THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY

Freddie: mall days are usually good days

Needless to say, but we'll say it anyway for the point of this story... it was an incredibly long night for Freddie Benson.

The problem was that he hadn't heard back from Angela since he left that really awkward sounding voice mail message. Maybe she hated him. Was he too late in calling her? Their first date was less than desirable, true - although she'd been very kind about it afterwards. But he had a sneaking suspicion that it was most likely over.

Today was mall day. Yeah, laugh it up. Sam did when she found out by complete accident. Freddie has a specified "mall day" - all thanks to his mother.

Every Thursday, in the school holidays, they'd both go to the mall, and just spend the day there. It wasn't long before he'd go with both Sam and Carly to the mall, but he wouldn't call it "mall day", he'd refer to it as "hanging out" with his best friend and frenemy. They'd grab a smoothie, and then wander in and out of shops, he'd fawn over the technology/electronic stores, Sam would be complaining about how sore her feet were and Carly would be drooling over some glittery item of clothing that she'd been looking at for over a month. Ahh, he thought, fondly. Good times, good times.

So yes, today was mall day. He raised his eye-brows at himself in the mirror, and his refection snorted back at him. Grabbing a jacket of some description, he shrugged it on and yelled a 'goodbye' to his mom. There was no response. Probably sleeping, he thought.

When the bus pulled into the bus stop, a whole bunch of people, young and old, hopped on at the same time as he did. One elderly lady he recognised from the Bushwell Plaza. Sam had called her a 'wrinkly old prune' behind her back because she yelled at them both for being ridiculous. That was before she knew about their web show. It was funny to think that someone could go from hating you to loving you in a whole day.

"Hello Fredward," she says, cheerfully. "How is your girlfriend?"

Maggie, the old lady, had a theory. And yes, it was one that included Sam and Freddie getting together again, dating, getting married and having children. Then again, Maggie also believed that aliens were going to take over the planet in the next five years. Maggie was kind of insane.

"Hi Maggie," he replies. "Fine thanks." It was better to just go with it, rather than correct her.

They sat down together, and chatted about aliens, having babies with Sam and how their children may turn out to be zombies that were mind-controlled by the aliens. It was a top-quality conversation in Maggie's opinion.

It was a little while before the bus reached the mall. He turned to thank Maggie for the company, and she nodded.

"Yes, you and Samantha take care now." He was kind of surprised that she'd remember "his girlfriend's" name. But there you go.

It was busy inside the mall. People bustling here, there and everywhere. One thing was for sure, he needed a coffee urgently. First though, he was going to see if Angela was working today - she worked in a dress shop, or so she had told him. Perhaps he'd grab a 'to-go' coffee and bring her one too. It was the least he could do after everything that went down last time.

After picking up the coffees, he took the escalator up to the second floor and in front of him saw her shop, with the million dresses in the front window. He shuddered before entering and made his way to the counter straight away.

"Oh hey man," says a familiar sounding voice.

"Brad," he says, not really knowing why he'd randomly say the dude's name. "Hi. Are you here for a dress?"

"Funny. Nope, I brought Sam here. Like you suggested."

"I did?"

That was weird. He couldn't recall saying anything about him needing to take Sam Puckett into a dress store. I mean, sure the guy was taking Sam to a wedding, but it's not like he hated Brad. He was a good guy. He was surprised that Brad was still standing and alive. It was a miracle. Either that, or Sam was planning a worse torture. He shuddered at his own thoughts.

"Oh my God!" a voice squealed, and he heard clapping. Excited clapping. The kind of clapping that most girls do when there's a sale on at the mall... or a cute guy asked them to prom. Carly was one of those girls.

"It's hideous, right?" Sam's voice replies, full of doubt.

"Are you kidding? Girl! Take a look at your fine self!"

A gasp, and more giggling, clapping and the like. Then it went very quiet. Freddie and Brad exchanged glances, until there were footsteps and Angela appeared.

"Sam, come show... what was your name again?"

"Brad," says Brad, with a warm smile.

"Right! Come and show Brad!"

Angela gives Freddie a little wink, as if to say 'wait until you see her' and then went back around the corner. Freddie sees Angela and Brad exchange a flirty glance.

