Sorry about the frequent POV-hopping…Also, thanks to everyone who likes this story again! It's on 115 people's Favorites and 128 people's Story Alerts. I've never gotten that many! And, whoa, 401 reviews! That's indescribably awesome!
Freddie's POV
We went back to the apartment after a quiet sipping of our coffees. Sam went off to snack (she claimed it was pregnancy cravings) so I went up to the iCarly studio for privacy. Spencer's intelligent plan blew up in my face so I thought I should give him a call. Was I angry? See for yourself.
"Yellow!" he said after a couple rings, "Spencer here! What can I do for you, Freddo?"
"Thank you for the brilliant plan." I hissed, "I tried it, and everything went badly!" There was a silence on the other end. Guess I'd deflated Spence's perky bubble.
"It went bad?" he said, "That's not good." I rolled my eyes at him. He couldn't see me rolling them, so I told him I did so. "Well, what happened?"
"She blew up at me halfway through. We started arguing, and then she ran off to her room. We haven't talked about it since then. We've just been pretending nothing happened." I heard him go hmmm on the other end.
"Don't worry, bud, I got a lot more good ideas to help you and your—heh heh—lady friend." My eyes got wide. Crud! If he tried to help Sam and me again, he could ruin everything. I didn't want any more of Mr. Spencer Shay's genius plots. I could handle Sam on my own.
"No, no, that's fine!" I said, urgency in my tone, "I don't need any help! It's all cool." He wasn't listening to me, I could tell; Spence never listens to reason.
"Carly, Gibster, and I are coming over. I told the school they had doctor appointments so we can hang however long! I'm just glad I didn't mess it up like last time. Carly still hasn't forgiven me for 'Dr. Rollercoaster'…"
"Yeah, that's great," I said, "but you don't hafta—" The dial tone told me Spencer had hung up. Great, I mentally moaned, He's going to play matchmaker now. Lovely. Grudgingly I put my cell back in my pocket and headed downstairs. I'd have to try to keep Spencer from issuing his mastermind conspiracy of love. It wouldn't be easy.
Sam's POV
Fredpimple told me the gang was coming over soon. I was relieved; all I needed to make me feel better was some girl time with Carls. I wasn't about to tell her of my love life problems but I could talk to her about TV shows, iCarly, boys, et cetera.
Several minutes after Freddie told me, a knock came at the door. I rose from my spot on the couch but—wouldn't you know it—Freddie came running past me to the door, as though he didn't want me answering. It's not like there was an atomic bomb on the other side. Chill out, buddy.
He wrenched the door open. In stepped Carly but she looked as though she had grown, er…wider. Her tummy protruded forward, looking as round as mine. Wait a minute…oh no, she didn't! She got her own pregnancy pad too?
"Hello, fellow expecting parents!" she said. Gibby came in and slung his pudgy arm around his supposed wife. Carly patted her stomach with affection as I stood, staring at it. Freddie stared too but curiously, not angrily.
"Why?" I nearly growled. She giggled, expecting the reaction she received.
"I figured you'd be lonely being the only pregnant parent so we went out and bought our own 'baby'." She moved her fingers for air quotes as she said baby. I snarled but I was actually happy. The pad was heavy around my torso and I didn't enjoy looking like all my midnight snacking caught up with me. Having Carly pretending just for me helped me feel better in a teeny way. But having another person didn't. I know what you're thinking: oh, Wendy or Melanie must be there! No. Who's left? You'll never guess.
"Dang, this thing is hot!" Spencer complained as he came in through the door, his belly hanging over his belt. Freddie and my eyes went away from Carls's stomach to Spence's. His own pregnancy pad was underneath. Carly made me feel better but Spencer pretending was pushing it. Really, that guy needs psychiatric assistance.
"Oh my—" Freddie started but the group pushed past him to sit upon the couch. Gibby stood standing as us three pregnant gals and guy sat down and propped our shoes on the table. I called for Fredhead to fix us some juice. He mumbled something under his breath and went as told. I saw a smug smirk come onto to Spencer's face.
