iDare You

"I can do anything, Carles." I bragged, looking at Carly with a boasting expression. Of course I can do anything. I'm Sam Puckett. But it wasn't simple with Carly. She was extremely smart, and I regretted what I had said when she opened her mouth to speak.

"Oh, really? Then for $30, go kiss Freddie." she said, raising her eyebrow and looking at me, expecting to let go of a violent reaction. As if the dare wasn't enough, she added, "on the lips." I was completely dumbstruck. I knew I shouldn't have boasted. But I have this reputation to uphold, and 30 bucks was an extremely tempting amount of money. I just HAD to... Well, if money wasn't at stake, I'll still do it. I do have this reputation to uphold, don't I?

"Raise the stakes, Shay, and I'll do it longer." I said. Greed was taking over me. Or was it? I don't know. But there was money. There was my pride, my reputation. Refuse, and it'll all go down the toilet. Besides, kissing Freddie shouldn't be that bad...

"$50 enough?" she asked me. Wow. $50 was already a lot of money by my standards. I just had to do it. Back out and I lose everything here... Well, not everything, but that was a large amount of money. I nodded.

Together, the two of us looked for Freddie. He wasn't in any of the places he usually hung out in school (like that dorky AV room with his dorky AV friends), so Carly and I decided to head back to her apartment in Bushwell Plaza to kill off the time. Freddie's gonna be more likely to go to Carly's, anyway, seeing that he was always looking for Carly, desperate to show her how great a guy he was. I doubt that he will be successful in any of his attempts. Carly and I climbed up the stairs, talking.

"I'm sure you're gonna enjoy the kiss." she teased.

"Me? Enjoy kissing Freddie? Hah. No way, Carly Shay." I said. Although deep inside me, I did think I was going to enjoy the kiss. Maybe the money would make it enjoyable. Maybe backing up my claim would make it enjoyable. Or maybe the kiss, without the money or the pride thing, would be enjoyable in itself. I don't know. We arrived at the familiar hall where Carly's and Freddie's apartment were located, when I caught sight of Freddie just coming out from the Benson's apartment door.

"Go get him." Carly said. Oh, I will.

"Hey, Freddork!" I called, charging to him and pinning him against the wall.

"What!?" he managed to say, before I pushed him further to the wall and seized his collar. I pulled him close to me and crashed my lips to his lips. I knew he was dumbfounded, because he was making these protesting noises as his first reaction. But he stopped struggling and making noises, and I knew he was enjoying the kiss. He actually pulled me closer as I pushed him harder to the wall. Yeah, the kiss was really something. I was actually liking it. But before anything else had happened, I pushed him away.

"What? Why? How? Whaat?" he said, looking at me and then at Carly.

"Don't ask or I'll break your teeth." I threatened, and looked at Carly.

"So? Are you forgetting something?" I asked her, throwing a questioning look. She still grinned.

"Sorry. I'm broke."

"What?!" No way Carly Shay's broke. I mean, I just kissed Freddie Benson here because we were on a bet! And now, my best friend tells me she's broke. Way to go, Sam. I just didn't what happened. Money blinded me? Nah. I should've, I SHOULD HAVE known that Carly would do this to me. But suddenly, I thought the kiss was a prize enough for the bet.

"Sorry, Sam. Well, have a nice day!" she waved, and locked herself in her apartment.

"What? But I... But we... But... I hate you Carly Shay!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Carly didn't do this. But she did. Carly did! What had blinded me? What? It wasn't money! It wasn't pride! I knew what blinded me. My desire to kiss Freddie. I didn't like it, but it was there, out in the open.

"You'll thank me someday, Sam!" Carly shouted from behind the door. I can't believe this. And now, Freddie was staring at me, looking extremely confused about what was happening. He walked over to me, a questioning look plastered on his face.

"What?" I said, looking fiercely at him.

"You did that for a bet, didn't you?" he asked, knowingly.

"Yeah, so? Do you care?" I snapped.

"I bet you can't do it again." he said, grinning. I know where this is going. He wants me to kiss him... again.

"Of course I can." I answered, smiling.

"Prove it."

"Shut up, Fredward." I punched him in the gut and walked away, not daring to deliver another look. But he knew, as well as I did, that we liked it both. Even though Carly made me.