Love is a very complicated thing. You think you're in love with someone your whole life, but then something happens between you and another and you're not sure. It doesn't help if they're both your best friends.

I sit on the porch of my home as I stare out at the setting sun. Its orange streams of light move out into the sky, entwining itself with the yellows and the reds. I always sit here during the sunsets. They calm me. It's also the best time to think, or think about memories. All kinds of memories: sad, angry, happy, incomplete. But no matter what memory is in my mind at the current time, one stays close by. The memory of first love…and the pain it comes with.

I sigh and stand from the porch steps. The memory is still clear in my head as I make my way to my bedroom. There I open the drawer to my dresser, where I keep all my close, secretive belongings. I tell my wife it's nothing but underwear, which keeps her out, but it's more. It's everything that reminds of that point in my life when I discovered love, and who I loved. It feels like yesterday, though it was thirteen years…

It all started that fateful day when I crossed the threshold into Carly Shay's apartment. Carly was one of my best friends since I was little. I always had a crush on her, but she wanted to stay friends. Though it pained me (and annoyed me), I accepted her feelings, though I'd push the romance card every now and again. It was all a fruitless attempt on my part, however. At least, for awhile.

I walked into the oddly decorated apartment, looking around for my brunette friend. The apartment was different than most, for Carly's elder brother Spencer was an artist: colors were everywhere, weird sculptures were huddled by the stairs, and the pieces of décor that rested atop shelves and dressers were bizarrely shaped and colored. Most people might be shocked but I was used to it.

"Carly?" I yelled, maneuvering around the apartment as I searched for her, "Anyone home?" No one answered me. I shrugged to myself and sat on the couch. I rested my sneakers on top of their magazine-covered coffee table as I waited for her to come to me.

The door slammed and in walked Sam Puckett, my mortal enemy. Her corkscrew curls bobbed on her shoulders as she walked in. Sam and I used to hate each other, but then we became more so "frienemies". Yeah, she ripped on me and called me names. But we had something like a pact; we weren't fond of each other but we agreed to get along…for the most part.

"Frednub." she said, nodding at me. I rolled my eyes at how she called me one of her favorite nicknames. She smirked at the look on my face.

"You know where Carly is?" I asked. Her smirk disappeared and she raised an eyebrow.

"Here, isn't she?" she said. I shrugged. She groaned and muttered "That girl…" Within a second she and her head of blonde curls were dashing up the steps to the iCarly studio. I felt slightly befuddled by her sudden flight, so I hustled up the steps myself.

I came up to the door that entered the iCarly studio. Sam, Carly, and I all did a web show by the name of iCarly. It was a hit back when we were seventeen; almost as popular as Fred's. Through the glass door I saw my two friends talking. Carly looked distressed and Sam looked angry and irritated.

"…tell him!" I heard Sam yell, "Just do it!"

"I can't, Sam!" Carly said, her voice shaky, "Everything will change."

"Uh, that's the point!" Sam said, "Duh!"

"I don't know…" Carly said quietly. Sam sighed heavily and shook her head. I wondered what they could be discussing. Obviously a guy that Carly liked. Jealousy bubbled in me. I didn't get as upset when Carly liked a guy like when we were younger, but I still had a case of envy.

I saw Sam's blue eyes move onto the door. They lit up when they saw me, and she grabbed Carly. She pointed to the door, and Carly twisted her head. Immediately a fearful look passed over her face. Sam dragged her over and wrenched the door open. Suddenly I felt the blonde girl's hand gripping mine and I was pulled inside the studio. She pushed Carly close to me and grinned.

"Well, ciao." she said, leaving quickly. Carly and I were so close I could practically feel her breath on my face. She noticed and her face reddened as she moved back. I rubbed my neck nervously as the quiet grew more painful. Carly refused to look at me, so I didn't look at her. It was a highly awkward situation.

"So…" Carly said, "Uh, hi."

"Hi." I said, not sure if I was glad for the break in silence or not.

"Freddie, there's something I have to tell you." she said, suddenly getting loud. I shrugged as an "Okay" and sat on the edge of the iCarly car we owned that jutted out from the wall. Spencer had the idea.

"You know how you've had a crush on me for a long time?" Carly asked, to which I nodded, "And how I've always said I want to stay friends? Well, lately, I've noticed some things about you. The way you make me laugh, the way you smile, how smart you are…I'm seeing things I've never seen before." I slowly got to my feet as she spoke. Thoughts raced through my head of what she could be saying.

"What do you mean, Carly?" I asked, stepping towards her. She sighed.

"Freddie…I think I like you. As in, more than friends." she said. As these words processed in my brain I felt myself get weak in the knees. Could it be true? My vision became blurry as the anxiety and excitement flooded though me. I felt a smile stretch along my features before I collapsed.

'~**~'

"Y'all right, Fredbag?" asked the voice of the blonde-headed demon. I blinked several times as blurred objects made their way into my sight. Soon my vision became clear, and I saw that I was lying on the iCarly studio's floor, Carly and Sam bent over me. At once I recalled the moment before I had fainted from shock: Carly said she wanted to be more than friends. It had been my only wish since she moved in across the hall. Then it came true.

"C-Carly," I stuttered as I struggled to sit up, "I-is it…t-true?" Carly nodded and I smiled bigger than ever.

"Yes, Freddie," she said, smiling too, "You want to be my boyfriend?"

"Yeah!" I yelled, making myself dizzy, "Shoosh, yeah!" Carly laughed and kneeled down by me. She planted a kiss upon my cheek and I felt immediate elation. Sam nodded to herself and grinned as Carly wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Thank Mother of chiz you finally said it," she said to Carly, "or Freducation here'd die old and alone." Carly laughed but I just glowered at Sam. However, the happiness of Carly liking me in that way was too strong to make me mad at anything. I turned to Carly and kissed her cheek joyfully.

Too bad it didn't end there.