Anecdote

"You smell that, Sam?" Carly asked excitedly as the two teens stepped into the mall. "That's the smell of the first day of the Christmas rush. Pretty great, huh?"

Sam gave her a strange look. "Jeez, I forgot how crazy the holidays make you act. Let's just get out of here; it's too crowded today. We can come back tomorrow or something and-"

"Sam, come on!" Carly said. "The sea of shoppers is part of the holiday shopping experience. We can't miss this! Besides, you really should start on your holiday shopping."

"But I want to take a nap," Sam moaned.

"Well we'll only be here four or five hours," Carly shrugged. "Nap when you get home."
"Five hours?" Sam exclaimed.

"So I already mapped out what stores I want to go to," Carly said, ignoring Sam's comment. "I'm getting Spencer a new paintball gun because he broke his playing with Socko last month. I'm gonna get my dad a really nice picture frame and fill it with pictures of all of us from before he left with the Navy, I'm getting Gibby a tennis racquet, and my granddad wants one of those little calendars with different inspirational anecdotes each month."
"That's gonna require us running all around this place!"

"I know," Carly beamed. "It's perfect. Anyway, I'll come back and get the rest of my gifts later. For now I'm just gonna focus on those. Oh, I should pick up Freddie's gift today too. I still haven't figured out exactly what I'm gonna get him, though. Hmm…well what are you gonna get him, Sam?"
"Me?" Sam frowned.

"Yeah," Carly nodded. "You don't know either? That's okay. Maybe we can look in that comic shop and see if we can find him anything-"

"Actually, Carls," Sam cut her off. "I-I don't know if I should get Freddie anything this year."
"Huh?" Carly said, confused. "Why not?"

"Because we did just break up last month," Sam reminded her.

"Well yeah," Carly nodded. "But you guys are still friends."
Sure we are, Sam said to herself, thinking back on the nature of her and Freddie's relationship since the split. Maybe she was just imagining it, but Freddie seemed to be acting quite differently towards her. He was acting almost…mean.

"Plus it's Christmas," Carly continued. "Now's not the time to be holding grudges."
"I still don't know, Carly," Sam sighed.

"I mean…your break up wasn't bad, was it?" Carly frowned.

"Er, not-not really," Sam said slowly. "But come on, who buys a Christmas present for their ex? It's weird."

"Well…if-if you really don't want to buy Freddie a gift, I guess I can't force you," Carly shrugged. "But I just think it might be a good idea."
"I-I'll think about it," Sam said.

"I guess that's the best I can hope for," Carly sighed. "Well, let's get started, then. The first store I need to go to is right up here."
As Sam followed Carly into the store, she thought about what Carly had just said. Would it really be that big of a deal if she didn't get Freddie anything this year? Was Freddie planning on getting her anything? If he did and she didn't have a present for him she'd look like a jerk! If she thought her friendship with Freddie was a little rocky now, imagine how it would be if that were to happen.

I guess getting Freddie a present wouldn't be a terrible idea, Sam thought to herself. We are supposed to be trying to go back to how things were before we dated…We exchanged presents every other year…But what am I even supposed to get him? It can't be too good, or the nub will think I'm trying to get back together with him…Ha! Like I'd ever go crawling back to him. But I want him to actually like it…

Sam let out a sad sigh. The truth was, she had been thinking about what to get Freddie for Christmas since the second week they had been dating. Sure, it was still some time until the holiday, but she had never had a boyfriend to buy a present for this time of the year and she couldn't help but be a little excited. She even managed to find him the perfect gift and had been stupid enough to believe that her and Freddie could last until Christmas and wound up ordering it for him in advance. She kept meaning to cancel the order, but it always slipped her mind.

"Okay," Carly said, snapping Sam out of her thoughts. "I'm done here. Onto the next store!"

"Oh," Sam said, slightly dazed. She had been so distracted she hadn't even notice Carly purchase anything. "Okay, good. Maybe we'll be able to get out of here soon if we keep up this pace."

"You're a real blast to shop with, you know that?" Carly said, shaking her head. "Oh! I need to go into this shop too!"
"A perfume shop?" Sam cringed.

"I'm buying it for Spencer to give to that girl he likes," Carly explained. "You know, the dog walker? It's going to be a backup in case the gift he gets for her is a little…odd."

"Well hurry up," Sam said. "This place smells like the inside of the girls locker room after the cheerleaders finish with it."

As Sam tried not to pass out from the nauseating aromas, she thought back to that perfect present she had gotten for Freddie.

