Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly.

Chapter 4

"Ham, ham, I need more ham! PLEASE! Or at least give me a smoothie…" Sam murmured in her sleep. Suddenly she rose up, fully awake. With big eyes she looked around in her room searching for the ham. Of course there was nothing – no ham. Then she realized it only had been a dream.

Sam got out of bed when she heard some clicking sounds on her window. What the hell was that now? Sam glanced on her alarm clock which was all nice and clean because she almost never had used it and that was why she always was late… The clock displayed 7:00 AM.

Meanwhile the clicking sounds intensified.

Sam opened the shutters and looked out of the window. Freddie and Carly were standing in the backyard, looking at her. They carried a large white coconut cream pie with 16 candles on top.

Sam opened the window.

"That's so pathetic! Come up, guys! I'll just change my clothes beforehand."

She had a hard time to not make a single tear escape her eyes.

"Thank you, guys." She hugged Carly and even Freddie.

"How long did it take you to bake this?"

"Around two hours. Spencer helped us." Carly and Freddie smiled.

"Let me try a bit!" Sam was hungry like a bear since she just had woken up.

"DELICIOUS! I think I'll eat the whole thing now!" Sam started to eat the speed of light.

"No, Sam, stop it! You can't eat the whole pie at once!" Carly tried to keep Sam away from the pie.

"Why can't I?" Sam mumbled with her mouth full.

Freddie looked at his watch.

"It's already 7:20 AM. We are going to be late for school if we don't hurry!" His voice had a worried tone.

"Shut up, Freddork! You're just freakin' me out!" Sam grabbed the collar of Freddie's shirt and pressed him against the wall. "You better not disturb me again while I'm eating!"

"SAM! STOP IT!" Carly ran towards Sam and Freddie and grabbed her arm.

"How can you be so aggressive? Today is your birthday!"

Sam released Freddie and didn't say anything.

Freddie didn't say anything. Phew, that was close! He was shocked that Sam had overreacted that much though he didn't even tease her… If she had been that angry he maybe would have enjoyed being that close… Than he suddenly knew it! Sam was angry because her mother wasn't there on the day of her birthday! How could he have forgotten about this?

"Freddie, Sam, we are going to school now! Don't reply, Sam! I don't care if you like being late because I don't!"

School was boring as always. The only cheering prospects were the people that congratulated Sam. In fact, there weren't that much because most of the Ridgeway students were too scared to even utter a word in front of Sam.

Gibby's present was an extra long look on his naked upper body.

Reuben had written a poem for Sam. Neither Sam nor Freddie or Carly could understand what it was about. The title was 'My football is washing his eyes at midnight'.

When Gibby took his shirt off, Sam threw the shirt in Gibby's face so he got a black eye. Crying loudly, he ran down the hallway.

Reuben's poem was stuffed in his nose by Sam. "Maybe that will help your brain, you super jerk!" she 'explained' to him.

Wendy came by, too. "Hey guys, you know what? I just heard some rumors that it's Sam's birthday today. Happy Birthday, Sam - in case the rumors are true… Bye."

Sam just rolled her eyes and thought about how lucky she was that at least Carly and Freddie congratulated her properly instead of doing such stupid stuff.

"I got detention now. See you in two hours at Carly's."

When Sam had gone, Carly asked Freddie if he had done the preparations she had asked him to help her with. "Sure thing. You can count on me."

"I'm glad to hear that. I want to make Sam happy because she really is my best friend, besides you, of course."

Freddie thought of asking Carly about Sam's mood swing that morning but then he decided not to. He wanted to talk alone with Sam later.

"Freddie, here is a phone call for you." Mrs. Benson just entered her son's room as usual without knocking first.

"Mom, I'm busy! If I don't get dressed in the next 15 minutes, I'm gonna be late for Sam's party!"

"But darling, it's Valerie!" Mrs. Benson loved Valerie. She had never understood why Freddie had dumped her. In her eyes, those two were the perfect match.

"I'm not planning to talk to her! You know we aren't together anymore, mom!"

Mrs. Benson just gave him the telephone.

"Valerie? What do you want?" Freddie was annoyed to the max.

"Hi, Freddie. I heard Sam is throwing a birthday party tonight. I'm sure you still don't have a date. Wanna go with me?" Valerie used a sweet tone.

"What makes you think that? You're not even invited! Valerie, you must be insane! I clearly said I don't want to talk to you ever again in my life and I meant it! Besides, I'm already in love with someone else."

Freddie hung up. He left his room running. "Mom, were are you? We gotta talk!"

"I'm in the kitchen, honey!"

"What was that supposed to be? Why did you even give Valerie a chance to talk? I clearly explained to you that she deceived me all the way and on top of that she nearly destroyed iCarly!"

"She would be your perfect match! You have the same interests and she knows how to behave well."

"Is that all you're interested in? Do you even care about my opinion?"

Freddie just rushed out of the door without waiting for an answer. He was already late for the party.

All the party guests had already arrived but the main person was missing.

"Where is Sam?"Freddie asked worriedly.

"I don't know. A few minutes ago she just ran outside and yelled I shouldn't follow her…"

"I'll talk to her." This was good timing, because Freddie had the urge to talk alone to Sam. He had the feeling something wasn't right there.

He found Sam outside the appartment building. She was sitting at at the bench of the bus stop. She had her feet on the bench, her arms wrapped around her legs and her head rested on her arms. She looked unhappy. The glaring light of the street lamp shined down on her, revealing a gorgeous dress and her blonde hair that was flowing over her shoulders in angelic curls.

"Hey, Sam, I don't want to disturb you, but why don't you join your party?" Freddie sat down at the bench right next to her.

"It's nothing. Don't worry."

"Don't lie. I know there is something. Just tell me."

Sam sighed.

"Since you're already here: I don't like partys that much. Carly wanted me to throw one but I just gave in so she would stop buggin' me."

"I didn't think you would ever give in."

"I know. But since it was Carly and I hate being bugged…"

"Just don't worry that much. Come with me, we're going upstairs."

"No, I don't wanna!" Sam looked like she really hated that thought.

"OK. Then I'm going to be honest: I think there is something different buggin' you."

Sam furrowed her eyebrows.

"I don't understand."

"Look, you're mom isn't at home at your birthday, so you can't go in your appartment because everything reminds you of that fact and you can't enjoy your party."

A/N: What will Sam answer? The party will go on in Chapter 5!

If anyone wondered what I meant with 'clicking sounds': Freddie and Carly were throwing little stones at Sam's window to wake her up. (A classic, isn't it?)

Please rate and review!

And thanks to the only person who participated in my poll. (I don't know your name because it was done anonymously.) Because the participation was too low I will close the poll. The result was Valerie, Mrs. Benson and Griffin (each 33 percent). (The question was which person should be in the next chapters of this story.)