Author's Note: Happy Creddie Friday! The first post-iCarly Creddie Friday. I wonder how long this will last? Anyway, I have a story for you and I hope you all enjoy it.
iSurprise Him
By OneHorseShay
Disclaimer: Don't Own, don't sue. For God sakes, don't sue.
Rating: T
Pairing: Creddie
Summary: It's time for the senior prom for Freddie and the rest, too bad Carly is in Italy.
Long distance relationships were for the birds.
Well that was one way of putting it that had crossed Freddie's mind as he sat on the stool in front of his computer desk in his room on the Saturday night trying to engross himself in a game of World of Warlords. It wasn't a typical Saturday night for the teenager of doing homework or killing time with Worlds of Warlords or a movie night at the Shays (which they hadn't had one in the last few weeks), no tonight was of all things, Ridgeway's Senior Prom.
A knock on his partially opened door drew him out of his thoughts and his attention to whoever was interrupting his game play.
The source for his interruption was the smiling face of Gibby. He was dressed up in his tuxedo that he wore in their aborted attempt to cheer Carly up by offering to take her to the Father-Daughter Air Force dance. He snorted out a soft breath with his laugh as he asked, "Dude, why aren't you ready?"
The former tech-producer blew out a breath as there was no reason to ask what the teenager was referring, so Freddie gave a half hearted smile and a slight nod of his head. "I'm not going."
Gibby raised his right hand and pinched his pointer finger and thumb and questioned with disbelief, "You're going to skip the prom?"
Freddie gave a nod of his head and muttered out flippantly, "Yeah, I am."
Gibby walked over close enough to give him a reassuring pat on his right shoulder as he laughed, "You can't do that. Okay, so Carly's not here but that doesn't mean we can't have a blast!"
The brown eyed teenager rolled his eyes and mumbled, "I'm not interesting in going."
Gibby raised his hands and tried another approached when raising his hands, "Oh come on, it's the prom. Everyone's going, even Sam."
Freddie raised his brow and laughed out, "How? On her motorcycle? That would be an interesting sight to see her going down the road in her prom dress."
The taller teenager let out a solid laugh as he explained, "No, we got a limousine to take us. One of Socko's relatives… Driver I think, is letting Spencer have it for a steal for the night. It's Spencer's treat for us."
He waved the taller teenager away with the back of his hand and suggested, "That's nice thing he's doing, so go have fun."
Gibby gently pulled on Freddie's arm to try to get him out of his seat as he started to beg, "Come on Freddie. You have to go."
Freddie frowned and started swatting down pretty hard on Gibby's hand to let him go.
Gibby relented and let go of his friend's arm and took a step back as Freddie's slaps had some sting over his knuckles.
"Okay, dragging you isn't going to do it,"
Freddie raised an eyebrow and questioned, "You think?"
The larger teenager blew out a breath and tried again to pursue his increasingly stubborn friend. "Do you really think she's going to think you're cheating with dancing with a few girls? Is that it?"
The brown eyed teenager turned in his seat and rested his elbow on the desk as he countered with an annoyed filled tone, "You thought Tasha was cheating on you when she simply tripped and fell on me? Sorry Gibby, but you did make me kind of paranoid over your silliness and the last time I listened to any advice for my relationships, I lost Carly for years and got into a relationship that I knew was doomed from the start. Sorry, I have no intention of repeating my mistakes."
Gibby sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth then bowed his head in defeat. He slightly shook it then tried one last attempt, "Fine, but ask yourself this: 'Would Carly want you to miss out on the prom just because she's not here?'"
Freddie frowned at the question and Gibby nodded his head as he turned to head out of the room. "Just something you might want to think about. We won't be leaving for an hour, so you're welcome to come over and ride with us.
Gibby rounded the door frame and disappeared out of sight.
Freddie slightly frowned as he shook his head then he looked over to the closet where the tux he wore in planning to take Carly to the Air Force dance was still hanging.
Ridgeway High School
Late May 2012
Freddie instantly frowned at seeing the scores of students as he entered the gym with Gibby and Sam by his side. He reminded him that in just a few weeks that they would be going their separate ways and he would miss a few of them, but of course what was bothering him the most was that Carly not being there to share this right of passage moment. He had to fight the urge to regret finally agreeing to go with the pair.
He glanced over to his friends and saw that they were far happier at the occasion with Gibby grinning and Sam sporting her own smile. She was wearing a royal blue strapless dress with sweetheart neckline with the length reaching her ankles and her blonde locks resting over her right shoulder. He could easily admit that Sam was certainly eye catching regardless of the history of their past physical relationship.
"Mama's going to PAR-TAYYY!" Sam quickly made her way into the crowd ready to join her classmates in the upbeat dancing.
Freddie shook his head and instantly made his way to the refreshment table as he had no interest at the moment to socialize with his fellow students. He glanced at some of his fellow seniors that were loitering about it and chatting among themselves.
They instantly noticed his presence as he stopped in front of the table and were giving him sympathetic expressions instead of the usual dismissive pity that he could usually see in their eyes. He guessed that even they could have sympathy for him on this night after everything. He still tried to ignore them as he grabbed himself a plastic cup and poured himself some red punch. He brought the plastic cup to his lips, but paused for a moment.
