A/N: Glad you liked Chapter 3. Now for chapter quatre! (4)

Chapter 4 – Sam Makes A List

When Sam got home, she collapsed on her bed and shook off her shoes. Ripping off her jacket, she grabbed her nightgown and pulled it over her head, and then she slipped out of her jeans.

Sighing, she grabbed the flashlight and notebook by her bed and then pulled the covers over her head. By the beam of the flashlight she wrote:

What Freddie might have been trying to tell me

1. He doesn't want to pretend to date me after all

2. He wanted yesterday's homework (not that I had it, I didn't even do it)

3. He might actually…like me and he was trying to tell me

"Sam?"

Sam jumped slightly, spooked, and switched off the flashlight just as her mother came into the room.

"I wanted to say good-night." She said hesitantly.

Sam wriggled out from under the covers and tried not to look surprised. Her mom hadn't come to tuck her in since she was, what…6?

"Good-night mom."
Her mom paused in the doorway, and then moved to sit down on the bed. "Sam, I know I haven't been taking care of you lately, and after your dad left…I…"

"I know, you were depressed, I got over it." Sam shrugged.

Pain flashed in her eyes and suddenly her mom looked utterly sorry. "I haven't been there for you. I feel so bad about this."

Reluctantly, Sam said, "I have missed you a lot mom. We used to have so much fun."
"We can still have fun." Her mom insisted. "So what's going on?"

"On with what?" Sam asked blankly.

"With school, with friends…Carly and…Eddy?"

"Freddie." I snapped, and then sighed. I knew she was trying. I should be grateful that she cared at all now. "Sorry. Carly's being Carly, and Freddie's being…"

"What?"

"Well, he was trying to tell me something yesterday, but we got interrupted."

"Do you think it was important?"
"I'm not sure." Sam bit her bottom lip. "It looked like he was being pretty serious, I only wish I knew."
"You should ask him what he was about to tell you." Her mom said. "I think I have an idea."

"What do you mean? Please tell me!" Sam begged.

"I've been around enough guys to know when they're trying to tell me they like me."

"You think, you think that Freddie actually likes me? Like as in, more than a friend?"

"I'm not sure, but there's only one way to find out, like I said, you should talk to him."
"I'll try." Sam said, and then yawned.
"Good-night, honey." Her mom said, and then hesitated. Then she leaned over and dropped a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"I really wish that I'd been around you more." Her mother said regretfully. "You are such a great gift."
Sam ducked her head at her mom's praise, and as she gently closed the door behind her, Sam sighed with relief. She was glad that her mom would be around for her more. The last few years had been rough. It had seemed like she had not only lost her father, but her mom too.

Before she went to sleep, Sam reached under the covers and turned on the flashlight again. She took her pen and circled the third line. "I really hope that's what you wanted to say, Freddie." She mumbled, and then flicked off the flashlight and settled down to go the sleep.

LATER AT SCHOOL

Carly was skipping down the halls. "Today's iCarly is going to be great. It's gonna be awesome and…" She stopped when she saw Freddie's expression.

"You okay?"
"I'm fine. I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"It looks like you got attacked by a porcupine."

"Close. My mom tackled me this morning and lathered me all over with sun block because the weatherman said there's a chance of sunshine."

Carly starts to giggle but stifles it when Freddie gives her a long stare.
"Wow, you're serious." Carly says, and then laughs, "You have some sun block in your hair."

"Well, that's just great." Freddie mutters and wipes a glob of white out of his hair. "Have you seen Sam yet?"
"Why, you boyfriend and girlfriend now or something?"

"Actually, yeah. We're pretending to go out so that Rueben stops bugging Sam."

Carly smiles and says, "I'm glad you guys are working it out."

"Working what out?" Sam asks, coming down the stairs. "Sorry, I got held back in class for dunking Marcus Reed's head down the toilet."

"Let me guess, he was asking for it?" Asks Carly.

"Absolutely."

Freddie scolds her, "Sam you should really stop harassing people."
"What are you, your mother?"

"Aw, your first fight as a couple." Carly says.

"You told her?" Sam asks, pointing at Carly.

"Yep. I figured we let everyone know, just so it really seems like we are going out."
"And Rueben, does he know?"

"I don't know, I-"

Suddenly Rueben passes by and Sam clutches at Freddie's shoulders. "Oh, honey, you shouldn't have. Reservations to Cheesecake Warehouse? You're the best."

Rueben grimaces and turns to Freddie. "So I wrestled with a penguin that said you two are scuba diving?"

"That's right. We're dating, kid." Sam says.

Rueben glares at Freddie. "Well, can he tell a polar bear that his shorts are on fire?"
Freddie glances around at Sam and Carly, and then says, "Yeah. I told that polar bear real good."

Rueben runs away sobbing, and Sam, Carly, and Freddie turn to each other, shrugging.