So I had LOADS of fun at Harry Potter World! I miss Spring Break already…But on the drive to Florida, all I did was listen to One Direction and write this. SO, I have a lot to give you guys! Yay!
I watched iGo One Direction, and I thought it was pretty good. The Spencer/Bethany bit was awful and not funny at all. But the boys were hilarious and terrible actors, and the performance was pretty good. Gibby is hilarious…
Anyway, thanks for the lovely reviews. You guys are amazing; I have so many hits and visitors! It makes me all happy. I just got a tumblr, and I post all things iCarly, Harry Potter, and One Direction. Follow me (I follow back!) http:/1dicarlyhp (dot) tumblr (dot) com/
This is still Day 5!
SAM POV
Afterwards, we headed to the touristy shops inside the building. It was a huge building, very pretty with lots of indoor plants and high windows. Carly dragged us to all the shops and she bought a pink sweatshirt that had the word "Chicago" stamped out in white on the front.
I was starting to get antsy. This trip has involved too much shopping and too much walking. As I dragged everyone to the food court, I smelled something amazing. Popcorn.
"OMG! I want popcorn!" Carly said excitedly. The smell of sweet butteryness was intoxicating.
"Yeah, Chicago is pretty famous for their popcorn," Freddie supplied.
"Let's go, peoples," I said, and zoomed to the growing line.
I ordered a bag of caramel popcorn and actually paid for it myself. Freddie had actually offered, but I said no. Maybe he's trying to show that he wasn't stingy with his boy-wallet like he was when we were dating, but I like to see him surprised and shocked when I tell him I'll pay for something. Or maybe I'd like to show that I'm not as demanding like I was when we were dating.
Naw, I like to see him depressed that he can't buy me food, thus buying my heart.
"Now can we go to the food court?" I mumbled through my popcorn.
"Fine. It's one, now!" Carly said.
"Okay, but can we go walk around the lake afterwards?" Freddie asked.
I groaned. "I hate walking. I just want food."
Freddie looked at me. "Okay, Puckett. How about this? We walk around the lake this afternoon, and tomorrow we can go to Chinatown and get all the Chinese food you want."
Yes. Yes! I love the Chinese and their food. "Okay!" I said excitedly, and Brad rolled his eyes. Freddie looked jubilant that I had agreed with something he had said.
Hey, it was a good idea.
"Now, food court, peoples!" I said, and pushed them towards the hall of food."
While we waked along Lake Michagan, we chattered lightly to each other, and I had to admit it was very pretty.
"It's so nice that your Aunt Jill let us stay at her house!" Carly said. "We should do stuff like this more often."
"Well, my uncle invited us to Dallas where he works in a mattress store, but he'd make us sleep on the floor..." I said as I ate the rest of my popcorn.
"That's ironic," Brad said, confused.
"I know."
"I just hope Jill gets her elbow infection cured. That thing was gross!" Freddie replied after a few minutes.
We all simultanitously shivered at the mention of the infection. Gross is the understatement of the century.
"Oh! I totally forgot! I got...these!" Freddie announced. He pulled out four white tickets. Okay...?
"What are they?" I asked.
"Balloon tickets! They let us go up in this hot air balloon thing which is attached to the ground but is super high up!" the nub said happily.
That sound kinda lame but kinda awesome at the same time. I love heights; roller coasters, skyscrapers, and Ferris Wheels are so much fun.
"Cool," I said nonchalantly. No need to freak out and show Benson I'm excited.
No need at all.
"When do we go on?" Brad inquired as Carly oohed at the tickets.
"Uhh...right now!" Freddie said, looking at the time on the paper.
Carly said, "Let's go!" and we all headed towards the huge balloon thing. There were three girls our age waiting by the white balloon, and I furrowed my brows. I hate strangers, and these chicks looked as superficial as my mom's hair color.
"Alrighties, people! Single file line into the basket, watch your step!" a short guy with a crew cut instructed us. He had a blue polo shirt on with thick, thickglasses. It was all I could do not to snicker at him. He looked like such a nerd!
We entered the little basket thing. Then the nerd (no, not Freddie) told us to hold on to the railings at all time and to not lean out of the basket and blah blah blah. I totally tuned him out until he said, "popcorn," because I thought they would give me more popcorn. I was almost out, man.
"What? Popcorn?" I looked around.
"Er, yes, you need to throw away your popcorn. No food on the ride, please, ma'am," the little nub (again, not Freddie) said in a nasally voice. WHAT? Who does he think he's talking to? He probably wants to show off to the other chicks, who are TOTALLY ignoring him.
