iHear You
Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly
Chapter 1: I hear you sleeping
Freddie's POV:
Night fell on the tired old library faster than I had planned. A faint glow from the street lights outside the window mixed with my pathetic book-light did little to help me out. I squinted, exhausted and frustrated, at my history notes. My eyes glazed over the same paragraph for the fourth time, and I wasn't absorbing anything more. I was going to fail. I just knew it. My neck gave up and my head came down on the shadowed pages with a *thunk*. A muffled groan escaped my lips in my cloud of aggravation. This was torture.
I didn't want to study anymore. I didn't want to think. I knew I couldn't stop… yet… I had learned from a crazy blonde chick that letting go and doing what I want instead of what's wise actually feels really good. And this felt good. I let my eyes slide closed and the wrinkles in my forehead evened out. Like magic my head-ache faded away and peacefulness enveloped me. I didn't care that I wasn't in my dorm right now, I didn't care that my phone alarm wasn't set, I didn't care that I'd miss the history test. Except that I did.
"URGGGH!" I bellowed in agony at the empty and echo-prone room as I lifted my suddenly really heavy head.
"And 'RAWWWR' to you too" I heard a familiar teasing voice from behind. I swiveled around quickly to see her there in all her glory. Dressed in baggy PJ pants and the T-shirt she wore today. Her hair pulled up, yet not contained at all. Her eyes weren't tired at all as the blue pierced through all the darkness in the room. I couldn't help but play with the idea of using her eyes as my book-light.
"Hey Sam" I grumbled, rubbing my eyes to clear the fog and get a better look.
She strolled on over and pulled out a chair next to me. The wood screamed as it was dragged against the old tile floor. She plopped herself down and flipped her legs so they were crossed and on the table top. She leaned back in her chair in such a dangerous angle that it made me flinch. "I think you just won the title of Dork of the Year, Benson. You're seriously still studying? Or studying at all…" I knew she didn't study, it wasn't fair, and she always passed anyway. Sam was smart, she rocked the SATs; she just didn't show it and didn't try. That nagged at me to an unbearable degree, but I was too tired to bring it up.
"Just trying to… I'm just… the notes just…" I was trying to focus enough to put together a full sentence but I couldn't. My brain was done working and it had gone to bed. Instead I got caught up in a lion-like yawn and tried to blink the rising fog out of my eyes again.
"Dude" she laughed, shaking her head at me, "You've converted to your zombie-form. Not good. I really think you should go run up to your cute little dorm and go to sleep, huh? No one should be up this late" she said, resting her arm on my nearest shoulder to her and leaning in slightly. I felt her warmth flood through me and I just wanted to use her as a blanket and fall asleep.
"You're up this late" I reminded, not able to align my eyes enough to meet her gaze.
"Yeah, but only for a snack break. I went to bed hours ago." She then plunged her hand into a crinkly bag of chips that I hadn't noticed was there before.
Her reassuring energy was breathing life back into my previously deadened form, at least enough to develop a thought and a sentence. "How'd you get that? The machines turn off at nine." She just smiled triumphantly and I swear it was like a dozen angles broke into song behind her. I blinked away the allusion and tried to focus.
"Don't doubt my kicking power." She simply put it.
"You kicked it until something came out?"
"No, I kicked the drunken janitor 'til he turned it back on." she clarified. A tired laugh bubbled out my throat as I rubbed my eyes with both hands. I felt myself waking up. I didn't know how she did that to me. She was better than coffee when it came this. "Chip?" she offered, holding it up to my mouth.
"Yeah, thanks" I reached for it but her hand recoiled.
"Wait, wait, this is the big one." She explained as she stuck it in her mouth and dug around the bag for a less desirable chip. She pulled out a smaller one that was slightly burnt but I took it anyway without complaint, just a smile. "So… still going to study?"
I sighed, remembering where I was and what I was doing here, "Yeah." I grumbled.
"Okay." She said, settling deeper in her chair and lifting another chip to her parting lips.
"You're staying?" I asked incredulously, or as incredulous as I could sound when I couldn't feel my legs anymore. I concentrated on wiggling my toes, just to make sure they were still there. Then I remembered the girl next to me.
"Yup" she piped up with an encouraging grin.
"Why?" I asked. This was weird, Sam doesn't worry about school work, not her own and especially not mine.
