Our Lives, Victorious
Chapter Seven: Requiem for Dreams
Victorious/iCarly
Monday. November 14th, 2011. 9:30 p.m.
Tori sat on her bed, writing down some poems based on her emotions. After the talent show, there was a lot to take in. Today was mostly spent getting her classes prepared for the rest of her school year at Hollywood Arts. From what the girl had seen, it was breath-taking. More than ever, the fear of not being enough burned in Tori's mind. Outside, the sky was pitch black, illuminated by hundreds of stars that hued the night a deep, icy aqua color.
Come morning, Tori's stomach was ravaged as she walked into the living room. As usual, Katrina was calm and prepared for school. What else can you expect when you think you're the queen of performing? the teen asked herself, feeling somewhat resentful. "Almost ready to go?" Tori asked her sister, returning to her calm, loving nature.
"Almost," Trina casually answered, putting on some light pink lipstick. "You?"
"I guess," Tori responded. "Hey...is that my lipstick?"
"Oh, yeah," Katrina said. "Is it okay if I borrow some?"
"...Sure," the younger brunette answered, somewhat distraught. "Can you drive today?"
"Alright," Trina answered, grabbing her book bag off a table by the couch. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!"
"Bye!" Tori called, slinging her back pack over her shoulder. With that, the two walked outside. The sky was a light blue that, to many, would be comforting. However, it had little effect on Victoria.
At eight thirty, the two were inside the bright-red-colored school. Looking around, the brunette was amazed to see the other students: a couple consisting of a blond girl with her hair pulled back into a bun, clad in a pink tutu and a short-haired brunette boy were performing a scene from The Dying Swan with great passion and dedication. Catching herself staring, Tori kept walking.
"Don't worry, Tori," Trina said, walking alongside her sister. "I'm stick with you until you get in the swing of things."
"Hey Trina," called a raven-haired girl with her hair spiked into a mow hawk in the center. "They're having auditions for Burlesque!"
"No way!" Katrina replied, her heart pounding. "Um...you'll be fine, right, Tori?"
"I-I guess so," Tori lied, not daring to ruin her sister's chances of stardom.
"Thanks," Trina replied, happily giving her sister a kiss before running off.
By this time, the brunette knew where her locker was, though her combination was still a slight issue for her. As she spun the cool, black lock, Tori could hear the it click as her numbers sped by: 54-22-34.
"Hey, Tori!" Cat excitedly greeted her friend. "Hey, your locker's right next to mine. This is awesome!"
"Yeah it is," Tori replied, pulling her plain red locker door open. "Do, uh, you know where Mister...Sikowitz's class is?"
"Oh yeah," Cat answered, her voice in an optimistic shriek. "That's my first hour class. You can follow me."
"You seem excited," the brunette said, a smile forming on her face. "Sikowitz one of your favorite teachers?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cat shrieked, deeply offended.
"...N-nothing," Tori answered, trying desperately to make it up to her friend. "I-I was just asking if you liked his class."
"Oh, okay," the shorter brunette replied, her mood back to its original, friendly state. "Ready?"
"Um, yeah," answered Tori, pulling several books out of her locker. "Let's hit it."
The two walked to their right, then took another right at the end of the hallway, where they entered Room 327. Inside, there were two sets of multi-colored seats arranged in five rows of five seats. In the front of the room was a raised platform with a chalkboard on the wall behind it. Several students were already seated, no books to be seen. One of the students that stood out was Jade.
"Hey, Jade," Cat enthusiastically greeted her friend.
"Sup, Cat?" Jade replied, a smile forming on her Gothic face. "Hey...Tori." The loss of motivation in the girl's voice was more than obvious.
Not wanting to cause a confrontation, the brunette just replied, "Jade" then sat down next to Cat towards the back.
Once a bizarre bell rang in sets of three, a man who looked about thirty walked in, holding a coconut. The center of his head was bald, but the gray-laced brown hair around his crown was somewhat long and curly, and he had a shaggy beard. "Hello, class," he greeted before taking a sip of the sweet milk from his coconut. "And hello to our new student...Ms. Tori Vega." Mr. Sikowitz held out his hand towards the brunette, who nervously waved to the class, who was now staring at her.
Jade rolled her eyes in disgust. Big deal, she bitterly thought. The girl could feel her stomach fill with resentment and a horrid, bubbling sense of inferiority.
"Alright, let's begin with some improve acting sessions," Mr. Sikowitz announced, stepping onto the platform. "Let me see...Cat, Jade, Daniel, and... Tori."
Feeling nervous, Tori stood up. "W-what exactly is improve acting?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"That is when one of the actors chooses the scene, setting, and scenario," the teacher explained, taking a seat. "And you and the others act out that scene without a script or any general idea of what should happen. Cat, why don't you give us the setting and plot?"
