MashUp, an icarly fanfic

~We were both young when I first saw you. I close my eyes and the flashback starts~

"Do we really HAVE to go?" "Yes, Sam, we MUST." said a very nerved Carly Shay to her best friend for about the 100th time that day.
"Dun wanna..." Sam Puckett growled and crossed arms in front of her chest while sitting on the Shay's couch. "COME ON, SAM." hissed Carly and dragged the blonde girl up the stairs to her room to dress up and do her hair.
She sighed while trying to get the messy blonde curls to look less messy and more shiny. They were going to the "e-awards", at least to a pre-event, where all the nominated teams would show up and were supposed to get to know each other. Carly still didn't get the reason, why the hosts would do something like this, but because it was a private investor, she guessed, the hosts would do anything. Another point, that she didn't get at all was, why everyone had to show up in long dresses and suits. Well, sure, it was pretty cool to drive in a sponsored limo that would pick the three of them up and the event would take place in an incredibly beautiful castle, but it was the "E-awards", that would be given away. So why this whole castle-thing?
"I have no idea, Carls. That's why I dun wanna go there." answered the blonde mess of hair in front of her. Carly snapped out of her thoughts. It seemed like she spoke her thoughts out loud. "Err... well, whatever, Sam. Isn't it awesome that we're nominated? We HAVE to go there or it would be a bad publicity, you know?" Now Sam sighed as well. "I didn't say, that we shouldn't go AT ALL. It was just, that I don't wanna go." she grinned at Carly's cocked eyebrow in the mirror. The brunette shook her head and started working at the blonde mess again.

"I'm done, Sam, what do you think?" Carly said proudly, dragging Sam in front of the mirror. Sam looked into the mirror. She looked gorgeous. Carly really did well, what really should be the result after about 2 hours of ripping, poking and pushing. "You did a good job, Carls." she grinned, turning in front of the mirror to look at her back side. Her blonde messy curls were shiny and flowing smoothly over her left shoulder in a loose side-ponytail, her dress was apricot and the petticoat under it was doing well in making it look all princess-like. It was hold on the left shoulder and tight, perfectly accentuating Sam's curves. Carly always grew a bit depressed because of Sam's curves. They were just more... curvy than hers. "I think so, too" she complimented herself, "go on downstairs, if you like, I'll just put on my make-up and get myself into that violett dress."
Sam nodded and headed downstairs, to the kitchen, Carly supposed.
"Don't dare to mess up your dress or hair!" she yelled after her.

Arriving in the living room, Sam heard a cell vibrating. She searched the couch and finally found her own stuck between two cussions. She got a new text.

From: Duckface

Gonna be late for the limo, my mom will bring me. Don't eat all the food before I get there!
Freddie

Sam grinned. He sure knew her too well.
She put her cell in her golden purse and walked to the fridge to get herself something to drink. "Is Freddie there yet?" Carly asked when she came down the stairs in her high-heels, another golden pair in her hands. "No, he'll be late and said we should go ahead. What's with the shoes?" Sam answered casually.
"Are you serious? Or are you just trying to get rid of him again? They're for you, by the way." Carly answered suspiciously. Sam was ALWAYS trying to get rid of the iCarly-tech-producer, although it had become less these past days. But she was still Sam Puckett, so you could never be sure what would come next.
"NO way I'm gonna wear THOSE shoes. Check this text, check your cell, I'm sure he texted you as well... ouh that rhymed... I'm such a genius." Sam grinned evilly and took a zip from her glass of milk. Carly tch-ed and pulled her own cell out of her purse, only to see that he really had sent the text to her as well. "Sam... you don't happen to have stolen Freddie's cell, do you?" she asked, still suspicious.
"Would it matter, if I had?" Sam grinned, but Carly didn't bother any longer and got her jacket from the couch. "Kay, SAMANTHA, then let's go, the limo-driver called, he's waiting in front of the entrance."
"Sure thing." Sam was dragged into the highheels and after about five minutes they left the loft with a short shout-out to Spencer.

