"I just want you to be happy!"

And although her best friend doesn't take her seriously, Carly Shay means it. Sam Puckett is her best friend, the blonde, meat-loving sister she's never had. She knows that Sam isn't one to show her feelings (stupid teen drama, as Sam would say), but Carly can tell that Sam is scared, and confused, and upset. And Carly hates it. Brad's a sweet guy, if a little bit dorky (but so is Freddie, and Sam's learned to live with him, hasn't she? Sort of?), and if Sam likes him, she should go for the happiness Carly knows she deserves.

But Sam waves her off, and walks away, probably to go sit and sulk God-knows-where. Gibby responds to Sam's stupid comment about pie and Carly snaps at him, preoccupied. She's known Sam for years, but she's never seen her act like this, especially over a guy. (She had changed pretty drastically when she liked that guy Pete, but it hadn't lasted long, Carly recalls. And neither had their relationship.) Something feels off. And Carly knows her best friend well enough to figure out what it is. When Carly confronted Sam about her sudden crush on Brad, Sam hadn't acted shy or embarrassed. She had been defensive. And if there was one person Sam was completely open around, it was Carly.

"Something's up," Carly mutters to herself, momentarily forgetting Gibby's presence.

"Hmm?" says Gibby, turning from the laptop to look at her. "Hey, I put up the screen with the hate mail from the beavecoon site for Spencer like you told me to. Is that okay?"

"…What? Oh, yeah, Gibby. Sure."

Normally, Carly would be taking careful notes of the way Spencer reads the hateful comments on the screen ("Beavecoons? Seriously? What loser created this site?") and sinks to the floor of his box, screaming "NOOOO! BEAVECOONS ARE REAL! HEAD OF BEAVER AND RUMP OF RACOON!", but she can't focus. And for once, Gibby does something completely uncharacteristic.

He notices.

"Um…Carly? Are you okay?" he asks, looking concerned.

"What? I'm…I'm fine, Gibby. Pay attention to Spencer. He's screaming, see? It's hilarious."

"Look, Carly," he says, shutting off Spencer's mike and turning away from the laptop completely, "I know you're upset about your and Sam's fight."

"Our…wait, you were listening?"

"Duh. Dude, I was standing right here. And I know you meant well, but Sam's probably just kinda overwhelmed about you finding out that she's into Fr…Brad."

"Uh…" Carly's dumbstruck. She never would have imagined having a conversation like this with…Gibby. But she might as well roll with it. "Thanks, Gibby. It's just that Sam's my best friend, and I don't understand why she's so upset. Why she's shutting me out."

Gibby smiles in an understanding sort of way. Weird. "If you want to go talk to her about this, I can stay and take over the project."

Carly blinks a few times, then grins and gives Gibby a quick hug. "Wow, thanks Gibby! That's so sweet! And…" she looks at him sideways. "Don't take this the wrong way, but thanks for the advice. I never would have expected it from you."

He laughs before realizing what she just said and looks insulted. "Hey, I'm not an idiot, you know."

She runs out of the room to find her friend, deciding to decline comment on the fact that his fly is down.

Gibby turns back around to focus on a thoroughly upset Spencer. He cautiously switches the mike back on.

"...ARE SO REAL, AND THOSE PEOPLE CAN TAKE THEIR COMMENTS AND…Oh, hey Gibs, what were you and Carly talking about, huh? I saw her huuug you."

Gibby ignores Spencer's teasing. He wonders what Carly's going to do when she finds out who Sam's really in love with. As if it isn't obvious. "Shut up, Spencer. Okay, now time for the mosquito bite test!"

"Mosq…what? GIBBY? WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME? GIB…"

Microphone off.

Sam's not in the girl's restroom and she's not by the snack cart, although someone else is.

"Carly! What'd Sam say about the failure of Operation Get Sam and Brad Together?" Freddie makes a face. "That was really long, wasn't it? "Um…Operation SammandBrad?" He grimaces. "That sounded really gross. I'm not very good with coming up with operation names…"

"Freddie? You're babbling," Carly tells him. "Guess you're not used to breaking Mommy's 'Eight Hour' rule, are we?" She laughs nervously and starts to recite Mrs. Benson's rhyme: "When you get less than eight hours of sleep..."

"Hilarious, Carly. What happened with-"

"With Sam?" Carly sighs and runs her fingers through her hair. "It sucked, basically."

"Shocker. Sam wasn't open about her feelings. Don't read too much into this, Carly."

"Yeah, maybe she's not open about her feelings to you," Carly says sharply, "but I'm her best friend. She tells me everything." She grabs a cookie from a random passerby and shoves half of it into her mouth.

"Everything?" Freddie smirks and raises his eyebrows at her, bringing back memories of an epic Carly tempter tantrum and being duct taped to chairs. He reaches over and stealing half of the stolen cookie.

"Yes, every-most everything, okay? Especially guy stuff. And not only does she not tell me that she has a crush on our hot new intern-"

"He's not that hot."

"Not the point! Not only does she not tell me, but she acted all weird about me trying to set them up. All I want is for her to get with the guy she likes and be happy, and she completely freaks out about it. I want what's best for her, you know? She's my best friend, and I just want her to go for what she wants. Stop playing scared." She folds her arms across her chest and looks expectantly at Freddie, waiting for him to respond. Instead, he just stares back at her with an unfathomable expression on his face.

"Now you say something, Freddie. This is how conversations work." And suddenly she's pulled into a hug. Not the creepy kind of hugs twelve-year-old Freddie would always attempt to bestow on her, but one hug from a close friend to another. When he releases her, she grins at him. "What was that for?"

"Carlotta Shay, you are a fantastic friend and a wonderful person," he laughs. "And Sam has no idea how lucky she is to have you around."

"Aww, thanks, Freddie. That's really-"

"I'm gonna go finish the project." He turns around and starts to walk away.

"Um. Okay." She watches him leave with a smile on her face. One day, she thinks, Freddie Benson will make someone a fantastic boyfriend. He's a great-

Wait a second.

"Freddie!" She calls across the hallway. "Your project room is on the other side of the school!"

"I'm taking the long way around!" He calls back, and keeps walking. Towards the courtyard.

"Well," she says to herself. "That's not suspicious at all."

Where exactly is Freddie going? Probably just the bathroom or something. It's nothing to get all weird about.

But it wouldn't hurt to check...