbing off on me. Anyway, movies aside, what were you thinking about that wouldn't let you concentrate?" With her own question, Carly smiled and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. "Or should I say, who were you thinking about?"
"No one. I just had some existential questions."
And he wasn't entirely lying. While thinking about Sam, he had thought about many things, like what he would tell his mother if he started dating Sam. He knew that if he told her, his mother would probably freak out and try to keep them apart. Maybe in response to this, they both decide to secretly date like Romeo and Juliet..., but without the whole death part, obviously.
"Yes, of course. And may I ask why those 'existential questions' are making you smile like that?"
Freddie blinked a couple of times, as if returning from a distant place.
"Sorry, did you say something?"
"See? You don't even pay attention because of those 'existential questions'," Carly pointed out with a victorious smile. "So tell me, who's the girl that has you so distracted?"
"I already told you it's not like that," Freddie insisted, thinking of a topic to change the conversation. "Anyway, could I borrow your math homework? I need to check that I didn't make a complete mess of it"
Carly sighed, placing both hands on her hips and looking at Freddie like a mother who knows her child has done something even if they won't admit it.
"Alright. You can keep playing mysterious all you want, but sooner or later I'll find out who your mysterious girl is."
"What mysterious girl?" asked Sam, who had just arrived while grabbing a piece of fried salami from a plastic plate. She took a bite before offering them the other pieces of salami. "Salami?"
Speaking of the princess, thought Freddie, happy to see the lady who owned his thoughts again. Feeling the butterflies fluttering in his stomach, he nodded at her offer and took a slice of salami from the plate
"Thanks, Princess Puckett. "
Sam returned the smile, perhaps remembering the similar situation they had been in front of locker 239. Meanwhile, Carly took a piece of salami without paying attention to Freddie's nickname or Sam's unusually cheerful demeanor that morning.
"Well, it turns out Freddie likes a girl and doesn't want to tell me who she is. That's why she's mysterious," Carly explained before eating the salami, bursting their bubble.
"Oh, so Mommy Benson's baby is in love!" exclaimed Sam, pinching Freddie's cheek as if he were a baby.
"One, I'm not a baby, and two, I never said I was in love," Freddie complained, moving her greasy hand away. "I just said I couldn't sleep because I was thinking a lot about something, and she jumped to the conclusion that this 'something' is a 'someone'."
"Are you going to tell me it's not true? Just look at yourself in the mirror, you've the look of being hopelessly in love," Carly insisted with a playful tone, taking Sam by the arm to stand in front of Freddie. "Isn't it true that he looks like he likes someone, Sam?"
Freddie was about to burst into laughter at the irony of the situation, but he restrained himself and raised an eyebrow at Sam, who was also trying to conceal her smile by eating more salami.
"Well?" Carly asked, with a hopeful gleam in her eyes.
"Indeed, he looks like an idiot."
"Sam!"
"Like an idiot in love," Sam concluded, rolling her eyes at her friend's insistence.
"See? She thinks so too."
"Because you forced her," Freddie pointed out with a smirk.
"Because you forced me," Sam said at the same time, finishing the last piece of salami before tossing the plastic plate into the nearest trash bin.
Seeing Sam wiping her hands on her pants, Freddie pulled out some wet wipes from his backpack and offered them to her. Sam wiped her hands and face with the wipe before folding it and putting it in Freddie's backpack.
"Why?" Freddie asked, as if he didn't believe she was real. Sam shrugged and grinned mischievously.
"It was the nearest trash can there was," Sam commented matter-of-factly, as if it were a perfectly valid explanation.
Freddie wanted to scold her in some way, but he was left speechless and ended up looking towards Carly, while pointing at Sam with an incredulous smile.
"Can you believe her? I'm trying to be nice and see how she thanks me."
"It would be strange if it were any other way," Carly laughed.
"Thanks, I'm flattered," Sam said with a smile, taking a bag of chips from her locker to continue eating.
"You're welcome, but getting back to the point," Carly began, picking up the thread of the conversation. "Were you thinking about someone or is there something bothering you?"
Freddie sighed at the question and leaned against the wall again, briefly closing his eyes out of tiredness. Thanks to the talk with Sam, he felt a little more awake. So, with that new energy, he thought clearly about what he was going to say.
