Seven Days

Day 1: First Signs.

When Freddie Benson was approximately 5 years old, he came across a pastel pink pad in the contents of this mother's purse. He had no idea what it was but continued to stare at it with great interest. He fumbled through his mother's bag and gingerly lifted the pad out. He pressed the pad to his nose and inhaled. It smelled faintly of plastic and perfume. He then proceeded to open it and was surprised to find a small, white, cotton-feeling rag thing with wings. He laughed as the pad vaguely reminded him of a diaper.

But it couldn't be a diaper, he thought. He knew his mother was too old to wear a diaper. He rubbed his small hands along the middle of the pad. The soft, cushiony feeling made him feel at ease. Maybe it was a diaper, he thought. It sure felt like one. He pulled the waist band of his pants and proceeded to slip the pad inside his underwear. Goosebumps began to form on his arms and he looked up feeling extremely content.

His mother later found him with his scrawny legs sprawled across the floor, a wet spot in the midsection of his pants and a pink, pastel wrapper to his left. "Fredward Benson!" Freddie lifted himself up to find his mother's wild expression staring at him. "Are you wearing one of my pads?" Freddie looked puzzled and scratched his head.

"Pad?" He asked, in his high-pitched voice. Mrs. Benson's expression softened. "What's that? I put on your funny looking diaper."

"Freddie, it wasn't a diaper. It was a pad." When Freddie continued to look confused, Mrs. Benson lifted him up off the floor and plopped him on her lap. "I use a pad," She pointed at the wrapper to his left. "everyday for a week out of every month."

"Why?"

Mrs. Benson blushed. "It's called a period. It's a girl thing." She scuffled Freddie's hair fondly. "Just be happy you don't have one."

"What happens at your period?"

"Like I said," She continued to look flustered. "It's a girl thing. One day, you'll deal with a girl during her period and will go crazy." Freddie looked at his mother. "Now, let's get you cleaned up." She carried him to the bathroom and Freddie groaned loudly. Mrs. Benson laughed and kissed him on the forehead.

***

"Freddie," said an extremely irritated Sam, through gritted teeth. "What is that damn sound?" She crossed her arms around her chest and Freddie watched as a vein popped out from the side of her temple.

He raised an eyebrow at her and glanced sideways at Carly who was also staring at Sam with a slightly frustrated expression. "What sound?" Freddie asked, utterly confused.

"That annoying inhaling sound?!" Sam demanded impatiently.

"You mean my breathing?" he asked incredulously. Sam glared at him through her piercing blue eyes. "What? You want me to stop breathing now?" He gave Carly a fleeting look before turning his attention back to the fuming blonde.

"Listen, Freddork," Sam said in a low, dangerous whisper. "My stomach is bloated, my flow is heavy, my cramps are killer, and my attitude is deadly." Freddie gulped; even Carly was a bit shaken. "If I want you to stop breathing….you better hold your breath because it may be a real smart idea to listen to me if you ever want to breathe again…."

Freddie was visibly shaken and proceeded to bite his lower lip to induce his breathing. Carly watched the two but chose not to say anything because she knew that Sam was 3 times worse then she usually was during her period. "Carly, would you happen to have some painkillers on you?" Sam's voice was still tense.

Carly sighed; laid down the burger she had bitten and fumbled through her messenger bag. "Um…yeah…."she retreated the bottle from her bag and gave it to Sam. "Take two, Sam," Carly admonished. "Only two and drink water."

"Yeah, yeah," Sam waved her off and obeyed grudgingly. "Fredwardo, get me some water!" She plastered on one of the fakest smiles Freddie has ever seen in his life. "Get me some water and you could breathe how ever you please…"

He immediately got up from where his was sitting and ventured off to find her some water. He was back within 3 minutes. "What the hell is this?" She glared at the offensive bottle in Freddie's hand, while he sat down.