"You been bossing my man Freddo here a lot?" he kidded. It was a strange joke but no one said anything so I ignored the weirdness.
"Why wouldn't I?" I said. Freddie came over and handed each of us a glass of cranapple juice, and sat on the chair. What was odd was that his face was completely red, like he was embarrassed. I also caught his brown eyes staring at Spencer almost worriedly. What's that about? I thought, sipping my cranapple. I'd have to keep my eye on these two to see what they were up to.
Freddie's POV
I'm going to kill Spencer so hard. Already he was trying to smoothly get Sam and I together. No way in heck was I going to allow him to be Cupid. If I wanted Sam, I'd get her myself. A little help would be nice, though…
Sam and Carly started talking about average girl things. I talked with Gibby about average guy things, and Spencer was quiet. His eyes shifted back and forth between Sam and me; I could feel the wheels turning in his head. If only he had half a mind to listen to people over the phone, the tragedy that was to come would never be. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated he cared but I hated it too.
"Could you get me some more cranapple juice?" Spencer asked me, holding up his glass. I knew he was trying to do something sneaky because his cup wasn't empty.
"You haven't finished that glass." I said. Carly giggled but Sam found it as shifty as I did—her eyes stared at Spencer accusingly. Spencer saw his slipup, and downed the entire glass in one gulp. He then held it out to me again.
"Finished." he said. I took his glass in hand but I was being wary in case he tried anything funny. I went towards the kitchen but Sam stopped me, saying to fill up her cup too. Hers really was empty but Spencer's smirk at her still gave me the willies. I grabbed hers too and moved into the kitchen.
I watched Spencer as I poured them their juice. He didn't move or say anything to Sam but he wasn't innocent. I walked back over after pouring the cranapple. I gave Sam's hers first; then I began to hand Spencer his but he snapped his arm out quickly to grab it. I didn't expect it so I backed up quickly. His hand crashed into his glass, and I dropped it onto Sam's stomach. The red juice dribbled off her rotund torso. Shoot, I'm gonna die, I thought, moving away from her.
"What the fudge?" she shouted, "Benson!"
"I didn't…" I started but it wasn't worth my breath. Spencer tried to contain his chuckles; was this his intention? To spill juice in Sam's lap? Probably not. I snatched up a napkin that had been lying on the table and began dabbing it on Sam's shirt. It took five seconds for me to realize we were very close; we hadn't been that close since Sam pinned me to the wall. And back then we had almost kissed. So that was Spencer's plan: casually get us close together. I wouldn't have it.
Sam leaned closer to me but I hopped back. I didn't want this to happen, or at least not this way. I'd get Sam for myself by myself—not with Love Guru Shay. I handed Sam the napkin and ran back to the kitchen to pour her another glass. She wiped away the red stains on her (of course) white T-shirt. I plopped the cup on the table and sat in the chair again. Spencer looked disappointed at my foiling of his plan. Tough chiz, I thought.
We all watched some Girly Cow after running out of things to talk about. Gibby stole my chair so I had to sit on the edge of the sofa, and Sam was next to me. My eyes kept flicking to Spencer in case he'd twist the seating arrangement into a matchmaking possibility. All was calm for awhile until he needed to have a bathroom break.
"I'll be back in a sec!" he said overenthusiastically, and sprinted towards the restroom. When he was done he told us he was getting more cranapple juice (Sam shushed him as her favorite episode came on). I kept my gaze upon him as he crossed the room and into the kitchen. While pouring his juice, he looked up at me and winked. Dude, I don't want help! I screamed in my brain. I seriously wanted to grab his ears and shake him.
Spencer took his cup in hand and waddled over (the pregnancy pad must've been heavy). When he approached the couch, he got very close to me. He tried to make it casual but he literally pushed me off the edge—and into Sam's lap.
