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He hated to admit it, but sometimes Freddie Benson hated being a nerd. He loved computers, programming, and all the new gadgetry, but hated explain how any of it worked to a novice. In hindsight, he probably shouldn’t have decided on being an engineering major, notorious for being the most challenging and the most time consuming major of all, but that’s what he knew.
Samantha Puckett wanted nothing more than the wind in her hair, seeing the sights of the country, and if she happened along a barbeque joint or two, well, she wouldn’t complain. The truth was, she was lonely. She could never tell anyone even if she wanted to, but she hated being on her own more than anything. Growing up it was all she had ever known, but that life changed the moment she met the famous Carly Shay. The rest of that story was history. Here she was making her own story, but she couldn’t do all of that on her own.
On an average Saturday night Freddie was usually in his dorm working on ways to debug whatever software project he was working on at the time. Sometimes he would go out and find a keg party at one of the neighboring dorms, get a little tipsy, find someone to dance with for a few hours and go home. Tech junkies didn’t understand his sense of humor, and everyone else got too bored with him while he enthusiastically tried to discuss the newest camera model he had found.
Sam had been on her tour of the US, half for food, and half to “find herself” She never fully understood what that meant; are you lost until the day you magically figure out about yourself and tell the world? No one actually thought that worked, right? She thought about college for a while, but who would accept a four time juvenile hall delinquent with mediocre at best grades. She took some classes while moonlighting in Los Angeles, but that was only a start
She decided to dial up one of her few friends she knew would always make time for her.
“Hey Fredbag, can you make time for a long lost pal?” Even through the phone he could feel her dry condescending wit. He missed it.
“Of course Puckett. What brings you Massachusetts anyway, I thought you were still in LA?” She shifted her weight on her parked motorcycle. She could tell him the full story later.
“Oh you know, just goin where the wind takes me for now. So where’s your dorm? Mind me crashing for a couple nights?” He was grateful, but would never tell her. She brought chaos, and he needed a change.
“I’ll come and get you, and then you can sign in, okay?” Neither of them would ever say the obvious: Thank You. They were both too proud. His roommate was back home for the weekend, so he made up the extra bed in case she wanted to sleep there. For two boys they were both ridiculously tidy, Freddie had his mother as an excuse, he wasn’t sure what his roomie’s deal was. Chris was a shy guy from around the area, but he was a certified genius. Freddie was good at whatever he attempted, but that guy had a gift.
“Glad to see even without your mom to disinfect everything you touch, you seem to be doin just fine.” She laughed with her shoulders back, letting him hug her. She barely even let Carly hug her half the time, but she had loosened up a bit since high school.
“I have to ask, what gives? I mean, I know you knew where I lived and everything, since you’ve sent me like a million postcards from places like ‘The World’s Largest Ball of Rope’ and the “Record Setting Cheese Wheel’”
“What do you mean what gives, I just haven’t had time to visit you before.”
“Bullshit, Puckett.” He stated in the most sincere way he could. “Even Carly’s called me. Said you two haven’t talked in months. What gives? You used to call each other at least once a week.”
She squirreled away from the question. “Seriously, this seems like a nice place. We should get some food. Take out or do you wanna go out and get something or…” She trailed off, but not before he could get his last word in.
“Let’s get take out. That way you can tell me everything.”
Chinese food was pretty simple, any place could do it right. The best Chinese food, however, came from little hole in the wall restaurants that looked like they could hold about twenty people maximum. He popped one of the Bourne Identity movies into his tiny TV atop the mini refrigerator as they sorted out their food.
“Are you ready to tell me yet?” He questioned as he slurped noodles out of his to-go container.
“I just, I wanted to know what it felt like, okay? To be out on my own, to not have to take care of someone else, to not have someone worry about me all the time. I thought that was what I wanted but the reality is, I don’t know. I guess I don’t have all the answers after all.”
He awkwardly tried to put his arm around her shoulder. “No one expects you to.”
She leaned her head against him. A moment later she was pulling him in for a kiss, both of their mouths smelling like Kung Pao chicken mixed with the sugary smell of beer.
She put her hands under his shirt and pulled it over his back, and pulled off her own long sleeved shirt.
They stared at each other. Not blankly, like they were both looking through the other, as if they could feel every single moving breath.
They didn’t move.
She fell on top of the bed opposite his.
She wrapped herself in the down comforter that he had carefully washed and softened just for her.
She fell asleep almost instantly, arms spread upon the pillows.
He was happy just to see her happy.