EDIT: I blame myself for not properly researching this. My bad guys. But I have edited this chapter to change the University that Freddie is attending from Berkley to UCLA. My apologies.
It was a Sunday morning when his plane landed in LAX. It was a cloud covered, rainy, dismal day and he was in a horrible mood. In the past two months his life had changed drastically. Overcome by a disease which he could only describe as grief. The worst part was he wasn't even grieving the dead. Because in death at least there was some form of closure. But he was grieving the living. In particular two woman. The first woman was his best friend he knew and understood her like a sibling. He had let her go for unselfish reasons and although he grieved her loss he was at least satisfied that she wasn't really lost to him indefinitely. He would see her again. One day. The other half and admittedly larger part of his grief however was situated around another being, although this time he couldn't tell you if she were alive or dead. She had disappeared. She hadn't told him where she was going or when she would be back. She had just left. And thus the grieving, the depression and above all the loneliness took over.
He grabbed his bags from the turning belt at the baggage claim. They were heavy because they held his entire 17 years of existence within their cotton walls. Struggling to carry the weight he heaved himself out of the terminal to find a cab. His mother had insisted that his car, his prized possession, a 1969 Pontiac firebird trans am, couldn't and shouldn't make the journey and that he was best to buy a newer and more reliable car on his arrival in California. He supposed she was right in a sense that his car was very expensive and perhaps keeping it on college grounds was asking for trouble, but now he desperately longed for the fast pace, loud engine, the wind in his hair and the freedom to just for a second forget that life and reality continued around him and without him. And so he stood outside the terminal, hailing a cab, to take him to his accommodation for what he hoped wouldn't be the next 4 years of his life. He had decided to study physics. UCLA was famous for its mathematics courses and he had always enjoyed science and technology. It seemed, to him at least a win-win situation.
After 30 seconds of waving at the passing traffic, a yellow car stopped in front of him and a rather large middle-eastern man, with a large black curly beard and smelling strongly of hommus got out of the car to help him put his bags in the boot. 'Where you heading boy?' he was asked as he slid into the backseat of the cab. The man's voice was rough and husky, perhaps a heavy smoker he presumed, and his conclusions were confirmed as the driver pulled away from the curb and simultaneously lit a cigarette. 'UCLA University' he replied to the driver and then turned to the window to watch his new scenery pass him by. 'UCLA ay?' the driver asked again but he pretended he didn't hear and continued staring out the window. He heard the driver huff and mutter something about 'stupid kids' and 'no manners' but he didn't mind. The driver was right, he was in no mood for common courtesies.
It was safe to say that L.A was different than he expected. Though he had only ever visited the city once, it felt like a different lifetime that the trip had occurred and he hadn't seen much of the city that time either. He could imagine palm tree lined roads, girls on roller skates, he might have even expected to see a familiar face, even if it was a D grade celebrity. He had expected the sun to be shining and the beaches crowded but he had received a welcome of anything but. The sun wasn't shining, either a tribute to his mood or a memorial of the city he was leaving. The streets were crowded with what he could only describe as the common crowd, a heard of people bustling to their destinations. No one stood out. No one seemed inviting. Everyone seemed to be on their own personal mission. This was as far from home as he thought possible. Had it his way he would have never got on the stupid plane. But as it seems, it wasn't up to him, it was up to his mother. His mother, the overbearing type, had practically forced the move on him. 'UCLA is a good school' she said 'you'll like L.A' she said. 'It's not healthy for you here anymore' she said. And there it was. The truth. She was right, home wasn't healthy for him anymore, too many memories and missed opportunities to dwell on, they had him caught in his own world for the last 3 months. But summer was over and he was on his way to a school he hadn't wanted to go to, to meet people he most probably wouldn't like and to remember that this was supposed to be one of the best times of his life, not the loneliest.
