It had been hours since Sam stormed out of the Shay apartment in tears. Carly reached out to Sam multiple times with no luck. She called, texted, and even tried going to her house. When she arrived at the Puckett residence, she knocked on the door to find Pam (Sam's mom) in the middle of having dinner with a guest.
"Hi Mrs. Puckett, is Sam here?" Carly asked in a curious tone standing outside the front door.
"No," Pam Puckett responded, clearly annoyed that Carly was standing at her door.
'Well, do you know where she is?"
"How the heck should I know," screeched Pam. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm in the middle of a hot date."
Carly moved her head to the side to peer into the house and saw a middle-aged, dirty-looking man wearing a stained tank top and torn jeans with scuffed work boots. He was watching television from the sofa while eating a chili dog that was staining his shirt further.
"I wouldn't say hot is the right word, but sorry to bother you. Have a good night," Carly said as she backed away from the door.
Pam slammed the door shut. You could hear her scream at her "hot" date, "Don't get chili all over my couch, it's new!"
"New?" the dirty man said. "I thought you said you stole this from a homeless person last week!"
"Yea, new to me!" Pam screamed at the top of her lungs.
Carly made her way back to the apartment. As she was opening her door, Freddie exited his apartment.
"Where you staring through your peephole waiting for me again, Freddie?" Carly questioned. "I thought you grew out of that!"
"I was not! It was a coincidence!" Freddie responded, a bit embarrassed of his past antics.
"Whatever you say," Carly laughed. "Have you heard from Sam at all today?"
"No, Why?"
Carly then invited Freddie into her apartment and explained the events that transpired. She explained her fantastic Friday evening with Griffin and then how Sam broke down in tears before storming off at breakfast.
"She's been acting weird lately and I'm not sure why," Carly stated in a concerned tone. "I've never seen her so upset in my life and I don't even know what's bothering her."
Freddie obviously knew why Sam was upset after hearing Carly's recap of her date with Griffin. He felt bad for Sam knowing how hard it must have been for her to hear about Carly being with another person. He could put an end to all of Carly's questions and suspicions as to what was bothering her by letting her in on Sam's secret. But he wasn't going to do that. He gave Sam his word, and he was going to keep it, even though he didn't love the idea of lying to Carly.
"I'm going to text her, maybe she'll respond to me," said Freddie. "Hey, Spencer."
Spencer stumbled out of the elevator and rested his hands on his knees, gasping for air.
Carly and Freddie both looked confused as they watched him from the island of the apartment.
"Why are you out of breath?" asked Carly.
"I...leaving...grocery store...Chuck...shoot...slingshot," replied Spencer, pausing after every word to muster up enough air to complete his sentence. "So...I...run."
Chuck was a kid that lived in one of the other apartments in the building. He constantly terrorized Spencer. Usually, his bullying only took part in Bushwell Plaza, but Spencer was unfortunate enough to run into him elsewhere.
Spencer then struggled to raise his torso and then lifted his shirt to show tiny red bruises that resulted from Chuck's attack.
"Oh my god, what did he shoot at you?" asked Freddie.
"Pebbles!" Spencer screamed, now getting his breath back.
He then walked over to the couch and plopped down face first and let out a groan.
"Anyway," Carly said, looking to continue where her and Freddie's conversation was interrupted. "Yes, please text Sam and let me know if she responds to you. I have to get ready."
Freddie looked curious. "Ready for what?"
Carly smiled, "Griffin and I are going out again tonight. He's going to take me to see tonight's race at the Raceway on his new motorcycle."
Freddie made a disgusted face, and some weird hand gestures, and mocked Griffin, "Oh look at me, I think I'm cool because I have a motorcycle."
"He is cool because he has a motorcycle," Carly snapped back. "And I need to get ready, so please try to get a hold of Sam and let me know if you do."
'Fine," said Freddie. "I'm going to go back to my place, Spencer, you good?"
Spencer groaned and gave a thumbs-up. Both Carly and Freddie laughed. Carly made her way upstairs to get ready and Freddie exited the apartment. As soon as Freddie closed the Shay's door behind him, he sent Sam a text that read "Hey Sam, I heard what happened this morning. Are you okay?"
Before he could close his messages app on his Pear Phone, Sam instantly responded, "No, can I call you?"
Freddie gave her the green light to call him as he entered his apartment and instantly saw an incoming Facetime from Sam.
"Hey," said Sam, who was sitting in a very dark area with what looked like boxes of Fat Cakes behind her.
"Sam, where are you?" asked Freddie in a confused and concerned tone.
"I'm in Hey Foods," said Sam.
Hey Foods was one of the local supermarket chains not too far from Bushwell Plaza.
"Where in Hey Foods?" Freddie asked, still confused and concerned. "Why's it so dark?"
"I snuck into the back because that's where they keep all the Fat Cakes."
Freddie was no longer confused or concerned about Sam's whereabouts. Sam sometimes snuck into the inventory area at Hey Foods because she loved Fat Cakes and she never had money to buy them herself.
Sam then started to explain the morning's events to Freddie, who had already heard Carly's version.
"I can't believe Carly would date that loser again," said Sam as her voice started to rise. "He's not right for her."
Freddie didn't particularly like Griffin either. The first time Carly dated him, he was extremely jealous of him. But he understood why Carly, and most girls, would like him. In terms of what Carly wanted in a guy, he fits the mold.
"I understand why you're upset Sam," said Freddie. "But if he makes Carly happy, you need to support your best friend."
"I'm not going to support her being in love with some Pee-Wee-Baby-loving jerk!" she screamed. "Carly can do way better!"
"By way better, you mean you?" Freddie asked with a sly look on his face.
"Well, I didn't necessarily mean me, I mea–"
"This isn't about Griffin, you don't want her dating anyone...besides you," Freddie responded as he cut her off. "I've told you this already, Sam. You should tell Carly how you fe–"
Now it was Sam's turn to cut Freddie off. "I am NOT telling Carly that I love her, are you dumb, Fredork?"
Freddie's lip twitched slightly as he was clearly annoyed at Sam. "I'm only trying to help you, you know, I'm the only person you can talk to about your feelings, so I'd be a littler nicer if I were you!"
Sam pouted as she knew Freddie was right. At this moment, he was the only person she could discuss her feelings for Carly with.
"I'm sorry, I'm just upset, I don't mean to take it out on you."
"I know, Sam. It's alright. But you have to develop some thick skin," said Freddie. "If you ever want a shot at dating Carly, you're going to have to put up with her dating Griffin, unless you put your feelings out there to see what happens."
Sam still wasn't ready to tell Carly how she felt. Despite the pain that seeing her with another person brought her, she had to suck it up. She had to play the long game...or, she thought, the game didn't have to last as long if she was able to break Carly and Griffin up.
There was silence for a few seconds and Sam developed a sinister grin. Freddie noticed this and began to get frightened as he's seen this look from Sam before.
"Sam...whatever you are thinking...please don't," he said in a shaky voice.
"Don't worry Freddie, I have a feeling that Sam and Griffin won't be dating much longer."