"Sure!" Cat shrieked, shooting onto the platform. "Alright, um...let's see...we're on a beach but it's winter. We're all trying to help some beached whales get back into the ocean."
Oh boy, Tori thought, trying to hold back laughter.
Following a somewhat overly-comical performance, the bell rang, and Tori went to her next class; Mr. Sikowitz's Acting-and-Life class. Cat was the only face she recognized...besides Sikowitz. However, one student stuck out: a curly-haired boy with black glasses and a wooden dummy in his hand.
"Hi," Tori greeted, looking over at him from her seat. "My name's Tori."
"I-I know who you are," the boy replied, obviously very shy. "You did an excellent job in the musical. Oh, my name's Robbie Shappiro...and this is Rex." "Hi," the dummy greeted in a louder, deeper, and more comically confident voice.
"Hi, Rex," Tori somewhat jokingly replied. "He's cool."
"Thanks," Rex replied. "Back at'cha, baby." "Rex!" Robbie scolded. "Sorry."
Feeling truly weirded out, the brunette just nodded, then turned away. After the bell rang, Sikowitz entered the room again, holding another coconut in his hand, sucking on the pink bendy straw extruding out of it. "Hello, class," he greeted. "Today, we will be showing our newest student, Ms. Tori Vega, one of my most favorite plays..."
The room fell silent. All eyes were on Sikowitz as he slowly, gravely walked forward. After what felt like a gripping eternity, he reached the platform, and slowly climbed up the stairs. "Ladies and gentlemen..." he began, his voice filled with stone cold confidence. "Winter's Chill." Every student clapped, though Tori was slow to pick up on it. "Our performers will be, as they have been for the past four years...Ten C. Degree!" Again, the entire room was filled with applause.
Walking in with grace and confidence, the actors and actresses entered the room. Essentially, Winter's Chill was about a struggling middle-classed family being forced to live in the mountains after their father departs without a warning. While dealing with debts and vicious drug dealers, the family faces isolation, especially in the case of Ellen, the teenage daughter. In the end, her father turns out to be dead, her family exiles themselves in depression, and her only friend is her pet raven, and even she abandons her. Tori felt a tear come to her eye in that final, heart-breaking scene.
"I'll never get why you stay with me," said Ellen, her voice hoarse and breaking. The girl held the small raven in her hand, staring at her with teary eyes. "You can fly...why don't you just fly away?" Looking up to what was intended to be a dark, ash-filled sky, the bird flew away, leaving the girl totally alone, and trying to hold back tears, not that anyone would see them.
After the class applauded, Mr. Sikowitz turned to Tori. "Your assignment, Ms. Vega...just like every new student...is to show us your interpretation of The Raven Scene."
"Um, okay," Tori replied. "When do you want it by?"
"Right now," Sikowitz answered, somewhat happy with his mystique.
After a second of terrified silence, the girl nervously walked over to the platform. "Um...okay," Tori whispered. "Um..." Looking out at the class, seeing them all staring at her, the brunette felt her stomach turn onto its side. "I think it's about...the way the world is unpredictalbe. And, um...how sometimes we have to fight our battles alone...Right?"
For a second, the room was silent. Not one sound was heard. "I'm sorry, Tori," Sikowitz replied, disappointed. "That's incorrect."
"What? Oh, I'm sorry," Tori responded, ashamed of herself. "C-can I...try again?"
"Maybe tomorrow," Mr. Sikowitz answered, looking at the clock. "And please, think of everything you've seen, and don't hold back." Taking a sip of the milk in his coconut, the man's eyes glazed over for a second as he stared into space.
"Mr. Sikowitz," Cat called, her voice concerned.
"Sorry!" the startled man shot back, his head shooting back into place. Gesturing at the furry orb in his hand, he explained: "Gives me visions."
Humiliated and confused, Victoria slunk down into her chair, wanting to disappear. I don't belong here, she told herself.
That night, Jade returned to her home, angry and extremely bitter. Her dark hair and her pale, Gothic face reflected her outlook on life all too well. Above her, the sky was dark, and the stars were shining a frosted blue.
"Honey, where were you?" Jade's mother asked, her hands wrapped in the towel she was drying the dishes with. The woman sounded more concerned than angry. "You missed dinner, and you had me worried sick."
"I was out with some friends," the girl snarled, walking towards the stairs leading to her room.
"You could have called," Marilyn replied, growing upset. "Look, I saved you some casserole. Do you wanna sit down with me and eat?"
"I..." Jade began, trying to think of an excuse. "I ate out...Thank you, though." The girl ran up the stairs, too uncomfortable to linger.
