Chapter 15

Saturday afternoon, after sleeping in very late of course, Sam was being made over by Melanie in the girls' bedroom. She had showered and while she did, Melanie had dragged a kitchen chair into the bedroom so Sam could sit while she had her makeup applied and hair styled.

The girl hadn't so much as a peek at Freddie since she got up. He was in his room with the door closed. She figured he was either sleeping, playing some nerdy video game or, well, she didn't want to think of what else a teenage boy might be doing locked in his own room, especially a boy with so much computing power at his finger tips.

"There. Now that part's done." Mel chirped, looking at Sam's freshly painted nails. "Perfect French tips. Just don't get nail polish on my fuzzy bath robe."

"I'll try, but every time Carly smears this stuff on me, my butt gets itchy."

"Nasty!" Mel sneered.

Next up was toenail polish. Melanie sat on the floor for that part. Fortunately, it only took half an hour since Sam did manage to trim her toenails a couple of days before after both Freddie and Melanie complaining about them. Soon it was time to start on the hair.

"I'm proud of you, sis. You actually shaved your legs." Melanie observed.

Sam stuck out her tongue at Melanie as she turned her back to plug in the hair dryer.

"How long have I been sitting here?" Sam huffed after an eternity of drying.

"Not long enough. Your hair is impossible to dry, you know that?"

"You have the same hair. How do you dry yours?"

"What do you think I've been trying for the last half-hour? Well, I guess we could braid it and let it dry naturally. Then you'll have some killer curls. We have to start foundation makeup soon or it'll be midnight before we're done. Now sit up straight." Melanie instructed as she started with the braids.

"Ya know, Carly has a one of those Little Pretty Pony dolls that you can braid their hair and make over if you really feel the need to play beauty school."

"Hush, you! You need to be perfect for your evening with Freddie."

"I'm going to be all dolled up and Freddie hasn't even had a haircut in almost two months. I'm surprised Mommy Benson hasn't pinned him down and given him a buzz cut."

"Both of you will be fine. I, um, might have given him a little trim this morning while you were sleeping."

"Seriously? You were running your hands through my boy's hair while I was still in bed?" Sam turned and frowned at her sister.

"I wasn't seducing him. I was giving him a hair trim. Gheesh, are we jealous today or what?" Mel snipped.

"Well, maybe a little. After that crack you made the other day about his chest hair, I kinda wonder about all this. Like, what if he suddenly realizes how stinkin' hot he is and decides that I'm too plain Jane for him? He can basically get any girl he wants. Not that I'd ever tell him that but still, nerd or not Freddie Benson isn't ever going to hurt for a girlfriend."

Melanie couldn't believe how her sister opened up. "Come here!" She pulled Sam to her feet and stood the two in front of the full length mirror on the back of the door. "Lose the robe!"

"Mel! All I've got on is underwear. My bras are still in the dryer, remember?" Sam wasn't quite as comfortable being topless around other people as her sister was from living in the boarding school and rooming with 3 other girls in one dorm room. Her sister's look told Sam she wasn't fooling around so she peeled off the white robe and left it drop on the floor behind her.

"Now, take a good look. I don't know about you, but I don't see a plain Jane at all. Even without makeup, Sam Puckett is anything but plain. I see a girl with a killer figure, a beautiful face and awesome hair. Not to mention the voice of an angel and the best sense of humor of any person I know, even if she is a bit sadistic with it sometimes."

"You think? Like, really? I'm not just some trashy good for nothing, like, uh, mom?"

"I don't think, I know." Melanie nodded. "My sister is good for plenty. She's smart, even if she doesn't get the best grades, she has the determination to do anything she sets her mind to and she can beat up a whole bar full of truck drivers without breaking a sweat. And any man as smart as Freddie Benson wouldn't let someone as special as you go if he was held at gunpoint."

Sam turned and hugged her sister. "Thanks, Mels. You know, for the first time in forever, I'm actually glad I have a sister. I could never talk about this kid of junk with Carly. But you, you're different, you get me."

"Aww, that makes me so happy. Just one thing, though. Find some different panties for tonight." Melanie shook her head when they left go of one another.

"This is all I have. And don't say that word!" Sam huffed.