"Yes. Last night I got distracted because I was thinking about a girl," admitted Freddie with his eyes closed.
"I knew it!" exclaimed Carly, being heard by almost half the hallway. Carly apologized quietly before turning to Freddie, who still had his eyes closed. He knew that if he opened them, he would look at Sam with puppy eyes, and he didn't want to show his feelings in public until he had talked to her about it. At least not so much. "And? Who's the lucky girl who keeps you up at night? Is she from our school? Do we know her?"
"Something like that."
"And why all the mystery, then?" asked Sam, eating another potato chip. "Is she a bad girl and you're ashamed to say so?"
Freddie let out a sigh before opening his eyes and meeting Sam's playful gaze.
"No, I'm not."
"Wait, is she a bad girl then?" Carly was surprised.
"No, she's not... at all," Freddie explained, searching for the right words to describe her. "She's not bad per se, sometimes she can be mischievous and play pranks, but she's not that kind of 'bad girl'. Besides, she'll always be there for you when you need her as a friend. She's just..." He paused for a moment, licking his dry lips as he blushed realizing that he was practically confessing his feelings to Sam. "...amazing. Yes, she's amazing."
Carly let out a long 'aww' and gave a little jump, caught up in her friend's tender speech. Meanwhile, Sam looked at Freddie with the same happy, silly expression he had, though this detail went unnoticed by Carly.
"That was very sweet, Freddie," Carly said with a warm smile.
"And too cheesy. You better watch out for that, or your bad girl might faint from all that talk," added Sam with her characteristic sarcasm. Before he or Carly could say anything else, the bell rang, marking the start of the first class.
"Well, that's our cue," said Carly. "We'd better get to class before Miss Briggs starts yelling in our ears."
"We can take our time today, a reliable source told me she's not coming today," Sam shared.
"Excellent. Shall we go together?" Carly suggested.
"You better go ahead, we have classes together," Freddie commented, sharing a knowing look with Sam.
"Okay, see you later."
After saying a brief goodbye to Carly, they exchanged a knowing glance as they made their way to class, walking a bit slower than the rest of the students until they were alone in the hallway.
"It feels so peaceful when Miss Briggs isn't here," Freddie murmured.
"That's true," agreed Sam, eating another potato chip from the bag. "Do you want to take a walk before class? You know, to get a taste of freedom."
"Then we'd be late for class."
"I also heard that the first-hour teacher isn't coming, and don't give me that look, Freddie. I'm not lying, I promise," she insisted, intertwining her pinky with his to emphasize her words.
"And how exactly do you get that information?" Freddie inquired skeptically, as he grabbed another wet wipe to hand it to Sam, who this time tossed it into the trash bin after wiping her hands.
"I'd gladly tell you, but it's confidential," Sam explained, crumpling the now-empty chip bag to put it in her backpack, but Freddie stopped her and took the bag to throw it into a nearby trash can.
"Is that supposed to convince me?" Freddie questioned.
"Well, yes. Do you think I'd skip classes when it's not safe?" Freddie looked at her skeptically. "Okay, maybe I would, but don't worry about it this time. Mama has everything under control."
Freddie let out a resigned sigh. "Alright, I'll trust your word this time, but we'll only talk for a few minutes, and then we'll go to the classroom. I don't want any teacher scolding us."
"Then let's not waste any more time," exclaimed Sam victoriously, turning back towards her locker.
"Why are we turning back?"
"Because if we're caught, we can claim we were looking for some books in my locker. I almost always forget them, so it wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary."
"Not a bad plan, but I didn't think you'd need one for these things."
"One of my mottos is: 'If you're going to be irresponsible, at least do it right,' and maybe you should start thinking like that considering you are into a bad girl now."
"I've said it before, she's not a bad girl," Freddie insisted, looking at Sam fondly. "Mischievous and playful, but not bad."
"You seem to know her well," Sam whispered, a spark of complicity in her eyes. "Tell me, Fredward, what's she like?"
