Laughing Gas Love

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly

Chapter 7: friends

Freddie's POV:

I am never doing Carly a favor ever again. I don't care how many times she says "Please, for me?" or how many times she looks up with those puppy-dog eyes. I'm done.

I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth in the desperate act of removing Carly's remaining lip-residue. I still felt tainted. I knew what my job was, fake dating Carly so she could get back at Griffin, but I didn't sign on for that. That was just… wrong. Really wrong. It felt even more wrong than when we were going out. When we were dating (a short period of time) I thought if felt off because she just liked me because I saved her. But that kiss had no strings attached. I should have just enjoyed it, right? A Carly kiss, how many years have I waited for that?

What am I missing?

I stormed into my house and crashed on the couch. I had told my mom I would be out for a while (supervised and safe), so she could go to her Dispose-of-Dairy-Now meeting. Apparently she read online about all the dangers of dairy products. I miss cheese. But as long as it got her out of the house for a while, I was good. I needed to relax.

I fingered through all my over-used computer games and programs, coming up short. I was too worked up for any of this. Without thinking twice about it I walked across the hall and opened the Shay's door. Then I realized that the thing that worked me up was the ambush from one miss Carly Shay and that going to her house probably wasn't the remedy for that. It was second nature by now, whenever I needed something to do I went next door.

I was about to backtrack towards home once again when something caught my eye. It was a pair of crazy colored converse, which I recognized immediately, sticking up from behind the couch.

Tilting my head in confusion I stepped over to the furniture hiding my curious friend. I wrapped my right arm securely around the pair of legs, making sure she wouldn't kick me, before I leaned over the back of the couch to get a look at her. She was on her back, in a sitting position but ninety degrees in the wrong direction, with her arms sprawled out on either side along with bundles of golden hair. Her eyes were closed.

"You're probably wondering why I'm on the ground," She spoke up without opening her eyes. She looked like she could be sleeping except she was talking, "It's simple. I fell off the back of the couch and didn't feel like getting up." I scoffed at her laziness. "but my legs are kinda falling asleep… hey, Carls, think you could lay them down for me?" she asked.

"Um, it's not Carls" I let go of her legs automatically as I realized she didn't mean to be talking to me. She jumped at my voice and her eyes flew open.

"Holy ham, Freddie! You scared the crap out of me!" she spazed out, taking her feet back and sitting up. Suddenly she was hot with anger, I missed her calmness from before. "Get away from me!" she burst out. I was taken back from her random outburst, what did I do? I followed her into the kitchen where she was marching determinedly.

She flung the fridge door open and started rifling through its contents, none of which were hers. I stood where I was while I watched her concoct the most magnificent sandwich I had ever seen in my life. It had four different kinds of meat, a layer of gravy, three block cheeses and one grated, a piece of lettuce just for color, and anything else she found worthy.

She swiveled back around with her creation in hand. But she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw me, shocked. "I thought I told you to get away." She spoke harshly. I was starting to regret not leaving, but I felt like I shouldn't.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." I told her honestly. Yeah, we acted like enemies but she usually wasn't so cold. She set her sandwich down. I knew this had to be big if she was setting down food.

"Don't you have better things to do? Like making out with your girlfriend?" I was momentarily confused, "who, by the way, was swapping spit with Griffin a few seconds ago." She added.

"Sam, what are you talking about?" I asked. Her head snapped up and I got a full blown glare. Her eyes opened it all up for me. "Carly's not my girlfriend." I corrected.

"Yeah, I figured that out, dork-wad. Carly may be kind of flaky but she's no cheater." I had never heard Sam talk about Carly with anything but pure admiration, and even if she was critical of her best friend it was always with love and acceptance. Now she was so… unfeeling. Sam always felt too much, this wasn't her.

"What's your problem?" I asked a little more challenging than I had hoped it would come out to be. But, you know what? I would challenge her on this. I wasn't letting the fire die out in my friend's eyes, not for something I didn't even understand.

"You're my problem. So, go." Her stony features didn't let anything through.

