Hey everyone. This just popped into my head after I watched iOMG.

Read and Review. Thanks.

Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly or the characters.

Different Again

You know when you are dreaming and you are just about to wake up, and the line between reality and subconscious begin to blur, almost like ocean water washing up against a sandy beach, pulling it in little by little? Well, that's what this was like, right now. One minute I'm in dream land, having the time of my life and then sound, smells, sensations from the real world flow in like those ocean waves; drowning me in sudden consciousness, until I was gasping for air and gripping fistfuls of bed sheet.

I groaned and sat up as a dim light collided with my retinas. I looked around, heart still hammering from my sudden search for oxygen, until my eyes found the digital clock resting on my bedside table. It read a time too early for the likes of me, especially on a Sunday. I groaned, rubbing sleep from my eyes and turned from left to right, stretching and flexing my stiff muscles. I flopped back down on my pillow, sending a gust of cool air out in all directions. I tossed and turned for a while, trying to get pulled back into that big sea of nothingness, but ultimately failing. I let out a long breath of air, letting my mind find the events from just hours ago. It wasn't difficult, knowing that what had happened would likely change life as I knew it forever. It rose up around me like a thick, ominous fog.

Why in the name of all that is right did Carly have to shove her nose into other people's business? I mean she actually thinks that I'm in love with Brad. Brad! I mean, don't get me wrong, he's a great guy and I love his fudge, but I would never consider dating him. And then she goes even further to tell me to step out and make a move. I already know who I want to be with, even though he would never have me. He was much too busy drooling over the prissy brunette to even notice me. Sure we're friends but-

"Yo, yo." Freddie was poking his head through the door to the breezeway I was sitting in. I looked up at him. Great. Just great. This just made things a thousand times better. I'm guessing Carly probably had the nub come find me to see if I had changed my mind and was now ready to marry Brad and have ten babies with the dude.

"Did Carly send you to find me?" I spat bitterly.

"Nope." He said quietly, stepping out completely and making his was along the wall.

"Oh. So you don't know we had a little argument." I wasn't looking at him.

"She told me about your 'little argument.' I just said she didn't tell me to come find you." He finally came to a complete stop and leaned back against the brick wall. Wow. I didn't have any reason to think he would be lying, except maybe to make Carly look like less of a gutless girly-girl. Typical. Freddie was always looking out for Carly. It was pathetic. I could feel my face getting hot as anger rose up in me. I was always pretty good at ignoring this, but tonight I was on my last nerve.

"Good." I spat again. I was sick of this.

"But Carly's right." He said, looking down at me. Yeah, Carly's right. Of course she's right. She's perfect. I groaned loudly.

"Groan all you want. " He said patiently. Yeah, Carly could just assume that I'm in love with someone based on a stupid app that Freddie made and meddle in my love life, but I couldn't groan. That made sense.

"I don't care what your stupid PearPad app says about me being in love. I'm not into Brad like that." I spat angrily. He didn't look convinced.

"Lately, every time I tell you that Brad and I are doing something together, you want to come hang with us." He said, like he had proven some huge point. What in the world. Can't I just hang out with them? I hang out with Freddie and Carly. I even hang out with Gibby. That doesn't mean I'm in love with Carly or Gibby. Is it really that strange of a concept for me to willingly want to spend time with someone?

"And that means I'm in love with him?" I asked, expecting him to back down. I had enough of this.

"Well, you hate me!" He yelled. My heart stopped. There it was. I wasn't expecting this. I knew I didn't hate Freddie. I mean he could be so annoying sometimes and a complete nub. But that was Freddie. And I loved that about him. I don't hate him. Why would he even say that? I looked up at him, guilt running through me like hot lava.

" I never said I hate you." I said quietly.

"Yeah you have! Like nine hundred times!" He yelled. I looked up at him. Is this really how Freddie felt about me? He honestly thought I hated him? I felt guilt and coldness rushing through me. He continued.

"I still have the Birthday card you gave me that says, 'Happy Birthday, I hate you. Hate, Sam!'" I looked down again. I couldn't deal with this.

Yeah, run away, like always.

What! I do not run. I face my problems head on. If they get in my way, I beat them down. That's the Puckett way.

Right, sure you do. Well, you just keep beating down the one you love and see how many times he gets back up before he eventually leaves you. You know, for Carly.

That's not going to happen! I shook the voice from my aching head. I just wanted this to end. Why was he still here?

"Just leave!" I whined, the pain in my head pulsing. I could tell I was near tears and I didn't need Freddie here for that.

"Fine, I'll leave." He said, mocking my whine. He was still standing there.

"Bye!" I shouted.

"But before I go-" He began again. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I jumped up, anger coursing through me. I didn't care anymore. He was going to leave. He wasn't here for me, just to please Carly. He didn't fool me. Just so he could run back to her and tell her how he didn't stop until he got an answer from me. Well, he wasn't getting anything!

"THAT'S IT! Get out of here before I do a double fist dance on your face!" I threatened, moving over to him until I was just inches from him. He stood his ground, which is something Freddie rarely did.

