A/N: Hello! This is just a little one-shot I wrote cuz it popped into my head. And I'm sure we can all relate to Carly in this (I know I can)! BTW, they're in the 7th grade in this, before iCarly started.
WHAT?!
Carly stared at her second marking period grades on her report card. She blinked her eyes. She rubbed them. But the accursed grade was still there. She just didn't understand. She glanced over her first marking period grades.
Pre-Algebra: A
History: A
English: A
Chemistry: A
Physical Education: B
French: B+
Alright, nothing wrong there. So what happened?! She reviewed her second marking period grades one more time.
Pre-Algebra: A-
History: A+
English: A
Chemistry: C
Physical Education: B+
French: B
C in chemistry?! Why?! Quickly she ran through her test grades in her head. Well, they weren't bad, but they weren't that good either…but still. She sighed as Sam bounded away from Miss Briggs hanging out the cards and over to her.
"So Carls, how'd you do?
"Oh, you know…fine." She replied, trying to keep the fact that she was on the verge of bawling all over the place out of her voice. Sam scrunched up her face in thought, then finally stuck her hand out.
"Give it."
"Y'know, I'd rather no-"
"Give. It." With a reluctant sigh, Carly handed her failure over to Sam. Sam scanned it over, then scanned it again, then looked back at Carly.
"Yeah, so what's the problem; why do you sound like you're gonna cry?" she asked, sounding slightly concerned.
"Look at my chemistry grade."
"Yeah, I see it."
"It's a C!"
"And…?"
"Sam! A C! That's BAD!" Carly cried helplessly, unable to keep a couple of tears from leaking out of her eyes. Sam waved her hand dismissively.
"Carls, you're overreacting. See, it says right at the bottom of the card. C is average."
"But I can do better than average! Spencer's gonna be so disappointed…" Carly murmured sadly, looking at her pink Converse, then back up at Sam. "How'd you do?" Sam beamed proudly.
"Take a look for yourself." She said, pushing the report card at Carly.
Pre-Algebra: D
History: D-
English: D
Chemistry: D+
Physical Education: F
Spanish: D-
Carly looked up at her friend. "Sam, this is terrible." Sam looked crestfallen.
"No, look! I got a plus!"
"Yeah, next to a D! And an F in gym? How you do fail gym? All you have to do is show up!"
"I know."
"Sam…you said you'd try harder this marking period."
"I did, Carls! See the plus!" Carly rolled her eyes good-naturedly as Sam snatched the report card from her. "Well, I'm gonna go show my mom. C'ya!" Sam called over her shoulder as she left out the big silver doors. Carly sighed, grabbed her backpack, shut her locker, and left as well. As she stepped out into the cool Seattle air she glanced up at the sky. It looked like it was about to pour any minute. Great, on the day she just happened to forget her umbrella. Carly stared at her report card as she started her trek to Bushwell. The more she stared at it, the worse it looked, until she finally got it in her head that this one grade would keep her out of college. Finally she let loose the tears she'd been keeping back as it started to drizzle, then downpour. In minutes she was soaked and gasping for breath from crying. As she uselessly wiped her eyes she saw a shadow fall over and didn't feel the rain anymore. Confused, Carly turned around and saw Freddie standing next to her, holding an umbrella over them both. Carly smiled at him slightly.
"Thanks, Freddie." She managed, her voice still thick with tears. Freddie had been smiling, but his face fell when he saw Carly was crying.
"Carly, what's wrong?" Carly sniffled, then handed him her report card.
"This." Freddie took the report card from her, and glanced over it. His eyes halted for a second at her chemistry grade.
"Oh."
"It's terrible, isn't it?"
"Carly, it's not terrible. It's average."
"Will everyone please stop saying it's average!" Carly howled in despair as Freddie jumped back, startled. Carly sighed. "Sorry, Freddie…it's just…I don't want to be JUST average…I want to do better than that."
"You do better average already! Look at all your other grades!"
"But my chem grade…Spencer's going to be disappointed with me." Carly said as a few more tears fell from her eyes. Freddie lifted his hand and wiped them away gently.
"Did you try your best?"
"Well, yeah…"
"Then Spencer has no reason to be disappointed." Freddie concluded. Carly thought about that for a minute.
"Yeah, I guess you're right, Freddie."
"I know. Plus, do you really think Spencer would freak out over one bad grade?" Carly laughed quietly as she tried to picture Spencer freaking out.
"No, not really."
"And if you want, I could tutor you in chemistry for the third marking period." Freddie offered. Carly smiled at him as they reached Bushwell.
"Thanks Freddie."
"No problem." He replied with a smile as he shut his umbrella. Carly hadn't even noticed it had stopped raining, and the sun was now shining brightly over the city. The two friends then went inside and took the elevator up to the eighth floor. As Carly opened the door to her apartment, she turned back around as Freddie cleared his throat. "And, you know, if you're ever looking for someone to tutor you in dating…"
"No, Freddie." Carly said laughing. Freddie sighed, then looked at her with a small smile.
"I know."
A/N: Well, did you like it? Reviews would be nice :) Oh, and for anyone reading 'iMade a Mistake', update coming soon!