New story, what? Hi! If you are new to me, welcome. If I am old news to you, welcome back. Whether you are old, new, or just right, I hope you enjoy this story. :)
I don't think I need to give any pre-details about the story because I hope the story can explain itself. :) I guess the only thing is that Sam and Freddie are not together in the story at first. Just a heads up. But Seddie will prevail eventually. ;)
Let's just jump right into chapter one of iNeed to Get a Clue :D Yay!
Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly. Not to say that I am not devising a plan to highjack it ;) Just kidding.
iNeed to Get a Clue
Chapter 1
Freddie's POV:
"Rooms always look so much bigger when they are empty." Carly says softly very suddenly. She takes a break from putting things in boxes to look around the space.
Carly, Sam and Gibby have been helping me pack up my room for the last couple of days. Well, Carly has been helping and Gibby too. Sam will only help every now and then, but more often than not she just lies on my bed. Like right now; she is lying, staring up at the ceiling, on my sheet-stripped mattress.
"My room looks exactly the same. So open and empty," Carly continues sadly.
Carly and I are heading to college and we are leaving soon. Very soon.
Carly got accepted into the performing arts program at NYU. Going to New York is her dream; she wants to end up on Broadway. She has a major talent for singing and acting, I can easily see her on the stage. Spencer and her dad are paying for an apartment in the city for her, but she is still going to try and find a job once she gets there in order to help pay. All of her furniture from her room and a few of Spencer's things that he is letting her take are already on a moving truck and heading to New York. She doesn't get on the plane for almost another two weeks though.
I am going to Boston. I got into MIT; my own dream. My mom is paying for my apartment in full as long as she got to pick it out, and that it has a guest room for her to stay in whenever she visits. I didn't argue; I'm just happy I am getting out of here to, sort of, my own place. My moving van is leaving tomorrow, so we have to finish packing today. Unlike Carly though, I am driving all the way across the country because I want to have my car with me at school. I am leaving in a few days.
Gibby is heading to New Jersey. Apparently, he is going to work for his Uncle in the family fishing business.
Basically we are all heading to the East coast. Except Sam.
Sam's plan? That's a touchy subject. She got accepted into the University of Washington-Seattle, but turned it down. Carly and I were both shocked and tried to talk to her about it and figure out why, but she is the same stubborn and hard-headed Puckett she always was. She refuses to give us any insight.
I reply to Carly, "Yeah, I know. I just can't believe it's already time to leave. This summer went by too fast."
Carly and Gibby both nod glumly, but Sam doesn't move. She just studies my ceiling like it is the most interesting thing on the planet. I catch Carly staring at Sam sadly. Carly hates not knowing what is going on in her best friend's head.
Carly sighs and goes to sit on the bed next to Sam. Gibby and I continue packing and pretend that we are not listening.
"Sam…?" Carly says quietly. It sounds like she has a question but only Sam's name comes out.
"Huh?" Sam says and turns her head to look over to where Carly is seated next to her.
"Have you thought about what you are going to do?" Carly asks cautiously.
"Of course I have, Carls. I think about it a lot." Sam replies, and then turns her attention back to the ceiling.
"And…" Carly pushes.
This is usually as far as the conversation will ever get before Sam will blow it off. I gave up trying to talk to her about it a while ago, but Carly really wants answers. She worries insanely about Sam. Not that I don't, because I do.
"Carls, I…" Sam begins her usual, 'I don't want to discuss this' kind of statement, but Carly cuts her off.
"No, Sam!" Carly shouts and shoots up from the bed.
Gibby and I both noticeably jump in shock. I can see that Sam is a little startled as well, but she remains lying down.
"I want answers this time! I want you to talk to me!" Carly continues to shout.
"Uh, we should probably… go…" Gibby trails off.
"We'll be in the, uh, living room. You know, when you're… done." I say slowly.
Gibby and I back towards the door cautiously, trying not to draw too much attention, ready to run for it and make our escape.
Carly whips around to face us.
"No! You two. Don't. Move." Carly warns us. She then turns back to Sam and commands, "Start talking."
"Carly…" Sam says shaking her head, but Carly cuts her off again.
"Nuh uh! No, Sam! I am not going to let you avoid this again! I need to know that you have something planned for your future! Anything! I just need to know that when I leave, you will be okay!" Carly shouts and doesn't stop, "You had a great opportunity! You had college right there for you! Why would you turn that down? I don't get-"
"Alright!" Sam yells over Carly's rant. She props herself up on her elbows to look at Carly and says, "Fine. I admit it. I have no plan. None. You happy?"
"No, Sam, I'm not happy. You had a plan. What happened to your UW plan?" Carly asks, her voice still alive with force.
"It wasn't right for me." Sam returns coolly.