When the two had first started dating, Sam and Freddie would go on little walks after school or a date or iCarly…or even for no reason. The two would find themselves talking for hours on these walks, sometimes getting so deep into conversation that they would wind up telling things to one another that they had never told another person before. That had always been one of Sam's favorite things about dating Freddie; he made her feel comfortable enough to open up.

On one of these walks, the topic had strayed onto their childhoods…

….

"You really tried to play hockey in the middle of your living room when you were six?" Freddie laughed as him and Sam walked hand-in-hand through the park on evening.

"Well I was bored," Sam said. "So I told my babysitter I was part of the elementary school hockey team and needed to practice. I used a broom for the stick and a cantaloupe for the puck and rollerbladed all around the place."

"Your mom didn't freak out?" Freddie asked.

"Nah, as long as I wasn't getting arrested, she was cool with whatever I did," Sam shrugged. "She was a little wazzed off when I busted the cantaloupe, though. Apparently it was a gift from the grocer she was dating at the time."

"You know, I kind of wish I had gotten to play hockey when I was a kid," Freddie said.

"Yeah," Sam scoffed. "Like your mom would've let that happen."

"Well my dad played when he was in high school," Freddie said.

"He did?"

"Yeah," Freddie nodded. "Not officially or anything. Just some street hockey. He showed me this home movie of him playing one time. Actually…what I really wanted to do more than play hockey was just learn how to rollerblade like the players do."

"Do you even know how to rollerblade?"

"No," Freddie chuckled. "I'd probably break my neck if I tried to. But my dad always promised me he'd teach me one day."

"Wait…did he?" Sam frowned.

"No," Freddie sighed. "It was around the time that he promised that him and my mom got divorced so I guess it sort of slipped his mind."
"Aw baby," Sam said softly. "I'm sorry."
"Eh, it's not a big deal," Freddie said quickly. "Still, though, I do sort of wish I could've learned how to rollerblade."
"Well it's not too late," Sam reasoned.

"Thanks," Freddie smiled. "But I think that window is pretty closed."

"Hey," Sam said, standing on her toes to kiss him. "You never know…"

…..

The next day Sam had wasted no time going down to this very mall and finding the very best pair of rollerblades she could find for Freddie. The store didn't even have the pair she wanted in stock, so they had to order them special for her. She had just gotten the call a week ago saying that they arrived in the store.

She had been planning on surprising Freddie with them on Christmas and teaching him how to skate.

He would've loved those rollerblades, Sam thought to herself.

But she couldn't give those to him now…

"Alright," Carly said, coming back over to Carly. "I have the perfume. Onto the next shop! And you know, you can point out any stores that you want to go in. I feel bad; I keep dragging you into places."

"I'm used to it, we've been best friends for years," Sam grinned. "Although I think I'm gonna have to make a corndog stop. I'm gonna run to the food court and catch up to you."

"Okay," Carly agreed. "Text me and I'll tell you which store I'm in."

Sam headed off towards the food court as Carly went deeper into the mall.

There should be a list, Sam thought miserably. Of pre-approved gifts to give your ex for Christmas.

But then it hit her…Was Freddie really just some ex?

No.

He was so much more than that, wasn't he?

He was one of her best friends, her support system, her first love…

And so Sam quickly got out of the corndog line and hurried off towards the sporting goods store to pick up the perfect gift for Freddie.

…..

"Why does granddad keep on sending me law books?" Spencer said, opening the large box in front of him and pulling out a leather-bound book.

"Maybe he's trying to tell you something?" Freddie smirked.

"What? That he's a scutter?" Spencer snapped.

"Spencer!" Carly hissed. "It's Christmas!"

"So? Some people are still scutters on holidays," Spencer pointed out.

"Okay," Carly said, rolling her eyes. "Sam, here's one for you. I hope you like it; it was really hard trying to hide it from you."
Sam took the package from Carly and tore off the paper.

"Whoa!" Sam exclaimed as she pulled out a pair of boxing gloves. "These are regulation, top-of-the-line boxing gloves!"
"And," Carly said, pulling a small card out of the box. "A membership to Jungle Gym. Since you're almost officially able to be tried as an adult, I figured it was time we figure out a safe, legal way for you vent any frustrations."

"Carls, this is great," Sam smiled, hugging her best friend. "Thank you!"

"Alright," Spencer said, getting to his feet. "That's it for the presents. Time for a healthy breakfast of cinnamon rolls and sugary cereals."
"Hold on," Freddie said, getting to his feet and heading over to the Christmas tree. He picked up the last present that was remaining; a small box wrapped in purple paper.

Sam held her breath. She had been worried that Freddie had forgotten her.