"No."

I felt a wave of rage radiate through her. I was scared, but at least I made her feel something.

"What was that, dweeb?" her head tilted to the side in false question.

"No." I repeated, not moving a step. My second answer heated the room around us to an uncomfortable temperature. I could practically feel her steaming.

"Just GET OUT!" she commanded stepping towards me.

"No." I held strong.

"LEAVE!" she stepped closer, a grimace forming on her mouth.

"No." I pressed.

"JUST STOP IT!" she erupted. In that moment I swear I saw her break. It was as if a hammer hit her and she shattered like glass. Unwanted tears of hot frustration bubbled out of her eyes. Her knees gave in on the weight of a burden I hated because I felt her hate it. In a split second she was on the ground, and I ran down to her.

I wanted to say something, anything to lift whatever it was that was crushing her, but one look and I knew that wasn't what she needed. I held her, wrapping my arms protectively around her upper back. I pushed her head into my sweatshirt shoulder and closed my eyes, concentrating on her and only her. I tried to fight the invisible enemy from getting her by holding her tighter. Her hands were balled into fists, but her arms clutched onto my back, gripping desperately. She needed me right now, and she was letting me help her. How broken could Sam be if she allowed my help?

I could have held her forever, protected her forever, but she wasn't the kind of girl that would accept protection. She pealed herself off of me; I unwillingly released her slightly, but didn't let her go. She took back her arms and pawed furiously at the revealing tears. She proved to never cease to amaze when she burst out in a pressured laugh out of no where. Her seal broke.

"Well, there goes my bad-girl image." She chuckled.

A confused and thankful smile broke onto my face, "I always knew you had this side." I told her.

Her smile faded and her eyebrows bunched together as she looked up at me, "Why don't you like me?" she asked.

I was taken aback by her question, why don't I like her? I don't just like her…

She continued when I couldn't get the words to answer, looking down she said, "Wow, that sounded really pathetic."

"You don't have to worry about being strong around me." I protested, the words just started coming out. I didn't want her to pull away again. Ever again, "You don't have to hold back from me. You don't have to run away from me. You don't have to lie to me, but you do have to tell me the truth. Now." I looked down at her. I wouldn't be so demanding a second ago, but Sam had regained her strong will right before my eyes in under a minute.

She took a deep breath, "I want you to like me." She said.

"I do like you." And I didn't want to keep it from her anymore. It felt so good to say out loud.

"I want you to be closer to me." She said.

"I want to too." I continued, a warmth building inside me.

"I want you to be my friend." She finished.

The trail I had been blazing through suddenly hit a wall. This isn't where I wanted to stop. I couldn't get anything out of my mouth, so I just wrapped her back in a hug. She took it whole-heartedly this time. I felt her engulf in the moment that was tearing me in half.

She didn't want me like that. She just wanted to be friends…

I would be the best friend she could have ever asked for.

I would make Sam happy.

I held her closely because I knew this may be the last time in a long time. This would have to last me.

Yes, yes, the fabulous mixwe finally got around to updating! I must correct something, I was NOT blowing off updates, I LOVE updating, this writing thing is the most enjoyable part of my day, but I've been busy. Not just "busy" but BUSY. I've had driver's ed, and if you haven't gone through it, it sux. Big time. And it takes forever. Plus I was sick. So when I wasn't working and studying road rules, I was sleeping and blowing my nose. Thanx to all the loyalty I'm astounded by. Don't give up on me EVA! I will be much more involved in writing again, don't worry.

So, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like their big break-through moment? Did your heart break for Freddie this time? Mine did! But I love this new arangemnt that worked itself out, a lot of emotion a lot of heart-break a lot of secret feelings, it's what we feed off of, right? So enjoy! I'll update soon!

YOU GUYS WHO STUCK WITH ME ARE SOOOOOO Doomed Right now and forever, You readers, Irreversibly, Cause i've got long term plans to write forEver.

(I had to slip it in there ^ but not TOO obviously) ;)