Marilyn dropped her head, staring at the empty table she was planning on sitting down at with her daughter. Jade used to be so sweet.
In her dark room, Jadeyn threw her book bag on the floor, then lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. I can't believe how mad I am, she thought. Tori's ruining my life! Why couldn't her stupid sister have performed? At least she could look like an idiot and not care...What am I saying? Why am I so jealous of her? This isn't like me. What do I care? I don't have anything to prove. Ah! I can't take this! Finally, Jade found herself asleep, and her anger subsided. Her breath was slowed, calmed, and her face eased into a gentle expression. Though she couldn't remember then in her consciousness, Jade's dreams showed her what she wanted so badly to see...
Meanwhile, Tori sat on Trina's bed, her swinging back and forth. "Why can't you tell me about the Raven Scene?" she begged her sister.
"I just can't," Katrina answered, folding a pink blouse in front of herself. "It's something you have to do for yourself."
The younger brunette fell on her back, letting her arms dangle off the sides of the bed. Letting out a moan, Tori closed her eyes. This doesn't make any sense, she said to herself. How can I fail the assignment? It's my own feelings.
The next morning, Tori sat in Mr. Sikowitz's classroom, nervously waiting to give her answer, which kept her up half the night. Okay, it's not about society in general...I think I've got it this time.
Walking in with an optimistic stride, Mr. Sikowitz entered the room. "Hello, class," he greeted. "Did anyone see that sunrise this morning? Inspiring as always." Tori felt her stomach tense up. "Ms. Vega, are you ready to wow us?"
"I think so," Tori answered, confidence in her voice. The brunette walked up to the platform, and faced the class.
"Good luck, Tori!" Cat called, her voice sweet, and her intentions innocent.
"Thanks," the teenager quietly replied. "Okay, in my opinion, The Raven Scene is about letting go. It's about Ellen letting her friend fly off into its own life, even though it hurts. This is how...everyone should feel. You know, thinking of other people above ourselves...Right?"
Mr. Sikowitz shook his head. Feeling her heart sink, Victoria silently went back to her chair, trying to avoid eye contact with everyone.
"It's okay," Cat sympathetically whispered, looking at her friend with saddened eyes.
Watching from a short distance, Jade couldn't help but feel happy. It felt horrible, but the girl knew her feelings were real.
After class, Tori leaned against her locker, feeling sick and upset. Every locker around her had its etiquette decorations; expressing its owner's emotions and passions. However, the girl's was naked; void of all expression.
"Hey, Tori," Andre' greeted his friend, walking over to her with Cat and Robbie by his side. "How's it goin' so far?"
"Horrible," Tori answered. "I can't get The Raven Scene. How did you guys do it?"
"Uw, I know!" Cat shrieked, growing excited.
"Cat," Andre' interrupted, trying to remind her of what they'd all agreed on earlier. With that, the brunette nodded, and stayed quiet. "...You have to find the answer yourself, Tori. It has to be your opinion, no one else's."
"I did that, but I still failed," Tori responded. "This...ah! I don't get this! Maybe I shouldn't even be here."
"Tori, don't say that," Catarina said, her voice growing sad. "You're really good, and you should believe in yourself."
"Yeah," Rex added, his voice confident. "If you don't belong here, none of us do."
"You'll get it," Andre' assured the girl. "Trust me. Just think about it."
Later that day, Jade was standing in front of the mirror in the girl's bathroom. Slowly, she applied black mascara, gazing at her image growing darker. What's wrong with me? she wondered. I feel like I'm rotting from the inside out. I'm not like this.
"Hi, Jade," called a sweet, familiar voice. Turning around, the dark-haired girl saw Cat standing behind her.
"Hey," Jade optimistically greeted. "What's up?"
"Tori's really down about The Raven Scene," the brunette answered. "Do you think there's anything we can do to help her?"
Feeling crushed; angry but sad; guilty but reluctant to act, the almost-Gothic girl thought of what she should say. "...I don't know," she said, turning back to the mirror.
"Jade, what's going on?" Cat asked, sounding upset. "Why are you being so mean to Tori? She's a nice girl, and I know she just wants to be your friend."
"Cat, I don't wanna talk about this right now," the dark-haired girl replied, her voice growing hoarse. "Look, I'm sorry. There's just a lot going on right now."
With a sigh, Cat dropped her head, and began to walk away. Suddenly, she felt a hand gently grab her arm. "Cat..." Jade said. "I really am sorry. Please don't be sad...It's not that I don't like Tori. I just have trouble getting along with her."
It wasn't perfect, or what she wanted, but Cat felt herself coming to accept her friend's feelings. "...Okay," she finally said, wanting everything to be alright with Jade. The girl held her arms out, and wrapped them around Jade, who did the same thing to her.