Freddie smiled softly, enjoying the game they were playing. He knew Sam was perfectly aware that they were talking about her, but there was something attractive about pretending it wasn't so... Or maybe he was just becoming more and more infatuated by her blue eyes and her pink lips that seemed to be begging for a kiss. But then again, that could just be him losing his head over his princess.
"As I said before, she's incredible," Freddie began, searching his dazed brain for words to express his feelings before someone interrupted them. "She... she's capable of leaving me speechless even when I've rehearsed a speech about everything I wanted to tell her. She's blonde, has beautiful eyes, loves eating ham, and enjoys making me lose my patience in a thousand and one different ways."
"I think I'm starting to like her," Sam said amidst laughter.
"Don't tell me. I'm sure you two could be good friends," Freddie joked. "Anyway, she's amazing, but she's not perfect. Sometimes she gets angry easily, says things she shouldn't without much thought, often gets us into trouble, but she's also very loyal and very, very creative. I swear I've never seen anyone bring food to school in so many different ways in my life."
"And you can be sure you never will," confirmed Sam, playing with the bracelet she was wearing. "It seems like you really like her a lot..."
Just as she was about to add something more, one of her bracelets slid off her wrist and fell to the ground. Without hesitation, Freddie quickly bent down to pick it up. In an instinctive gesture, Sam did the same, extending her hand, which ended up over Freddie's. In that brief contact, both were caught in each other's gaze, as if the world had stopped around them and nothing else mattered outside their bubble.
"She... I really like her a lot," Freddie could barely whisper, completely hypnotized by her eyes and lips. The mere thought that he just had to lean in a little to close the distance between them made his heart beat faster, but he restrained himself. First, he needed to know if she reciprocated his feelings, so he decided to tell her without hesitation. "I really like you, Sam. More than I ever imagined."
Sam's cheeks warmed at his words, and her heart also began to beat faster upon hearing them. She wanted to kiss him too; she wanted to say yes and forget about everything else, but first, she needed to know something else.
"How did you realize that?" Sam asked, sitting down on the floor. "Think about it, Freddie. Just a week ago, we were declaring how much we can't stand each other. If by some miracle we now decide that we like each other and start dating, what guarantees you that you won't regret it later being with me? How can you be so sure that your feelings have changed and that it's not just an illusion of your mind because we kissed? And before you even think about saying it: no, I'm not asking because I doubt your feelings, but because I'm genuinely interested in the answer."
"How did you know I was going to ask that? You seem to know me very well," Freddie joked, laughing when Sam gave him a push on the shoulder, although not as hard as usual. "Sorry, I couldn't help but take the opportunity when I saw it."
"I meant it, Freddie," Sam scolded him, trying to sound annoyed even though a smile played on her lips.
"I know, and now I'll answer you seriously," he smiled, intertwining his pinky finger with hers. "The truth is, during this week, I've been reflecting a lot on my feelings in a journal. I asked myself different questions with similar doubts and answered each one honestly. One answer led to another, and I realized that I simply wanted to be by your side, whether as a friend, as a couple, I really don't mind. I just wanna be with you because I know my life wouldn't be half as exciting if you weren't in it."
Sam swallowed and tried to maintain composure, even with her throat dry and her eyes starting to fill with tears.
"Even if I make you angry?" she asked with a soft smile, internally hating how weak her voice sounded.
"You say that as if I didn't make you lose patience sometimes," Freddie responded, wrapping her in a comforting hug.
"That doesn't answer my question, dummy, " she murmured into his shoulder, crying silently when he planted a kiss on her forehead.
"Yes, even if you make me mad, I want to be with you. You're worth it, Sam. I also know that if we decide to be 'together-together,' we can be a healthy couple if we both do our part," Freddie replied, holding back a yawn. The conversation kept him awake, but tiredness was starting to weigh on him once again. "So don't worry too much about that anymore, we just need to clarify a few things and... Oh, dear. Of course, I hear someone's footsteps right now. I think a teacher is coming."
"You've gotta be kidding me," Sam complained, pulling away from Freddie to quickly wipe her tears. She cleared her throat, hoping her voice didn't sound too broken. "Alright, I have a quick plan. You're feeling tired, right? We'll use that as an excuse, so get down on the floor quickly and pretend you've passed out."
