Disclamier: I don't own iCarly or the NCAA or its teams and Universities so please don't sue me...
iWant to be Something More
Chapter one: The Bet
"If you had to write an obituary for yourself, what would be in it?"
Before that, Freddie Benson was ok with being the tech producer of the biggest Web-show around. He was ok with going to the University of Washington for Communications. However, when he received that assignment at the end of his senior year of high school it got him thinking.
What would be in his Obituary? How would he be remembered, really? Who would remember him?
Freddie Benson went through high school as the A/V guy and if nothing else he was a techie. Not even a 'tech producer', just a techie… or a nerd… or any of the other things that Samantha Puckett would call him. He would try to ask his other friends about how they'd remember him, but none of their answers piqued Freddie's interests…
First he tried to get Germy Jeremy's opinion, "Try… AACHOO! Biochemistry… Achoo! and help find the… Achoo! cure, to... Achoo! allergies..." Germy Jeremy sneezed out his answer. Freddie slowly backed away as Jeremy went into a sneezing fit.
He decided he'd go find Shane, and see what he thought. "What about what you're doing now? Be a producer… of like a news network or something. You know you'd be great at it." Shane replied while tinkering with his digital camera. Freddie thought to ask him what he was doing, but decided that it could wait.
He, then,. decided to swallow his pride and ask Jake Crandall, "How about helping me with my music career? It could get you big bucks being a producer in the music industry. Especially for me, since I'm about to hit it big, and all" Freddie struggled to contain a scoff. Music career? Jake still had all of the singing ability of a falling brick.
Unable to locate Carly at the school and running low on options he went to Spencer, "Bungee Jumping! How about bungee jumping? It's all about taking risks and... wait. Do you smell something burning?" Spencer turned around to see his coffee table engulfed In flames. All Freddie could do was watch in a stunned disappointment. he resolved to wait at Carly's place until she came home.
Carly walked through the door and greeted Freddie. Instead of barraging Carly with questions about his future he waited until she was settled in.
Once she was settled in Freddie asked her what she thought he could be, "Freddie, you should do what you love, and make it something that you are comfortable with… Something that shows everyone the real you. Something like... what you're doing now." Carly finished with a half hearted smile. She knew It wasn't the answer he wanted but before she could amend her statement she noticed the coffee table. "What happened to the coffee table?" Freddie shot here a 'duh' look and watched as she exasperatedly turned to face her brother's room, "Spencerrr!"
The advice that he got was acceptable, he supposed, but it wasn't what Freddie wanted to hear. Every answer he got just pointed him back to what he already was. What he didn't want to be anymore… a techie, and a nerd. That really was what everybody thought of when they thought of him. He was getting nowhere.
Then He decided to talk to his best guy friend, Gibby. Gibby was getting a scholarship to play basketball for the University of Washington Huskies. He had beefed up during high school and had turned into a powerful force on the court. he had also developed a pretty mean jump shot. He lead the district in scoring during his senior year, however, that isn't what impressed the Washington Head Coach Lorenzo Romar. What impressed the coach was his ability to grab defensive rebounds. Along with leading the district In scoring, Gibby also led the state in rebounds.
Freddie spoke to Gibby a few days before graduation. They were shooting around on the courts right outside of the Bushwell Apartment Complex. He was hoping that he could get some good advice from Gibby...
Gibby thought that he could give Freddie something better...
"Look Benson," Gibby said while trying to shoot a three point shot that hit the rim and bounced out of the hoop. "I am going to be starting training camp in July." Freddie grabbed the ball and passed it to Gibby. Gibby tossed Freddie the ball, "You wanna take a shot?" Freddie shot him a glare and threw the ball back to Gibby.
Gibby caught the ball and shrugged. He took another shot, and then continued talking, "Anyways, before training Camp…" The shot went in. "…there's this guy, some hot shot recruit from New York who actually decided to come to Washington, he's staging some sort of 'pre training camp' for us freshman to get used to our teammates and to get some early practice in." Freddie passed to Gibby who, in turn, passed the ball to Freddie once more, "C'mon man, take a shot."
Freddie released a sigh and walked over to where Gibby was standing. Gibby continued, "They said we can bring a friend to join us and I want to bring you," Freddie set his feet, jumped, and released the ball, "To see if you wanna go my route, you know?" They watched as the ball sailed through the hoop. Gibby chuckled and retrieved the ball.
While passing the ball to Freddie he said, "Either way man, it's totally your call." Freddie set his feet, jumped, and shot once again, sinking another shot, "But it definitely couldn't hurt."
Freddie told Gibby that he'd think about it. Much to his surprise, he found himself actually taking some serious time to see if it was something that he could do. A basketball player? Is that what he wanted to be? It would certainly take up most of his college life other than studying. Is that the future for him? Could it give him what he wanted?
He was still thinking of these things at the Graduation Party, which was being held at the Groovy Smoothie.
Samantha Puckett waved her hands in front of Freddie's face, "Freddork, you're in nerd mode, get out of it!" Freddie came out of his trance and looked around. They were the only ones left. The place was empty, aside from T-Bo cleaning up. Carly was nowhere to be seen.
"Sam," Freddie would say. "Where is Carly?"
"Carlotta and Gibson walked each other home. I swear they're a couple." Sam took a sip of her smoothie, "They need to admit it to themselves..." Carly and Gibby have become closer in the past 2 years since Gibby and Tasha had broken up.
Even though they've each admitted to their respective friends they like each other, neither one of them were willing to ask the other out. They had so many excuses 'I am waiting for the other to ask first.' or 'I just got out of a long relationship.'
