Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly.
A/N: Okay, this is definitely not my best work, mostly because I have no idea how to go about writing a Valentine's fic that doesn't involve heartbreak...or someone dying. So this is about as happy as it's gonna get. Enjoy...I hope.
Pink.
There's so much of it that I fear I'm going to go blind by the end of the day, either by self-infliction or by the brightness. Today's never really been my favorite day, what with couples being all mushy everywhere I go, but I can't say that I really hate them. Then there's the hopeless romantics, those single people who think that if they wait long enough they'll get their prince or princess and ride off into the sunset, or whatever.
I'm not one of those.
And I'm not one of those dark, depressed teenagers who would be willing to cut out my heart with angst-filled poetry. Well…okay, maybe I am. But it's only because of her. People expect me, out of my own actions, to be this insensitive bully who could care less about romance or love or feelings, but it's because I'm not a sap. I'm not going to follow someone with a bouquet of roses and say, "Hey, be my Valentine?" because that never works. It just shows that you're probably a creepy stalker that most likely undresses that person with your eyes whenever they're not noticing you. Seriously, it's weird.
No, I don't participate in Valentine's Day. And I hate that we have school today, that we'll be forced to sit in class and receive carnations or candy or whatever someone sends us. What's so wrong about that? Well, for one, I hate getting carnations and candy from people I don't even like, people who just suck up to me so that I don't kick their ass later or something. I think the only two people who have ever sent me anything that was genuinely out of kindness were Freddie and Gibby. And of course, there's the one person in my life that makes me happy.
I open my locker to find three dark red roses set on top of my books. I raise my brow, wondering how the hell someone was able to open my locker. Arms slip around my waist from behind and I smirk. "You know, opening someone else's locker without a warrant is illegal, right?" I state, and I hear giggling in my ear.
"You say that as though you have something to hide," she murmurs in my ear, and damn it, if we weren't at school right now…I swear she does it on purpose. I spin, pinning her to the lockers, my hands on her waist, and kiss her. She smiles against my lips and pulls away, her arms loose around my neck. "So I was thinking we could go somewhere after school..." I shake my head. "But Sam, it's Valentine's Day. We always go somewhere."
I shake my head again. "Not this time, sweetheart. I have to take care of Mom tonight."
"Well, can I come over at least?"
"No can do. Look, I talked to Freddie…"
"I'm not going on a date with a nub."
I stare at her. As proud of her as I am for calling Benson a nub, she has to agree to this. "Carly, before you say no, just hear me out. I talked to Freddie about him taking you out tonight. I told him that I don't want you to be alone on Valentine's Day and even if you don't want to go with him alone, he could invite Gibby or someone to go with you as well, just a few friends going out. You know I'd love to have you come over, but you know how my mother is on Valentine's Day." She nods, her face twisted in disgust. My mother is pretty weird… "Look, if you go with Freddie, I'll make it up to you tomorrow. We'll go to our spot…" She smiles and I kiss her as the next bell rings.
"Now that we're late for class, why don't we just skip?"
I smirk. "Lead the way, milady."
She drops her arms from around my neck, her hand grabbing mine and slipping her fingers perfectly between mine. When Carly wants to ditch class, it's like a meteor shower. It's a sense of awe that you have to wait for, and when it happens…it's one of the most amazing things. We slip into the storage closet at the end of the hall and lock the door behind us. Instantly I'm pinned to the door and Carly's in charge, her hands holding mine flat against the door while she kisses me, drawing every last breath from me.
I love Carly with everything I have, and that's the reason we don't get too intimate at school. She deserves more than sex in the closet or the bathroom or anywhere else in the school. Making out, however…It's not like I have a choice most of the time, and I certainly don't object. But she's more to me than just my girlfriend or my best friend. And I will continue to treat her as I call her, as milady.
LOCK
This feels different, sitting in the passenger seat of Freddie's car as he drives us to whatever restaurant he has planned to take me. We're both dressed in black, me in a dress and he's in a suit, minus the jacket and tie. He's definitely changed over the years, growing out of his boyish charm, and if I were any other girl in Seattle, aside from Sam, I'd probably date him. I frown. Usually I would be sitting in Sam's car, heading to her apartment, but I haven't seen her since this morning after we left the storage closet. I'm upset that, today of all days, she can't be just mine and that I have to spend it with Freddie, but maybe after the faux date, I could head over to Sam's and spend the night. She shouldn't mind, right?
Freddie pulls into the parking lot and parks close to the building. Shutting off the car, he glances at me, smiling apologetically. "Look, Carly, I know you really don't want to be here with me right now, since it's Valentine's Day, and to be honest…it's a little awkward."
I sigh. "It really isn't you, Freddie. It's just that I was hoping for Sam and me to finally get a Valentine's Day to ourselves." He nods in understanding and smiles. "You're a good guy, Freddie. We're glad to have you as our best friend." He opens the driver's side door and gets out, closing it before walking around the car to my side and opening the door.
Sam and I really do appreciate having Freddie as a best friend. If it hadn't been for him getting sick on the night of the Valentine's Day dance in our freshman year, Sam and I might not have kissed in the middle of the gym. Of course, he was heartbroken when he learned that Sam and I had decided to date, but he got over it soon enough and supports us completely. Gibby thought it was about damn time Sam and I realized how we felt about each other.
Freddie offers his arm, and I slip my hand into the crook of his elbow, walking beside him into the restaurant. He gives the host his name for the reservation, and we're led outside to the empty patio. My best friend pulls a chair from one of the tables and I sit. He doesn't sit and I glance around to find that he's disappeared. "Freddie?" I ask, but there's no answer until five minutes later when a slow song begins to play through the speakers. I recognize it as the song that Sam and I had shared our first kiss three years ago, and someone clears their throat. I glance toward the door to the inside dining room to find Sam standing there, dressed in a black dress, slightly different than mine.
Freddie appears from behind me, pulling the other chair from the table for Sam. She sits and smiles up at him before turning her gaze to me. "So…do you like it?" she asks, and it's almost as if she isn't sure whether or not she should have done this. I smile and nod and Freddie disappears inside, returning with a peppy cola and a root beer.
"When did you plan all of this? What about your mom?"
She shrugs. "Mom's out of town visiting Melanie until Friday. She's been gone for a week." She smirks. "Come on, Carls, did you really think I was going to ditch you on Valentine's Day and make you go out with the nub for the day?"
I shake my head because she's right. She would never make me go on any kind of date with Freddie, not even just as friends. But all that matters to me right now is that she's here with me.