"Because, you're going to need someone to walk you home after or else you're going to pass out in an alleyway and be taken into a prostitution ring, and I can't have that on my conscience." She explained. I grimaced a little at the prostitution ring part but I knew what she meant. She cared; she had told me that before.
"Thank you, Sam" I told her sincerely, she took it with a nod.
I looked down at my study materials and tried to get going with it again. My eyes wouldn't follow a sentence from left to right; they just kept trying to roll back inside my head. I was about to get frustrated again when I felt an arm and a head rest on my shoulder. The corners of my mouth tightened upward unstoppably as I tried to gather and keep the feeling inside me. A small vibration rumbled through me as she crunched on another chip on my shoulder, which I lowered a little to let her snuggle in.
I tried to focus again, but I couldn't, for another reason this time. I was too busy thinking about something, somebody, else.
"Um," I broke the silence, trying to turn my neck to look at her but I had to do the majority with my eyes because of the position we were in. "I think I better go to bed" I told her.
"Mmmhmm" she murmured and I noticed her eyes were closed. I chuckled, but not enough to disturb her. Before I knew it, it became me taking care of her instead of the other way around. I knew what I had to do. I arranged my books back inside my bag and slung it over my shoulder.
"Alright," I grunted slightly as I got up while holding her rag doll form from falling. "Let's go." I encouraged. She just sunk into my hold on her and purred slightly. She looked so, I don't know, precious like this. I didn't want to move her. I didn't want to tamper with the perfect.
"I've got you." I told her last thread of consciousness. Then I strung my arm under her legs, still propped on top of the table, and wrapped my other around her waist for support. As I lifted, she buried her head deeper in my chest and mumbled something like gratitude.
"You're welcome" I whispered.
I carried her through the dark and abandoned street, making the familiar right turn. I counted buildings till I came to the fourth one and walked up the driveway, through the lobby and then the hallway.
I arrived at the door and stopped. I didn't want to nock and wake Carly, she had the same history test tomorrow and at least one of us should get some sleep. But how was I going to get this heap of girl in my arms safe in her apartment?
"Sam" I whispered my call to her. I didn't want to wake her, but if she was still there I needed her help. No response. "Sam, I need the key. Where's the key?" I coaxed.
"Depends." Her answer startled me slightly, her eyes where still shut firmly, "Where's my chips?" she demanded.
I rolled my eyes, amused, "They're still in your hand, Puckett." I said her last name, which I had so often spit at her, in an endearing way this time. Her grip tightened and when she felt and heard the crunch of a bag of chips she was satisfied.
"It's in my shoe." She told me. A questioning eyebrow shot up, but I realized she wouldn't answer a look with her eyes still closed. I opened my mouth to ask, but just decided she had a reason, just one I'd never understand fully. She was a wonder.
I tentatively removed her right shoe and found it was empty. I took off her other and located the awaiting gold that sparkled slightly against the moonlight. I looked back at her face, her eyes were open and she was looking at me now. I took a moment to marvel about how I ended up here. I hadn't planned to be holding Sam bridal style under the stars when I sat down to study. But that's what I liked about us. I smiled and she returned it, then I opened the door.
Her shoes were already off, so I set them down by the mat and brought her to her room. I didn't turn on the light, just pulled the covers back, lay her down carefully, and brought the blanket back over her and started to walk away.
"Wait." Her small call broke through my haze of duty and I turned to look at her. "Go camp out on the couch, I don't want you out there alone." She told me. I was about to argue to her that I was a big boy and could handle getting to my dorm by myself, but her look shooed away a debate. She was getting her way, whether it was now or after hours of fighting.
"Okay." I agreed and she replied by slipping down into her covers, content.
I patted the door frame once as I got a last look at her and left. I placed my book bag down and set my phone alarm. It was such a relief to lie down finally and the couch had never felt comfier. I didn't need a blanket; she had already warmed me up enough to last me through the night.
So, how'd you like it? Do you think it told you enough without being all "Hi, my name is Freddie Benson, I'm in college and I think I have a thing for my best friend."?
So… what do you think will happen when Carly finds a guy on their couch? What will she think? What will she say? Review if you think this is worth continuing! Review for what you want (suggestions or writing critiques) so that I make this worth reading!
My other story is iTranslate, if you aren't reading that right now, you should. I like to keep two or three stories going at a time to mix it up and keep me from getting boring. If you like my stuff enough to read this, than read that too!
