A/N: Something I just wrote… Hope you like it as much as I do!
Disclaimer: iCarly belongs to me! So does Earth and the Solar System! Just kidding. But the song lyrics 'Falling' were written by me (they're italicized in the story).
Enjoy, read and review!
Falling-A tale of being in love…
"You will never guess who just asked me out!" Carly Shay squealed to her best friend.
"Umm, Mr Howard?" Sam replied, grinning smugly.
"Gross, no! Freddie did!"
"Wait, the dork, Freddie?"
That smile slipped off of her face like butter on a warm day and her excited friend simply nodded and ran off to spread the 'good' news to anyone who actually listened and cared. There weren't many though.
It wasn't until later, Fredward Benson showed his face and Samantha Puckett could not have shown more emotion then she was now. Trust me, it wasn't happy and excited, it was confused and hurt… don't forget angry too. Oh yes, she was livid. Freddie could see that in her oceanic blue eyes, that were now seeing red.
"Sam, please let me explain…" he started to say.
"Okay, explain." The girl usually had a very short temper, and today just made it all the worse.
"I love Carly, you know that," he said, smiling. "…and now that she said she loves me too…"
"Wait, what?" Sam questioned, quietly.
This was happening. This was happening right in front of her eyes and there wasn't anything she could do to stop it. Her two best friends were falling in love with one another. How did that work? No, seriously… how DID that work? There was always that thought running through the back of her mind, telling her that somehow, by some magical force or whatever, she and Freddie would be together. Not Freddie and Carly.
You know it's all okay when she told you… She told you then it was all okay, that's right
"I am in love with you Carly Shay, always have been, always will be," said Freddie, taking her hand.
Carly looked for an excuse not to be with him, but couldn't find a good enough reason. Why not? She thought. No one else is getting together with him, so I may as well give him a chance.
"I love you too Freddie," she says, wrapping her arms around the boy, in a hug.
Do I get a say in this?
This thought, particularly bothered Sam, as she sat at home, staring at her blue flowery wall paper. It was old, and half was ripped off. She had half a mind to continue the ripping. In fact… she did.
'Carly…' Rip. 'Freddie' Rip, rip. 'dating each other…' Rip.
This went on and on until all of her wall paper had come off, and was in long shreds, scattered across her bedroom floor. Those shreds of paper reminded her of something important. Her heart, her shattered, broken, split in two pieces heart. She hated them. She wanted to say something to them, but that was easier thought than said.
'Why are you doing this to me?' Rip.
Again, but this time, she had gotten a hold of her notebook. Rip, rip, rip. Pages flying everywhere, song lyrics, class notes between her and Freddie, mainly lyrics some already put to music, some a work in progress. Who cares though? Rip, rip, rip, rip, rip. Page by page, they came out. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she did so, until no more pages could be ripped out. Sam collapsed by the wall, hoping her mother wouldn't decide to suddenly come in and make her clean up all the sheets of paper that were now littering her bedroom floor, almost like snow.
The girl noticed a photo frame with both Carly and Freddie together. Smiling at her, smiling like nothing was wrong, everything was sunshine and rainbows. Smiling because they were happy, they were happy and she was miserable. Freaking miserable.
CRASH! Glass shards tinkling from that photo frame and also onto the floor, the photograph also came out and was still in one piece. She walked over, being careful enough not to cut herself on the glass that seemed to be everywhere now-like her broken heart, right? Picking up that photograph, took it in both her hands and… RIP, rip, rip, rip, rip. Tiny little crumbs of the picture ended up amongst that shattered glass.
Not a glance in my direction, passing glance… From that day onwards, yeah that day onwards
Carly was laughing, just like the perfect girl she was and Freddie was just so damn ecstatic. Sam was not either of those things. Nope, not in the slightest. They didn't notice though. Not that they didn't care for her, and not that they were completely ignorant. No. It was the 'honeymoon phase' as Spencer once said. But this didn't make Sam feel any better. No. It didn't at all.