"I have one last gift," Freddie announced. He stepped over to Carly and handed her the box. "Here you go, Carly. Merry Christmas."
"Wait, you already gave me something," Carly said, confused. "A new sweater."

"I know," Freddie shrugged. "But when I was doing my Christmas shopping, I was thinking about how much work you've done over the years for iCarly and how much that show has really impacted me. So I got you a little something extra just to say thank you for making all that possible."

Sam felt something inside of her deflate. Freddie had gotten Carly two presents and he hadn't even gotten her one?

"Oh, that's-that's so nice of you," Carly smiled, opening the box. "Hey! This is so cool!"

She pulled out a new Pearphone case with the iCarly logo on the back of it.

"I had it specially ordered," Freddie said proudly.

"Thanks, Freddie," Carly said, giving him a quick hug. "It's just what I needed. Spencer cracked my case last week trying to juggle."

"Well I mistook it for a real pear!" Spencer defended. "Alright, so was that the last Christmas present?"

Sam looked down at the bag with Freddie's rollerblades in. She quickly grabbed an armful of wrapping paper and covered them. "Yup," she said. "That's everything."

"Then it's time for cinnamon rolls!" Spencer said excitedly, running into the kitchen.

"Finally, I've been smelling them all morning," Freddie said, following Spencer.

"Wait, I bought some cute Christmas napkins for us to use!" Carly said, getting to her feet. She looked over at Sam, who was still sitting by the tree. "Come on, Puckett. It's cinnamon roll time!"

"Er, I'll be there in a second," Sam told her. "I'm just gonna take all this wrapping paper to the trash."

Carly gave her a strange look. "You're willingly cleaning?"

"Er…it's Christmas," Sam said lamely.

She headed out of the apartment and down the hall to the trash chute. She pulled the rollerblades out from under the wrapping paper. She had wanted to see Freddie's face when he opened them more than anything, but what good was it now? Sam had bought them in hopes that they would show Freddie that even though they were broken up, she did still care about him. But clearly he didn't even care about her enough to get her anything.

And so taking one last sad look at the skates, Sam shoved them down the trash chute where they belonged.

….

"This frosting is amazing," Spencer said meanwhile in the kitchen, taking a bite of a large cinnamon roll.

"Seriously," Freddie agreed. "Where'd you guys get these?"

"We made them this morning," Carly replied.

"From scratch?" Freddie asked, impressed.

"Pfft, no way!" Spencer scoffed. "From the tube."

"Ah, silly me," Freddie chuckled.

"Hey, I wonder where Sam is," Carly frowned. "She's been gone for awhile now. I thought she was just gonna throw away the wrapping paper and then-"

"There better be at least four of those cinnamon rolls left for me," Sam cut her off, returning to apartment and starting straight for the kitchen.

"Don't worry, we saved you some," Spencer told her.

"Yeah, none of us are stupid enough to get in the way of your food," Freddie told her, rolling his eyes.

"Oh I wouldn't make any assumptions about how stupid you are, Benson," Sam said coldly, taking a bite of a roll.

"Isn't there some kind of rule about verbally abusing each other on Christmas?" Carly sighed.

"Like she listens to rules," Freddie mumbled.

"Hey! Let's test out my new remote control monster truck!" Spencer said before Sam could retort. "The thing's supposed to go 60 miles per hour and can crush all sorts of things underneath its wheels!"

"No way!" Sam said excitedly. "I have to see this!"
"Wait," Carly frowned as Sam and Spencer ran back into the living room. "You're going to use that thing in the house?"
"Well where else would we use it?" Spencer asked. "Outside where it could get dirty? Yeah, okay, Carly."
"I guess it just isn't Christmas here unless something gets broken," Carly said, shaking her head, though she got up from the table and headed over to the others.

"Freddie, come watch this!" Spencer called from the living room as he began setting up his car.

"Er, be right there!" Freddie called back.

He slowly stepped over to the trashcan by the backdoor. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. He opened it up and revealed the sparkling silver necklace inside of it. The pendent on it was in the exact shape of a ham, and on the back Freddie had the date August 13th engraved on the back; the day him and Sam started dating.

Thinking back, he supposed it was stupid to think it would be a good idea to give this to Sam today, even though he had bought the necklace to give to her way back when they were dating.

After all, they were exes now, and Sam seemed to understand the gift-giving protocol and refrained from giving him a present.

Still, though, he really wished he could've gotten a chance to see Sam's face when she saw the necklace.

With a small sigh, he tossed the necklace into the trashcan.

We're over, he thought sadly to himself. Get that through your head, Benson.