Disclaimer: I don't own any of the rights to iCarly or the song at the end; but I'm working on it!

Chapter 15

There was a holiday spirit running through the school the next day. Thanksgiving was this coming Thursday, and it produced a short three day school week, followed by a four day vacation.

Freddie was sitting at his desk in history class, going through his homework and waiting for the bell to ring, when he saw the girls come into class and took their seats.

Carly had invited Sam to stay at her place after they had gotten home from the theme park. The two girls talked about what had happened, and discussed whether it was a good idea for Sam to dump David after what happened on the slide. Carly didn't know what to suggest, and told Sam that only she would know what was right for her. They spent the rest of the evening watching a Girly Cow marathon on TV, and played cards.

Sam is in better spirits today, Freddie noticed, she wasn't being mean to me or anything yet today. Of course, it is only first period…

Carly and Sam were doing some small talk when the bell rang and class began.

Freddie was trying to learn their lesson from Mrs. Wood when he became distracted by Carly and Sam passing notes to each other. Finally, Carly sent a note his way. He looked at it. Spencer and I would like to invite you and your mom to Thanksgiving dinner at our place. We're having my granddad from Yakima drive in, and we'll have some other relatives as well. But we really would like you to come over Thursday.

Freddie looked over to Carly and smiled. He wrote back. Sure, but I better ask my mom first, you know how she can get. Plus, you know she's disappointed that you still have a boyfriend, and aren't dating me. Blah! He handed the note back to Carly, who smiled while she read it. She nodded to him.

The bell rang, and Freddie got up from his seat and began to head out of the classroom. He looked back to see that Sam and Carly were still talking and hadn't gotten out of their seats. He shook his head and walked out of the classroom.

He went to his locker, and put away his history book, and grabbed his algebra book and went to class.

He was looking over his homework at his desk, when he heard the bell ring. He looked over and saw that Sam hadn't made it to class yet. He was trying to figure out what could have happened when he saw her finally enter the room.

"You're late Ms. Puckett," Mr. Perry said as he saw her walk into class, "that is your first tardy since…"

"September?" Sam asked smugly as she sat down at her desk and got her homework out.

Mr. Perry walked to his desk and looked over his attendance record. He raised his eyebrows up in surprise, "Yes," he answered shocked, "all right, just don't let it happen again or I'll have to give you detention."

"Yes, sir," she answered rather brightly. She started to look through her homework.

"What happened to you?" Freddie whispered to Sam, "how's come you're late?"

"Carly and I lost track of time talking," she answered whispering, "anyway, can we compare answers?"

Freddie's face brightened, "Sure, let's take a look." They began to go through each other's homework assignment until the teacher asked them to hand it in.

After the papers were sent to the front, Sam whispered over to Freddie, "Hey, you're coming by tonight to study, right?"

Freddie looked at her strangely, "What?" He said a little too loudly. He had caught the attention of the teacher. "Sorry, sir," Freddie said embarrassingly. Mr. Perry went back to teaching the lesson.

Sam rolled her eyes, and quickly grabbed a piece of paper out of her notebook. She wrote, I asked you if you were coming by tonight to study. She passed the note over to Freddie.

Freddie made sure Mr. Perry wasn't looking his way; then he grabbed the note and read it. He scratched his chin and looked puzzled. Then he sent Sam a reply, I thought you didn't want me studying with you anymore. You threw me out a couple of weeks ago, remember?

Sam grabbed the note and gazed at it. She frowned for a minute; then replied back, I threw you out, because I thought you were making up stories about David. But you were telling me the truth. I'm not mad at you now, and I trust you. So, can you come by, or not?

After Freddie read her note, he looked over and nodded. Then he sent her another note which read, I just have to let my mom know I'm coming by, but it shouldn't be a problem. Are you and David still dating, by the way?

Sam received his note; then she put it away in her notebook without replying to his inquiry.

Freddie saw her put the note away, and tried to get her to tell him something about whether or not she was dating David.

She whispered to him, "I'll tell you later," she turned back to face the front and the teacher.

XxXxXxXxXx

Sam was in a hurry to get home after school to get the house straightened up from last night's episode between her mom and new boyfriend. Sam hadn't been home since early Sunday morning, and she had a feeling the house was going to be a wreck, so she told Freddie to just meet her at her place while she went on ahead to clean.

Freddie told his buddies Jeremy and Gibby that he was studying with Sam, so he wasn't going to be at the gym. Freddie went over to Sam's house. He had gotten there just as Sam had completed picking the place up. "Sam, can I come in?" He called to her from the front door.

"Yeah, come on in," Sam replied slightly out of breath from all the clean-up work. She had five garbage bags that were tied up in the kitchen that she was getting ready to take out.

"Here, let me help you," Freddie insisted as he grabbed three of the bags, and followed Sam out to the garbage dumpster as she carried the other two.

"Thanks," she said after they disposed of the trash, "are you ready to study?"

"After you," he replied grinning a little, and they walked back inside, and made their way to the dining room.

They got their homework out, and began working together. They were both glad to be studying together again. Freddie had missed her company, and the competition between the two. Sam had missed that as well; also Sam's grades had slipped a little over the last couple of weeks since she didn't have a drive to do well in school again without Freddie.

After they completed their school work they sat back in their chairs and relaxed a bit. Then Sam went into the kitchen to grab some snacks and some sodas.

