Sorry, luffs. This is kind of a filler chapter. D: I promise, though, that the next chapter

...will probably suck. Ugh. Worry not, my faithful readers! I have the plot entirely figured out, I'm just trying to work out the details that will make the story un-suck. LOTS OF REVIEWS WILL MAKE ME HAPPY. :D

...Especially you, lurkers.

And Lorelai the Coffee Slayer, who is my new obsession and of whom I stalk. xD WATCH UR BACX, IV GAWT CARDBORD.

I have no idea what that means.

Also, I know the tense is a little confusing. I think I switched back and forth between past and present tense somewhere in there. Sorry. D:

ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly.

Seven Hundred Fifty Hours

Chapter Nine:

I Feel Like a Liar

Samantha Puckett

I had Saturday and Sunday to think of a plan- to think of how I'm going to break it to Freddie that he's being replaced.

Well...

It's not that big a deal, right? I tried to imagine what his reaction would be.

"Freddie, it turns out we're switching babysitters. Sorry. Really, I am."

And then he glares at me, "I hate you, Sam. How could you do this to me?"

Crap.

--

Saturday (Day Ten)

When I awoke on Saturday morning, I spent all my time searching my room for my cell phone. I hadn't had it with me for the entire week, and needed it now. I was worried, what if I missed a call from Carly?

I inhaled and choked on air. Carly! iCarly was tonight! Double crap!

All I could do now was think, what was I gonna do when I saw Freddie? Just ignore him? Yeah. Ignore him. That's it. Just pretend he's not there. It shouldn't be hard.

I eventually found my cell phone, which had unceremoniously been tossed from my desk into the curtains on the window after the spider incident.

I shuddered at the memory, picking it up and checking to see if I had any messages. I had three. Two from Carly, and one from an unknown number. I rose an eyebrow after I finished reading Carly's messages, both of which read: "iCarly on Saturday at six, don't forget!" and "iCarly tonight at six, be there!", and opened the third one.

My breathing stopped.

Jonah.

Triple crap.

--

Six came way too fast. The only thing holding me back from bolting was the promise of a turkey sandwich and the idea of complete humiliation coming much later than sooner, but still coming. Nothing is ever easy, is it?

When I reached Carly's, realization dawned on exactly how half-assed my outfit was. White t-shirt and jeans. No patterns, no converse, just sneakers. It may not seem like much to a complete stranger, but it was a big change from what I'm used to.

I didn't look at Freddie. Okay, maybe I did, when he wasn't looking at me. I would glance out of the corners of my eyes, or discreetly turn a little, just to see him, but never his face. Only the back of his head, because I couldn't risk confrontation.

Stepping in front of the camera, I got a glance at his face for the first time that evening.

I'd leave Edward Cullen for him. Was a thought that I couldn't help but remember, and I smiled outwardly to myself. Carly sent me a curious look, and I smiled wider, faking it just a little bit because I had some things to settle with her as well.

"Just thinking about that one trip we made to the mall- when we saw Mr. Howard in the bra shop." She grinned her pretty smile, her face lighting up with pure, unadulterated happiness that I was thinking about something that included her and I. I almost frowned, because she just seemed so fake, so plastic with crime-solving thoughts, happiness and a sham of a personality as her motivation, but didn't. I would not blow my cover just because I was being speculative, though I couldn't help but lose myself to my thoughts.

What separates me from Carly? From Bella and from all the heroines of story-book fantasy? I knew exactly what it was. Drive. I may not have the best grades, but I'm not stupid. I know exactly what's going on when I want to, and if I'd rather lie to myself or act like an idiot, I will. I can. But they can't. They are all hellbent on thinking everything through. They act like mistakes are never an option and the end result is always in their favor.

It just doesn't work that way for me.

If I think something through, there's always some obstacle. Something so completely unexpected yet obvious. Like a message from God showing me the way not to go, making me feel so frustrated that I realize this isn't the way to go, yet obvious, to make it look like it turned it up because I missed some little detail.

No matter what, though, I eventually reached what I want. Slowly, unlike the others, who reach their goal and accomplished many things all at once, I reach what I want slowly but surely, and in the end...

In the end,

...In the end...

I win so much more.

--

I refused to think about Jonah. Why? It's obvious. If I continue to stress myself out, I'm going to start monologuing out loud and build up an aneurysm.

Filming for iCarly, Saturday night, and Sunday passed by quickly, albeit the dragged-out church scenario, where I sat in the pews, praying to God for some help and (somewhat...) mocking the priests for something they said or for something they did. By the time we reached the car to go home, I felt refreshed, replenished, and a little sad.

Monday (Day 12)

On Monday, I just held my breath, and never let it go. I did not talk to Freddie, ignored the floral skirt over his jeans and the wig and the makeup. Did not laugh, did not look. I couldn't. Not with this guilt eating me away.

Guilt? I wondered, and realized I was indeed guilty. Guilty that I had wanted Freddie out of my house so badly- and now he was going to be leaving, and guilty (though slightly less) because I had stolen Freddie's cell phone to make sure his mother did not interfere. From what I could tell, Freddie did not know he was being replaced. Yet. Which was good.

I wanted to be the one to tell him, because I knew that if I didn't...

I'd never live it down.

His outfit was gone by lunch, and I couldn't help but smile a little when he did an impression of the cafeteria lady who served us meaty slop on a daily basis.

Carly, Freddie, and I parted ways at the end of school. Carly to her home, Freddie to Computer Club (the nerd) until four twenty, and I to detention.

Four o'clock came quicker than it should have. Yes, four, because of my well-earned detentions. Unlike the times when I usually want it to pass, and it drags on, I actually wanted to sit there forever, and ended up leaving before my thoughts had returned to earth.

I opened the door, hoping to find an empty house. I did.

If only for a moment.

The grandfather clock read 4:35- Freddie would be home (well, would be returning to my home) soon. I mentally tried to prepare myself for oncoming doom.

The front door opened, and there stood he.

Just not the he I had expected.

"Uhh...hey there, Rodney."

"Hey, Sam! Your mom told me to stop by whenever you got home. Detention, huh?" He grinned at me.

I gulped, nodding shortly, not exactly having full control over my body anymore. "...Yeah. Detention." The door opened again, and I probably would have started to cry if not for my master control over my emotions.

"Sam, I'm back from Computers. Do you have any idea where my cell could have go-what the hell is going on here?" He fumed, glaring at Rodney with such a deep hatred that I was a little frightened. Me, frightened. Really.

"What are you doing here?" Freddie spat, and I couldn't help but feel like this was becoming a little cliched.

"None of your business, Benson!" Rodney fired back, standing in front of me and I almost rolled my eyes at his attempt of protection.

"I have a right to know, Sullivan. I am her babysitter." Rodney smirked.

"Oh, really? I'm going to have to disagree."

"What are you talking about?" Freddie said fiercely, his fists clenched and eyebrow raised.

"You're not my babysitter, Freddie..." I started, stepping in front of Rodney and looking into his big brown eyes.

I frowned, suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to throw myself at him in a big bear hug.

"At least... not anymore."

End chapter nine.

R&R my loves!