Without waiting for his affirmation, Sam gently pushed him down to the floor, apologizing to him quietly. Freddie nodded and rested his head on the floor as if he had fainted from exhaustion. When the teacher passed by, Sam began tapping his face as if trying to wake him up.
"Freddie, Freddie, please wake up," she requested loudly, drawing the attention of the passerby, who turned out to be Principal Franklin.
"Sam? Freddie? What's going on here?" the principal inquired with concern.
"It's Freddie. We came from the classroom to get something from my locker, but he fainted out of nowhere."
"What?" The principal approached to check on the boy. "He looks a bit pale. Do you know if he had breakfast before coming?"
"I'm not sure, but I think I heard Carly say he didn't sleep well last night."
"Then, it's possible he fainted from exhaustion," concluded the principal. "Hey, kid. Can you hear us?"
After a minute, Freddie blinked slowly, nodding wordlessly.
"He doesn't look too bad, but I doubt he has the strength to go to the nurse's office on his own," observed Franklin. "We'll have to carry him between the two of us."
"Don't worry about straining your back, I can carry him myself," she replied, preparing to lift him up like a sack of potatoes, as usual.
"Wait, Sam. If you carry him like that, you'll only make him more dizzy," warned the director with concern.
"Do I carry him piggyback?"
"It's not an option either."
"Then how do you want me to carry him...? Oh, right. I've got it," she answered herself. Of course, why hadn't she thought of that before?
Without wasting any more time, Sam wrapped Freddie's arms around her neck and then held onto his legs, carrying him princess-style. Freddie's head fell so naturally onto her shoulder that Sam doubted whether he was acting or actually sleeping, but that was the least of her concerns at that moment. As they headed to the nurse's office, she took advantage of a moment when the principal was distracted to give Freddie a quick kiss on the forehead, eliciting a sleepy smile from Freddie.
Contrary to Sam's thoughts, the principal noticed her affectionate gesture towards Freddie. He had also seen them talking from a security camera, but since the interaction seemed positive, he decided to give them a few minutes before going to scold them for skipping class. After all, those two had been arguing and dancing around each other for too long. A change in their relationship wouldn't hurt anyone.
When Freddie woke up, the first thing he noticed was that he wasn't in his room but in the infirmary, although he didn't remember how he had gotten there. He sat up carefully and blinked several times, as if that could help him remember. As he did so, he looked around and realized that Sam was next to him, on a nearby cot, reading a fantasy book.
"Sam," Freddie called softly, feeling his throat dry. Sam looked up from her book and glanced at him with amusement.
"Oh, so the sleeping beauty finally decided to wake up," Sam joked, closing her book and putting it in her backpack. "Just when I was thinking of waking you up with a kiss, like in fairy tales."
Freddie, still drowsy, responded with a tired smile, "I feel a little sleepy, so you're still in time to kiss this knight in shining armor, Princess."
Sam let out a light laugh.
"With the dragon breath you must have now? Not in your dreams."
"Understandable," Freddie smiled, settling on the cot to make space for her. Sam accepted the invitation quietly, sitting down in front of him.
"Hey," Sam greeted with a silly smile. Freddie responded with an equally warm smile, raising his eyebrows.
"Hey to you too," he replied, fighting the urge to take her hand in his. "So..."
"So..."
"I need to know two things. One, do you know where my backpack is? I need to get some water. And two, what happened while I was asleep?"
"One, your backpack is on that chair," she answered, getting up to retrieve it and handing it to Freddie. "And two, what happened was that our plan worked out perfectly."
"One, thank you," Freddie said, taking a sip of water from his bottle. Then, he wiped his face with a wet wipe to wake up completely. "Two, what exactly went perfectly? I don't remember well what happened."
"Well, you were supposed to pretend to faint to avoid getting scolded, but in the end, you fell asleep, and I had to carry you all the way here," Sam said, feeling mischievous as Freddie nodded while taking another sip of water. "By the way, I didn't carry you like a sack of potatoes, if that's what you were thinking. I carried you in my arms bridal-style in front of the principal, the nurse, and maybe some students passing by..."
Sam expected Freddie to choke a little on the water or at least say something like, "Really? How embarrassing!" But contrary to her expectations, Freddie smiled warmly as he closed his bottle.
