i Got Moves

Chapter 4: The Next Step

A/N: I do not own iCarly…and it's the next day in the story.

Carly smiled as she dialed Sam's number. She only wondered how Sam would react to phase II.5. Or that's at least what she called it. This was the phase needed to connect phase II with phase III. Sam picked up on the other line.

"It's Sam…"

"Hey Sam, it's Carly. I was wondering if you wanted to go out to lunch with me today if you don't have any plans."

"Carly, you know that when there's food involved, I never have any plans."

"True. Okay then, how about I'll meet you at the Commonplace Café (A/N: I made up Commonplace Café.) in about a half hour?"

"I'll be there."

"Great! Bye."

"Bye." Carly hung up the phone. Then she went out of her apartment door and knocked on Freddie's. Freddie's mom opened the door.

"Hello Carly." Mrs. Benson said in a very unwelcoming tone. But Carly didn't take it personally; she had business to take care of.

"Is Freddie there?" Mrs. Benson looked back over her shoulder, into her apartment.

"Freddie! Carly wants you!" Freddie came running from another room.

"You, uh, wanted me?" Freddie smiled at Carly, but then realized that his mother was there and blushed.

Carly held in her laughter and asked if Freddie could come "over" for about an hour and a half. Freddie's mom agreed, but eyed Carly suspiciously, like she was trying to see why her son was attracted to this girl, but quite thankful the blonde one wasn't around.

Carly turned and let herself into her apartment and Freddie followed.

"I was wondering if you, like, wanted to come with me to the Commonplace Café?"

Freddie was surprised. Was Carly asking him out on a date?

As if reading his mind, Carly added. "But only as friends, of course." But whether or not it was as friends or as a date, it was time with Carly. So he agreed. They got Spencer to drive them.

Spencer locked their apartment door after they exited. When he turned back around, Freddie had vanished.

"Where's Freddie?", Spencer asked. Carly pointed to Freddie's apartment door.

"HE WAS EATEN BY THE DOOR!" Carly rolled her eyes at her brother.

"Carly, I'm just kidding. What'd he go in there for?"

"I don't know." Just then, Freddie came out of his apartment holding something behind his back. He beamed at Carly and presented her with a small bouquet of lilacs.

"For you. Just, um, because I lo-, I mean, they're friendship flowers."

Carly smiled a smile that people often smile when they think something is funny and then it morphed into a smile that is smiled when someone is thankful. She gave Freddie a quick hug.

"Why don't you go back in and put them in your bedroom? They match."

"I don't have time, Spencer. We're late. But thanks so much Freddie, especially since they match my room."

"Anything for you, Carly."

They left the building and Spencer starts up the car. Then they head to the Commonplace Café.

--- Sam's POV

Sam was growing impatient. She had told the waiter that she was waiting for someone to arrive nearly 7 minutes ago. She was very hungry too. She felt embarrassed sitting at the small booth, not only because she was alone, but because she also had dressed different than she normally did.

--- FLASH BACK

Sam had just hung up the phone. She couldn't wait to go to the Commonplace Café, they had great food. But Sam was a little worried. Carly must have a reason to invite her. She must be inviting Freddie, too!

"Alright then…" She thought. "I'll make Carly's plan a disaster! What if I dress Goth? That would turn Freddie away…but Carly would know what I was up to. What if I go all psychological and try a little reverse psychology? Yeah, I should dress up all preppy!"

--- FLASHBACK ENDS

Now Sam was thinking this wasn't such a good idea. She was wearing a bright green mini skirt, a low cut tank top with red cherries and bright green stems sporadically placed on the tank top, and not to mention red high heels and way more make up than she usually wore. She had actually put her hair all the way down and was wearing a red headband.

The waiter came back to her and asked her if she wanted a drink while she was waiting. She told him a Sprite would be good and he left. Sam was beginning to think that Carly would never come when she heard her voice.

"-would make a nice centerpiece. Okay Spencer, you can pick us up in about an hour."

Sam was fretful about her appearance now more than ever because she had clearly heard Carly say "pick us up". She was very worried. She needed to escape for just a moment, she needed to think. She got up and headed to the back of the Café where the bathroom was located.

--- Freddie's POV

Freddie let Carly led him to table # 8, Sam's favorite table. She gestured for him to sit in the booth first, so he did. But instead of sitting across from Freddie, she sat right next to him. He was confused- Carly was supposed to sit across from him so he could gaze into her eyes. Everyone knows that it is way more romantic to sit across from someone.

Then a pretty girl walked over to their booth and sat down across from him. He was horrified with himself once he recognized her. This was Sam.

"Hi Sam. Glad you could make it. Have you ordered anything yet?"

Sam nodded no to Carly. Freddie couldn't take his eyes off her. He kept telling himself that this was Sam…the evil girl, but…wow.

--- Carly's POV

Carly was thoroughly enjoying herself. Freddie kept starring at Sam. She was glad Sam had dressed differently. Their waiter came over to their table with three glasses and a pitcher of Sprite.

"I saw that your friends arrived and I brought extra glasses." He told Sam. The waiter, whose nametag read William, asked them if they knew what they wanted. Carly ordered the special soup of the day, and Freddie copied Sam's order of a foot-long roast beef sub with olives and tomatoes with a side of fries.

Carly couldn't help laughing. Freddie hated tomatoes! He was too busy staring and blinking like he couldn't believe it was truly Sam to care. The waiter had left, so she tried to move things along a little bit. She was going to make Sam jealous, and then Sam would hopefully tell Carly to stop. Carly would ask why and Sam would have to confess.

Carly took the bouquet of lilacs that had been resting on her lap and placed them on the table.