It didn't help their cause that they were dancing 'like a couple' during the graduation party.
Sam was already convinced that they would get together saying; 'it's a matter of time.' but when would it happen?
"Oh." Freddie would have gone back to thinking but Sam stopped him there.
"Freddork, what in ham hock is wrong with ya?"
"Nothing." he lied. He wanted her opinion. But he was unsure of how to get it without having her ridicule him. He knew her, and he knew that she would seize his insecurity and hold it over his head. The last thing he wanted to do was give her more ammunition.
He decided to ease into it. "Hey Sam," Freddie would say finally, "What are you doing this summer?"
"Why would you want to know, nub?"
"I'm just asking..."
"Well," Sam leans forward onto the table. "I am going to get settled in at U-Dub, spend some time with Carly, and then I'm off to Volleyball camp for the rest of the summer."
"I Thought you were gonna try-out for the basketball team. I'm sure you could make the team as a walk on…" Freddie would have continued, but a sudden hand went across his face. "What the… What was that for?" Said a flabbergasted Freddie, holding his jaw.
"I've retired from all of that remember?"
Freddie rubbed his jaw, in an attempt to alleviate the sting. "Whatever you say." Freddie knew the reason for Sam's 'retirement'. Sam was, way, too good of a Shooting Guard to give up that easily.
A few months ago, at the McDonald's All-American game, a verbal spat with, 6'8 behemoth, Center Evelyn Carter, turned into one of the most shocking one sided fights that many had ever witnessed. Sam squared up, and sent a fist across Carter's jaw; knocking her straight out. That video is still top 5, all-time, on Youtube. Even though the internet fame was welcome, ever since that game, no school will go near her. They seemed to be way too afraid to deal with someone like that.
So, for anger management purposes, she took up Volleyball. She led Ridgeway to a state title and received her scholarship to play for Washington by this fall.
"So, Freddork, what are you doing this summer?" Sam said to change the subject "Going to your 'Nerd Camp for Adults'?"
"It's Technology Camp!" Freddie would, sharply, retort. After a breath he calmed down, "But I'm not going this summer. I'm thinking of taking up Gibby on his offer of going to New York with him."
"For what?" Sam laid back again slurping her Citrus Berry Blast.
Freddie sighed, and braced himself for her reaction, "Basketball."
Sam suddenly burst into two minutes of uncontrollable laughter, sprinkling Freddie's face in the smoothie that had previously been in her mouth.
"Sam!" Freddie screamed while he wiped his face off with the nearest napkin.
Once her laughter had subsided, she spoke, "You think you're athletic? You're more on the pathetic side, Benson," Sam would say after calming down from her laughing fit.
Freddie didn't think it was quite as funny as she did, and said the words that would change his life forever...
"Wanna bet on it?" Freddie asked suddenly.
Sam looked up and stared at Freddie's face. He couldn't be serious. Fredward Benson, the biggest dork in the universe, thinks that he can be an athlete? It'd take a miracle for that to happen. Then again, humiliating him was always fun and this might be the most fun yet.
"Yes. Why don't we? Here is the deal. You have four years to prove yourself to be the 'athlete' you THINK you are. You have to start two games in one season for any athletic team." Freddie was smirking till she said "And Fencing doesn't count nub." She smirked in turn while watching his own fall. She loved it when she can wipe that smirk right off Freddie's face.
"But If I win, Sam, you will have to act like a girl on the week of our graduation. And I don't mean just straightening your hair and wear a little lip gloss. No. I mean, we're going back to the Victorian Era, lady. I want to see pure proper out of you for this." Freddie watched as her smirk failed and eye began to twitch. Freddie loved it when he could tick Sam off.
After Sam recovered from her moment she She offers up her end of the bargain, "Oh-ho, and if I win, you will have dress like the king of dorks. Suspenders, thick red glasses, a bow-tie… guess who that is?" Freddie's sense of smug satisfaction was quickly destroyed. Sam had turned the tables on Freddie. So quick… so sudden… she really was a ninja. On top of that she wasn't done, "Also, as Icing on the cake; you'll be smelling like a skunk going up to get your diploma! How would you like Pepe Le-pew cologne?" Sam's grin made the Cheshire Cat's grin look like a good natured smile.
Freddie couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she out of her mind? Would she think that Fredward Benson would take a bet so insane… take a risk that was so crazy, that if he failed he would never see the light of day after graduation aside from going to work and coming home? Was this the way she would want this to go down? He found her lack of faith disturbing. Samantha Puckett really thought that Fredward Benson wouldn't go through with this. she really though that he would run and cower.
He'd show her.
"You're on!" This girl had another thing coming. As they pinky swore on it, and sat back to finish their smoothies; both would think: easiest bet ever won.
After dropping off Sam at Carly's, he called Gibby right off the bat and put his plan of beating Sam once and for all, in motion. Who knows? Maybe, in the end, it will make him a better person… make them both better people.
"Gibby, I'm gonna take you up on that offer." He would tell Gibby into his Pear phone. "When are we leaving?"
Unbeknownst to him, he is about to get involved in one of the craziest four years of his life.
Well that is the start of my new story, iWant to be Something more. It's a plot bunny that i have been thinking of for a long time but i think this will be a good read so please tell me what you think. Your reviews are important... and don't forget the other story I am doing with Tech-Man, iChoose by HarTech inc. So my second chapter will come up soon and please review, please?
Thanks for the support if you do.
Hartful13