"Mhm. I guess that explains it."
"What exactly does that explain?" Sam asked.
"Why did I feel so safe at first," Freddie replied softly, his gaze sparkling in a special way as it met Sam's.
Although she wasn't drinking anything, Sam nearly choked on her own saliva upon hearing that. Instantly, the butterflies in her stomach began to flutter again, awakening those feelings he had recently ignited within her.
"What? Oh, but what nonsense are you talking about, nerd," she said with a nervous giggle. "Are you sure you slept well a while ago? Lack of sleep makes people say weird things, you know?"
"I know it sounds silly, but I'm not saying it because of lack of sleep, but because it's true," Freddie confessed, taking her pinky with his to show he was speaking sincerely. "When I started dozing off on the floor, I felt a little uncomfortable, but when you carried me in your arms, I felt warm and safe, even if I was half asleep."
"You can't be serious."
"But I am. In fact, I'm convinced that if you ever carry me while fully awake, I'll feel just as safe in your arms."
Sam felt overwhelmed by Freddie's words that she didn't know what to say. She felt both incredibly happy and so confused. How could Freddie say so easily that he felt safe in her arms? In the arms of her, Samantha Puckett, a girl who teased him just for fun. It was true that she wasn't always aggressive with him and that they didn't always argue about everything; their friendship was deeper than that. However, hearing Freddie say that he felt safe in the arms of someone who had caused him physical pain on several occasions made Sam feel horrible about herself. She felt so bad that she had to look away from Freddie to the cot. Who cares if she was starting to like Freddie too? Sam really didn't deserve to have him around, not even as a friend.
"That's... nice, I guess," she mumbled in response, feeling the lump in her throat grow as she played with a loose thread on her pants.
Freddie was surprised by her muted reaction. He went over his words in his mind, hoping he hadn't said anything wrong. Had he somehow made Sam uncomfortable? Or maybe... Did Sam not share the same feelings, and he was unintentionally pressuring her? Just the thought made him feel horrible about himself.
"What's wrong, Sammy? Why the sudden gloomy face?" he asked softly, gently tilting Sam's chin so she would look him in the eyes. Freddie felt a lump in his throat when he saw her eyes were watery, but as she didn't say anything, he continued speaking. "Did I say something that upset you? If so, I'm really sorry."
"You haven't said anything wrong, Freddie. On the contrary, you've said really sweet things," Sam swallowed, trying to hold back the tears. "It's just that..."
Sam paused, feeling embarrassed for showing herself so vulnerable to him for the second time today, especially after receiving such nice compliments. Gosh, she wouldn't be surprised if Freddie thought she was a weirdo right now.
"Sam, look at me, please," Freddie asked, gently wiping away the tear that was falling down her cheek. Sam swallowed slowly and complied with his request, although her vision was slightly blurred due to tears. "What are you thinking that's making you so sad, my princess?"
"How can you call me your princess after all I've put you through?" Sam asked, pulling his hand away from her face more rudely than she intended.
"What are you...?"
"How can you tell me that you feel safe in my arms when I've hurt you so much?" Sam demanded, surprising Freddie. "I understand that I've been kinder this week, but what about the other days? I can't just ignore them and act all affectionate with you as if nothing happened. It's not fair, and you deserve someone who..."
"Don't say it, please," Freddie pleaded, taking her right hand into his own. "Don't say that you're not worth it, Sam. Because you are, and so much more."
Sam shook her head, trying to wipe away the tears that continued to fall down her cheeks.
"No, I'm not, and I know deep down you think that."
"If I thought that way, I wouldn't even have tried to express my feelings to you, Sam," protested Freddie, "but here I am. Repeating over and over again how amazing you are. Too much, actually. I hope I haven't overwhelmed you with all these cheesy words."
"It's okay. I don't mind you saying cheesy things," Sam confessed, still teary-eyed but smiling softly, "as long as you forgive me for being so rude to you..."
"I never expected an apology for anything, but I'll accept it if you promise me that you won't think those ugly things about yourself anymore," he suggested, extending his pinky towards her with a sweet smile. "Do we have a deal?"
Sam wiped her tears again and sniffled before smiling softly and nodding, linking her pinky with Freddie's.