Meanwhile, Tori was sitting under a tree, feeling the winter's breeze blow her long, soft hair. Winter's Chill, she mused in her mind. The girl could see the raven perched on her friend's arm. Devastated, alone. Ellen's only friend...the only one in her life. You can fly...why don't you just fly away? As the scene played out inside her mind, Tori felt her breaths slow, and she felt one with Ellen; one with the raven. "...I get it," she whispered, her heart pounding. "Awesome."
Mr. Sikowtiz sat on a desk, sipping milk from a coconut. Suddenly, the door to his classroom flew open, and Tori burst in. Several students, including Cat and Andre' gathered by the doorway.
"Mr. Sikowitz!" the brunette yelled, excited. "I get it! I get The Raven Scene!"
"Excellent," the man replied, standing up. "Let's hear it."
"Okay," Tori began. "It's about letting others live their dreams and their lives, no matter what we're going through. And, if you look at it closely, you realize that the raven is actually a part of Ellen, which she sets free...Is that right?"
"...No," Sikowitz answered.
After a second of silence, Tori felt her blood boil in her veins. All her struggles, all her pain, all for not. "...I have spent three days, lost sleep, and about had an ulcer for this...You know what...I can't take this anymore! That's what I think, and I don't care what anyone thinks! Okay, it is right!...How's that make you feel?"
The air was hushed. Sikowitz stood up, and began clapping slowly, impressed. Tori stood still, not knowing what was going on. Cat, Andre', and the other students walked in, each of them clapping. Deeply confused, the brunette looked around. "W-what's going on?" she asked.
"You did it," Mr. Sikowitz answered. "...That was the assignment. You don't ask if you're right...You tell me you're right. Stand for what you believe in, not what other people believe...Welcome to Hollywood Arts, Tori."
"Great job, Tori!" Cat cried, wrapping her arms around her friend. "I knew you could do it."
"Thanks, Cat," the brunette replied, a large smile on her face. "You too, Andre'."
"We didn't do anything," Andre' said. "It was all you."
Later that day, Andre', Cat, Robbie, and Trina were walking through the hallway. "Hey guys," Tori called. "Check this out." The group followed the girl to her locker, which gave them all a surprise: it was now painted midnight blue with "Make It Shine" rhinestoned on it in a powerful variety of colors. "What do you think?"
"Pretty," Cat responded, gazing at the deep colors in front of her.
"Nice job," Katrina added. "You should do just fine here."
"...I know I am," Tori replied, putting a smile on her face.
Requiem for Dreams
iCarly
Spencer "Good job, Spencer," the boy's mother congratulated him, holding up the sculpture he just made.
"Thanks, Mommy," Spencer replied. "It's supposed to represent a turtle." Even at the age of eight, the boy was beginning to understand what abstract sculpting was: representing things and emotions through unusual shapes and colors. It was astonishing. Best of all, it was something Spencer could do with his mother.
However, things changed after ten years. It seemed so slow, so gradual, but it did come: Spencer and Carly's parents were stationed overseas on a naval assignment, leaving the eighteen-year-old in charge of his sister. The last thing his father told him was what he wanted and expected: "I've payed for you to attend law school," said Sheldon Shay.
Wanting only to make his father proud, Spencer agreed. His life would change drastically; he was a single guardian of his little sister, and persuing career he'd never imagined. Sure, his dad had mentioned it before, but Spencer never thought he'd wind up being pushed into it. All things considered, things would be pretty easy; Carly had school during the day for the same hours as he Spencer. All he'd have to do is come home, make dinner, and generally take care of his sister.
On his first day, the young man walked into the gigantic school, climbing up a near-infinite flight of marble stairs, clad in a brown suit with matching tie and slacks. His shoes nicely shined and his hair combed in a very neat style, Spencer held his brief case in hand and prepared himself. It was extremely overwhelming to be surrounded by hundreds of wealthy, serious people with such dedication to their careers. Fortunately, Catherine, the young man's girlfriend, would be joining him during this difficult time.
Sitting at his usual spot in a room that resembled an auditorium, trying to listen to the man giving a lecture, Spencer gazed around the room. I hate this, he thought. I don't belong here. Ah! I can't believe how much work I have tonight! It's only my second day and I'm already falling behind. His stomach sick, Spencer slipped a Tums into his mouth, and tried to chew it quietly.
That night, the sky was dark over Seattle as the young man vigorously typed on his computer under the light of a dim lamp. Feeling his eyes grow tired, the boy continued working his tired, aching fingers on the black keys. Letting out a yawn, Spencer struggled to keep going. So tired, he thought, his entire body weak and ready to collapse on itself. Glancing over at a clock, the boy saw it was 12:05. It was too late to still be up and working. "Have to...remember to call Catherine," Spencer mumbled, barely aware of what he was saying. "Cathy..." His eyes blurring over, the boy saved his work, then layed down on his desk.