"No," I said stubbornly. I saw Carly suck in her cheeks.
"Ma'am, your food may fly out of the ride, which would litter and damage the environment!" our stupid attendant said.
I was about to launch at him and tell him what damagereally felt like when a pair of strong hands grabbed onto my arms.
"Sam," Freddie said to me in a low voice. To the idiot worker, he said, "Please, sir, let her keep the food."
The worker stood stubborn. "Nope. She'll have to throw it away."
Hello? I'm right here!
Freddie let out a breath of air that tickled the back of my neck. His hands still held tight onto me, even though I wasn't lunging at the worker anymore. I tried to struggle out of his grip but was unable to.
"Okay, sir, she'll just hold onto it tightly. I'll help her," he pleaded the guy.
I jiggled my foot impatiently. "Fine." The stupid worker gave up, probably because the girls by us were getting antsy as well.
"Good," I said to him. To Freddie I said, "Let go of me."
He still held on to my arms, and I heard him say, "Hmmm. No, I like this." He pulled me closer to him, and I could feel his body heat.
"Dude, if you don't let go I won't be able to hold onto the railing and then I'll fly off the balloon and die," I told Freddie.
"How about a 'thank you' first?" Freddie asked with a superior voice.
Argh. Why should I thank him? "Why do you want a thank you?" I asked him.
"Because I got you to be able to keep your popcorn!" Freddie said. In the background the other chicks, Brad, and Carly were making small talk, and the nubby worker was getting ready for lift off or whatever.
I groaned. "Okay, thank youuuuu," I told Freddie, exaggerating the thank you in long syllables.
"Good." He let go of me, and as we began to rise I felt a little colder from the wind and the absence of Freddie from behind me.
What?
The balloon began to rise higher, and just like the Ferris Wheel, we could see all over the city.
"Look! There's the Sears Tower!" Brad pointed out to us.
"Wow! That's huge!" Carly exclaimed.
"Yeah, but it's called the Willis Tower, now," Freddie informed us.
I snickered. "That's an unfortunate new name." I popped a piece of popcorn in my mouth, and Freddie suddenly jammed his hand into the bag and grabbed a few pieces for himself.
"Benson!" I shouted.
He swallowed with a grin on his face. "Hey, if it wasn't for me you wouldn't have any popcorn at all."
I gave him a look. The wind was mussing up his dark brown hair and he looked…funny.
"Fine," I groaned, and he reached for the bag again. "Nuh-uh! You already got your piece!" I told him with a smirk.
"Ugh. Whatever."
"Whatever!" I imitated him, and all he did was laugh.
We looked around a bit more, but soon the balloon was being pulled down.
I whispered in Freddie's ear. He wrinkled his nose and shoved him, saying, "Do it!"
He sighed, and as we were close to the ground, he dumped the rest of my popcorn on the nerdy worker's head.
"Oops! I dropped my popcorn!" I sang out. The rest of the people in the basket burst out laughing at the guy on the ground, whose hair was covered in bright yellow kernels. He looked super steamed, which is why everyone scrammed from the basket when it touched the ground.
When we got home, Spencer had called the house. Carly called him back and put it on speakerphone so we call could talk to him.
"HEY SPENCER!" we all shouted as soon as he picked up.
"Look, Socko, I know you're angry about your cousin, but what if I just glued the tires to the front?" Spencer said, sounding frustrated.
"Spencer, this is Carly, not Socko. And what did you do to his cousin?" Carly said, amused.
"Oh. Hi. I didn't really do anything... You see, I was really hungry and-"
"I don't want to hear about it!" Carly grinned as she heard her brother.
"Whatever. What are you gibblets up to?" Spencer asked.
I gave Carly a look. Gibblets?She grinned.
"We just dumped popcorn on some nerd's head!" I told him.
"Who? Freddie?" Spencer asked.
I cracked up as Carly explained.
"And we just came back from riding the Ferris Wheel!" Freddie called out.
"Was it scary?"
Freddie cocked his eyebrows at me. "No..."
"Oh. Because last time I was on a Ferris Wheel, our cart broke off on one side so we were dangling on the very top for like an hour," Spencer stated.
"Oh my god! When was this?" Carly said, looking surprised.
"Actually, that might have been a dream, because it started to rain lemon flavored jelly beans..."
We all laughed then. "What else do you guys have planned to do?" Spencer asked a moment later.
