Boarded

Disclaimer: Don't own iCarly, so don't get any ideas. I'm in the legal stuff too!

A/N: Well, I thought I'd try this for one time, see how it feels. It seems that other people have gone with this too, so I guess it might have good reception. I need to take a step away from Sam for a bit, because of personal reasons…I need to be ready to use her again. Anyway, I think you'll enjoy this story, so read on!

Chapter 1 (Shipped Off)

Freddie stormed into Carly's apartment and sat on the couch, Carly and Sam looked over at him curiously and walked over to see what was going on. He seemed pissed, they hoped it was nothing serious. "Um, Freddie, are you okay?" Carly asked as she sat next to him.

"No, mom's finally lost it."

"What? I thought she already did," Sam said with a sarcastic laugh. Freddie rolled his eyes as Sam sipped some soda. "So what's the problem, dork-face?" He sighed and stared at the floor. He hated this, everything was going to change, he could feel it. He knew he wouldn't be able to do iCarly, his best friends were all here and nowhere else. Spencer was in the kitchen, not saying a word. He knew what was going on, as Marissa had already told him, basically asking his advice.

"Shut up, Sam. This is serious." Sam's jaw fell open, stunned and hurt. She knew he would always shoot something back at her, but never before did it sting like this did. Perhaps it was because of the emotion behind it, maybe she really did feel like the news he had was going to be upsetting to a point. "I don't think I'm going to be able to do iCarly with you guys anymore."

"What? Why!" Carly shouted as she threw her hands in the air for a moment. She thought he was quitting, again. "What's the problem this time? Do you now require money or something?" She smirked and crossed her arms over. She frowned when she realized it didn't get a rise out of Freddie at all. She sighed deeply and placed an arm around Freddie's shoulder, giving him a very concerned look. "Okay, so tell us what's going on, Freddie."

"My mom and I had gotten into another argument about her overprotectiveness, and she decided that it was best for both of us if she didn't burden me so much…" Carly raised her eyebrow and Sam choked on her drink.

"Meaning?" Sam asked curiously.

"She's sending me away, where I will have the 'opportunity' to grow and 'branch out' as she says. I've been accepted into one of those really good boarding schools…"

"What!" The girls were shocked, they couldn't believe what they were hearing. How could this be happening? "Well maybe it's not so far away…"

"It's in Texas." His tone was flat and gruff, Marissa just had to send him to a far-away state. Then again, Texas did have some of the best programs in the country. Freddie muttered and slowly stood up. "I need to go, I have to tell Jonah. He's going to want to hang out."

"Wait, when do you leave?" Carly asked quickly, she didn't want to worry about having to say goodbye so suddenly. Freddie stopped next to the door and put his forehead against the wall. This was breaking him, but he had to deal with it. "You're not leaving anytime soon, are you?" He groaned and looked over at them, the girls were practically frozen, just staring at him with the greatest intensity. He knew his answer would shatter them, but he had no other choice. He hated having to see them like this, they looked so sad. He would miss them.

"I pack my things and leave on a plane Saturday." His face grew hard and both girls seemed to fall deep in the couch, Saturday was only three days away. "Mom kept this a secret from me until a week ago, I just didn't know how to tell anyone."

"Let me talk to her!" Sam said angrily as she stood up and pushed her sleeve up. "I'll convince her otherwise!" Freddie had never seen Sam acting in such a manner, he thought surely she would say something insulting. Then, she was a friend nonetheless, so of course she would miss him.

"Sam…" He smiled at her and she growled, glaring into his eyes.

"Don't mistake my intentions, Freddie. I don't care that you're going to a boarding school or something, but you are still a friend of ours. To think we are losing you so suddenly…We've known each other how long? We were all supposed to go to college together!" Carly stared at the ground, tears coming to her eyes. Sixteen was supposed to be the best age of a teenager's life, not the day they lost their best friends. There were only a couple years left before they went to college, they had plans. Sam had the same tears in her eyes. "What about iCarly? What happens to us?"

"I don't know, but there's no changing anything. This has to be."

"No! I won't accept it!" Freddie closed his eyes as Carly slowly stood up, she understood they had no chance at fighting this. The show was probably going to die, too, if they couldn't find a good tech producer.

"Sam, stop, let him go."

"Carly?" Sam gave her a surprised look, wondering why the hell Carly was giving in so easily.

"It's not like he wants this either, but he's got no choice."

"Briggs has already taken me off the roll," Freddie said with a nervous chuckle. Currently, his time at Ridgeway was no more. As sad as he was, he had to be ready to move on with his life.

"And you're going to spend your last moments with Jonah?" Sam asked warily. She understood the two were best friends, they had been close for a long time, but wasn't he closer to the girls?

"He is my best friend too, he deserves to know. I'm going to do what I can to spend time with everyone, but it can't be helped anymore! It's not my fault my mother decided to keep this hidden from me." Sam gave a sigh and walked over to the couch, falling down on the cushion. She gave up, what did she care if he left?

"Just tell me one thing, where is it?" Her face hardened as Freddie reached into his pocket, he knew he had a brochure for the place. Marissa had a million of them. Sam was worried about one thing, the fact that the school was in Texas. Part of her actually hoped he would be going where she thought, because it would be great if he did, but she wasn't sure.

"Here, have a brochure, mom's got a ton." He handed Sam the brochure and started leaving the door. He glanced over his shoulder and frowned, he hated goodbyes. He never thought the day would come that he'd say goodbye to Sam and Carly. Sam's eyes widened as the door shut, the boarding school's name was far too familiar to her. Chestnut Valley, that was the boarding school her sister was going to.

