Chapter Four: Flashback…again

We were all super excited; we were going to Japan! How awesome was it that iCarly had been nominated for an iWeb award? Mega awesome, that's how awesome. Of course, Mrs. Benson wouldn't let Freddie go unless she tagged along - like I'm not a responsible adult! - but that was okay. I mean, we were going to Japan!

I was pretty positive by now that Sam liked Freddie. The way she acted when he went out with that rotten girl Valerie confirmed that. I thought it was so cute. Well, as cute as jealousy can be.

But there was something else I had noticed lately. Since they were in sixth grade, Freddie was constantly obsessing over Carly, making passes at her and numerous futile attempts to impress or woo her. But lately he had cooled off. Only occasionally did he hit on her, and he seemed to spend less time staring at her and more time staring at someone else. Someone with blonde hair…

I convinced myself that I was imagining it. I mean, I can understand Sam liking Freddie. They say when a girl constantly rags on a guy, it just means they have a crush on him, and there was plenty of ragging on Freddie on Sam's part. But there was no way that Freddie could like the girl who made it her job to make his life miserable. Right? Right.

Right?

Well, our trip to Japan didn't exactly go as planned. Being kidnapped by two evil Japanese web comics is something I usually try to avoid. Still, thanks to a little ingenuity by Freddie and some unknowingly cooperative security guards, iCarly won the award for a comedy series! Sweet! That wasn't the biggest development though. It seemed like Sam and Freddie's relationship was beginning to change.

I had noticed some sort of shift in the relationship ever since Sam and Carly both went after Freddie's friend, Shane. It seemed like maybe Sam was pulling her punches - both figuratively and literally - just a little bit. And maybe, just maybe, Freddie was beginning to fight back some?

I Don't know, but I couldn't deny the fact that Freddie stared at Sam almost the entire boat ride home from Japan. I did my best to keep Carly's attention away from it, but I'm pretty sure Sam noticed.

Or maybe I just hoped she did

"Yo, Spencer, let's go" Gibby said, waving his hand in front of my face. I realized I had staring off into space with a goofy grin on my face. The mustache man was staring at me sternly and shaking his head.

"Oh, yeah, sorry I just kinda…alright, let's go!" I said, and ran out the door.

"I still have shotgun! Hey!" Gibby yelled after me. I stopped just short of the car and ran back into the Deluxe Tux, right up to the mustache man, who backed away a step.

"If I could just touch it really quick, I -"

"Out!" the man demanded, pointing to the door.

"Right!" I said, and bolted back out. Gibby had taken his spot in the front seat and gave me a victorious smile. I stuck my tongue out at him, so he pressed his face to the glass. I looked at him, defeated and impressed.

"Gibby, could you not get your face all over my window?" I heard Freddie say. Gibby pulled his face back from the glass and stuck his tongue out at me. I quickly returned the gesture and then got into the back seat. As we were pulling out, my Pear phone rang. I answered it quickly.

"What's up?"

"Spencer, where are you guys?" I heard Carly's voice ask. She sounded worried about something.

"We just picked up Freddie's tux. Why?"

"The caterer can't make it!" she blurted out.

"What? Why?"

"He got food poisoning" she explained. While I took a moment to appreciate the irony of that, she continued. "Can you guys stop by the Groovy Smoothie or something?"

"I don't think the Groovy Smoothie caters…"

"Okay thanks! Hold on…Sam! Stay out of the barbecue ribs!" I could hear Sam yell something back in the background, but I couldn't make it out. Then Carly came back on.

"I gotta go. Thanks Spencer!" and she was gone.

"Uh…you're welcome?" I tapped Freddie on the shoulder. "To the Groovy Smoothie!"