He glanced to the other students and casually asked, "Did any of you spike the punch?"
The teenagers glanced among themselves to see if they had heard him correctly in such a blatantly questioning of them.
Freddie shook his head and mumbled out as if he were cursing, "Chizz… I could use it."
One glanced around to make sure none of the chaperones were watching then pulled out a flask from his jacket pocket as apparently had a bit more sympathy of the teenager that had helped bring laughs to them over the years with iCarly. He unscrewed the top offered it with Freddie instinctively holding his plastic cup to him.
He poured just a little into the cup then explained, "Just don't snitch on us."
Freddie snorted out, "As if any of them would believe me."
The melancholic comment drew an unintended laugh from the others as he turned and headed for what looked like the table Gibby had claimed for them. Everyone know not to challenge them for the table as everyone was quite aware that if they drew the dirty blonde's attention, Sam willing to enforce that claim if anyone was stupid enough to try. He had a seat at the table and started nursing on his red punch. He could taste the faint hint of alcohol even if it was his first time in his life of having any, but the strong punch would have easily masked it if he didn't know it was in it.
He glanced across the dance area and saw that Sam was having a particularly good time in dancing. He had to suppress a laugh as one student got a little to fresh with Sam in grabbing her silky covered behind and she backhanded an elbow into his face then just continue on dancing. For once, he could approve of her first choice and the sheer casualness of her continuing to have a good time. He made a note to himself to get at least one dance in with his old time frenemy for old time sake as after graduation, it was up in the air where exactly Sam's plans. She had hinted at maybe moving down to Los Angeles, but nothing was set in stone.
His eyes continued to wonder as he sipped on his punch as he noticed at least a half a dozen girls that he could ask and enjoy a dance. Wendy was looking particularly gorgeous in her silky red dress that stopped just above her knees. He let out a soft laugh as even Magical Malika was looking particularly eye catching with her New Age style attire and her surprisingly straightened hair.
He blew out another tired breath and sipped on his drink as the hint of alcohol seemed to calm his nerves. He briefly snorted out and wondered if his mother would make him take a breathalyzer test when he got back, assuming she got off duty at the hospital before the prom was over.
He finally let a smile form on his face at seeing how everyone looked as they were having a good time and their happiness was becoming infectious. The music and camaraderie of the student body was so loud, all he could make out was the words when someone asked over his right shoulder, "Care to dance?"
He frowned at the request as he just wasn't ready to commit to one even if he was starting to loosen up on the idea. He blew out a breath then turned his head and looked up to see who was the owner of the voice and turn the person down, but his mouth froze at who he saw.
Carly Taylor Shay in her peach colored dress she wore to the Father/Daughter Air Force Dance just a few weeks ago smiled down at him. "Surprise."
He stood up and gave her a dumbfounded expression.
She let out a soft giggle as he took a moment to look at her up and down just to process that she was there in person.
He blew out a breath through his lips as a smile formed on his face and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close to her. He studied her eyes for a moment as an elated smile was on her face. "How?"
Carly smirked while she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck then gave him a soft peck on his right cheek. She gave him a playful look with her eyes and answered, "You know there are these things called airplanes?"
He softly chuckled at the obviousness of the answer. He leaned in and stole a quick kiss then answered, "I forgot about those magical metal birds."
His lame joke brought out a giggle from the lovely brunette and she returned with her own quick kiss that Freddie didn't mind one bit.
Sam's voice cut through music and the ambient noise of the crowd as she quickly approached the couple, "Carly?"
Freddie let go of his lovely girlfriend and the pale brunette turned and smiled to the dirty blonde. Sam pulled her friend into a tight hug and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Sam stepped back and held on to the girl's shoulders as the younger teenage softly giggled, "How could I miss my Senior Prom?"
Gibby had found his way over and took the opportunity to point out the obvious, "You don't go here anymore."
"So…" She wrapped her arm around Freddie's right arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm his date."
Gibby pointed out, "Yeah, but you got to fill out forms, put in paperwork—"
Sam turned her eyes to the taller teenager and glared at him, questioning if he was serious about bringing up that detail while their friend was back for the night which brought his spiel to a stop. She smirked at seeing the fear in his eyes that she was able to instill.
The brunette smiled at her old friend and playfully asked, "What? They'll going to throw me out? Would you let them throw me out?"
The dirty blonde chuckled, "Oh no, mama's not going to let anyone ruin your night."
"Speaking of the night… can I have the first dance of the evening?" Freddie graciously asked as he extended out his right hand.
Carly bashfully bowed her head then took his hand and she let him lead her to the dance floor.
As they made there way through the crowd of students, Carly was instantly recognized and a flood of hushed whispers started circulating among them.
Freddie smirked as he commented and brought the girl to a stop to rest his hands on her hips. "I guess you're the talk of the prom… showing up out of the blue. You've just upstaged the prom queen… whoever she is."
She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and let them loosely hang behind him as she smiled at him. "I hope we're the talk of the prom."