They arrived at the university and he got out of the cab to grab his bags. 'How much?' he asked the driver. '$50' was the reply, and although he was positive he was being ripped off, he decided he probably deserved it and payed the man. Picking up his bags was a struggle but he managed and began to trudge towards the administration building, to register and receive his room assignment, he hopped to eventually get his own place in the city if only to avoid any if not all unessential human interaction. Reaching the admin block he entered, thanking no one in particular that there wasn't a line and approached the counter, his bags forgotten on the ground by his feet. Behind the counter was a middle aged woman with horn rimmed glasses and perm perfect curls. She wore a burgundy lipstick that matched her blouse and he presumed probably her shoes as well, although he couldn't see her feet. 'I'm here to check in' he stated. The woman who was typing very fast on the desktop computer barely glanced at him. 'Name?' she spoke in a monotone and he thought that maybe like him she would rather be anywhere but here as well. After giving her all his details he was given a key to a single room, which had been a condition of his attending the school in the first place. He was about to exit the building to find his room when another woman, this time roughly his age bent down and picked up one of his bags. She was shorter than him with big brown eyes and long red hair, a deep red which was obviously fake but suited her more than another colour he thought. She wore a UCLA jumper and pair of tight jeans. 'Hey' she said to him 'I'll take you to your room, show you around a bit?' she smiled at him. He reluctantly acknowledged her with a nod and followed her out of the room. He honestly had no idea where his room was and the map that the woman behind the counter had given him was looked as if a 3 year old had made it. If this girl could get him there faster than all the better for him. 'Not much of a talker are you?' she giggled but continued walking. And he continued following, not offering a response. They walked through a courtyard and he registered that she was talking to him about the area but he ignored her. He didn't want a grand tour he just wanted to get to his room. As they entered another building, which he presumed that his room was located in, he watched the girl walking in front of him, struggling slightly with one of his heavy bags. He began to grow curious at the girl's age. She couldn't be more than a year older than him, and he doubted even that. Weren't seniors the ones that usually showed freshman around? He thought. 'Do you go to school here?' he asked the girl. She stopped talking mid-sentence and turned to face him 'So he can speak?' she giggled again. She had a very soft girly voice, almost childlike. He wasn't sure yet whether it bothered him or not but he decided it probably would. He didn't answer her and just waited for her to answer him, after a few seconds she must have got the message because she answered his question. 'No, I just help out in the office, kind of like a part time job. I live nearby. I actually run a babysitting business with my roommate' she smiled 'but a little extra money in our pockets is always good' she laughed at herself then and resumed her walk towards his room.
A few more minutes of lugging his bags up the hallway of the building later, she stopped at a door labelled J17 Single. He opened the door with his key and walked into the room that would make do as him home until he could get out of here. There was a single bed on one side of the room and a dresser on the opposite. A larger window on the far wall showed a view of one of the schools many gardens. There was also a small bathroom to the right immediately after walking in. it was small and quiet. It was as he felt. 'Well this is cosy' he heard the girl say behind him. He turned to see she had let herself in and was now sitting on his bed looking around his room. Placing his bags on the ground he walked towards a small desk he hadn't realised was in the room before along the protruding wall of the bathroom. Sitting in the chair he look at her with a sour expression. 'What did you say your name was again?' he asked her. 'I didn't' she simply replied with a smile. He grew irritated with the silence and was about to say something awful and rude most probably but was stopped when she burst out laughing. 'You really are grumpy' she smiled 'You should lighten up a bit, you can't make friends with a frown' she said. He snorted at her comment 'I'm hardly in the mood for company so that won't be a problem.' He had intended to scare her off with that comment but she continued to smile at him. 'Well, its Caterina but everyone calls me Cat' she said. The smile was starting to really irk him. In his mood happy people just made him angrier. Didn't they realise how fragile happiness was? It never lasted. 'And your name?' she asked. Instead of answering her he glanced at his watch. 'It's getting late' he prompted in hopes that she would leave. 'I need to unpack' he watched as her smile faulted for a split second before it was back in full force. She reached into her back pocket and produced a business card. 'I'll tell you what' she said standing up and passing him the card. 'If you want to hang out or something, give me a call. My roommate and I are always doing something and we like new people. Plus you're a bit odd. And I'm pretty sure she's into that.' She raised her eyebrow at him suggestively and he had to fight the urge to be sick at the thought of it. 'You can't go 4 years without someone to talk to Mr Grumpy. You'll go insane' she sounded serious but the smile never wavered. It was extremely irritating. And with that she let herself out of the room and she was gone. He breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced down at the card in his hand. 'Sam and Cat's Super Rockin' Fun-Time Babysitting Service.' He felt sick. His stomach dropped. Now he knew. The world was mocking him. He shook his head, threw the card in the bin and organized himself to have a long shower. If today was anything to go by he already knew he wouldn't like this school.
Authors Note: Okay guys first things first, I know this is technically a cross over but I figured if I posted here I might get a bit more feedback. Secondly, I refuse to wright Cat as stupid. Simply because she isn't. Not in my head anyway. I think she is care free, and innocent but I defiantly don't think she is irritably stupid as some people like to project her. And so she will not be portrayed that way in this story. And thirdly, I know our main man is a bit depressing in this chapter and unlike the quirky guy were used to, but come on, Carly left and then Sam leaves as well, he has no idea where she is and hasn't had contact with her within the last 3 months. That's pretty depressing. I feel like Freddie would revert to the quiet nerdy kid that he was before iCarly happened, before he came out of his shell but now there is an added touch of broody angst. And lastly, the Firebird is my all-time favourite old school car and I like the idea of Freddie owning a badass car, even if his mummy holds the keys. So let me know what you think. If you guys like then I'll continue. I have the next chapter written, just going through editing. This story should only last about 10 chapters anyway. Please Review. I'm open to all advice.