Arriving at the "castle" Sam and Carly were both agreeing on rather calling it a "palace". The grounds were enormous. An amazing green access road lead them around a beautiful lighted fountain. Even Sam "aaaw"- and "ooooh"-ed. When they got to the so-called front-"door" (which Carly decided to be a portal to another world) there was a RED CARPET! "WOAAAH! We're seriously at the right location?" Sam asked, well rather SCREAMED at the limo driver. He nodded, then the doors were opened by a young guy in a red suit with a red hat. "Welcome, Miss Carly, Miss Samantha. We heard, Mr. Fredward would be catching up, later, is that right?" he greeted them.
Carly nodded. "Er... well yes, Mr. ... Door-opener-guy, but how do you know?"
"His mother sent an e-mail." Mr. Door-opener-guy answered while lending Carly and Sam a hand to step out of the limo all lady-like. "Please, go inside, the doors will be opened in a few seconds." "But what's with those papparazzi?" Sam asked grinning evil at the thought that she could've embarrassed Freddie in front of all those cameras. "They were engaged to take photos for the investors to make you feel just as glamorous as you deserve." The door-opener said and closed the door after him gently. That made him an "door-opener-and-closer-guy". Carly and Sam started walking shoulder to shoulder, diving into the sea of lightning. They found into posing pretty soon, and even SAM liked it more then she would have ever imagined.
"Not such a bad idea to come, was it?" Carly asked grinning, when they entered through the front portal. The girls stepped into a huge entrance-hall where another guy in a red suit and with a red hat who took their jackets and a third guy who handed them something that smelled like champagne were waiting.
"Ah, Miss Carly, Miss Samantha." A man in his middle 50s approached.
"Welcome, to the pre-e-awards-event. I was told, Mr. Fredward would be late? Is something wrong?" "N-No... there's nothing wrong, but... who are you?" Carly asked, obviously confused.
"Oh, excuse me, for not introducing myself first. I'm Sir McKingston. The host of tonight's event. Also the biggest investor of the e-awards. I just wanted to get to know every participant beforehand. It is kind of MY award, so..." he looked at the girls. Carly was smiling politely and nodding every now and then. Sam's look was already glued to the buffet in the next room. "Err... Miss Samantha, do you happen to be hungry? I would love to lead you to the buffet. It's delicious."
Sam nodded, her gaze still on the buffet. "Yeah, that'd be great. But stop calling me Samantha. 'Sam''s just fine." "Sure... Miss... err... Sam." and with that Sir McKingston linked arms with her and turned to Carly. "Miss Carly, would you give us the pleasure and join us?" he asked politely. Carly nodded and linked arms with the - a little bit weird but kind - old man. After Sam ate about half of the buffet all by herself she finally turned around and took a look at the other guests and her environment. They were in a huge hall in gold and white. It was really beautiful, just like in the fairytales, where the father of the princess gave a ball for his daughter to pick out the right man or something. The hall had huge gull-winged doors that led outside, framed by long curtains in a slight beige. Even the music reminded her of a ball. It was an orchestra that actually really played that aweful waltz-music.
Carly appeared beneath her blonde friend. "So, you're out of your trance?" she asked smiling. Sam grinned. "Yip, I guess so." "Well, then let me introduce you to an old friend of ours." Carly grinned and a boy appeared next to her, grinning widely. "FRED!" Sam yelled and hugged their old web-friend. "Er... Lucas, I mean..." she smiled at him. "Hehe. Hey Sam." He laughed. "How's it going?" "Awesome! I still love your ideas to make vids! How are you?" she smiled widely. She always had a kind of crush on this guy. He was funny, good-looking and simply awesome. "Fine. I'm nominated for "Best V-Log" ...I don't really know, if I'm fit for this, but whatever. You guys are nominated for "Best Live-Broadcast", aren't you?" the blonde guy asked grinning. "Yip, sure are. And we're so gonna win this." Sam smiled enthusiastically.
"Cool. Oh, I know how to dance on this song! Wanna dance, Carly?" Lucas offered her his hand. Carly looked at Sam for a second. Her eyes were widened a bit, but she nodded and smiled at once.

~I'm standing there On a balcony in summer air.~

When Carly and Lucas were on the dancefloor, dancing to something that sounded like a waltz or a foxtrott, Sam decided to discover where those gull-wing doors led to. They led her outside, on a balcony and offered an incredible image of a maze in a dark green. The sun had already set some while ago and lights were going on everywhere on the grounds. Sam stood there and watched them get brighter. Steps were leading down from the balcony into the garden, but she didn't want to get lost that early in the evening. It was so obvious, that everyone would pick Carly over her. Why was she still so sad? Maybe because she thought, that Lucas and her were actually getting along pretty well. She sighed. There was no sense in crying or being sad now. The evening should be boring enough. And she heard that Sir McKingston - which, she thought, was a pretty stupid name - was approaching, talking to someone. He seemed to have been looking for her, because when she walked in the direction of the hall again, he directly walked up to her. "Miss Samanth- err, Miss Sam. I'm glad to have found you." "Yeah, whaddup, Sir?" Sam asked in her most casual voice. "Mr. Fredward... err... Freddie has arrived and I wasn't able to find Miss Carly yet."

~See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns, I see you make your way through the crowd And say hello. Little did I know...~

Freddie walked up to them, struggling his way through the crowded place little by little. He looked good. Sam didn't want to, but had to admit that. His black suit fitted perfectly, just as the white shirt did under it, his hair was messy and his necktie loose from struggling. "Hey demon," he greeted, when he finally reached them out on the balcony, "did you leave me something to eat? I'm starving!"
Sam grinned. "Sure did. Was just too much. I'd be as fat as you are, if I had eaten it all." "I think you look good, too." He grinned back after cocking an eyebrow. "Thanks." Sam grinned back confidently. Sir McKingston left grinning, seeing the two of them were getting along quite well.
"So, where's Carls?" he asked, looking around. "Dancing... with Lucas." Freddie's face dropped. He had obviously been hoping to dance with her himself. He hesitated for a moment. "Lucas? You mean, like in 'FRED'-Lucas?" "Yep." "Well... it's... nice to see him again, I guess..." He stood there a bit unsure what to say next.
"Ahh, whatever, tech-boy, let's just get ourselves something to eat and hope that this evening won't get worse." Sam said, grabbed Freddie's arm and pulled him inside, heading for the buffet. "I thought you were gonna get as fat as I am?" Freddie asked grinning. "I'm not planning on eating it all, you know?" she grinned back.

~I don't think that passenger seat Has ever looked this good to me He tells me about his night And I count the colors in his eyes~

"So what did Crazy do to you this time, that you were so late?" Sam asked, still chewing. "Nothing, we were just stuck in a traffic jam on the way home. Oh, Sam. You look like a lady, can't you just eat like one, too? Only for tonight? Please?" Freddie begged, while looking away from the half-chewed ham in Sam's mouth.
"Hehe... I could try. But why should I? Is there someone here who needs to be impressed?" she asked jokingly, looking around with a hand on her brows, acting as if he wasn't there. "Tch. You know, I liked you better when I was at my granny's this week."
"Huh? How?" Sam was confused.
"You were faaaaaar away. I really liked that." for a second he kept his serious look on his face, but when he saw the shock only for a split second in his eyes, he smiled immediately. "Just kidding." Sam gulped. "I know." Of course she hadn't known. She had really thought he was serious and that gave her a feeling like getting hit in the stomach. Not so good. Most of the evening it was Freddie talking, Sam just stood beneath him, quietly, gazing at him and at the crowd, realizing for the first time how handsome the nub had become during all those years. But one thing hadn't changed at all. Now, at the age of 17 his eyes were still the same gentle pools of brown that they had been when they were in 6th grade and that was what she really liked about him.