He smiled in return and moved his hands from her hips and rested them on the small of her back.
The song playing was an upbeat one, but the couple didn't care as they really just swayed together.
"I've missed you,"
She softly laughed while pointing out, "You see me everyday."
He answered with a surprisingly somber tone, "It's just not the same… How long are you going to stay?"
She slightly bowed her head and he instantly recognized that she had the same opinion. She looked back up with a hint of a smile as she answered, "Well… I don't have to leave out until late tomorrow. I can catch a redeye flight back and I can always miss Monday, so we have plenty of time for us to spend together."
He leaned his head forward and let his lips just barely brush over hers then her cheek then stopped just to her left ear, "Then we're going to enjoy ever second of it."
She pulled him tighter toward her and softly laughed from the words and the tickling sensation against her ear from his breath.
The couple turned their attention of just slow dancing together no matter the beat of the music. After several dances, they conceded to give a chance to a few others to cut into their dancing. Gibby was particularly happy to get a dance with the former web-hostess and Freddie and Sam were able to surprisingly share a nice dance. The couple got in a few more dances with others as it was announced several times for the students to take a moment to vote for prom king and queen.
As the night started winding down of dancing, reminiscing over the last four years and Carly catching up with several students about her experiences in Italy including having to chase away all the cute Italian boys and some sons of the other Air Force personnel going to the base school (much to Freddie's annoyance), Principal Franklin took his position behind the podium put up on the setup platform at the end of the gymnasium they set up for each time there was a student assembly.
The much loved principal gave a joyous smile as he announced, "I'm happy to announce that the voting is over and we are ready to announce this year's Prom King and Queen. I'll start with this year's queen…" He unfolded the yellow piece of paper then cheerfully announced, "We have a surprise winner that I'm happy to announce… Carly Shay!"
The brunette instantly covered her mouth with both of her hands and her eyes nearly bulged out of her eyes. She was frozen in place for a few moments and it took Sam and Wendy to each gently took her by the elbow and gave her the necessary will to head up to the stage.
The brunette actually had a few tears formed in her eyes as she took the stage. Instead of the prom court, Franklin decided to take the crown and gently place it on the top of her head. He softly whispered with a fatherly tone, "Congratulations Carly."
"Thank you," she mouthed as she tried to hold back the tears.
Franklin turned back to the podium and looked to the second piece of paper. He opened the paper and snorted out a quick laugh then announced, "And now, your prom king, Freddie Benson."
The former tech-producer didn't hide from his face the fact that he was voted as king. A part of him realized that it was probably out of obligation as he was Carly's boyfriend and she would want him to be the king than any particular feelings towards him as over the years he knew most of them looked at him as barely above dirt and another small piece of him returned the feeling. However, he wasn't going to complain as he quickly took the stage and allowed them to place the crown on his head.
The couple shared a smile and Carly continued to try to fight back the happy tears as the student exploded into applauds with Sam letting out a high pitch whistle.
They took a few moments to finally calm down enough for Franklin to happily announced, "I present to you your Prom King and Queen and now for their dance to lead us off to the rest of the night."
Freddie led Carly by the arm off the stage and the student body parted so the couple could make their way down to the center of the dancing area. Maybe it was a coincidence or maybe Fate just having a little fun, but the song to lead the couple off for their first dance as queen and king was instantly recognized to them as it started playing, 'Meant for Me'.
He softly laughed then leaned his head forward to whisper in her ear, "Better than Junior Prom?"
Her eyes lit up as she answered playfully, "Much better," then started slow dancing to what had become their song.
The couple shared a few more dances as they were taking advantage of ever moment where they could feel the other's physical presence as soon they would have to part again then made their way to have several pictures taken with them as the prom queen and king and a few others with various friends and a group photo.
The night finally wind down and the student body started to filter out to head for various after parties or in some cases of some couple, to get laid to put in blunt terms.
The iCarly gang started making their way out of the gym so they could celebrate back at the Shays' apartment with Sam swaying her body as she led them to the waiting limo and the music still blared loud enough to be heard outside of the gym. Gibby laughed at her antics, but was quite willing to join her celebratory mood. The prom king and queen walked arm in arm in a far more solemn demeanor as they followed their friends.
Freddie heard the ping from his PearPhone (after finally chucking that oversized and ridiculous monstrosity his mother had bought him earlier) just as the couple reached the open door of the limo. He pulled out his phone and read a quick text message. He idly commented, "It's my mom; she's letting me know she going to be staying at the hospital all night tonight."
Carly gave him a wicked smirk as she slipped into the limo's seat and reached up to pull him by the collar to bring him down to eye level with her. She whispered seductively, "Good… because you're spending the night at my place."
Freddie pursed his lips in surprise, but he had no complaints with such a demand from his girlfriend. He slipped in beside her and pulled the door shut then the group of friends were on their way home to continue to enjoy the night of being young and happy.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this little somewhat clichéd oneshot for something that Dan failed miserably at showing. For someone so hung up on the timeline, I admit I played with it because if you really count from iHalfoween, iGoodbye should actually take place after they graduate in late June.