Chapter 29

Freddie POV

So glad it's summer. I needed to get out of LA, it's a cool place but kinda hard to live in with so much going on everyday. Today I start resuming my "job" of tech producer at iCarly. I decide to go over at 10.

When I walk across the hall Spencer opens the door, explaining that he's starting breakfast, and he could make some extra for me no problem. I thanked him, and went up to the studio.

Second floor, Carly's room…Wait. Is someone yelling? I stop for a moment and I can hear muffled yelling. I sneak closer to the closed door, but I'm still in the stairway.

"He can't just say that! You have an opinion too!" Sam yelled.

"I agree, but getting mad isn't going to help anybody Sam. We just have to juggle this until the end of the summer." Carly reasoned.

"Funny how it's Jake who's causing all these problems. Why did he lock up ?" asked Sam.

"I don't know…." Carly said as I started walking up the stairs as I originally intended.

So Jake doesn't like what's going on. Well, he and Haley would get along great right now.

Haley is still mad at me. She let her anger simmer for about a week before unleashing it at the last lunch of the school year. I can still hear her in my head….

"She's just a friend! So what if I left, it doesn't mean I can never talk to her again." I said.

"But you have a girlfriend now! There has to be some sacrifices you have to make."

"Like what." I said, words feeling like acid coming out of my mouth.

"You can't stay buddy buddy with a girl you used to like!" Haley yelled, as students kept staring at the two of us.

"I don't like her. It's just a summer job."

"FINE! You're lying Freddie. I'm out of here!" She shrieked, storming away.

Caitlyn, Zak and Kimby looked very uncomfortable, fiddling with their lunches.

My mind came back to the present. I haven't talked to Haley since, and she's going to Europe today.

Anyway, the studio is pristine as always. Carly really likes everything to be neat, and it's really useful.

I'm updating some of the malware on the server, which is what the entire house runs off of via Wi-Fi.

"Knock, Knock." A female voice behind me says warmly.

I turn to see Carly standing by the door with a cup of coffee in her hands.

"Morning." I say, turning back to the server.

"Whatcha doing?" She asked sleepily.

"Updating your virus protection. You guys haven't updated it in a while." I responded.

"Why do we need it?"

"So we can stop a hacker from using to spread a virus. It would be easy to spread it since we have a popular site."

"Your tech talk makes no sense this early in the morning." She said, stifling a yawn.

"So what's up?" I asked.

"Jake and I are fighting." She said flatly.

"I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?" I offered.

"Sure after breakfast." She said, walking out of the room.

Now I can't concentrate. She wants to talk to me about Jake and I just meant it as a friendly gesture, not a serious offer.

"Oh well, I got myself into this mess, I'll figure it out." I thought, going downstairs.

Once downstairs, Sam, Carly and Spencer were already tucking into a gigantic breakfast. One thing that Spencer has always done is try to have as many meals as possible with Carly at home, at the dinner table. I read a article a few months ago that said a stable adult life comes from family bonding activities like eating dinner and spending time outside or working on projects together. Now that I think about it, Spencer has always played the role of both parents and now I can see that he's setting Carly, and Sam and I to an extent also up to succeed by spending time together and having everyone become very close.

Soon enough, I'm the only one left at the table. Talk about irony. Sam left to go to someone's cookout, apparently there's ham involved. Spencer is off to the junkyard and—

Buzz, Buzz. My phone is vibrating in my pocket.

One new message: Carly

I'm ready whenevr u are

I responded "k, be right there." Then washed my plate and walked to the fire escape.

Carly was perched on the steps, legs pulled tightly to her.

"You cold?" I asked. She jumped, looking like I interrupted some deep thinking.

"No….." She said, avoiding my eyes. It's about 60 degrees, but the wind is coming off the sound so it feels like its in the 40's.

I walk around to my end of the fire escape, unlock my sliding door, grab a couple of blankets and head back to Carly.

I offer a blanket to her. She greedily took it and wrapped her self in it, leaving only her head exposed. I put my blanket under me to keep my shorts clean.

"So what's bugging you?" I said.

"Well…." She sounded unsure of whether to tell me the truth.

"The full story Carls."

She glanced at me, seeing I meant it.

"I don't know how to say it." She said, looking at the skyscrapers.

"I can handle it, just talk. It'll make you feel better."

"Jake thinks your trying to steal me back."

I sighed. Doesn't he know I have Haley?

"Any idea why?" I continued.

"No, he is kinda paranoid about losing me." She confessed.

"Well, just take his concern as a way of showing how much he loves you."

"That sounds smart…"

"Hey, I'm not supposed to say stupid stuff. This is important." I joked, getting a smile out of her.

"Hey…." She said, suddenly looking paranoid herself.

"Yeah…." I mimic.

She got up, and made sure all the doors and windows were closed.

"There is something else…." She said, barely audible.

"I'm listening." I replied, hoping to sound open to what ever it is.

"Promise you won't tell anyone ever about this conversation?" I said in a rush.

My heartbeat quickened. Oh no, what happened.

"Sure, pinkie swear?" I offered, extending my pinkie.

She wrapped her tiny pinkie around mine, then sighed heavily.

"It's about Jake and me…." She started.

"Ok." I said, voice even.

"A couple of days ago, we were in my room….. kissing…" She said, tailing off.

She glanced at me, judging my reaction. I kept a straight face, knowing the whole thing about Jake's jealousy was a diversion.

" and….. he started to get kinda…. Physical." She breathed.

"Did he hurt you?" I said, voice rising rapidly.

"No… but his hands started going where he hadn't gone before." She immediately started messing with her hands.

"He messed around with my bra… and I stopped him."

"You wanted him to stop?" I asked.

"Yeah…" She looked ashamed of herself.

"I'm glad you respected yourself." I said neutrally.

"You don't think I'm a slut?" She responded a bit too quickly.

Starting to get to her fears…

"No, you are not a slut." I reassured her.

She pulled herself into my chest and started sobbing softly.

"Thank You Freddie." She said, tears pouring out and onto my shirt.

I just rubbed her back, not exactly sure what to do.

After a few minutes, her crying stopped, but she didn't move.

"You are the best, I don't deserve you." She said, finally emerging from my shirt. Her makeup looked terrible, but she still looked gorgeous.

"Maybe, but your stuck with me." I smiled, standing up.

She stood up too, stretching. "See you at rehearsal?" She asked.

"You think?" I said, smiling.

She smiled, " See you then."

I walked into my room, and sat down on my bed.

My mind is racing.

Amazing how she goes from hating me to completely trusting me in about 4 months. I'm not leaving here alone, that's for sure.