"Oopsie!" Spencer shouted. Carly and Gibby looked up at him; his exclamation was suspicious and unrealistic. He shut up after they gave him weird looks. I, however, was still in the predicament of being in Sam's lap. It didn't last long for she shoved me off her and the couch. Landing with a hard thump, I moaned and glowered at Spencer. He acted like he did nothing, resembling a child who broke his mom's vase and said "It wasn't me!".
I stood from my spot on the carpet. Spencer helped me up. I was about to thank him when, instead of letting go, he dragged me away from the three teenagers. When we were in our own quiet corner, he whispered "Dude, what up?"
"Huh?" I whispered back.
"You know," he said, "why aren't you working with me here? I'm trying to hook you up with your blonde bombshell but you're resisting." I sighed, rubbing my head as if in pain. No offense but Spencer could be downright stupid.
"I don't want help!" I whisper-yelled. He tilted his head in confusion.
"But over the phone you agreed to me assisting." he said.
"No, I didn't! I tried to tell you no but you weren't listening!" He furrowed his brow and placed his hands upon his wide hips.
"Really?" he said, "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm positive." I sighed. It was like talking to a six-year-old, oi…
He shrugged. "M'kay." he said, "I won't play matchmaker anymore. Just remember: if you don't tell her soon, you'll lose your chance." He then went back to the sofa where he began to delve into Girly Cow. I stayed frozen in my spot. Lose my chance? That was philosophic of him to say. I just didn't understand. I wouldn't lose my chance to tell Sam I loved her…or would I? Maybe Spence was right; I mean, if I were to ignore my feelings, Sam would have enough time to get a boyfriend, fall in love with him, have a family with him for real, instead of a fake family with me. I could be that guy but if I didn't tell her, I'd never be. I needed to tell her.
I contemplated on when to say it all night. I couldn't say it in front of Spencer, Carly, and Gibby. It'd be awkward enough without company to stare. I couldn't say so after: if she didn't reciprocate my feelings then I'd be stuck with a broken heart and she a guilty conscience while still having to spend the night. I could wait for the challenge to end but then she might rush off to Finn the Waiter. They could start a relationship if he forgave her for my assault. I had to tell her while we were "married". The question was when?
The gang left after a few hours. Before you start thinking I spouted out "I love you, Sam" the minute they left, I didn't. She went up to the bedroom while I stayed in the living room. I changed into my favorite Galaxy Wars pajamas (stop laughing!) with the robots. Once I was done I breathed deep and ran over to Sam's room.
I creaked the door open slowly. All the lights were out, and I could see a bump in the bed. Said bump was wriggling. It was Sam's body, all tucked in for a night's rest. I entered the room, making sure my feet made quiet sounds—I didn't want to awaken her. Once at her bedside, I found she was not asleep for one blue eye was open.
"Go to sleep or Santa won't come." I teased. She smirked at me, and I melted like butter.
"Night, Fredwich." she said. I ruffled her blonde coils and walked back to the door. She said nothing more to me, so I guessed she was trying to fall asleep for real. Staring back at her, I could feel within my heart how much I cared for her. In only a week's time I realized Sam was the one. I just needed to tell her.
"Night, Sam." I said and, before I could stop myself, "I love you." No, no, no! I thought. I'd been thinking so hard about those words that they flew out of my mouth so suddenly. Wide-eyed, I stared back to Sam, waiting for her to jump up in shock.
She didn't.
Instead, very softly, she said "I love you, too." No awkward stares. No angry fight. No running away. She simply replied exactly how I wanted. She said it like she'd said it so many times; I wondered if she remembered it was me, and not her mom or something. She had to know; it couldn't be sleep-talk.
Without saying anything more, I shut the bedroom door.
Whoa, they love each other! A Seddie dream come true! Ha ha. Here's a news bullentin: for all you who enjoy action stories, I will be coming out with my own! It'll be iCarly-themed with everyone's favorite couple! Do I even have to say it? As soon as this or another story is finished, it'll be up. Look out for it! Also, tell me your favorite line in this chapter!