Slowly, the door to the teenager's room opened, and his little sister walked in. "Come on," she said in a gentle, sweet voice as she helped Spencer up. "Let's get to bed." Laying her brother on his bed, nine-year-old tucked him under the sheets, and turned out his light.
"Spencer, it's not that bad," Catherine said, gently rubbing the top of the young man's back as they sat at a small table near the school. "The first few days can be overwhelming."
"I feel like I'm gonna throw up," Spencer replied. "It's too much...and I don't want this. I don't want to be a lawyer."
"Just hang in there," Catherine responded. "It'll be over soon. Besides...we get to spend more time together." The girl looked lovingly, needfully into her boyfriend's eyes. Any other time, her puppy dog gaze would solve everything...but not now.
"I'm sorry, I have to start on my homework," Spencer said, his voice low, drained of all emotion, and somewhat cold. The boy then walked off.
I want you to be a lawyer. Your grandfather was a lawyer...I was one until I joined the Navy. It's a good career. You'll get used to the idea. That never happened, though. It never got any easier. Something had to happen. Something had to change...
"I'm sorry," Spencer said, returning his large stack of books to the front desk. "I just can't do this."
Sam "I love you, Daddy," Sam said, lovingly wrapping her little arms around her father's neck. Melanie, the girl's identical twin did the same.
"Me too," said the other blond girl. The two five-year-olds were so sweet, so gentle.
"You're the best daddy in the world," Sam added. The girl closed her eyes, and enjoyed the comfort of her father's warm embrace.
"And you two are the best daughters I could ever imagine," the man replied, gently stroking his kids' hair. Glancing into another section of the room, Mr. Puckett saw his wife, Pamela drunk and laying on the couch with a wet rag over her sore eyes.
Those days, things were so peaceful, so happy. Melanie would run home after school, show her father the A. she got on each and every test, then Sam would come home, and smother him with hugs and kisses. All the while, Pam would be drinking herself sick or throwing up in the tiolet. No matter how bad school may have been, Samantha could always count on her dad's comfort to make it all better. Every night, that kind, selfless man would put his daughters to sleep with bedtime stories and gentle songs.
However, when Melanie and Sam turned six, their beloved father fell terminally ill. They didn't know what it was, but he was bed-ridden for weeks. Everyone, even Pam, gathered around him in his last moments.
"We love you, Daddy," Sam said, her eyes filling with tears.
"I love you, too," Daniel Puckett whispered, barely able to talk. After getting one last look at his beloved family, the man closed his eyes, and turned its head to its side. The three Puckett girls began crying, and never truly stopped.
Several months later, Pam couldn't afford the shabby apartment the family had lived in all their lives, and the three were forced to move into a horrid building on the other end of town. The air inside was laced with the stench of mold, the wallpaper was dirty and peeling off. It was all so disgusting. To make matters worse, Pam soon became violent as her drinking worsened.
Luckily for her, Melanie's grades got her admitted to a prestigious boarding school in England for no cost when she turned ten; it was the escape she'd always dreamed of. Sam, on the other hand, was not so lucky, and was forced to live with her miserable mother.
After one of Pam's more vicious beatings, Sam crawled towards her dump of a room, her back red and throbbing. Only one thought existed in her mind: Gotta get in there...have to get away from her. Feeling her knees grinding into the rough carpet, the young girl kept moving forward, too terrified to stop no matter how exhausted or weak she was. Finally, miraculously, Sam made it into her room; the closest thing to a haven she had in this hovel, pulled the door shut, and tightly locked it. Letting out deep, heavy, relieved breaths, the child closed her eyes as she leaned against the door. It hurt so bad...The bruses, the cuts, the words...but worst of all, the sense of powerlessness. Burning tears welled up in the child's eyes, then slid down her red cheeks.
Fortunately, Sam had met a girl named Carly in third grade. The two became the best of friends, after being paired together for a history project. Carly, who was the same age as Sam, was nice, sweet, and gentle, so it was only fitting that the two bonded. "We're like sisters," Carly said one day. Things were different then...
"Why didn't you call if you were gonna be late?" Pam hollered as her daughter walked inside.
For too long, Sam would drop her head and take her mother's beatings. After coming home day after day after horrid day to insults and beatings, it was too much. "...How could I do that?" the girl snarled. "I don't have any freakin' money to use a pay phone." I don't have to take her crap, Sam told herself. At school, I get treated like a human being...
"Where do you think you get off talking to me like that?" Pam shot back, her voice laced with anger.
