It was Friday. Freddie and Brad finally finished their school project and just presented their school project. Well, actually Brad presented it. Freddie was overly tired and his wasn't able to concentrate on the presentation. He was totally confused and disoriented. Nevertheless, they got an average grade. They had a good product, but, mainly due to Freddie, their presentation was a bit off. A C+ was the result.

"Well, we actually didn't get a bad grade," Brad said with some kind of relief in his expression.

"Yeah, yeah," Freddie mumbled.

"What's wrong, Freddie?" Brad asked. "You're out of sorts all day. This isn't you,"

"Well, this IS me," Freddie said sternly. "This is me confuse, tired and angry," he didn't know why he added the last word to it, cause he didn't know why he was angry or at who?

"What's the matter?" Brad asked.

"I already talked about it with Carly," Freddie sighed.

"So?" Brad asked. "Carly's a girl, maybe it's something we have to talk about it as dudes, you know,"

"Maybe you're right," Freddie said. "Listen, Sam kissed me,"

"Wow," Brad said like Freddie said that he just made out with Keira Knightley.

"Wow?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, I mean, Sam is one of the most beautiful girls in the school. You've gotta admit,"

"Honestly?" Freddie asked. "I never bothered to see her in such a way,"

"Wait, are you-"

"No! I'm as straight as a lamp post," Freddie exclaimed. "I liked girls before, Carly, Shelby, Tori, Valerie, but not Sam, well I don't know if I ever liked Sam, cause I never saw her at that light. Sam has always been someone who uhmm… was like 'not a girl' to me. I never thought about her that way,"

"Maybe you should just try it," Brad said.

"That's pretty much what Carly said," Freddie deadpanned.

"Well, maybe it's obvious that you should try dating her," Brad said with a smile. "What could be the damage?"

"Oh I don't know, Sam, Carly, iCarly, me?" Freddie said in a sarcasm rage.

"I got your point," Brad said. "But what could happen if you don't try? Think about that,"

"Maybe you're right," Freddie said with a sad smile. "Thanks, Brad,"

"Anytime," Brad smiled.

Sam sauntered through the school corridor on her way to the lockers. She was pretty glum after last night and she didn't know why. Maybe she expected too much. Freddie didn't reject her right away. What did she expect anyway? For Freddie just say "Oh Sam, don't bother those countless years of abuse and destruction of self-esteem. Let's just forget it and become boyfriend and girlfriend right away, because I'm so in love with you!" There weren't a lot of people as Carly and Sam had both lessons until late in the afternoon.

"Hey Sam!" Sam heard from the other side of the corridor. It was Carly who tried to keep up with her.

"Hey Carls!" Sam greeted, slowing down to let Carly join her walk to the lockers. Sam looked at Carly with a forced smile.

"What's wrong?" Carly asked to her somewhat shorter friend.

"Nothing," Sam sighed.

"Sam, please," Carly begged. "You can tell me,"

"It's really nothing," Sam kept on, she started to increase her pace, without success as Carly easily adjusted her pace as well.

"Sam, I know you kissed Freddie," Carly said. She saw the shock on Sam's face, but she also saw it disappear pretty quickly. "I saw you. You weren't keeping it a secret from me, were you?" Carly looked hurt and Sam knew they promised each other no secrets. Why was her friend so suspicious.

"No," Sam said softly as she stopped to face Carly, "I wish something happened and if something happened I'd tell you right away, but unfortunately nothing happened. I just kissed him and he… It's just… I don't know how Freddie feels about it."

"I talked to him," Carly said, "after you left," she added awkwardly.

"You did?" Sam said interested, yet sober. "How was he?"

"Confused, sad, conflicted," Carly enumerated.

"I don't blame him. I haven't really been nice to him lately," Sam dropped her face. "Or ever," she added. "What do you think I should do?"

"Give him some time," Carly replied genuinely. "And be a friend to him,"

"I don't know if I can be a friend to him," Sam said soberly.

"You can," Carly said. "Be there for him just like you are there for me. Show him the Sam who actually cares for him. Show him who you are, without the mask. The nice, funny, awesome Sam Puckett," Sam smiled to Carly.

"Thanks Carly," Sam said. "I think I know what to do right now. Sometimes I wish that I never started being mean to Freddie. It's very difficult to stop doing these things to him even when you know you're in love with him. I think it's a pride thing, and I have a lot of pride."

"I know, Sam," Carly said as she pulled her friend in a hug, "I know,"

I wanna thank jackpotdante, Fanfic-Reader-88, sockstar and redlox2 for their reviews