~He'll never fall in love he swears As he runs his fingers through his hair I'm laughing 'cause I hope he's wrong And I don't think it ever crossed his mind He tells a joke I fake a smile~

"Sam?" "Err.. Huh?" Sam snapped out of her thoughts and turned her head to look right into Freddie's worried eyes. "Are you okay? You're so quiet..." They were still standing at the buffet and Sam had gazed at the crowd. But not just anyone. Her eyes were glued to a certain couple, dancing and having fun.
"No, no it's nothing... just... I need some fresh air, I guess... that dress is really tight..." she muttered and stormed out through the gull-winged doors.
Freddie followed slowly. When he stepped out on the balcony, he saw Sam, dreamily looking at the moon, standing only a few metres away from him.
It really was a beautiful sight. Her apricot dress highlighted her figure perfectly and the moonlight shimmered on her hair. After a second of being stunned by that sight, Freddie slowly walked up to her. He sighed and leaned his arms against the balustrade. "It hurts, doesn't it?" he stated after a while. Sam looked at him in shock. "What?!" "Come on, did you really think, I didn't see where you were looking all the time?" their eyes met and Sam felt her cheeks getting hot. She turned away. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said quickly. "Unrequited love sure is hard, isn't it..." he sighed. "Woah, I hope I never fall in love again..." he mumbled, Sam was hardly able to understand it.
She stared at him. Was that really THE Freddie Benson, talking to her about such things? Was it really THE Freddie Benson, that had always declared his eternal love for Carly Shay? Was he REALLY just leaning against that balustrade and saying, he wished he would never fall in love again? What had gotten into him? He had always been so... so different. Those gentle eyes suddenly had a sad look in them. It made Sam's heart crack, to see her frenemy like this. He was such a kind person, he didn't deserve to be hurt like that. "Well, whatever, I'm hungry again. Wanna get as fat as me and eat up, all the meat on the buffet?" he grinned and offered her his arm. Sam faked a slight smile. She took his arm and held onto it tightly, only one thought in her head. 'I hope you're wrong...'

~So I sneak out to the garden to see you. We keep quiet cause we're dead if they knew, So close your eyes, Escape this town for a little while.~

At the buffet they weren't eating a thing and soon, Sam was asked to dance with some darkhaired guy, who actually looked pretty good, but didn't get her taste as much as Lucas did. She glanced at Freddie reassuringly, he nodded and smiled. Sam didn't want to leave him standing there, all by himself, but he was out of sight soon, when she was spinning on the dancefloor to the weird waltz that had never really been her taste. But her partner, Tom, seemed to be a very nice boy, 20 years old and a famous guitarplayer, nominated for "Best iMusicAct". They were talking and talking, dancing and dancing, but Sam couldn't stop worrying about the friend she had left on the buffet with all the delicious meat. Her blue eyes were searching for him every time she faced the buffet-side of the room, but she couldn't spot that brown haired geek. After about half an hour of dancing and talking to Tom, Sam excused herself, to "Check on her make-up" and sneaked out on the balcony again. She inhaled the summer-night air. It was really kind of exhausting, dancing and talking and being so un-sam-ish all the time. With Lucas, she wouldn't have had to be like that... But it turned out, he liked just those kind of girls. Sam sighed and decided to take a wander through the maze for a time, if she got lost, it would be even better. Nobody cared about her that night anyway. Well, except for Tom, maybe, but he surely found himself another pretty girl to dance with within the next ten minutes.
Sam walked around still thinking about Lucas, Tom and if she should actually change herself, because every boy just liked her when she was being like... well, like Carly. She was her best friend and stuff, but they were still so different and every boy Sam had ever wanted or known chose Carly instead of her. From Jonah to Freddie, everyone chose her best friend over her. It was seriously depressing. Was she that dumb and ugly, that nobody wanted HER for a single time? Well, she had had relationships, but they were always only half-hearted and not rarely the boys only used her to get to the brunette. Sam sighed. She flattened the wrinkles on her dress sadly. She actually liked that dress. It was just like her. Always needed someone to make it look pretty, to make it look right. Sam always needed someone to make or tell her what was the right thing to do.
She turned around a corner and suddenly bumped into someone. "Woah!"
"Wa-watch were you're going, dude!" she blew up, she had been scared to death! Bumping into someone in the middle of the night in a PRETTY DARK maze! That really wasn't the way how to approach a girl!
Sam had nearly fallen down, but the person that she had bumped into was clinging to her wrists tightly. "Are you alright? ... Wait, SAM?!" Sam looked up. It couldn't be. "Freddie?!" "What are you doing out here in this dark maze!? It's dangerous!"
"Oh really, so what are YOU doing here, Fredface?!" Sam shot back, angry, because he was snarling at her like that.
"I'm taking a walk, so what, I'm a man after all."
"Depending on how you look at it." Sam muttered. Freddie looked at her in anger. Why did she always have to be like that?!
"Sam, you are a GIRL! And it's dangerous for girls to walk through dark places even if they are Sam Puckett!" he stated, still angry. Sam's eyes grew wide. He called her a GIRL. He never did that. Actually no one ever did that. She hated it to be lectured by the dork, but still she was a bit happy, he was worrying about her, because she WAS actually a girl. Sam smiled and - hugged him tightly.
"Thanks, dork. Just what I needed to hear." She smiled into his shoulder. Freddie's eyes were as big as pineapples as she hugged him. Slowly, he hugged her back, totally confused. "Err... you're welcome... but... for WHAT?" He felt her grin grewing bigger on his shoulder. What did he say that made her so happy? He had just LECTURED SAM PUCKETT and she was HUGGING him?! What was wrong? Was the end of the world impending?!
"Just... nah, forget it." She closed her eyes for a few seconds. Only feeling Freddie's arms around her, saving the moment of a boy's arms around her. She could only feel that she was a girl in those few moments. Freddie was still totally confused. Sam hadn't moved for almost ten seconds now! They were just standing there in the dark maze, hugging each other. The brunette boy was seriously starting to worry about his friend now. "Sam, er, are you alright? Is something wrong?" He asked.
Sam, who almost forgot WHO she was hugging slowly let go of him and took a step backwards. "Yes, I'm alright. Bye Fredface." And with that, she walked away, leaving an even more confused Freddie alone in the dark maze. *Gosh, I really must be losing my mind...* The blonde demon thought on her way back through the maze. *Hugging the dork... and even daydreaming like that on his shoulder! Tse! Well, whatever. Pretending him to be Lucas was kind of nice.* She thought to herself, but inside her heart she knew, that it wasn't the whole truth that she tried to tell herself there.