"Well, I found a Wii upstairs with Just Dance!" Brad piped up.
Oh my god! I love that game even though I kinda suck at it.
Carly was ecstatic. "How come you didn't tell us before? I love that game!"
Brad shrugged. "I was just poking around upstairs and found it."
"Well, just be careful playing. Just Dance is a pretty violent game," Spencer advised to us.
"It's not dangerous!"
Freddie turned to Brad. "Have you ever played with Sam? It gets pretty violent."
I shrugged and grinned. "It's true." I do go kinda crazy playing that game...Spencer shouted suddenly, and everyone jumped but me.
"You okay?" I called.
"Yeah, just stepped in something," Spencer said. He sounded preoccupied. "Gross, it's still breathing!" he exclaimed.
I wrinkled my nose. Spencer is so weird.
"Okay, Spence. We'll let you go," Carly called.
"Bye kiddos. Oh, Carly, be careful with Just Dance! Love you!"
"Love you too!" Carly said to the phone, and clicked the endbutton as Brad, Freddie, and I went, "Awwww."
Carly blushed. "Shut up, you guys. He's my brother."
"Who you love!"
"Whatever. Let's go play Just Dance!" Carly said excitedly. We all rushed to go upstairs, but I saw Freddie hesitate.
"Naw, you guys can go...I'll...just make dinner," he said up to the three of us, who were already halfway upstairs.
Okay, I love when people make me food, but it's only three o'clock. I don't want dinner to be cold. And I really want to see Freddie dance and humiliate himself. It will be hilarious.
"C'mon, Benson. Just come," I said, walking down to him, grabbing his arm, and dragging him up. At yhe top of the stairs, Carly and Brad were smiling at us like proud mother hens. Well, a mother and father hen. Well, a mother hen and a father rooster...Whatever. I rolled my eyes but let go of his arm. Everyone paused awkwardly at the top of the stairs for a second, so I brushed past everyone to go to the Wii.
"I call first control!" I shouted to them, and they came rushing in, scrambling for the other remotes. I tried turning it on but it wouldn't connect or something.
"Dammit. It's broken!" I moaned, and fell to the floor.
Freddie got up from the couch to fix it, and as he passed by me he tickled me in the stomach. I'm SUPER ticklish (it's my one imperfection, haha), and as Freddie prodded my stomach with his fingers I exploded in laughter. I still had the energy to punch him in the leg, though, which I noticed was pretty muscular...
Snap out of it, Puckett. You don't like him.
So what if he's muscular? He's still a nub and tech freak, which he's proving right now as he's fixing the Wii.
But...a little voice in the back of my head was saying.
Shut up, I told the little voice. You're just stupid.
I imagined the little voice crying and running away, and I grinned.
I am so weird.
"Okay, I fixed it!" Freddie was announcing as I snapped out of my weird moment of the day.
"Yeah, yeah. Go sit down so I can start the game!" I ordered to him, and he rolled his eyes but sat down. Mama is boss.
"Can we start with an easy one, first?" Freddie asked plaintively.
"Okay," I nodded, and chose one of the hardest songs on the game. But Freddie didn't know that.
I started the song and positioned myself accordingly, so I could see the screen and see Freddie mess up as well. Life is good, man. The music began and I started to dance effortlessly. I knew the beginning of the dance, but not all of it. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Freddie dance helplessly, moving awkwardly and unnaturally with his arms. I laughed to myself.
Soon the dance got harder and I went out of control, dancing like a maniac. I was pretty much doing my own thing, now, but it was so much fun!
Suddenly my left hand hit something, and I heard a thud as something fell. Oops!
I turned around to see a lamp on the ground, the light bulb shattered.
"Freddie!" I shouted. "Look what you did!"
His face paled as he shouted back, "I didn't do anything! Stop trying to pin stuff on me!"
"You were taking up too much room so I was too close to the lamp!" I yelled, a grin about to appear on my face. I love arguing. I was even on the debate team (no laughing, I was awesome.) And I especially love arguing with Freddie.
"What? You were the one dancing all insane!" Freddie said angrily, and we each started to yell at each other.
"You can't blame me for what you did-"
"Maybe if you stayed in your personal bubble-"
"Preschoolers use the term 'personal bubble', stupid-"
"Did you just call me stupid?"
"So what if I did?"
And then, all of a sudden, Freddie and I burst into laughter, falling on the couch as giggles took over us. As soon as our laughing fit was over, I saw Brad and Carly, just staring at us.