While she was in the kitchen, Freddie called out to her, "Hey, are you going to answer me about David?"

Sam came back in with the snacks and sat down. She looked at Freddie, "I'm not totally sure what I'm going to do about David. I didn't break up with him if that's what you're asking."

"Oh," he replied a little uncomfortably, "I'm a little surprised is all, though,"

Sam gave him a strange look, "Why?" She asked.

"I guess I just don't understand why you would want to be with someone that doesn't give you his full attention," he replied. If you were my girlfriend, I'd never want to take my eyes off of you, he thought.

"Yeah…" she said plainly, "I'm not sure what to do right now. It's not like there's another guy out there that I want to be with…or who would want to be with me." I've got to find out if Freddie really likes me and wants to be with me. I sense that he does, but I'm not sure. I can't give him more of a wide opening to say something about it to me then right now, she thought frantically to herself.

Sam, why do you do this to yourself? Freddie thought sadly, you are so beautiful, and I care so much about you. But if you insist on being with David, I can't and won't make any kind of move that would jeopardize our friendship. "But Sam," he retorted, "can you possibly continue to date someone who doesn't fully respect you to be his number one girl. I mean, why does he have to flirt with other girls?"

"Would you treat a girl like that?" Sam asked, hoping to get some kind of real clue about Freddie's feeling for her. Gosh dork, she thought, can't you take a hint?

Freddie angered a bit when asked the question, "Heck, no! If I had that special girl in my life, I'd treat her like a princess. I'd be proud to be seen with her, I'd…"

"Okay Fredward, I get it," she interrupted giggling. Wow, she thought, I like stirring the boy up. If he felt that way about me, I really would feel like a princess!

Freddie started to get up, "I told my mom that I wouldn't be gone long tonight, but we can get back on the regular schedule after tonight if you want to."

"Yeah, okay." She answered as she walked him to the front door. "So, I'm meeting you at your place tomorrow night then."

"Yep," he answered, "then we can go to Carly's and get ready for iCarly afterwards." He walked out the front door and got ready to leave. Sam walked out the front door and joined him there for a second.

They both looked around the block taking in this Seattle evening. It was very overcast, and looked as though it might begin to rain at any time. Sam coming outside to stand with him surprised Freddie a little, and their silence was a little awkward. Sam finally broke the silence.

"Freddie," she said slowly, "I never thanked you yesterday for coming to my aid."

"Oh," he replied smiling, "it was nothing really, I saw you were hurt, and wanted to get you to the nurse's station as quickly as I could, so you could get better." Freddie turned his attention to her in a more serious tone, "I never did ask you, how is your head today?"

"It just has a small bump on it," she said grinning, "Nothing my noggin can't handle."

Freddie reached behind Sam's head and felt the bump. He softly caressed it with his fingers for a few seconds.

Sam closed her eyes and sighed softly, I love his touch, she thought, he is so gentle. She didn't notice it, but with Freddie softly rubbing her head, it relaxed her so much, that she began swaying back and forth. She kept swaying until she lost her balance and fell forward onto Freddie. "Sorry Freddie." She said nervously.

Freddie steadied her. "That's' okay, Sam," he said, a little nervous himself, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said a little more confidently, "I probably just need to lie down is all, it's getting cold out here."

Indeed it was cold on this late November evening. It was only 5:00, but the night sky was out with the daylight hours growing shorter now.

"Here, let me help you back inside real quick," Freddie insisted as he wrapped his arm around Sam and led her back into the house. He helped her to the couch in the living room where she laid down. "Can I get you anything before I leave?"

She shook her head, "Thanks Freddie, but I'll be okay." He really REALLY cares about me, she thought.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you for a while?" Freddie asked concerned, "I'm sure my mom would get over it if I was a little late getting home."

Aw Freddie, you're killing me, she thought, my heart is splitting in two. I have David, who is my boyfriend, but it seems that he doesn't care all that much for me to be with just me, and I have Freddie, who is my best "guy" friend, and I don't know what he wants, but I know that he cares the world for me. Men are so confusing!!! "No, I'll be okay. I'll see you tomorrow." She said softly and gently as she relaxed on the couch.

"All right, I'll see you then, good night Sam." Freddie said as he exited the apartment. It had begun to rain, so he began to run home.

"Good night Freddie," she sighed as she watched him leave the apartment. She got up from the couch and walked to the front window so she could watch him run down the street in this rain. When she couldn't see him anymore, she walked over to the radio to turn it on. The station that was on was the country station. Mom must have been listening to the radio last night, she thought. Sam wasn't a big fan of country, but she liked a few groups including the one that was playing at that moment. She wasn't sure why it was happening, but small tears were dropping from her eyes. In truth, Sam wished that she could admit her feelings to Freddie. She hadn't wanted him to go.

I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house that don't bother me

I can take a few tears now and then and just let 'em out

I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while even though goin' on with you gone still upsets me

There are days every now and again I pretend I'm okay but that's not what gets me

What hurts the most is being so close and having so much to say and watchin' you walk away

And never knowing what could have been and not seein' that lovin' you is what I was tryin' to do

"What Hurts the Most" – Rascal Flatts

Author's Note: I really like this chapter. Boy, these two are stubborn aren't they? Sam just doesn't want to give up on David, and Freddie just can't admit his feelings. The wheels are in motion though, and happiness for them is just around the corner. I love the Flatts, and I love the song. Please keep reviewing!