"We have a deal," she agreed.
Freddie returned the smile before pulling out some wet wipes for her. Sam thanked him and cleaned herself with them. They shared a comforting silence for a moment until Sam spoke again with renewed calmness, as if nothing had happened.
"So... Mama Benson's baby likes to be carried like a princess," Sam commented. "I don't even know why I was so surprised. It's obvious that a baby likes to be carried."
"As I've mentioned about fifty times already, I'm not a baby, but I do think it's fun to be carried."
"Even in front of others?"
"Even in front of others," he smiled. "Think about it this way, everyone else is in the hallway, going about their daily routine, when you walk down the hallway with me in your arms like it's completely normal..."
"I would leave everyone speechless," Sam completed his thought. "I could also carry you after a conversation with others and take you away as a princess out of nowhere, it would be so much fun. Gosh, just thinking about the surprised expressions of others makes it worth trying."
"Yes, it would be fun. Although, come to think of it, it could also send the wrong ideas to others."
"Like what?"
"Like you and I are... You know, a couple?" he explained between pauses, mumbling the last part. "When we're not and all that."
"Oh, I see," she replied, feeling warmth in her chest as she considered that possibility. Then, she remembered she hadn't told Freddie yet that she felt the same way.
Oh, poor cute little thing, Sam thought as she watched him play with his own shirt. He must have been wondering all this time if she reciprocated his feelings or not... but that was nothing Mama couldn't fix in an instant.
"I don't think they're wrong ideas at all," Sam began softly, catching the boy's attention. Freddie stopped playing with the loose thread of his shirt to look at her in surprise, his cheeks turning red.
"What... what do you mean by that?" he asked cautiously, not looking away for a second.
Sam searched for the right words, but couldn't find any at the moment, deciding to express herself through actions instead.
"I mean, this," she clarified, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek, delighting in the confusion and happiness reflected in his face.
"And what does that mean exactly?" Freddie asked, blushing. Sam shrugged and sat beside him. Perhaps now there was less space for both of them, but at least they were shoulder to shoulder.
"You know, things."
"Yes, but, what things?"
"Are you really going to play hard to get now? You know perfectly well what I mean."
"Yes, I will. Because I told you exactly how I felt and I'd like to hear the same from you clearly," Freddie replied, crossing his arms with a sly smile. "So tell me, Princess Puckett, what did you mean by this?"
"Alright. You win, Sir Benson. I did it because I think I like you."
Freddie raised an eyebrow playfully.
"Oh, so you think you like me."
"Yes, but just a little bit," she joked, making the "little bit" gesture with her index finger and thumb.
"Oh, just a little," Freddie repeated, nodding in amusement. "And then you say I'm playing hard to get."
"Well of course, you're the king of dorks. It's only natural that you'd also be the king of playing hard to get."
"Now I'm a king? I thought I was just a simple knight when you called me Sir..."
"And who says you can't be both? In the morning you can be the king of dorks, in the afternoon Sir Benson, and at night Mommy Benson's baby, and there you have it. You've got a schedule for your three occupations."
"Very thoughtful of you to have it all organized in ten seconds, Princess."
"Right? I'm the best."
"Are you?" Freddie asked, looking at her funny. Sam swept her hair to the side as if to say "obviously," and Freddie chuckled softly. "Yes, you are."
After that little confession, a sense of relief flooded the air between them, as if an invisible barrier had dissipated between them. Sam and Freddie remained silent, sharing a quiet moment until Sam cleared her throat, breaking the silence.
"So…"
"So what?"
"What happens now?"
"What do you mean?" Freddie questioned.
"We've talked about how we feel, so what's next?"
"If I'm honest with you, I'm not sure," he admitted. "I didn't think you could reciprocate my feelings, and I've never had a really lasting relationship, so all of this is a little new to me."
"It's new to me too. I think the only guy I ever dated seriously was Peter, and we didn't even go on more than two dates together."
"I see…"
The silence lingered a little longer.
"So…" Freddie began.
"So…"
"I think I have an idea of what we can do."
"I'm listening, Fredward."