~That I know all his favorite songs and I could tell you his favorite color's green He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth His sister's beautiful, he has his father's eyes~

Later that night, Sam had gotten to Tom again, who had been patiently waiting for her at the buffet, what really surprised the demon. After their 100th dance, Sam stated, she was dying of thirst and starving, so Tom gave in and lead her to the buffet again.
While Sam was waiting for her dance partner to get her something to drink she was being a little demon again and was eavesdropping. She knew this voice. It was Fredlumps'. Sam grinned widely as she heard that he was talking to a girl. Alica, uhu. He stood back-to-back with Sam, so she couldn't see them. "So what's you're favourite song, Alica?" He asked the girl. "It's 'Candy Shop' by 50 Cent, what's yours, Freddie?" the girl responded. "Oh! I love that song, too!" Freddie said delightfully. Sam almost bursted out laughing, but she quickly stuffed an clair in her mouth. He was such a bad liar, he deserved the golden raspberry for it. He hated that hiphop-stuff. He liked nearly every kind of music, but he just hated hated hated hiphop and rap and stuff. Sam imagined him, forced to listen to 'Candy Shop' for two hours, because he was dating that girl. She quickly stuffed another clair in her mouth. It was just too ridiculous.
Sam returned her attention from her imaginations to the conversation behind her. "I really like the colour of your neck tie." Alica said and Sam assumed that she was touching it, because she heard Freddie's voice shake nervously for a split-second. "Yeah, me-e too." He said. Sam bit on her lip. He told her that he wanted to take it off, but he seemed to have forgotten it. The neck tie was yellow. His least favourite colour. He just loved green, the colour of hope, he had begged his mom to wear the green one, but she argumented, that it would match his eyes or something and he gave up. "What's your birthday?" Alica asked. "The 25th of November." He sighed quietly, but Sam recognized it and grinned wider. "What's yours?" Hehe. He was getting bored. AND he told her a wrong date of birth, not wanting to tell her that his birthday was actually the day after tomorrow. Sam wouldn't have done this either. This girl was too BORING. Freddie loved arguing, just like she did. If there was a championship in arguing they would surely win the thing. Although Freddie was rather on good terms with everyone - and was quite happy with that - he just had to pick on SOMEONE to be nice to everyone else and that someone was always Sam. But it was okay, she thought, because she actually was even better at picking on him than he was at picking on her. Alica seemed to realize that her conversation partner was getting bored, so she started one last attempt to continue the dialogue. "So... do you have any siblings?" she asked.
"Nope. Do you?" he asked, already looking around for someone he knew.
Sam was grinning evilly now. "What're you grinning about?" asked a voice. "Ah, Carls, Lucas." she greeted them. "So, what's so funny? Let us take part in the joke to!" Lucas demanded smiling. Sam's heart banged louder than normal, but never the less she started talking. "Haha, I was eavesdropping on Freddie and a girl."
"Sam, you shouldn't do that." Carly put on her serious-face. "Oh Carls, you should've heard that." Sam laughed, when Freddie spotted them and excused himself to go to his friends.
"Aahh, Fredward. I taught you well, didn't I?" she grinned and put a hand on his shoulder. "What are you talking about, Samantha?" he asked sweetly.
"You're the king of the liars." Lucas and Carly looked at him confused, but Freddie, first looking shocked started to grin immediately. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He was grinning widely now. "It was the bare truth." Sam and Freddie grinned at each other.
"Sure. You LOVE 50 Cent and the 'Candy Shop' and your yellow neck tie's your favourite, isn't it?"
"Yip. And my birthday's November 25th." "And you have no siblings." "Nope, I don't." "Except for your pretty big sister."
"Exactely. And I have my Granny's eyes." "Oh, you told her that, too?! You're such a bad boy."
"Woahh, WAIT!" Carly interrupted their conversation. "You DO have no sister, do you, and you DO have your granny's eyes, don't you?" She and Lucas were looking at their two, still widely grinning friends in total confusion.
"Well, actually I DO have a sister. She's my dad's daughter from a previous girlfriend." Freddie explained "And yeah, you COULD call her pretty pretty." "Yip. And he does NOT have the eyes of his grandma. He has the eyes of his dad. Although your dad's were prettier than yours." she poked her finger into his side, still grinning. "Hey thanks, Sam. I'm feeling way better being complimented like that." He stuck his tongue out at her. "You two are seriously confusing..." Lucas stated. "How do you know, Sam? I mean, even I didn't know." Sam and Freddie looked at each other, shrugging. "No idea. I just... know." "Yeah, seems like it." Freddie confirmed.