Sam stared at her mother with a look of disgust on her face. Not wanting another fight, the teenager just walked into her room and locked the door. Everyone at school noticed the change in Sam: she went from being sweet and quiet...to being cold, nasty, and quick to anger. It was tragic to everyone, especially Carly. But what could she do? Knowing that there was nothing she could do, Carly just kept quiet and tried to accept Sam's changing behavior...no matter how much it hurt.
Carly "I love you, Carly," said Miranda, stroking her daughter's hair. Outside, the sky was a comforting shade of blue. Birds flew by the windows above the Seattle skyline. The breeze was warm and calm.
"I love you too, Mommy," Carly replied.
Waking up, Carly realized the days with her mother and father were over...at least for now. Spencer was her guardian, and that was cool; he wasn't really like a dad, just an older brother. After he dropped out of school, Carly could spend a lot of quality time with her brother. They'd sculpt, paint, or just watch television together.
Life was good; plenty of friends, a nice apartment in an upper-classed neighborhood, loving brother. What else could a girl want? Well, Lewbert could be replaced as the door man.
Freddie All my life, I never knew my father. Maybe I don't even have one. My mom's great, though. She is kind of over-protective, though. That doesn't matter, though. When I was, like, nine, I got interested in electronics. I mean, I was a total tech-geek. On top of that, I love Star Wars, Star Trek... you name it, I know it. Maybe I'm a nerd, but who cares? My name is Freddie Benson, and this is me...
"Freddie," said Marissa Benson. "What is this?" The woman was holding up another of her son's love poems to a girl he barely knew.
"Mom!" Freddie cried, jumping off of the couch. "Were did you find that? That's mine!"
"Freddie, I don't like you do this kind of thing," Freddie's mon replied. "You're too young to be thinking about girls. And who is this...Carly girl anyway?"
"Mom!" Freddie groaned. This puppy-dog lover thing of Freddie's was fairly recent, so it was still new for his mother. Who would brag about their son being lovesick?
Wednesday. October 20th, 2010. 11:35 A.M.
"You did what?" Carly snapped, unable to believe what her friend had just told her.
"Sssh!" Sam replied, not wanting the faculty to hear her. "Just wait." Suddenly, the sound of an explosian tore through the teacher's lounge, and screaming was heard.
"Sam, I can't believe you..." the fifteen-year-old brunette began to shout.
"Hang on, look at this," the blond interrupted. Just then, Ms. Briggs, the nasty, redheaded assistant principal ran out of the lounge, almost completely colored purple.
"Who is responsible for this?" the woman demanded, furious. Spotting Sam and Carly, Ms. Briggs let out a deep, rageful breath, and stormed over to them. "You two. Office. Now!"
"But I didn't..." Carly began to explain.
"Come on," Briggs interrupted, grabbing the two by the ears and pulling them into the , the principal struggled to hold back his laughter at the sight of the purple teacher.
"Sam, what'd you do this time?" the African-American man asked.
"It was both of them, ," Ms. Briggs replied. "And they set off a...paint bomb in the teacher's lounge!"
"Carly, is this true?" asked the principal.
Looking at her friend, the brunette couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Why should she have to suffer alone? "Yes, sir," Carly answered, weak and timid. "I'm sorry. We didn't think it'd be this bad."
"I believe I have come up with a fitting punishment," the purple red-head said, trying to see through her paint-coated glasses. "At least for now."
Sam and Carly looked at one another, expecting the worst. Ms. Briggs was vicious and heartless. Her idea of a fitting punishment could be a nightmare at best.
"You two will be put in charge of auditions for the school's talent show," Briggs continued. "...On Saturday morning."
Carly and Sam let out devastated groans. This weekend was now shot.
Outside the office, Carly looked over at Sam. "What were you thinking?" the brunette asked, her anger showing in her voice.
"I don't know," Sam answered. Carly found herself growing upset; Sam wasn't always like this.
"Hey, guys," greeted Freddie Benson. The brunette boy was a year younger than Carly and Sam, though he was in many of their classes. "How's it going?"
"Not now, Benson," Sam snarled, not looking up from the floor.
"Sam," Carly disciplined. "We have Saturday detention. Briggs is making us audition kids for the talent show."
"Ah, that stinks," Freddie replied. "Hey, I was thinking about filming the auditions for the school website. You want me to help?"
"Please, no," Sam whispered.
"Thanks, Freddie," Carly said. "I'm really bad with working camera." Sam let out a deep, annoyed sigh.
Come Saturday at about nine o'clock, Sam, Carly, and Freddie were in the school auditorium. Freddie was setting up a tripod camera by the stage, and the girls were reviewing the teenagers trying out.