Swore to my heart it would never break…Told my own head that I promise dearly…Again, I find myself falling and falling and… Falling in love with you
Yes, Sam was in love with Freddie. Like she could say that though. Carly was with him now, and she was too late. Not like she had a chance in the first place anyway. Miss Shay was just freaking perfect in every single way. This irritated the blonde girl, to no end. She would never say that to her best friend's face though. Sam wasn't that mean.
You said that you're happy with her, so, so happy… It hurts to be forgotten, it hurts that you don't know
Of course, as fate would have it, Sam was forced to 'bump into' Freddie after their final classes for the day.
"Sam, hi," he greeted, smiling that drop dead gorgeous smile.
Sam didn't reply, she didn't want to say anything to him, in case bad things came out-such as "I love you" or "you should dump her". Instead, she faked a half smile. There wasn't anyway in hell she was actually happy though. Freddie was. He was too happy, all the freaking time. It drove her insane. At least, though, at least she could see that smile and hear that laugh she adored.
"Carly and I are going to the movies tonight, wanna come?"
Nothing. Silence, not even acknowledgement. He deserved it. She thought bitterly. Tag along? On their date? That would crush her completely, if not destroy her totally. It wasn't worth the risk, that risk being life or death.
Seeing that she wasn't going to say anything to him, he walked away from her. Again.
Will things ever be the same?
Thinking back to the time when things were simple as 1, 2, 3 counting, Sam lay back on his bed and closed her eyes lightly. Yes, she had crawled in through his window, as she usually would do-nothing had really changed… had it? Closing her eyes, she let her mind explore the past.
Thirteen years old. She had had a little crush on the guy back then, but it was so miniscule, she could barely recognize it. Teasing, tormenting, agony. Oh the agony she caused him. Cruel irony. That was exactly what he was doing to her, while going out with Carly. Perhaps she deserved this. Perhaps she had it coming from the beginning.
Fourteen and fifteen, she began to acknowledge Freddie as more of a friend, well more punches followed, of course, but other than that, they were getting along, almost famously. By themselves at least. When their best friend was in the same room as them, it was pretty much a fight. Not between the frenemies. No. Between Sam and Carly. Competing for his attention. Sam and Freddie kissed, it was both of their first kiss. This made her feelings grow stronger. Yup, stronger indeed.
Now? They are all sixteen. She is falling in love with Freddie. But he's with Carly.
Telling me day by day that she's the right one, the right girl… The wedding would be held in early Spring
"It's too early to be thinking about that, Carls," said Freddie, smirking.
"But wouldn't Spring be beautiful?" Carly replied and glanced over at her best friend. "Sam?"
"Totally." her voice was monotone which reflected her mood. Not convinced. "I'm going home."
I thought I swore to my heart it would never break…Told my own head that I promise myself dearly…But I still find myself falling and falling and falling and…Falling and Falling and Falling…
Their conversations got a little longer as months progressed. In fact, it had been six months already and Carly and Freddie had been going steady for the majority of that time. Sam still wasn't all that excited. How can you get over something like that? Being in love. It's the best and worst thing you could ever experience in your whole life.
"Hey Sam," he said, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Freddie, what's up?"
"Not much… hey, I was thinking, should I get Carly flowers or a necklace…"
All these words are making me downhearted… You're God damn smile, it makes me cry
His smile. She couldn't not smile back when he was smiling directly at her. That smile belonged to her, and her alone. Not Carly. Heck no! That signature smile was reserved for her. She knew it. Tears were welling in the corner of her eyes, but being Sam, she blinked rapidly, to disguise the fact she was about to break into tears. Then she thought 'he never smiles at Carly like that, ever'. It gave her a shred of hope. That was all she could hold onto… for now.
How can I tell you how I feel?
I love you Fredward Benson. She thought it through many, many times. In her head, it was easy. Out loud, in front of everyone, it would probably sound tacky and messy. She should wait. Yes. That's what she will do. Wait.
She waited. She waited a long time. Waiting didn't help. Waiting. Didn't. Work.
When you're so happy, so happy being with her… All these words make my head spin and my heart split
There they stood, in each other's arms. Like it was destiny for them to be together. Perhaps it was. Sam didn't like the outlook of this. All she could see was Mr and Mrs Benson, Junior Bensons and that stupid freaking white picket fence. She hated that white picket fence. It was too perfect. Just like them. They were all too perfect for each other.
