Freddie Benson missed Seattle. He missed Ridgeway. He missed Carly and Sam and Spencer and even Gibby. He missed iCarly and all the fun he had in the Shays' attic. He even missed Nevel's harassment. Almost as much as those, though, he missed the weather. Los Angeles was far too warm for his taste.
As he walked around his new neighborhood, Freddie sighed and checked his text messages. Nothing. Sam and Carly were probably off at the mall looking at underwear or something. He rounded the corner of the street into a park where he found a teenage girl hanging upside down from the monkey bars. She had bright red, straightened hair and earbuds in her ears. Clearly, the girl was a soprano since she was singing her heart out at pitches that Freddie couldn't remember ever being capable of reaching.
Upon closer inspection, Freddie recognized the girl from the party with the Hollywood Arts kids. She had been the one with the amazing descant notes when they all sang at the end. How could he forget that hair?
He walked closer. The girl's eyes were shut, so she didn't see him. "Hello?" Freddie asked.
No response.
Freddie approached the girl and tapped on her thigh. "Excuse me?"
The shrieking, the girl jumped and fell from the bar and landed flat on her back on the wood chips.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Freddie apologized and knelt down beside her. "Are you okay?"
"Who are you?" the girl shrieked, crossing her arms in front of her face protectively. "My brother's been locked up. Don't make me call him."
Flustered, Freddie stood up and offered the girl a hand up. "My name's Freddie. I just moved here from Seattle."
The girl took his hand, giggling, and stood up. "Oh, I remember you! You're the nerdy iCarly boy!" She poked his chest. "You came to Andre's party!"
"Yeah," Freddie chuckled and ran his right hand through his hair, "that's me."
"I'm Cat."
"Freddie."
"I know," Cat giggled, "you already said that. Do you live in this neighborhood?"
Freddie nodded. "Yeah. My dad lives on the next street over. I apparently drove my mother nuts, so she shipped me down to live with him."
"Cool! My brother tried to ship me to the zoo once. The post office isn't nice to boxes. I ended up in the back of the truck upside down."
Confused, Freddie shook his head. "Would you show me around, Cat?" he asked.
Cat nodded and grabbed ahold of his hand, taking off toward the street and dragging him along. "I live on this street," she pointed as she passed it. "Down that way, toward the theater, is where Jade lives. Beck lives another three blocks north and Tori lives four blocks west. Andre lives the other way. Wanna stop by the Freezy Queen? I want ice cream. I'll buy."
Freddie tried to absorb what he had just been told. "Sure," he shrugged.
The redhead made a tight left turn and whipped Freddie around her as she took off toward town. After five minutes, she slowed down. Freddie practically collapsed beside her, panting. She walked another ten or so feet toward the store before turning and looking toward Freddie. "What are you doing, Freddie? You haven't gotten your ice cream yet!"
"I'll be right there," Freddy managed to get out between gasps. He took another two minutes before standing up, stretching, and walking into the store.
The two teenagers each bought a sundae and sat down at one of the outdoor tables. Cat didn't waste much time before asking more questions to Freddie. "So, where are you going to school?"
"I'll actually be going to Hollywood Arts," Freddie smiled. "Technical work, mostly. Some acting."
"No way!" Cat squealed and punched Freddie's shoulder. "I go there! What grade?"
"Eleventh."
"Ooh, big boy," Cat winked and giggled. "I'm going into tenth."
"Okay." Freddie went back to his ice cream, trying to ignore Cat for a few moments. She was cute and all, but she was a little crazy and difficult to keep up with. Then again, she was a sweetheart.
Cat brought Freddie back to the real world. "So, Freddie, do you drive?"
"Nah," he admitted, "never had to back in Seattle, really. The school wasn't too far away from Carly's and my apartment building."
"You can't walk to school here. It's too far away. It takes me more than half an hour for me to walk it. And I walk fast."
"Yes you do," Freddie laughed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" The redhead pulled away, looking offended.
"I just mean," Freddie stuttered, "you ran here really quickly. I had trouble keeping up."
"Oh," Cat giggled, "okey dokey."
Freddie's phone buzzed with a text message. He lit up, hoping it was Carly or Sam, and then frowned slightly when he discovered that it was his father.
Come home. Dinner.
"I've gotta go," Freddie sighed, making eye contact with Cat. "Can I have your number so I can text you some time?"
"Kay kay!" she chirped and listed the digits off.
"See you later, Cat," Freddie smiled. And stood up, hugging the girl. "Thanks for showing me around."
"Bye bye!"