~And if you ask me if I love him, I'd lie~

A few minutes later, Carly announced that she needed to refresh her make-up and dragged Sam with her, leaving the two boys alone.
"Carls, can't you go on your own? You're just like a baby..."
"Do you like Freddie?!" Carly asked as soon as the lady's room-door closed behind them.
Sam stopped immediately, shocked. How could Carly think that? "Are you insane?" Sam asked.
"I am not! I think it is pretty obvious how close you two are." Carly stated simply.
"Close?"
"You knew all those things about him even I didn't know - and we get far better along than you two! ... at least I thought so until just now."
"... So what, we talk when you're not around. On vacation or catching smoothies or stuff..." Sam said demonstrative casually, but inside, her thoughts were spinning. Could Carly be right that they knew each other a bit too well to be just frenemies? Considering the fact, that she had hugged that dork so happily, did she NOT hate him? Did she maybe actually... LIKE him? Did she enjoy it? Did she not just use him? Sam couldn't figure it out now, she had to repell Carly's weird ideas about her and Freddie being in love with each other. It was just too strange.
"Carly, I really do NOT like the dork. I'm actually just... trying to pick on him. It's fun, okay? Well, let's get back, the boys'll be waiting," she said and rushed out of the bathroom.

~"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone. I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run. You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess, It's a love story, Baby, just say yes."~

Later that evening Freddie had talked to several other girls, Carly was still dancing and giggling with Lucas and Sam was still chatting with Tom, the guitar-guy.
The blonde girl couldn't deny that he was actually pretty charming and a real gentleman, but for Sam, he lacked something she couldn't figure out. A soft waltz was played and Tom led her to the dancefloor.
She was spinning and turning and everytime she faced the buffet, she saw Freddie chatting and laughing with several girls, who all looked simply gorgeous. One girl didn't seem to be his taste and their slight conversation seemed to turn into an arguing more and more. Freddie's eyebrows rose up and he answered the girl furiously.
Sam stroke a slight smile and suddenly it occured to her, she knew what it was that Tom was lacking. It was fire.
The fire that she felt when she was arguing with the dork. Sam's eyes grew wide. Carly couldn't actually be RIGHT, could she?! On the next turn, Freddie had vanished and Sam didn't find him while turning three times more.
"Tom? Ehm, I'm sorry, but I guess, I have to go for now... Sorry," she said and rushed away through the crowd, leaving behind an extremely confused guitar player.

Out on the balcony again, Sam leaned over the balustrade. So... it seemed that Carly had been right after all... She couldn't believe it. She actually really DID like the dork. Tch.

~He sees everything black and white Never let nobody see him cry I don't let nobody see me wishing he was mine~

Coming to herself again, Sam recognised a slight and quiet sniffing. She turned, but didn't see anyone. She tip-toed to the edge of the balcony and took a sneak-peek around it. There was a dark figure leaning at the balustrade and looking into the wide. Sam narrowed her eyes and noticed that it was Freddie, standing there. She thought she was wrong with the sniffing, but just at that moment, Freddie pulled out a handkerchief and used it, sniffing afterwards. She was confused. Why would the dork be sniffing around? Because of Carly? He told her before, that it hurt him, seeing Carly with Lucas.
She considered if she should step forward and take care of him or if she should just ignore it and leave him alone as he may have wished, but he decided it for her by turning to get back inside the hall. Sam sprinted back to the front of the balcony to seem as casual as ever.

~He'd never tell you but he can play guitar I think he can see through everything but my heart First thought when I wake up is, "My god, he's beautiful"
So I put on my make up and pray for a miracle~

She looked at him as he turned around the edge of the balcony, noticing her only when he was 3 steps away from her.
"Oh, Sam..."
"Hey, Fredweird. You okay?" She couldn't do anything but ask.
Freddie cleared his throat. "Sure, just needed, er... some fresh air. How about you?" "Same here," she said, gazing over the wide land.
Freddie looked at her, then joining her in gazing over the land.
Sam's thoughts wandered back to Carly. 'I think it is pretty obvious how close you two are. You knew all those things about him even I didn't know.'
... did she really know all these things? Were they really that close to each other?
She skimmed through her memories.
She DID know some things about him, even he didn't know she knew. He played guitar, for example, quite good, actually, she had to admit that. She knew more than Carly, about his sister and his father... Sam put up an ironic smile. He could see through everything "... everything but my heart..." she muttered.

"Huh? Did you say something?" Freddie asked, also pulled out of his thoughts and she recognized that his eyes were wet again.
"No... Come on, let's grab some food."
"How can you eat only one little bit more? I'm totally stuffed!"
"I'm Sam Puckett."
"Oh, of course."

~He looks around the room Innocently overlooks the truth Shouldn't a light go on?
Doesn't he know I've had him memorized for so long?~

In the hall, they were standing beneath the buffet, Sam eating, Freddie skimming through the room.
Sam slowed down.
He had gotten handsome, she knew it... She couldn't deny it any longer. The fire, the outer appearance, the sweetness, the kindness and the fact that he just overlooked the truth so innocently. She DID like him.
But he didn't get it. She was sure he was skimming the room for his beloved Carly just in this moment.
She sighed.

"I'll be back in a second," he said suddenly, walking off to the direction, where Sam thought to have seen a certain brunette in the crowd.

"And my daddy said: "Stay away from Juliet." And I was crying on a staircase Begging you: "Please don t go.""