He puts the coffees down slowly, leans against the counter, and watches as Angela pulls a reluctant Sam from around the corner, supposedly where the fitting rooms were located. His breath caught in his throat, seeing her all prettied up like a princess.

Once he was breathing normally again, the boy was about ready to pinch himself to make sure it wasn't one of his... late night dreams.

It was very much like one of those moments from a romantic comedy sort of movie - the type that Sam hates to watch - when the leading man sees his "best friend that's a girl" all dolled up for the very first time, and then he decided that "oh, she IS good enough for me"... Freddie just stared at Sam, mouth hanging open.

Sam's eyes widened and she instinctively covers herself with her hands very quickly. It would have been a laughable moment, except no one was joking around.

"Freddie! What the hell?" Sam shouts and looks ready to slap the girl next to her. "Angela! Did you know he was here?"

Angela flinches at her tone of voice and attempts to calm her down, without using those exact words. Because as we all know, never tell a girl to "calm down".

"Only when I came out here to tell Brad how gorgeous you look."

Freddie winced at that. Brad nodded slowly and backed up a little. Sam was now fuming. Smoke could have been coming out of her ears, she looked so mad and red in the face. Freddie recognised the danger immediately, and grabbed one of the coffee cups and made his hasty exit from the dress shop. There was no way he was getting his head bitten of by an angry Samantha Puckett.

He found a bench not far from the store and sat down, placing the coffee cup next to him and rubbed his face with his hands.

"That could have gone better," says a soft voice. "I'm sorry Freddie."

"It's not your fault," he replies. "Sam's just... ugh! Sam! You know it's really frustrating being in lo..." His voice trails off, seeing an excited twinkle in her eye.

"Go on," she whispers, silently daring him to continue. "Say it."

"Angela..."

The girl looked him right in the eye, and he sighed deeply, letting his head fall forward in defeat. There was no turning back now, he knew that a long time ago. The most infuriating fact of the matter was... he wanted to tell Sam. He wanted Sam to be honest with him and say that she liked him, because he knew she never stopped.

"Freddie..."

"You should probably go back to the counter."

"Oh yeah!" She jumps up quickly and scrambles back to the dress shop.

He shakes his head at her carelessness, but remains on the bench, watching people walking by casually. There was absolutely, positively no way that he would be going back into that god-forsaken dress shop. He couldn't face that blonde headed demon again. Not after the way she looked at him. He was an idiot.

"You're an idiot," says Sam's voice. It's not angry sounding. It's not even embarrassed sounding. It's... indifferent.

"Sam, I-"

"Save it, nerd. I didn't come for a stupid apology."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"No, I mean. What did you come here for?"

"Dress shopping."

As Sam holds up the bag in front of him, a vision pops into his head.

A vision of her wearing the dress, and asking him to dance with her. Like the prom that they never attended. Because Carly left for Italy... the school held a prom... but according to Sam, proms were just an excuse for losers to appear cool and for girls to lose their v-cards. So Freddie agreed when she said that they shouldn't go - he kind of regretted it. He would have given anything to bring back that moment... summon up courage and just ask her.

The vision disappears. The blonde stands there, looking at her feet. Now it seems she's kind of embarrassed. Not that there's any point to be. But it's almost like she wants to apologise.

"Freddie."

"Sam."

They speak simultaneously. He looks at her and she looks at him. He lets her speak first.

"I was just going to say that-"

"There you are!" Brad's voice rings out over the mall and he comes and joins them. "Hey, do you guys want lunch? There's a really cool café that's just opened up."

"I'm up for food," replies Sam.

"What a surprise," says Freddie, rolling his eyes.

She shoots him a look, but it's not a scary one this time. Their teasing isn't so powerful as it once was. She feels it too, he's sure of it. He notices Brad looking at both them like he knows their secret - and exactly what secret? He then shrugs it off as a trick of the light.

Freddie smiles at Sam. The girl almost looks like she is smiling back at him. They all head off to lunch, Brad taking Sam's hand in his and she lets him do it. Such a nice looking couple.

Damn this mall lighting, he thought.