"This guy sounds cool," Carly said, reading over a sheet of paper. "Look at that." The brunette showed her friend the information on a student named Donnie Southers.
"Ah, that's sick," Sam exclaimed, laughing.
Soon, the teens auditioning for the show began to file in. First up was a singing team called Japanese Scooby-Doo: the two so-called musicians were horrible, and quickly and bluntly dismissed by Sam. Next up was Andrew Sanders, who brought a very unusual talent to the table: "I can squirt milk out of my eyes," he said, not sounding very interested.
"Let's see it," Carly replied, showing interest. With that, the boy drank a cup of milk he brought with him, kept it in his mouth, then pulled down on his eye lids. Small streams of white liquid squirted out of the boy's lower eye lids.
Freddie, Sam, and Carly let out disgusted, impressed cries. "You are definitely in," Sam declared, marking down Andrew on her list.
Next on the list was a boy who displayed his tongue, which was cleaved into two points towards its end. As if that wasn't enough, the boy closed his mouth, allowing his the two chubs of pink flesh to extrude out of the skin above his chin.
"Nasty!" Carly exclaimed, a wide smile on her face. "You're in!"
Following who Sam dubbed "Tongue Boy" was a thin, dark-haired girl who immediately lay down on her stomach and folded her legs backwards until her feet touched above her shoulders. The teenager then brought herself up in a flip manner, and quickly repeated the movement.
Finally, all fifteen of the contestants were chosen. "Okay, I'm uploading them onto the school's website," Freddie informed the girls.
"Great," Carly gratefully replied. "Thanks, Freddie. Hey, Sam, you know what the only thing creapier than that double-jointed guy's act was?"
"Ms. Briggs new haircut?" Sam replied, her voice raising as she grew excited.
"Yeah," Carly replied, laughing. "I'm sorry, but I didn't know Mickey Rourke had his own style." The two burst into laughter.
A large smile forming on his face, Freddie decided to point the camera on the two; their jokes were too funny to miss.
"And who could forget that lecture last week on PDA?" Sam added. "Can you spell bitter?" Carly chuckled, doubling over as her stomach began to ache.
"Yeah," Carly added, preparing an impression of Ms. Briggs. "And who starts a lecture with "what is wrong with you brats?" The two burst into laughter. Freddie could barely stand up, feeling like his side was splitting.
Knowing how much of a positive reaction they would get, the teenage boy decided to post this hilarious video on What harm could it do? Carly and Sam were awesome.
That night, Carly was sitting on the couch in her apartment's living room, reading a book. Spencer was in the chair, watching Tool Time, which he viewed soley for the laughs. "So, how were the auditions today?" he asked.
"Really cool," Carly answered. "You should've seen that guy with two tongues. I felt kinda bad, though."
"Why?" Spencer asked.
"I've seen some of those guys around school," Carly began, her voice growing sad. "They get made fun of almost all the time."
"That stinks," Spencer replied. "...Hey, can you show the video you guys made for the school's website?"
"Sure," Carly answered, getting her laptop off of the table in front of her. As the teenager began typing, the telephone began to ring. "Can you get that, please?"
"Will do," Spencer replied, getting the cordless phone from its charger on the kitchen counter. "Hello?...Oh, hey, Ms. Briggs...You remember me, it's Spencer...Yeah, that one...Oh...Yeah, she's right here." The young man covered the input end of the phone. "It's for you," he whispered. "Yeah, Ms. Briggs. Bye." Spencer then handed his sister the phone.
"Hello," Carly greeted, her voice unsuspecting. "...But it was...we didn't mean...How'd it get online? Ms. Briggs, I'm... Okay. Yeah. Bye." The girl hung up the phone, then dropped onto the couch, depressed.
"What's up, sport?" Spencer asked.
"Sam and I are gonna get suspended," Carly answered, devastated. "Briggs said our video was unseemly conduct."
"The talent show video?" Spencer asked, extremely concerned.
"No," the brunette replied, sounding shocked. "She said there was one on ZapLook. But I don't remember posting anything except that Carly and Sam show two months ago." The girl picked up her computer, and began typing. Finally, she reached the site she was looking for. "Oh my gosh..."
"What?" Spencer asked.
"Somebody posted the jokes Sam and I posted about Ms. Briggs!" Carly exclaimed, growing upset. "I can't believe this! Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick."
Spencer sat down beside his sister, and put his hand on her shoulder, wanting so bad to be able to help her. However, there was nothing he could think of.
Come Monday, Sam and Carly were standing in front of their lockers. The two were both sick to their stomachs. After all, this could be their very last day at Schneider High.
"Who do you think did this?" Sam asked, obviously furious.
"I don't know," Carly answered. "The only one with us was Freddie, but he wouldn't do something like that."