"Where did those come from, Carly?"

"Oh, Sam, it was so sweet! Freddie gave me "Just Because I Care" flowers! Oh, um, actually, they are, um "Friendship Flowers". And they match my bedroom!"

Carly watched as Sam bit her lip, constraining herself, trying to hold back angry comments. Then Carly turned to face Freddie. He was looking at the flowers. Carly couldn't decide what he was thinking.

"Why'd you get Carly some flowers, Freddie?" Sam asked in a voice hinting an insult was on its way.

Freddie could tell, sighed and said, "Well, she's, … a good friend, so I gave her flowers to show how much I, uh, appreciate her."

"Am I a good friend?"

Not wanting to sound mean, but remembering physical pain, Freddie gave Sam the "kind of" approach.

"Why didn't I get flowers?" Carly could see what Sam was doing, she was putting Freddie on the spot. She figured she should leave these two alone for a couple minutes.

"Guys, I'll be right back, I need to use the restroom." Carly walked away, towards the back of the Café, but when she saw Sam and Freddie weren't looking she walked back and sat at the booth behind them. She was ready to eavesdrop.

"-and, uh, you just aren't a lilac person. You are um, a different flower." Carly snuck a glance behind her. Sam was leaning over the table, closer to Freddie. She appeared super nervous.

"What flower am I?"

"This isn't 20 questions, Sam!" Sam backed off. She saw William coming over with a tray of food and smiled a friendly smile.

Freddie's POV

While William put the food on the table, Freddie was trying to erase his thoughts of Sam. She was amazing. He was seeing her in a whole new light. She might be annoying, but if she really tried, she was…as cute as Carly. He couldn't understand why he was taking an interest in her just because she looked differently.

And the reason he had yelled at Sam, "This isn't 20 questions!" was because Sam's flower, which had been a weed, was actually a misunderstood rose. It had began to blossom. She was a rose…

"I'm back. Oh, good, the food is here!"

Freddie stared at Carly. She was his dream girl. But so many guys wanting her and the fact that she never liked him was the depressing reality. Carly is my choice, not Sam. Freddie stole a glance at Sam. He blushed because she was already staring at him.

Freddie knew this was an awkward pause. Carly was busy eating, and he and Sam had to talk. He had to settle his feelings.

His stomach rumbled. Okay, first he was gonna eat. He looked down at his sandwich and internally groaned. He had tomatoes. Then he had an idea for an insult. This would show Sam to look so stunning and stop him from realizing he hated tomatoes and just say "I'll have what she's having."!

Freddie picked the tomatoes out of his sandwich and handed them to Sam. "Here you go."

Sam replied sarcastically, "For me? You shouldn't have."

"But Sam," Freddie laughed. "This is your type of flower!"

"It's a fruitish vegetable, not a flower!"

"I know. I was just hoping, that with your .5 GPA and all, that you wouldn't be able to tell!" Freddie continued laughing.

He was just going to tease Sam. Just to have fun. After all, this was just a lunch. He really didn't have any feelings for her. He loved Carly.

--- Sam's POV

Sam thought something was wrong with Freddie. He was not a good insulter. And he was acting very weird, as though he was covering up something. So she decided to throw some insults out there.

After Freddie was insulted for the fourth time, Sam realized that he was just staring at Carly. Sam was very angry, but just bit her lip. This wasn't going so well. She was just getting more and more jealous. Freddie would have to like her soon. Otherwise she just might pull him away even further with her insults and "physical abuse".

--- TIME PASSES, Freddie in at home, in his apartment and Sam is over at Carly's

Carly was planning a segment of iCarly with Sam, but her heart just wasn't in it. It seems as if her plan was pushing them away more than together. Sam was half-way through a sentence when Carly noticed the time.

"Sorry, Sam! I've got to go to the library, now! Bye. It's gonna take a while since I have to walk." Sam looked annoyed. Carly really needed to go, though, it would decide the success of phase III.

--- Freddie's POV

Freddie lay on his bed and tried to sleep. Maybe then he could get Sam out of his mind. He didn't like her more than a friend…even if she did look rather pretty.

He closed his eyes and then heard a little ding noise. It was his laptop, telling him that TheLadyKiller had signed on and wanted to talk. Freddie logged on.

Fbtech: Hi. Let me tell u about my lunch "date".

Freddie explained the whole thing, even his budding attraction to girl B.

TheLadyKiller: I knew, deep down, of course, that u would have 2 choose between girl A and girl B. But don't try 2 decide now. Let some time pass. If it is meant to b, then the right events will happen. U will eventually b with ur perfect girl.

Fbtech: Thanks.

TheLadyKiller: Now what do u think u should do?

Fbtech: Well, I was thinking…

They continued to plan. (A/N: The plan is revealed next chapter)

TheLadyKiller: That sounds great. Everything should work out…

--- Sam's POV

Sam was confused. She knew she loved Freddie, but she didn't know what to do. Should she just abandon her feelings because Freddie obviously wanted Carly? No. She should just work harder. She knew that if she abandoned her feelings, they would return stronger, not wanting to be ignored. She knew she couldn't hide them much longer…

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated, I've been updating my other story, i See the Future. If you haven't read it, please check it out. Many people say it is their favorite story/ it is one of the best iCarly fanfics out there! The next chapter is how everything from TheLadyKiller's plan "works out". It is not what Freddie expects. And will he only fall more in love with Sam to go after Carly again? If things seem slow-going, don't worry, it starts picking up next chapter. And there is a major surprise in chapter 7. Aren't you proud of me for planning so far ahead:)

With all my purple fuzzleness,

the-purple-fuzzle