"You guys' relationship is soo weird!" Carly stated with a half amused half disturbed look on her face. Brad just gave us funny looks.
I rolled my eyes at them, and Freddie said, "You have no idea."
I popped up from the couch and said, "Okay, let's keep playing!"
Everyone nodded, but when I played the song again, they all inched slowly away from me. Which was probably a good idea.
CARLY POV
After playing more Just Dance, we started to get hungry. I had volunteered Sam and I to make dinner tonight, but I was regretting it. Making dinner is a lot of work! Maybe Sam needs to hire that Sonya chick again so she can cook for us.
"Hey Sam. Can you dump the pasta in the boiling water?" I asked. Sam was sitting at the counter, fiddling with her phone.
"Okay." She groaned and got up.
"So," I began.
"So." Sam mimicked me.
I rolled my eyes. "How do you like our little trip so far?" I asked her. I put my PearPhone in the dock and started to play a little music.
"It's good," Sam said.
I paused for a moment and pulled out the spaghetti sauce from the fridge. "How's Freddie?"
I looked at Sam, who paused in the middle of pouring the pasta into the pot. "Freddie's good," she said evasively.
"How good?"
Sam finished putting the pasta into the water and turned towards me. I had a grin on my face. I can tell Sam's been acting a little different. She is totally falling for Freddie.
And she doesn't even know it.
"Carls," Sam admonished me.
I put a totally innocent look on my face. "What?"
Sam grinned and said, "I hate you."
"Love you too, darling." I handed her a wooden spoon so she could stir the pasta. I then opened the can of sauce, hoping Sam will start talking. When the room is only filled with music, I give up and start to talk.
"Sam, you know how you were acting weirdly that night at the lock in?" I started, but Sam quickly butted in.
"Yeah, yeah, I was acting all nice and you wanted me to go for it and make a move and whatever, and then I got all mad at you and I went outside, and Freddie came out and I…kissed him and whatever," she said.
"You're acting like that now. You're different, Sam!" I informed her.
She looked up at me from the boiling pot of noodles, steam rising up into her face. "It's been five years, Carly. I've changed. Freddie's changed. It doesn't mean the world if I buy my own bag of popcorn or...stuff. I'm different, now!" Sam exclaimed, a little frustrated. She wielded her wooden spoon with a tight fist, and I probably should take it from her before she whacks someone.
I then told her, "You're acting different because you're with Freddie."
Sam looked at me for a moment before bursting into tears. She dropped the spoon and it fell to the floor with a clatter. Sam ran towards me and flung her arms around me.
Okay, I can't remember the last time Sam's had a breakdown. She usually has them in front of me, and they're pretty much just complaining and crying sessions for less than five minutes. Sam needs to let off her emotions somehow, right?
"I don't know what I'm feeling, Carls!" she blubbered. Tears were wetting my nice new blouse. Aw, man. "I don't think I like Freddie but then he's making me waffles and tacos and getting tickets to fun things and it makes me think that I like him, but maybe I only like the things he does and not actually him. And you and Spencer and Brad and Mrs. Benson and the whole fucking world wants us to get together, but I don't want to but sometimes I do, he sometimes looks so cute but sometimes he's a super nub and...and...and I hate him!" Sam ended with finality.
I just rubbed her back and mm-hmmed into her ear. Poor Sam. She's so conflicted. She wants to hate Freddie, and sometimes she does, but it sounds like - what's this? - she thinks he's cute.
Wow. Love is confusing.
Before I could say any more comforting things, Freddie walked in the door, saying, "Do you guys want any help, I-" He was cut off when he saw Sam lying broken in my arms.
I looked at him, shrugging, and Sam turned on him. I slapped my hand over Sam's mouth and gave Freddie a look to scram.
"Bye!" he said hurriedly, and walked out the kitchen. Sam was still screaming into my hand, but soon she lost steam and slumped to the ground.
I continued to stir the sauce, acting like Sam hadn't burst into a fiery ball of tears and anger. Sam never talks about her sudden outbursts, so I usually pretend they don't happen.
Sam had stopped crying but was still lying on the floor. She picked up the now dirty spoon and twirled it above her head. I stepped over her legs to check up on the spaghetti.
"I'm a mess, Carly," she admitted.
I opened the fridge to find the shredded cheese. "I know, but that's why we love you."
Yay! It's a long one. I think this one is so much better than my last chapter. My last chapter was weakish…O well. Please review. OH! Just curious, but will you, my lovely readers, review and tell me how old you are? I'm quite curious.
I'm 15, BTW.