"Not funny." Sam commented on the song's lines that the band played, while the orchestra took a break. She knew that the song had a different intention, but she thought it interesting that one could interpret it in another way. Carly, being Juliet; Sam, sitting on the staircase and begging the man of her heart to stay, even her vanished dad, telling him to stay away from the brunette, because his little girl was waiting and wishing for him.
Sam sighed and just took another piece of pie.

~Romeo, save me, They try to tell me how to feel. This love is difficult, but it's real.~

Waiting on the buffet again, she saw Tom approaching again. She sighed and flew through the gull-winged doors to the balcony.
*I'm here way too often, tonight.* She thought, turning around the edge.
Tom found her in a matter of seconds and said that he was sorry, if he had disturbed her and that he didn't want to get on her nerves but he couldn't quite understand why she vanished all the time.
"I-I'm sorry, Tom... It's just... it's a tough night for me, okay? And I'm really exhausted from thinking and discovering new things about my friends and myself and... it's just complicated." She tried to explain herself.
"Listen, Sam, I really like you, you're sympathic, kind, sweet, even girly, which I did not expect AT ALL, actually," he grinned, "but I couldn't get your attention, because it was always on... SOMEONE else. And I guess, you and I both know who I'm talking about."
"Well... I... Tom... I..." Sam couldn't talk. He was so intelligent and gentle, he wasn't angry at all! "It's okay," he waved his hand, "you're a cute couple. Go, get him! Good luck!"
And with that, he turned and walked away.
Sam smiled. He had really seemed to be interested in HER and just her. But he was right, her attention had been laying on someone else, someone special...
She was just hoping, that she could "get him", as Tom said.

~I got tired of waiting, Wondering if you were ever comin' around. My faith in you was fading ~

Sam looked through a window into the hall. She saw Freddie and Carly dancing - finally.
Freddie was smiling and so was Carly. Sam couldn't help but smile, although her eyes were filling up with tears.
It was nice to know that the two people she loved most were happy.
But it hurt so bad. She shuddered and wiped her eyes.
Her only thought was to get out of there. Just to get out of there. The blonde girl hurried through the room and went to get her jacket and then leave the party and the happy couple-to-be. Ignoring the limo that was prepared for her, she stepped out on her own and went by foot.

~Gotta gotta be down Because I want it all ~

~I don't think that passenger seat Has ever looked this good to me He tells me about his night And I count the colors in his eyes~

"So what did Crazy do to you this time, that you were so late?" Sam asked, still chewing. "Nothing, we were just stuck in a traffic jam on the way home. Oh, Sam. You look like a lady, can't you just eat like one, too? Only for tonight? Please?" Freddie begged, while looking away from the half-chewed ham in Sam's mouth.
"Hehe... I could try. But why should I? Is there someone here who needs to be impressed?" she asked jokingly, looking around with a hand on her brows, acting as if he wasn't there. "Tch. You know, I liked you better when I was at my granny's this week."
"Huh? How?" Sam was confused.
"You were faaaaaar away. I really liked that." for a second he kept his serious look on his face, but when he saw the shock only for a split second in his eyes, he smiled immediately. "Just kidding." Sam gulped. "I know." Of course she hadn't known. She had really thought he was serious and that gave her a feeling like getting hit in the stomach. Not so good. Most of the evening it was Freddie talking, Sam just stood beneath him, quietly, gazing at him and at the crowd, realizing for the first time how handsome the nub had become during all those years. But one thing hadn't changed at all. Now, at the age of 17 his eyes were still the same gentle pools of brown that they were when they were in 6th grade and that was what she really liked about him.

~He'll never fall in love he swears As he runs his fingers through his hair I'm laughing 'cause I hope he's wrong And I don't think it ever crossed his mind He tells a joke I fake a smile~

"Sam?" "Err.. Huh?" Sam snapped out of her thoughts and turned her head to look right into Freddie's worried eyes. "Are you okay? You're so quiet..." They were still standing at the buffet and Sam had gazed at the crowd. But not just anyone. Her eyes were glued to a certain couple, dancing and having fun.
"No, no it's nothing... just... I need some fresh air, I guess... that dress is really tight..." she muttered and stormed out through the gull-winged doors.
Freddie followed slowly. When he stepped out on the balcony, he saw Sam, dreamily looking at the moon, standing only a few metres away from him.
It really was a beautiful sight. Her apricot dress highlighted her figure perfectly and the moonlight shimmered on her hair. After a second of being stunned by that sight, Freddie slowly walked up to her. He sighed and leaned his arms against the balustrade. "It hurts, doesn't it?" he stated after a while. Sam looked at him in shock. "What?" "Come on, did you really think, I didn't see where you were looking all the time?" their eyes met and Sam felt her cheeks getting hot. She turned away. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said quickly. "Unrequited love sure is hard, isn't it..." he sighed. "Woah, I hope I never fall in love again..." he mumbled, Sam was hardly able to understand it.
She stared at him. Was that really THE Freddie Benson, talking to her about such things? Was it really THE Freddie Benson, that had always declared his eternal love for Carly Shay? Was he REALLY just leanin against that balustrade and saying, he wished he would never fall in love again? What had gotten into him? He had always been so... so different. Those gentle eyes suddenly had a sad look in them. It made Sam's heart crack, to see her frenemy like this. He was such a kind person, he didn't deserve to be hurt like that. "Well, whatever, I'm hungry again. Wanna get as fat as me and eat up, all the meat on the buffet?" he grinned and offered her his arm. Sam faked a slight smile. She took his arm and hold onto it tightly, only one thought in her head. 'I hope you're wrong...'