"Freddie, hold on!" She looked over, but he was already gone. Carly frowned and looked over, not knowing how to explain the look on Sam's face. It seemed to a mix of varying emotions, but mainly surprise. "Carly, Freddie's going to Chestnut Valley."

"So?"

"That's where Melanie goes!" Carly gasped and looked over at the door, he didn't know that. He was in for a surprise, then. Sam grinned from ear to ear and quickly hurried to the door. "I have to tell her! She's going to love this!"

"Wait! What are you planning!"

"Nothing!" Sam knew Melanie would flip for a chance to be around Freddie, even though she was pretty sure he still didn't think she existed. Melanie still had that crush on him, so maybe this was the perfect chance to build up a friendship. She opened the door and Carly shouted at her as she closed it.

"Don't you dare try and meddle in anything!"

Melanie sat in her dorm room, kicking back with her friends. She wasn't a complete tomboy like Sam, but she wasn't quite as girly as everyone thought she was. Yes, she did enjoy doing things that girls did, such as doing her nails, but she also enjoyed hanging out with the guys. Currently, she and two of her friends were painting each other's nails and chatting about boys.

She was painting her friend Kendal's nails with a light red color while her other friend, Alison, braided her hair. Kendal and Alison were polar opposites. Kendal was probably the most girly of Melanie's friends, while Alison was a bit of a gothic girl. Kendal wore pink shirts and blouses, always wore her vibrant yellow hair in a ponytail and was clumsy as hell. Alison had short hair that seemed oval in shape, wore black mascara and lipstick, always was chewing on gum, wore black tank tops and black jeans. She had a bit of a mean appearance, but was really nice when she wanted to be. Though, she did have a sarcastic nature. Her hair was probably the only thing not black, it was a very light brown color.

"So, what do you girls think of Mitchel?" Kendal asked in a girlish voice. Alison lifted her eyes skyward and slowly shook her head. Mitchel was an annoying jock who was anything but smart or kind.

"He's a jerk, Kendal," Alison replied calmly while continuing to braid Melanie's hair. Kendal pouted for a moment as the other girl smirked. "If anyone's hot, it's that boy toy, Vinson."

"Ew? Really, Alison?" Kendal shuddered and Melanie raised her eyebrow curiously. Alison always did have the oddest tastes in men. Vinson was another Goth, like she was, and had bangs that practically went to his chin, covering his left eye. He was very skinny as well, hardly attractive.

"Isn't he that pasty, almost ghastly kid that's always going around talking about medieval role play?" Melanie asked with suspicion.

"He's cute!" Melanie smiled and rolled her eyes. "What about you? Have you heard back from that Freddie?" Melanie frowned and Alison quickly regretted bringing up his name, she knew it was a tender topic. "I'm sorry Mel…"

"It's okay, don't worry about it." She had never felt so hurt before when she kissed him and he still thought she was Sam. If her sister was always worried about being in Carly's shadow, then she had nothing on her. Melanie had to go around, nonexistent. The things that did to her mentality, it was horrible. "Sometimes I wish he could have really seen me and got to know me, but it's nothing, I guess. He's there, I'm here, what could come of it."

"Yeah, let's try and find you a guy here!" Melanie chuckled nervously as her cell phone started blaring out her sister's ringtone. She smiled and stood up.

"Yeah, with the taste in men you two have, I think not." Her friends glanced at each other as she quickly hurried over to the end table next to her bed. "I have to take this, so try not to have any catfights or anything…" The two argued often, it was like oil and water coming together, they just continually clashed.

"Whatever you say, Mel." Melanie grabbed her phone and walked into the bathroom of her dorm. She hated how small the rooms were, only having enough space for a desk, a bed, chair, and television. At least it had a good view. She had a single dorm, which meant she didn't have to worry about having a roommate. That made her room a lot smaller, but still enough to live in.

"Hey Sam, what's going on?" She asked as she answered the phone. Sam's response came in an almost excited tone, even though she was trying to sound uninterested.

"Freddie's leaving us…"

"Oh my god, why?"

"His mom finally got wise and decided to send him to boarding school." Melanie frowned and slowly nodded, she knew that was probably a hard blow to the girls. Alison and Kendal peered into the bathroom door and she quickly motioned them away.

"So he's not going to be in Seattle?"

"No. You'll never guess what place she found. I told mom, and she was really surprised. He's going to Chestnut Valley!" Melanie gasped and her eyes grew wide, she couldn't believe it, Freddie was coming here. "He moves there on Saturday."

"I know some people on the school's welcoming committee, they always welcome the new students. Maybe I can talk to them…"

"You really want to see him? After the way things went when you saw him last time?" Melanie thought for a moment and her eyes narrowed, she was already starting to think up some schemes that she knew Alison would love to be a part of. Freddie deserved to be slapped for how he treated her.

"Yeah, but not just for my desire to kick him in the groin." Sam laughed and Melanie stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes held both a hint of sadness and of joy. Maybe, just maybe, Freddie wouldn't think she was non-existent anymore. That was, if they could find each other, the school was pretty large.

Well hopefully I'm right and this'll get some good reception. Maybe some of my old fans too, but I'm not going to forget my new ones anymore :). I had this idea when I saw the episode again, and I realized that I needed to take a step back from Sam for a moment. Mostly with her relationship with her mom. Anyway, we're still going to see a lot of Sam, Carly, and the others, so don't worry. Anyway, leave a review!