"And why is that?" Carly questions, raising her voice, obviously upset with Sam's vague answer.
Sam sighs, and apparently decides it's time to be honest.
"I'm not ready for all this yet, Shay. It was too sudden, too hurried. If I would have rushed into it when I wasn't ready, I would regret it. I don't have time or patience for regrets." Sam says very calmly but sadly.
Carly just stares at the floor.
"Please understand, Carls. I don't want you to be angry at me when you leave." Sam says quietly.
Sam lies back down with her hands crossed over her stomach when Carly doesn't respond.
Carly slowly sinks back onto the bed and lies down next to Sam. Both of them just stare up at the ceiling now.
Gibby and I share an awkward glance, not sure what to do. We simultaneously start to back up towards the door again.
"That's just it, Sam. I'm leaving. Freddie's leaving in two days. I'm leaving in less than two weeks. What are you going to do when we're gone?" Carly asks and turns her head to look at Sam.
Gibby and I freeze. Apparently this conversation isn't over yet.
"Dunno." Sam breathes out, keeping her eyes trained on the ceiling.
An awkward silence just hangs in the air. I slump against the wall. This sucks. Sam doesn't deserve to be left here all alone.
"Come to New York with me." Carly says suddenly, more to the ceiling than to Sam.
"What?" Gibby, Sam, and I say simultaneously.
Carly sits up and turns to smile down at Sam.
"It's perfect. I don't know why I never thought of it before. I mean it! Come to New York. You can stay with me. We'll be roomies! You'd love New York. It would give you all new options and it will just be fun!" Carly says excitedly.
Sam sits up and smiles widely.
"You're completely serious?" Sam asks.
"Yes. 100% percent." Carly says with a smile.
"Oh my god, Shay! You're the best!" Sam cheers and throws her arms around Carly, hugging her tightly.
Sam doesn't let go of Carly and starts to bounce up and down happily. It is great to see Sam like this, for the last month or so Sam hasn't been herself really. She was always gloomy with the thought of us leaving hanging over her like a persistent rain cloud.
Suddenly, an idea pops into my head. A really good idea.
"Hey, wait." I speak up finally.
"Yeah?" Carly says as she tries to pry Sam off of her.
Sam lets go and sits with her feet hanging off the bed. Her legs keep bouncing though, and she can't seem to keep a smile off her face. Her smile is pretty contagious too, because I can't seem to keep one off my face either.
"Well, we are all basically heading in the same direction. East coast. Why don't we just go together?" I state.
"What do you mean?" Gibby asks as he saunters away from his close escape out of the door and more into the room, suddenly interested in the conversation.
"I mean, I'm leaving the day after tomorrow. You guys should come with. You know, instead of flying later." I say.
"Like a road trip?" Carly asks.
"Yeah. Like an 'end of summer, before we have to go into the real world' road trip. All the way across the country." I clarify with a grin.
"Yes, we have to do that!" Sam says with a huge smile and stands up from the bed. She continues, "That would be amazing!"
"Sam's in. I'm in. You guys in?" I ask Carly and Gibby.
"Oh, hell yeah." Gibby says, "I actually wasn't leaving for like another month. But I'm sure my uncle wouldn't mind if I am a little early. I don't want to miss this."
"Carls?" Sam says and turns to Carly with a giant, expectant smile.
Carly stands up from the bed, smiles, and says, "Definitely yes."
"Alright then. The iCarly gang is going on a road trip!" I declare.
"Woo!" Everyone cheers out.
Carly and Sam start talking animatedly about plans for the trip and for when they get to New York. Gibby goes back to packing up. But I, for some reason, can't get Sam's smile out of my head.
Sam's POV:
"Sam! You couldn't have helped us with these!" Carly complains as she and Spencer finally pull her luggage out of the building and dump them next to where I am seated on the edge of the side walk.
"It's not my problem. You decide to over pack. You deal with it." I tell her.
"I agree with Sam. Next time you are on your own." Spencer sighs as he sits down with me.
Carly plops down on the sidewalk next to us, exhausted from carrying her three stuffed suitcases.
"I did not over pack. Most of my clothes are in the moving truck, already almost to New York." She defends.
I laugh and shake my head, saying, "You just better hope it all fits in the trunk."
Carly and Spencer just laughs too.
"Gibby's here." I announce as I find Gibby approaching us from across the parking lot.
"Morning, ladies and Spencer." Gibby greets us.
He pulls his wheeled suitcase to a stop by the curb then leans on the handle.
"Morning, Gib." We all reply.
"Where's Freddie?" Gibby asks, "He told us to be here at 6:30. I was all worried about being late and he's not even here."
"I think he went to go fill up the car before we leave. He should be back any second." Carly responds.
"Or now." Spencer says and points to Freddie's car pulling into the parking lot.