"Hey, girls," Freddie greeted, casually walking by the two.
"Hold on a second, Fredward!" Sam shot in, slamming the boy against the locker. "How'd the jokes Carly and I told get on the Internet?"
"I-I posted them on ZapLook," Freddie confessed, barely able to speak. "I thought it'd be funny."
"Freddie, we're gonna get suspended," Carly replied, her voice growing hysteric. "You have to do something."
"Let me go, and I'll fix everything," Freddie responded, his self-disgust showing in his voice. Sam released her grip on the boy, then stepped back, a deep scowl emblazoned on her face. "I'm really sorry, you two."
"That's nice to say, but it's really too late," Carly replied, humiliated.
Freddie then walked towards the office, his head low. I am such a jerk, he scolded himself.
"Hey, do you have your laptop with you?" Sam asked, still angry.
"Yeah, why?" Carly answered, her voice quiet.
"I wanna see how many people saw us," Sam responded, pulling the computer out of Carly's book bag. "...Whoa."
"What?" asked the brunette, looking at the computer screen from behind Sam's shoulder. "Oh my...gosh." The two gazed at the viewer count for the video titled, "Carly and Sam Jokes": it was well above one thousand. The reviews were amazing; "Wow! Ths grls rck!", "LOL!", something in French, then, "I love these girls!"
"They love us," Sam said, her eyes glued to the screen and her mouth dangling open.
"Yeah," Carly replied. "...Maybe we were too hard on Freddie."
"More like not hard enough," Sam shot back, her voice laced with anger.
"No, he was just trying to be nice," Carly defended the boy. "He's gonna get murdered. I know what his mom's like...We have to help him."
"...Fine," Sam surrendered. The two girls quickly walked down to the principal's office.
Inside Mr. Franklin's office, the brunette teenager sat in a small red-cushioned chair, staring at the floor. Letting out a sigh, the boy kept pounding what he did into his head.
"Mr. Benson, I'm very disappointed in you," Mr. Franklin said, his voice devastatingly quiet and grave. "This isn't like you."
"I'm sorry," Freddie groaned, too ashamed to speak properly.
"You realize you could be suspended for doing something like this," the principal declared. "Especially without the consent of the people you filmed."
Feeling an agonizing lump well up in his throat, the boy dropped his head lower.
"Mr. Franklin," Carly called, running into the office. "It wasn't Freddie's fault."
"Yeah, Carly and I talked about posting that video," Sam added, knowing what she was risking.
"We're really sorry," Carly said, her voice meek. "It was wrong, especially towards Ms. Briggs. We'll take it off the Internet."
For a second, the room was silent. "...For too long, I've seen people say and do horrible things on the Internet," he began, his tone very grave. "People will do anything if they can get away with it. You three are the only ones I've ever seen who have taken responsibility for yourselves. Although I can't condone what you did...I know that you're all..." The man looked at Sam. "...Generally good kids... And I think people deserve second chances... I'll tell you what... You take that video off the net, write an apology to Ms. Briggs, and...I think you can get off the hook with... three days detention. How's that sound?"
"Thank you, Mr. Franklin," Carly said, trying to contain her happiness and relief.
"Yeah, thanks," Freddie added.
"Yeah," Sam concluded, showing little enthusiasm.
"Briggs also wanted me to get rid of your talent show video," added the African-American man. "...But I loved that milk-out-of-the-eye guy. Good selection, girls."
"Thank you," Carly replied, somewhat flattered.
That night, the three were sitting in Carly's apartment, sitting in the living room. "You know," Sam began. "It's too bad they made us take that video off ZapLook."
"What do you mean?" Carly asked.
"I mean, yeah, it was kind of stupid," Sam began to answer. "But people really liked us...wouldn't it be cool if we made web videos all the time?"
"Yeah, that'd be cool," Carly replied. "Hey, do you still have that cam quarter?"
"Sure," Sam answered. "...You thinking what I'm thinking?" The song, "Breathe" by Michelle Branch begins to play, gradually swelling.
"All we need is a name," Carly replied.
"How's...iCarly sound?" Freddie asked.
"I like that," Carly somewhat jokingly said.
"Works for me," Sam added.
"Call me if you ever need a camera man," Freddie threw in. Sam glanced over at the boy, and gave him a quick wink.
"I have some ideas already," Carly threw in. "You ready?" Carly and Sam then looked at one another, and exchanged smiles.
"I'm Carly!" the brunette exclaimed.
"And I'm Sam," the blond added, jumping beside Carly and into the view of their mounted cam quarter.
"And this is iCarly!" the two yelled in harmony. Sam then pulled out a small, hand-held device, pressed a button on it, then listened to the sound of simulated applause.
To Be Continued...