"Then you can borrow a pair of mine, but you cannot wear that killer dress, be all made up with such gorgeous hair and have your special night with a guy as hot as Freddie wearing boy-shorts. How can you wear those things to begin with? Yuck!"

"At least they're not plain old boxers like I wore in middle school. Theses things are comfortable and I doubt anyone is going to be seeing them. In fact, I can't believe you actually think I'd let Freddie see my under pants. Which he never has by the way, not intentionally anyway." Sam was picking up the robe and putting it back on.

"We seriously need to go underwear shopping as soon as the malls open again. There are comfortable panties out there that are actually attractive. God, I swear the only things worse would be old baggy granny panties."

"You said it again! That word is gross! But seriously, you're as bad as Carly. I swear she spent so much time at Build A Bra before last year's prom, they were about ready to make her fill out a job application."

"Ooh, I know. When Carly gets back, we can all go. Girls' day!" Melanie snickered. "And then we can hit Glitter Gloss for some new makeup. And then maybe Stacey's Secrets so you can get something special for Freddie. Speaking of makeup, sit down so we can get started on that foundation."

It took over 2 more hours before Sam was ready for her debut. Freddie had been long done and was waiting in the living room when the twins came out the hallway.

He glanced over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Sam before jumping up to his feet and staring at her.

"Sam! Uh, wow." He gasped as he walked around the sofa and she walked closer to him. "You, um, holy cow that's a nice dress. I swear, I don't know how you did it but you actually look hotter than you did at least year's prom. You didn't have to dress up so much just for me."

"Meh, same could be said for you. Where'd you get the snazzy suit?" She grinned and looked him over, now standing less than two feet from him. "Dang, that really looks good on you."

"I had it for my cousin Jenny's wedding last summer. I couldn't rent a tux, so this was the best I could do. Sorry."

"I remember you saying something about taking me to a wedding but then we bro . . . , um, yeah. I almost forgot about that. I don't think you ever left me see it before, you were keeping it a surprise or some junk. Don't apologize, it really looks good on you."

Melanie soon pulled out her phone to take the pictures she promised Marissa. "Alright, can you two maybe stand by the front door. Picture time."

"We have to do this, don't we?" Sam grumbled quietly. "Can't we just kick her out?"

"I promised Mrs. Benson." Melanie whined.

"Look at it this way, between my mom, Carly and Spencer, can you imagine how many pictures we'd be posing for if this were a normal prom." He replied quietly as they posed by the Benson's front door, just like they did a year earlier.

After snapping dozens of shots with each of their phones, Melanie prepared to leave. "I just got a message from Goober Eats, the delivery guy left your dinner off with Lewbert, I'm going down to get it before he eats it all and then I'll be hanging out across the hall. Do me a favor and text me when it's safe to come back. I take it since Marissa's not due back till tomorrow afternoon I have the bedroom all to myself tonight?"

"We'll see." Sam smirked. "Depends on how much of nub he acts like before the night's over."

Melanie slipped out to go retrieve their food. Before she left Melanie cued up the play list she had put together for them on her Pear Pod which she had stationed by the door.

"You've spent three of the last five nights in my room, Sam." He looked dejected. "So what's the difference how nubby I get."

"Yeah, but I wasn't dating you then. This is the first time we've done something like this in a year. We just have to see how it goes. Besides, you know me better than to think I'm jumping in the sack with some dude on a first date." She said with a teasing smirk. "Hey, ya think we could maybe have a dance until Mel gets back."

"Can I lead?" He asked.

"Did you ever lead around me, silly boy?"

Melanie came in to drop off their food to see them slow dancing. She had purposely added songs to the play list that would make them get close, if they chose to dance. "OK, guys. Here it is. See you in a little while." The other blonde left to give them some privacy.

"I guess we'll have to do something nice for Melanie next week. She's really been going all out for this." Freddie suggested. "She even trimmed my hair."

"I noticed. She did alright, too. I guess mam's not the only one with hidden talents. I know maybe I could bake her something. She loves cheesecake."

"Well, who doesn't love cheesecake?"

"I'll make a really big one." Sam replied. "Just so you two can have a piece."