" You can threaten your double fist face dancing all you want!" He said firmly, looking straight into my eyes. I shuddered inwardly. He wasn't afraid of me anymore. He had finally grown out of that. I looked up into his coffee brown eyes and my heart began to hammer harder than ever. When he spoke again, it was much softer and calmer, sending chills through me.

"But Carly's still right. Look, I know it's scary for you to put your feelings out there,"

Aint that the truth! Its more than scary, it's impossible.

"Because you never know if the person you like is gonna like you back."

Why is my heart beating so fast that it feels like it's going to explode right out of my chest?

"Everyone feels that way!"

Was this really happening? Was Freddie really standing here, his brown eyes boring into mine, his voice sending chills up my spine and his minty breath so close I could almost taste it? Carly's voice echoed in my head. "You act like such a tough girl but really you're just scared!" Maybe...

NO! I'm not scared! I'm not going to let Freddie stand here and tell me how I should profess my love for him-

Wait!

"But you never know what might happen if you-"

I don't know and I don't care anymore. Carly's voice echoed again.

"Go for it! Make a move!"

And before I knew it I was kissing him. My heart was humming in my throat and my hands were tight on his shoulders. I couldn't think, just act. I needed him more than he would ever know, but I needed him to know, to know how much he meant to me. To know that I loved him…

It took awhile for my brain to realize that Freddie wasn't moving. His lips were stiff against mine and his body was rigid. Oh no! I immediately pulled away, lowering my hands slowly and backing away from him. I stared into his eyes to see what he may be thinking. He looked confused, or shocked. I couldn't tell. I felt hot patches on my cheeks and my eyes began to sting and my heart begin to sink. How could I have been so stupid? Why on earth would I ever think that Freddie would feel something too? I watched him as he straightened up, his mouth opening and closing but no words escaped it. I felt my heart sinking lower and lower. I wanted to yell, to scream, to explode into a million pieces, but instead I just muttered a lame apology. He looked at me for a few seconds but then spoke, barely moving his lips.

"It's cool."

I felt the tears welling up, blurring my vision, but I could still see him slowly turn on the spot and march back through the door that he came through. I watched his figure move smoothly through the hall and out the door at the opposite end.

My head was spinning, the heat still rising up to my face as hot tears fell. I gasped and sputtered, frozen in place.

What did you expect? The voice was back. Did you expect him to embrace you? To tell you that he has loved you all this time? GROW UP! He never loved you and he never will. You are nothing but a rough, bullying, troublemaker-

What was that? Someone was just staring at me through the window and just ducked back down. It looked like a girl; but not just any girl, a very familiar brunette girl. I wiped my eyes fast and made my way across the breezeway and through the door. I found the area where the head had vanished, just across the room behind a cement wall leading to another class room. When I spoke my voice sounded strained.

"Carly?" I asked the cement wall. I heard a small gasp and a few seconds later Carly emerged from behind the wall, guilt and concern etched over her pale face.

"Sam…I…" she stammered. I just glared at her. First the meddling and now this. When would she learn? I felt that familiar anger rise up, my eyebrows beginning to furrow painfully.

"Were you…spying..?" I managed to choke out, hot tears stinging my eyes again. Her eyes widened as she spoke in a shaky voice.

"NO! SAM! Well…I mean, I'm so sorry, but… I had no idea…"

I looked down, letting out a long breath. I couldn't look at her. I turned my back towards her and let out another long breath, trying to balance my tears on my eyelids. Several minutes went by before she spoke again.

"Sam?" She said in a voice just above a whisper. I looked up at the large window in front of me and glared at her pleading reflection in the glass. She continued to speak.

"Sam, I didn't know…I'm sorry…Sam? " She paused for a bit, waiting for me to respond. When I didn't she continued.

"Look at me, Sam…please. What…happened? What did he say?" She asked tentatively. I seized up a bit. I slowly turned around, my eyes puffy and bloodshot.

"He-" I began, but she cut me off.

"Do you…love…because I thought you and Brad-" At the mention of Brad, that anger rose up once again and something much greater rose up in me as well and I lost it.

"IT WAS JUST A STUPID APP!" I screamed right in her face causing her to jump back, a small squeak of fear escaping her lips.

"WILL YOU STOP? JUST THIS ONCE! PLEASE! JUST STOP GETTING IN EVERYONE'S BUSINESS AND LEAVE ME ALONE! AND…and…" I couldn't continue. I felt completely drained and exhausted. I just wanted to go home. I didn't say another word as I turned my back on Carly for the second time that day. Not even bothering to wipe the tears streaming down my face, I made my way to the door leading out to the breezeway. I could hear Carly calling, pleading for me to stay, but I didn't listen. I had to get out. I just wanted this night to dissolve, to be sucked up into some wormhole to another dimension where some other, possibly stronger person could deal with this because right now it was eating away at my very essence and I had to get away before I was completely consumed.

I pushed open the heavy blue door, walked across the breezeway and jumped the fence, marching across the school's neatly cut front lawn into darkness.