"It's your water…"Freddie looked to make sure the cap was sealed and that it was dent free. "Here…"

"Are you trying to kill me?" She spat. "What brand is that?"

He examined the wrapper around the bottle. "Ugh…Deer Park?"

"Exactly…you know I only drink Aquafina," She said, unnecessarily slamming her hand onto the table. "Everything else makes me fat…"

"You can't get fa…" He tried to protest but his voice died in his throat at her deadly expression. "Um… the school only offers Deer Park, Sam," he tried to reason with her. "You know that…"

Carly surreptitiously moved a few feet away from the couple. Sam's eyes flashed with anger. "A-are you calling me stupid?" Sam asked in a fierce voice.

"N-no, no, no, no, no!" Freddie stammered. "All I'm saying is that they don't have Aquafina here…" Sam stood up from where she was sitting and grabbed Freddie by the collar of his shirt.

"Fredward Benson…." He looked directly into her eyes. "All I want is some…some…AQUAFINA!" she burst into tears. Freddie stood immobilized, shock taking over him. "I-is that too m-m-much t-t-t-to ASK?" She shrieked, earning a few stares from the people surrounding her.

Freddie forced his mouth to move. "No, Sam, please don't cry…I'm sorry…"

"SORRY FOR WHAT?" She yelled, grabbing Carly's attention, who had just put earphones in her ear to avoid any arguments. "SORRY FOR CALLING ME STUPID? OR FOR STARVING ME AND DEPRIVING ME OF MY M-M-M-M-MEDICINE!"

"Ugh…for both?" He said in a little voice.

"FREDDIE!" this time it was Carly's disapproving voice. She punched him on the arm. It was very un-Carly like but she would get really angry when anyone messes with Sam. "What the hell did you do to Sam?"

Sam was sniffling so loudly, Freddie could hardly hear what Carly was telling him. He rubbed his arm and leaned in to hear Carly better. "Look, she asked for some Aquafina and I told her there wasn't any…"

"That doesn't explain why she's crying," she punched me again. "Make her better!"

"But B-But..."

"Make," She punched me on my left arm. "Her," She punched me on my right arm, "Better," she was about ready to punch me in my face but I grabbed her hand in the air.

"Okay…" Freddie sighed, dropping her clammy hand. He watched Sam wipe her nose with the back of her hand and cringed a little. "Sam…how bout I take you and Carly to get some cheesecake after school?"

Sam's face brightened a little. "And pickles?"

"Of course,"

"With chocolate?" she sniffled.

"Yeah, okay…"

"And beef jerky smothered in strawberry jam?"

"Sure…"

"And a large plate of steak with blue cheese on the top and a side salad with clams and New Orleans rice with Hershey Kisses sprinkled on top?"

"Uh…" Frankly, she was worse than a young woman pregnant with sextuplets. "Whatever… are you coming Carly?"

"Nope, I can't." Carly sighed. "Spencer wants me to help him buy a shark tank…"Sam and Freddie stared at her. "Yeah…it's for one of his inventions…" Freddie grew nervous. He was going to spend the rest of the afternoon with an insane Sam.

"Can't this wait till tomorrow?" He tried. "It wouldn't be the same without you…"

"I wish I could, Freddie…but Spencer is really depending on me," She chuckled. "He says I have great taste."

"Yeah, next time I go shopping for Shark Tanks, I'll ask you for some advice." Freddie laughed despite himself but then stopped abruptly when he thought of Sam. "Buy, okay, I guess me and Sam would have a," he gulped, "great time anyway…right, Sam?"

"Yeah, whatever, Fredwart, just as long as you give me everything I say…I'll be fine." She hastily wiped away any tears away from her cheek. "And, I want a smoothie, okay?"

Freddie stared at her and then shrugged. "You are going to put me through debt…."

Sam snorted. "You should be happy to have the privilege of buying me all the food that my heart desires."

Freddie sighed as Carly laughed. This was going to be a long week.