"I saw on the news that some parts of the state out east are letting people start to move around again. Maybe by the time summer gets here we can take her to the beach or something. She's always talking about that. I guess they don't' have beaches wherever he school is."

"You just want to see me in a bikini top again, don't you?"

He shrugged. "Wouldn't be the worst thing. But this time I'm taking pictures."

Sam grinned at the thought. "I just know I'm ready for this chiz to be over. Because, if, like, you and I are, well you know, kinda together again, at least a little bit, we really should actually go out, if we're going out so to say."

"I like that idea, Sam." He agreed. "As soon as the pandemic is over, you've got an official date coming."

"But maybe in the meantime, even if we can't go out . . . " She stretched up and give him a slight kiss. " . . . we can do this."

"I really like that idea." He smiled into her lips and kissed her back gently. "Do you think we should eat? Before it gets cold."

"In a minute. When this song's over." She responded and laid her head on his chest. At that moment, he knew things would never be the same for them. Sam was actually leaving food alone in order to dance with him, this was something big for their relationship.

The evening progressed past eating their nice dinner, through several dances and a few kisses. Before they knew it, it was well after ten and Freddie suggested they soon allow Melanie to come home.

"I guess it's time to text Mels." Sam sighed. "So are we having our after-prom in your room?"

"Sure. We had it in your room last year." He smirked at the thought.

"At least we won't have to listen to my mom and her boyfriend of the week on the other side of the wall."

"Yeah, that was pretty disturbing." He agreed, seeing Sam quiver.

"I'm gonna go change. Can you let Melanie know she can come home."

"One more picture?" He held his phone up before she left the room.

By the time Melanie returned, Sam had taken off the fancy dress and was putting on her typical lounging clothes. Freddie was in his own room changing when Melanie knocked and entered the girls' room.

"So, how'd it go?" Melanie asked after closing the door.

"Good. The food was great, by the way. We're gonna hang out in his room for a while, maybe watch a movie or something."

"I'm guessing he didn't act like too big of a nub, then." The girl was disappointed that Sam didn't give any update as to their relationship status, but figured it was better to wait to ask too many questions.

"Meh, no more than usual. I've been hanging around with him for all these years, I guess I'm used to it."

Melanie knew better than to press any further. "OK, it's getting late and we got up early so I'm heading to bed. You spending the whole night with Freddie?"

"Probably. I usually do anyway if Mommy Dearest isn't home."

"I'm just worried she's going to come home early with a headache or something and catch you two."

Sam just shrugged.

"Well, good night, then."

Just before leaving, Sam turned to face her sister. "Oh, and by they way, he is sort of unofficially my boyfriend now, so no more going all ga-ga over his chest hair, kapeesh."

Melanie grinned in agreement as Sam slipped out the door and knocked on his bedroom door.

"Yo, Fredbag. You decent, can I come in?"

He opened the door with a t-shirt in his hand to put on. "Did you want popcorn or anything to go with the movie?"

"Sounds good. Since when do you have chest hair?" She couldn't help but look a little closer, but acted like it was something she didn't know about.

"For a little while now. You don't mind?" He asked. "I know how you feel about facial hair."

"Meh, I could care one way or the other, but Mels might lose her chiz over it." She snickered as he ran a few fingers through it before he pulled on the shirt. "Or Carly, so you'd better keep your shirt on around those two."

"I'll keep that in mind. Get comfortable, I'll go make the snacks."

Freddie returned with a big bowl of popcorn and a couple of drinks. Sam had slipped back to her own room to retrieve a supply of fat cakes and they selected a movie off of Web Flix to watch. Without saying a word, both snuggled up to one another in the middle, rather than leaving the customary space between them.

When it was time to sleep, Freddie switched off the TV and pulled Sam in close.

A few kisses were exchanged before she made a suggestion. "Not that I want to interrupt you, but . . . "

"Oh, God. Sorry." He quickly moved his left hand.

"Not that, dork cheese." She smirked. "I was just gonna suggest we maybe brush our teeth. There was a lot of garlic in that lasagna a while ago. And like I keep telling you, your breath is nothing to brag about to begin with. You'll probably straighten my hair by morning with it."

"I guess." He agreed. "Then maybe a few more kisses?"

"And you can put your hand back, too. Right where it was."