"If you agree, we could try going out together for a month. Visit different places, discover each other's hobbies, where we differ and where we coincide, like a sort of test for our relationship," he explained. "At the end of the month, depending on how everything has gone, we could decide if we want to formalize our relationship as a couple, or if we prefer to continue being friends as always. What do you think?"
"I like the plan, but I think you're overlooking some details. First, are we going to keep our relationship a secret? Because if we start acting too affectionate and people ask us, 'Are you a couple?' we can't just say 'Nah, we're just trying things out.' That would be pretty stupid.
"I hadn't considered that, but I think we have two options. One, we could admit that we're dating and, if things don't go well after a month, say we decided to break up and stay friends, or two, keep it a secret," Freddie suggested. "Honestly, I don't mind being in either situation, so I'd rather you decide."
Sam thought for a few seconds before responding: "I prefer that our relationship be kept secret for now. In this way, whatever happens, it'll stay between us."
"Alright, then we'll keep it a secret," Freddie agreed, pulling out a notebook from his backpack. "So, we'll keep it a secret... Done! Now we need to establish the following terms."
"Are you going to write them in a notebook?" Sam mocked. "Seriously?"
"Yup. I don't want anything slipping out of my control like with our last contract."
"The contract you broke."
"Thi cin-tric yii broke," he mimicked in a high-pitched voice. "Yes, I know I broke it. That's why I want to make this contract myself, so I'll feel more secure."
"If that's what the baby wants, then it's okay with me," she joked, pinching Freddie's cheek, who leaned back. "Well, getting back to the point. The second detail is... what are we going to do about arguments? Right now, we can chat peacefully, but at some point, we're going to argue over something stupid, and I don't want that to be a reason we end things in the future."
"Arguments are inevitable, everyone has them in a relationship or not, Sam, but..."
"But?"
"If that worries you, we can create some kind of code when we feel the other is going too far," he explained. "We can also use that code when we're arguing in front of other people and..."
"And then each of us will have to shut up and listen to what the other is saying," Sam finished, nodding at the plan. "Wow, Freddie, I like it when you think all fastly."
"Thanks, princess. It's a gift," he smiled. "So, what will be our code?"
"I'm not sure. How about the name of a dish?"
"What? No, it would be weird to talk about food out of nowhere. What if we use a nickname for each other? Or our full names."
"I don't know, I like calling you nicknames and also by your full name, it's fun," Sam protested, then straightened up because she had an idea. "Hey, what if we use each other's full name?"
Freddie frowned.
"Don't we already do that often?"
"No, we usually say the first name, or the last name, but never both," Sam emphasized. "Think about it. If I say something really hurtful, you can say 'Samantha Puckett', and if I'm really mad at you, I can say 'Fredward Benson'."
"Like we're being scolded by an adult... It's a good idea, Sam," Freddie acknowledged, taking her hand to kiss her knuckles. "I like it when you have such creative ideas."
"Thank you, darling. If you want, I can teach you how to have some more."
"And perhaps I can teach you that people don't go to the nurse's office to flirt," scolded the nurse, startling and embarrassing the young couple.
"How long have you been listening?" Freddie asked, redder than a cherry. Meanwhile, Sam silently got up from the cot, equally red as her now boyfriend.
"I just walked in, so I only heard one or two sentences, but I don't care to know what you were talking about, just don't repeat it," she warned them. They both nodded silently. "Now let me check you again, young man, so you and your girlfriend can get out of here."
While the woman performed a check-up on Freddie, Sam made her way to the other cot and pretended to read the book until she was done. The nurse informed Freddie that he was fine but recommended he rest properly at home. After Freddie brushed his teeth with the mouthwash and disposable brush offered by the nurse, they both left the nurse's office and walked down the hallway in silence, unable to find words to break it.
"So," Freddie began, his cheeks still flushed.
"So," Sam continued, just as embarrassed as he was.
"That... was pretty weird."
"And embarrassing."
"Let's pretend that what happened in the nurse's office never happened, at least the last part," Freddie requested, starting to walk down the hallway.
"What last part?" Sam questioned, with a half-smile.
"I don't know. I think I already forgot," Freddie commented, smiling back. "So, are we dating?"
"I don't know. Are we?"
"Sam..."
