-Hiding IT-

Chapter 1: Positively Terrible

SAM'S POV:

The little pee stick says it all. One little pink plus sign. Trust me, this is NOT positive news.

Pregnant?

I can't be. There's no freaking possible way I could actually be… 'with child'. Unless… Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! That night, I got a little more drunk than I was supposed to. What a blur of a night.

No. I won't spazz out about this. I will remain calm and - oh my GOD, I'm freaking pregnant!

"Sam? Sam, you in there?"

It's Spencer Shay, my best friend's older brother. If he finds out, there will be hell to pay. Well, he's kind of like the father I never really had. He's gonna flip!

"Just a sec," I call out.

"Hurry up, I need to take a wazz!"

"Okay! Keep your duck pajama pants on!"

I take a look in the mirror, and notice my face has gone a sickly green color. Good reason for that too.

I'm pregnant. Ugh, I can't tell anyone about this. Not even my careless mother, who probably wouldn't even care. Not Carly, not Spencer. Heck, definitely not -

"Sam! Seriously! Get outta there!"

"Alright!"

As soon as I open the door, I'm pushed aside, as Spencer races in there and slams the door. Talk about desperate times.

This was very serious. I had no one to turn to either.

Another door burst open, and in walks Carly and Freddie, chatting, laughing and carrying on about who knows what. I observe from the couch that I had placed myself on just now.

"Why didn't you wait for us, Sam?" Freddie questions.

"Why are you such a dork, Freddie?" I fire back.

"Sam!" Carly replies, in shock. "That wasn't nice!"

I know, I know. It was a little mean. Okay, very mean. I had a valid excuse. Hormones. And being… I can't even say it anymore. That's how embarrassed I am about this whole chizzed up mess.

"I'm sorry Carly," I say.

"It's alright. Just… try to be nicer to Freddie."

I scoff and roll my eyes. He's doing the same as me. We both glare at each other, until Carly's voice breaks our silence and staring contest.

"Freddie! Sam! Come on, it's snack time!"

I stand up. A little too quickly. As I do that, my head spins a little and a stagger backwards, right where Freddie is standing. I brace myself for the butt on floor impact, but instead his arms wrap around me quickly stopping the process.

My head tilts backward, and I see his warm brown eyes widen in somewhat fear and possible regret. Now, usually, on every other normal day, I'd punch him or kick him furiously. This wasn't any other normal day. Oh no. This was the day I found out I was freaking pregnant!

I blamed it on that.

"You okay?" Freddie says, helping me stand up again.

"I'm fine… nub," I reply, weakly adding the insult at the end.

"Snack?"

"Heck yeah!"

I run toward the kitchen, but not before pushing Freddie back a little, so I could get to the food first.

Mama, always wins.

Well, except for when she finds out she's got a growing, living creature inside her belly. Then it all turns super weird.

Smiling to hide my own insecurities, I grab a cupcake. Carly is always buying us cupcakes, because she loves them so much. I don't blame her either. Cupcakes are awesome. When you're not pregnant, that is.

Truth is, and this surprises me as much as it will surprise you… I wasn't the least bit hungry.

As I force the cake down my throat, I feel a pair of eyes on me. Not Carly's. Freddie's. His yummy, chocolate colored eyes, that drew me in. It was uncontrollable. I hated myself for being so damn attracted to him right now. Even more so, now, than ever before.

"Sam?" Carly says, breaking through my thought. "You look… kind of lost. Are you alright?"

"Of course," I reply, glancing at Freddie, and resist the urge to smile. He has some cream on his upper lip, and doesn't know it's there.

If my best friend wasn't here right now…

I smile at him, he smiles at me. I lean in toward his face, my lips inches from where the cream is…

"You sure?"

Again. Breaking through my little day dream. I love my best friend, but she drives me crazy sometimes, with her worry and confusion.

"Carly, I'm fine."

"Okay," she says, looking at me like she didn't believe a single word of what I was saying.

I take half a step toward Freddie. Don't ask me why. I'm with-child here. Anything I do is going to be strange to anyone else. Especially the people who matter to me most. Carly. Spencer. And, believe it or not… even Freddie.

But he didn't shove me off, or walk away when I moved closer to him. I needed it. I needed him to need me as much as I needed him. Does that make any sense? Probably not.

"So, I was thinking, for iCarly…" Carly starts speaking, and while she does, I'm completely zoning out.

Freddie leans over and brushes my hair aside, to whisper in my ear. I smile as he does this.

"Sam, let's get out of here," he whispers, while Carly's back is turned.

"What? Your precious Carly, is talking about something important. We should be listening."

"And since when are you polite? You're not even listening right now."

"…are you even listening to me?" Carly demanded, both hands on hips and staring at me. Freddie nods his head, and I nod too. Sure, I lied.

"Oh, is that the time? Sorry Carls, I promised my mom I'd be home to help her wash the dishes."

I snort in amusement. Yes, I seem like my normal obnoxious, rambunctious self, don't I? Well, that's a façade. Yes, I know what the word means, otherwise I wouldn't have said it. It means a mask, a wall to cover up the reality of the situation.

In reality, deep inside the pit of my stomach, I'm all tied up in knots. I'm falling in love. I'm falling hard.

But no one seems to want to catch me. I watch Freddie leave in silence, and then look down at my phone. One text and two missed calls. Huh. Sorry mom. Today was probably not the best day for you to 'clean up your act as a irresponsible single parent'.

"Sorry Carly, mom needs me at home right now. Call you later, kay?"

"Okay," smiled Carly, but the shining concern was still evident in her eyes. I could see it.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"Oh I know that."

After a quick hug, she pats my head and I exit the apartment, closing the door behind me. I see him standing right there, arms folded and a little frown on his face. I try a half scowl and walk past. His hand is stopping me.

I turn around, just about to throw him against the wall, in fury for touching me but something tells me to just listen to Freddie.

"Sam, you've been acting weird all day. What's up with you?"

"Nothing," I say, with a straight face.

Again, I'm lying. But this guy is the absolute last person I'd want to tell the truth to. There was no way he could ever know about all of this. But, believe me when I say… I really want him to know. I really need him to be the understanding, compassionate, kind-hearted boy I know that he is.

"It doesn't seem like nothing," he replies, his voice going softer now.

"Look, I know it's scary, putting your feelings out there… everyone feels that way…"

Shaking my head quickly, that moment vanishes to the back of my mind. No, I can't think about that. No.

That should not be running around my brain.

"Believe me," I reply, walking away from him. "It's nothing."

I'm turning loopy. Mental. Completely crazy. I'm falling in love with Freddie Benson… chiz! Or it could be because I'm freaking pregnant! Cue the intense session of kicking and screaming like a two year old, having a tantrum.

That's me. Running away from the inevitable. Running away, even from the good things.