~So I sneak out to the garden to see you. We keep quiet cause we're dead if they knew, So close your eyes, Escape this town for a little while.~

At the buffet they weren't eating a thing and soon, Sam was asked to dance with some darkhaired guy, who actually looked pretty good, but didn't get her taste as much as Lucas had done. She glanced at Freddie reassuringly, he nodded and smiled. Sam didn't want to leave him standing there, all by himself, but he was out of sight soon, when she was spinning on the dancefloor to the weird waltz that had never really been her taste. But her partner, Tom, seemed to be a very nice boy, 20 years old, already and a famous guitarplayer, nominated for "Best iMusicAct". They were talking and talking, dancing and dancing, but Sam couldn't stop worrying about the friend she left on the buffet with all the delicious meat. Her blue eyes were searching for him every time she faced the buffet-side of the room, but she couldn't spot that brown haired geek. After about half an hour of dancing and talking to Tom, Sam excused herself, to "Check on her make-up" and sneaked out on the balcony again. She inhaled the summer-night air. It was really kind of exhausting, dancing and talking and being so un-sam-ish all the time. With Lucas, she wouldn't have had to be like that... But it turned out, he liked just those kind of girls. Sam sighed and decided to take a wander through the maze for a time, if she got lost, it would be even better. Nobody cared about her that night anyway. Well, except for Tom, maybe, but he surely found himself another pretty girl to dance with within the next ten minutes.
Sam walked around still thinking about Lucas, Tom and if she should actually change herself, because every boy just liked her when she was being like... well, like Carly. She was her best friend and stuff, but they were still so different and every boy, Sam had ever wanted or known chose Carly instead of her. From Jonah to Freddie, everyone chose her best friend over her. It was seriously depressing. Was she that dumb and ugly, that nobody wanted HER for a single time? Well, she had had relationships, but they were always only half-hearted and not rarely the boys only used her to get to the brunette. Sam sighed. She flattened the wrinkles on her dress sadly. She actually liked that dress. It was just like her. Always needed someone to make it look pretty, to tell it or make it look right. Sam always needed someone to make or tell her what was the right thing to do.
She turned around a corner and suddenly bumped into someone. "Woah!"
"Wa-watch were you're going, dude!" she blew up, she had been scared to death! Bumping into someone in the middle of the night in a PRETTY DARK maze! That really wasn't the way how to approach a girl!
Sam had nearly fallen down, but the person that she had bumped into was clinging to her wrists tightly. "Are you alright? ... Wait, SAM?" Sam looked up. It couldn't be. "Freddie?" "What are you doing out here in this dark maze! It's dangerous!"
"Oh really, so what are YOU doing here, Fredface?" Sam shot back, angry, because he was snarling at her like that.
"I'm taking a walk, so what, I'm a man after all."
"Depending on how you look at it." Sam muttered. Freddie looked at her in anger. Why did she always have to be like that?
"Sam, you are a GIRL! And it's dangerous for girls to walk through dark places even if they are Sam Puckett!" he stated, still angry. Sam's eyes grew wide. He called her a GIRL. He never did that. Actually no one ever did that. She hated it to be lectured by the dork, but still she was a bit happy, he was worrying about her, because she WAS actually a girl. Sam smiled and - hugged him tightly.
"Thanks, dork. Just what I needed to hear." She smiled into his shoulder. Freddie's eyes were as big as pineapples as she hugged him. Slowly, he hugged her back, totally confused. "Err... you're welcome... but... for WHAT?" He felt her grin grewing bigger on his shoulder. What did he say that made her so happy? He had just LECTURED SAM PUCKETT and she was HUGGING him? What was wrong? Was the end of the world impending?
"Just... nah, forget it." She closed her eyes for a few seconds. Only feeling Freddie's arms around her, savoring the moment of a boy's arms around her. She could only feel that she was a girl in those few moments. Freddie was still totally confused. Sam hadn't moved for almost ten seconds now! They were just standing there in the dark maze, hugging each other. The brunette boy was seriously starting to worry about his friend now. "Sam, er, are you alright? Is something wrong?" He asked.
Sam, who almost forgot WHO she was hugging slowly let go of him and took a step backwards. "Yes, I'm alright. Bye Fredface." And with that, she walked away, leaving an even more confused Freddie alone in the dark maze. *Gosh, I really must be losing my mind...* The blonde demon thought on her way back through the maze. *Hugging the dork... and even daydreaming like that on his shoulder! Tse! Well, whatever. Pretending him to be Lucas was kind of nice.* She thought to herself, but inside her heart she knew, that it wasn't the whole truth that she tried to tell herself there.

~That I know all his favorite songs and

I could tell you his favorite color's green He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth His sister's beautiful, he has his father's eyes~