"We made agreements about what would happen if we dated, as far as I know, you never formally asked me."
"And then you say I'm playing hard to get."
Sam shrugged and crossed her arms, looking at him defiantly.
"I'm still waiting, Sir Benson."
"If you insist..."
Gracefully, he bent down on one knee and took Sam's hand in his, looking directly into her eyes. Freddie appreciated how her eyes lit up with a mix of joy and surprise, making his heart beat faster, if that was possible.
"Princess Samantha Puckett, from the kingdom of Ham, would you grant me the honor of going out with me, not as a friend, but as my official girlfriend?"
Freddie gave Sam a radiant smile, and she responded with one equally full of complicity. It wasn't two seconds before they both burst into laughter, infected by the ridiculous and charming nature of the situation.
"Forget what I said before. You're not a king of the difficult ones, you're a drama king."
"A little, yeah," Freddie replied, shrugging charmingly. "So, would you be the queen of this drama king?"
"Mhm. I'm not sure," Sam pouted and stroked her chin dramatically. "Let me think about it for a moment..."
"Could you think quickly? My leg is cramping."
"So what? I told you to ask me formally, not to propose to me."
"Samantha Puckett, please."
"Calm down, Sir Benson. I was just kidding a little," she replied, kissing him on the forehead. "My answer is yes. Yes, I want to be your girlfriend. Are you happy now?"
Freddie jumped up, nodding with a contagious smile.
"Yeah. I am," he admitted, taking Sam's hands again. "Now that we're officially dating, may I hug you?"
Sam looked at him incredulously, as if she couldn't believe Freddie was being serious. After all, they had kissed, held hands, hugged, made pinky promises, talked about personal and cheesy things, and now, he was asking if he could hug her?
Why did Sam feel she liked him a little more?
She was about to make a joke about it, but the genuine happiness in Freddie's face stopped her. Sam decided to indulge him by hugging him herself, not before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.
"You really are a dork," she whispered into his neck, appreciating the warm sensation of being enveloped in his arms.
"But at least I'm your dork," Freddie responded tenderly before kissing her forehead.
"Are you?" Sam asked, meeting his gaze. Freddie raised an eyebrow, eliciting a laugh from her. "Yes, you are."
They shared one last kiss before staying embraced for a moment longer in the hallway. Then, Freddie remembered they were in an empty hallway in the middle of the school.
"Princess, what time is it exactly?"
"Oh, right. It's time to go home," Sam responded, taking Freddie's hand to head towards the exit. At the boy's surprised look, she flashed a smile. "Yep. You've been sleeping all day like a good Sleeping Beauty."
"That's a long time," Freddie sighed. "But you were in the nurse's office when I woke up... Did you skip classes or did you come to visit me?"
"The second," Sam replied. "I had to go back to class because the principal made me, but I came to visit you during lunch with Carly, and we also came back after school, but you were still asleep. We were going to wake you up, but the nurse said it would be better to do it when she returned, so I read for a while. Later, Carly had to leave to take care of Spencer, and you know the rest of the story."
"Okay, although it's strange that they didn't call my mom if I was sleeping for so long."
"That seemed weird to me too, but I can understand why."
"Me too. I know she can be a bit... intense sometimes."
"If by intense you mean crazy, I totally agree with you."
"You say it as if your mom doesn't have a few screws loose too."
"That's... you know what? I'm not going to deny it. It's true."
"I guess it's another thing we have in common," Freddie smiled, offering Sam to link her arm with his. Sam rolled her eyes, but accepted his gesture with a smile.
"If you keep saying such cheesy things, I'm going to start thinking you've been reading advice in teen magazines."
"You know me so well, Puckett."
And so, they continued chatting animatedly until they reached the building. Freddie went to his apartment, while Sam went to Carly's apartment, agreeing to meet later at Groovy Smoothie to enjoy a smoothie together.
Who would have thought that medical offices would be the perfect place to confess feelings and start a relationship?
With this, we come to the end of the first arc of the fanfic.
I know it's been a bit cheesy, but I can't help it, they just took control and started flirting and giving each other nicknames non-stop. Personally, I think they wouldn't be Seddie if they didn't.
I hope you enjoyed the reading. Bye!