"Yay!" I cheer and clap my hands too dramatically for so early in the morning.
I am so excited for this trip. I was dreading this summer and rest of the year, but now I am beyond thrilled.
Freddie pulls right up to the curb, turns off the car, and pops out.
"Everybody ready?" Freddie asks, twirling his keys around his finger.
"As ever." I say as I push myself up off the curb.
I see Freddie's eyes rake over my body very quickly. I am in some of my shorter shorts and a kind of tight t-shirt. They keep me comfortable enough to survive the long drive, and are small enough to keep me cool in the summer heat. But apparently they might be a bit too small. Freddie thinks that I don't notice every time he does this, but I do. At first it was a little strange, but now I just ignore it. I really honestly don't think he can help it. If he could help it, he wouldn't do it. I mean, I'm… me.
"Fredman, pop the trunk so we can head out." Gibby calls from where he is already standing behind the car.
Freddie quickly walks over and jabs the key into the car, lifting the trunk.
I drag my bag over around the car. I don't have the luxury of a moving van, so I had to shove everything that I want to take to New York with me into one bag. It is heavy as hell.
As Gibby puts his own bag in the trunk, Freddie reaches down to grab mine. I bat his hand away.
"I'm pretty sure I can handle this myself, nub." I tell him.
"Right. Stupid me." Freddie replies with a smirk.
"And don't forget it." I return with a smirk of my own.
Freddie just rolls his eyes and laughs before going to help Carly and Spencer with Carly's luggage.
I shove my bag into the trunk, mentally punching myself for flirting with the nerd, and then go around to the front of the car.
Gibby is already sitting in the passenger seat with the door open.
"Get out of my seat, Gibby." I tell him.
"What? No! I called the front!" Gibby retorts.
"Excuse me?" I ask with raised eyebrows.
I sit back on one hip and cross my arms over my chest. I raise an eyebrow in a 'do you really want to test me?' way. He tenses in fear but still doesn't move. Just one more push. I drop my eyes into a threatening glare and take a single, slow, menacing step towards him.
"Okay! Sorry!" Gibby yells as he quickly flees the seat and runs away from me.
"Good Gibby." I hum quietly.
I lean against the open door and watch as Freddie and Spencer struggle to fit the bags in the trunk. After some shifting and cramming, Freddie finally slams the trunk shut.
"Alright. We're all set." Freddie announces.
"Okay. You kids drive safe." Spencer says as he claps Gibby on the shoulder then gives Freddie a hug. He turns to give me a hug and continues, "Make sure you call me every day and keep me posted." He turns to Carly and his expression drops a bit.
"I'm going to miss you so much Spencer." Carly says and her voice cracks a bit at the end.
I motion with my head to Freddie and Gibby, silently telling them to get in the car. They do.
I give Carly and Spencer a little time to hug it out and say goodbye before I finally walk over to them.
"Come on, kid." I say and rest a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah. Alright. Bye Spencer." Carly says and gives him yet another hug.
I lead her to the car and she turns to give Spencer a smile before she slips into the backseat. I give a final wave to Spencer before joining everyone else in the car.
"What about your mommy dearest? She's not here to smother you until the second we drive away?" I ask Freddie as I buckle my seatbelt.
"Nope. She had work this morning. So, we said goodbye earlier." He responds, "What about your mom?"
"I stayed at Carly's last night. So, we said goodbye yesterday." I tell him with a small smile.
Saying goodbye to my mom was harder than I thought. I feel really guilty about leaving her. She's never lived in an empty house before and I'm afraid of how she is going to do on her own. But I can't help it. I need to go. I need to figure out what in the world I want to do with myself. I need a change of pace. Hopefully New York can give me everything I am asking for.
"Let's get this show on the road!" Gibby hollers excitedly from the back seat.
I smile at him and then slap Freddie's arm.
"Yeah, start it up, Fredbag!" I exclaim with a small laugh.
"Okay, okay." Freddie says as he turns the key.
As the car roars to life, we all cheer.
"This is so exciting!" Carly yells.
We pull out of the parking lot, all still celebrating, until we come immediately to a red light. The cheering awkwardly calms down and I clear my throat. We can literally still see Spencer from here. In fact, he waves at us again and we wave back. Wow, this is a long light. I drum my fingers on my leg. Finally the light changes and we cheer again until I erupt into giggles and Carly joins in. Freddie just smirks, keeping his eyes on the road. And Gibby seems lost in his own little world already.
I kick my feet up on the dashboard and make myself comfortable.
Chapter one is done. Pardon the rhyme :)
So what did you think? I hope you guys like it. I think it will be fun to write!
Please REVIEW and tell me your thoughts. Please, please, pretty please! :D
Thank you, thank you! Love, LizzieLove Inc.