Later that night, Sam had gotten to Tom again, who had been patiently waiting for her at the buffet, what really surprised the demon. After their 100th dance, Sam stated, she was dying of thirst and starving, so Tom gave in and lead her to the buffet again.
While Sam was waiting for her dance partner to get her something to drink she was being a little demon again and was eavesdropping. She knew this voice. It was Fredlumps. Sam grinned widely as she heard that he was talking to a girl. Alica, uhu. He stood back-to-back with Sam, so she couldn't see them. "So what's you're favourite song, Alica?" He asked the girl. "It's 'Candy Shop' by 50 Cent, what's yours, Freddie?" the girl responded. "Oh! I love that song, too!" Freddie said delightfully. Sam almost bursted out laughing, but she quickly stuffed an clair in her mouth. He was such a bad liar, he deserved the golden raspberry for it. He hated that hiphop-stuff. He liked nearly every kind of music, but he just hated hated hated hiphop and rap and stuff. Sam imagined him, forced to listen to 'Candy Shop' for two hours, because he was dating that girl. She quickly stuffed another clair in her mouth. It was just too ridiculous.
Sam returned her attention from her imaginations to the conversation behind her. "I really like the colour of your neck tie." Alica said and Sam assumed that she was touching it, because she heard Freddie's voice shake nervously for a split-second. "Yeah, me-e too." He said. Sam bit on her lip. He didn't he told her that he wanted to take it off, but he seemed to have forgotten it. The neck tie was yellow. His least favourite colour. He just loved green, the colour of hope, he had begged his mom to wear the green one, but she argumented, that it would match his eyes or something and he gave up. "What's your birthday?" Alica asked. "The 25th of November." He sighed quietly, but Sam recognized it and grinned wider. "What's yours?" Hehe. He was getting bored. AND he told her a wrong date of birth, not wanting to tell her that his birthday was actually the day after tomorrow. Sam wouldn't have done this either. This girl was too BORING. Freddie loved arguing, just like she did. If there was a championship in arguing they would surely win the thing. Although Freddie was rather on good terms with everyone - and was quite happy with that - he just had to pick on SOMEONE to be nice to everyone else and that someone was always Sam. But it was okay, she thought, because she actually was even better at picking on him than he was at picking on her. Alica seemed to realize that her conversation partner was getting bored, so she started one last attempt to continue the dialogue. "So... do you have any siblings?" she asked.
"Nope. Do you?" he asked, already looking around for someone he knew.
Sam was grinning evilly now. "What're you grinning about?" asked a voice. "Ah, Carls, Lucas." she greeted them. "So, what's so funny? Let us take part in the joke to!" Lucas demanded smiling. Sam's heart banged louder than normal, but never the less she started talking. "Haha, I was eavesdropping on Freddie and a girl."
"Sam, you shouldn't do that." Carly put on her serious-face. "Oh Carls, you should've heard that." Sam laughed, when Freddie spotted them and excused himself to go to his friends.
"Aahh, Fredward. I taught you well, didn't I?" she grinned and put an hand on his shoulder. "What are you talking about, Samantha?" he asked sweetly.
"You're the king of the liars." Lucas and Carly looked at him confused, but Freddie, first looking shocked started to grin immediately. "I have no idea what your talking about." He was grinning widely now. "It was the bare truth." Sam and Freddie grinned at each other.
"Sure. You LOVE 50 Cent and the 'Candy Shop' and your yellow neck tie's your favourite, isn't it?"
"Yip. And my birthday's November 25th." "And you have no siblings." "I don't." "Except for your pretty big sister."
"Exactely. And I have my Granny's eyes." "Oh, you told her that, too? You're such a bad boy."
"Woahh, WAIT!" Carly interrupted their conversation. "You DO have no sister, do you, and you DO have your granny's eyes, don't you?" She and Lucas were looking at their two, still widely grinning friends in total confusion.
"Well, actually I DO have a sister. She's my dad's daughter from a previous girlfriend." Freddie explained "And yeah, you COULD call her pretty pretty." "Yip. And he does NOT have the eyes of his grandma. He has the eyes of his dad. Although your dad's were prettier than yours." she poked her finger into his side, still grinning. "Hey thanks, Sam. I'm feeling way better being complimented like that." He stuck his tongue out at her. "You two are seriously confusing..." Lucas stated. "How do you know, Sam? I mean, even I didn't know." Sam and Freddie looked at each other, shrugging. "No idea. I just... know." "Yeah, seems like it." Freddie confirmed.

~And if you ask me if I love him, I'd lie~ A few minutes later, Carly announced that she needed to refresh her make-up and dragged Sam with her, leaving the two boys alone.
"Carls, can't you go on your own? You're just like a baby..."
"Do you like Freddie?" Carly asked as soon as the lady's room-door closed behind them.
Sam stopped immediately, shocked. How could Carly think that? "Are you insane?" Sam asked.
"I am not! I think it is pretty obvious how close you two are." Carly stated simply.
"Close?"
"You knew all those things about him even I didn't know - and we get far better along than you two! ... at least I thought so until just now."
"... So what, we talk when you're not around. On vacation or catching smoothies or stuff..." Sam said demonstrative casually, but inside, her thoughts were spinning. Could Carly be right that they knew each other a bit too well to be just frenemies? Considering the fact, that she had hugged that dork so happily, did she NOT hate him? Did she maybe actually... LIKE him? Did she enjoy it? Did she not just use him? Sam couldn't figure it out now, she had to repell Carly's weird ideas about her and Freddie being in love with each other. It was just too strange.
"Carly, I really do NOT like the dork. I'm actually just... trying to pick on him. It's fun, okay? Well, let's get back, the boys'll be waiting," she said and rushed out of the bathroom.

~"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone. I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run. You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess, It's a love story, Baby, just say yes."~

Later that evening Freddie had talked to several other girls, Carly was still dancing and giggling with Lucas and Sam was still chatting with Tom, the guitar-guy.
The blonde girl couldn't deny that he was actually pretty charming and a real gentleman, but for Sam, he lacked something she couldn't figure out. A soft waltz was played and Tom led her to the dancefloor.
She was spinning and turning and everytime she faced the buffet, she saw Freddie chatting and laughing with several girls, who all looked simply gorgeous. One girl didn't seem to be his taste and their slight conversation seemed to turn into an arguing more and more. Freddie's eyebrows rose up and he answered the girl furiously.
Sam stroke a slight smile and suddenly it occured to her, she knew what it was that Tom was lacking. It was fire.
The fire that she felt when she was arguing with the dork. Sam's eyes grew wide. Carly couldn't actually be RIGHT, could she? On the next turn, Freddie had vanished and Sam didn't find him while turning three times more.
"Tom? Ehm, I'm sorry, but I guess, I have to go for now... Sorry," she said and rushed away through the crowd, leaving behind an extremely confused guitar player.