Freddie looked happy, as did Carly. Yes, they both looked happy. Turning to face Sam, their smiles widened a great deal, as if to say "didn't think this would happen, did ya Puckett?" But their mouths didn't move, no sounds were heard, except laughing, giggling, that happy sound Sam despised so much.
How could she ruin such a perfect happiness?
Your beautiful eyes take me to another place… I can't ever let you know, It'll ruin that sunshine you once had…
"Fredward Benson, don't come back until you can explain!" Carly screeched, almost in tears.
"Explain what?" the boy roared back.
Their argument continued and as Sam was passing by the Shay apartment, she didn't have to eavesdrop to figure out what was happening. Carly and Freddie-the perfect couple-were in a heated argument.
"I don't need to explain anything!"
"But I found 'this' in your bed!"
"That's Sam's shirt, and I don't know how it got there!"
Sam gasped, and backed away from the door in realization. She had snuck in to Freddie's room the other night, and must have left her shirt there.
"What are you doing with Samantha in your room?"
"I don't know!"
"Get out Freddie."
"But I didn't…."
"GET OUT NOW!" Carly was definitely crying. Sam could hear it in her friend's voice.
Freddie stormed out and slammed the door behind him, making Sam jump. He took one look at the girl in front of him and threw her the shirt he had been holding in his hands. There were no words to describe how hurt Freddie was. There were no words to describe what exactly Sam was thinking when she grabbed both of his hands.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't know…"
"Yeah," he said, bitterly. "Thanks to you, Carly thinks we're sleeping together."
"But you know that's not true," she replied, looking into those chocolate eyes. "It's not, Freddie."
"Whatever…" he replied and pushed past her to get into his apartment, slamming the door behind him.
Now, Sam had two choices. Either take advantage of both Carly and Freddie being in a bad argument right then and there and take this opportunity to tell him her true feelings or be a good best friend, and help them get back together. No matter how hard she thought this through, she knew there was only one choice.
Coz I swore to my heart it would never break… Told my own head that I promise dearly…Again I find myself falling and falling and falling and
The apartment was quiet, but Sam could hear her best friend upstairs sobbing. She followed the sound and it led her into Carly's bedroom. The brunette girl was crying, face down on a pillow. The other girl made her way to the bed, sat down beside her friend and stroked her brown, silky hair.
"Wha…" the girl lifts her head up to look at who was petting her head softly. "Sam…"
"Hey Carls," her voice is all choked up. "I'm sorry about the whole shirt thing. I have never slept with Freddie. I couldn't do that to my best friend. He wouldn't even dream of hurting you, ever."
Hearing this, Carly wiped her eyes slowly and pulled her best friend into a tight hug.
"I knew it wasn't true," she whispered while holding Sam close. "I knew it."
Swore to my heart it wouldn't break… Told my own head and promised dearly…Again I'm falling, falling and falling and falling
Freddie and Carly. They were holding hands, walking through the hallway and everyone was cheering for them, everyone, except for one blonde haired girl, who remained just like she was before. Broken hearted.
It's all foolishness and I can see …It was never meant to be
About three and a half years pass by. College ends, and then… that inevitable day happens. A warm spring day, just like they had planned. The one that made Sam cry, and they weren't tears of joy, either. The reality hit her when they said 'I do', and shared a kiss as husband and wife. Those tears were rolling down her face, they didn't stop, even when Carly was thanking her. Really, her best friend had no idea how much she was thanking Sam for.
Giving up the love of her life for her best friend? Remaining broken hearted? Check and check.
Doesn't matter how it ends… I'm still falling in love with you
Destiny has a funny way of making amends though. After their 'joyous' wedding, Carly suggested that Freddie should have a last dance with Sam. He, like a gentleman, accepted that proposal.
"Sam," he said, walking her to the dance floor, where some soft, slow music was playing.
"What are you doing, Freddie?" Sam asked, in shock.
"Dancing. With you," he replied and gave her that smile.
The smile that was all hers. The smile belonging to the man she would always be in love with.