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iChoose

Chapter Two

By: Hartful13 & Tech-Man

The day after the incident with Sam, I found myself over at the Groovy Smoothie hanging out with Gibby. Being after school the place was crawling with other students, but we managed to find a booth over in the corner away from the majority of the traffic flow. The topic of choice it seemed at the place was the upcoming "Senior Trip", and our table was no exception.

"Freddie," Gibby yelled grabbing my attention for what felt like the hundredth time. "Do you have something on your mind," he asked looking somewhat concerned as he slurped down his smoothie.

"Just excited for the "Senior Trip"," I lied trying to put as much false enthusiasm into my voice as possible. In truth, I was terrified of the thought that I would be spending an entire week in Los Angeles with Sam. That meant I had nowhere to run if things turned physically violent. The mere thought caused a shudder to ripple through me.

"Nah," Gibby said lightly shaking his head from side-to-side. "I bet you were worried about what could and will possibly happen while you are in another state with someone like Sam," he punctuated his words by taking a huge gulp of his smoothie. I couldn't help but stare at him in shock. I knew that my eyes had to be about as big as dinner plates right now. I will never understand how Gibby does it. The guy acts like a total nut, and then from out of nowhere hits the nail on the head; so to speak.

"I'm not a psychic man, I just know you. I'm like that guy on... What's that TV show called," Gibby asked looking at me like I had any clue what he was talking about. I had to say though that it was a comforting thought, that if Carly and Sam couldn't or wouldn't join me at University of Washington that I would at least have Gibby to hang out with.

I looked over at Gibby preparing to admit, at least in a roundabout way, something I was still having trouble admitting to myself. "Look, the idea that Sam could harbor any friendly feelings toward me let alone something that reaches beyond friendship is…crazy at the very least," I said once again that the general noise level in here was such that you would have to be standing or sitting at the table to be able to hear anything. The last thing I wanted was for the topic of this conversation to get out in the open.

"Well, it's like the line out of that Forrest Gump movie," Gibby started waving his hand around to illustrate the point. "Crazy is, as crazy does," he finishes with a huge smile on his face.

"Gibby," I started shaking my head slightly from side-to-side, "he didn't say crazy…"

I was interrupted as Gibby started speaking again, "You know exactly what I mean Freddie; so don't ruin my moment of: Greatideaness."

I couldn't help but look confused and somewhat impressed at Gibby's ability to create words from thin air. "Really Gibby, Great Ideaness," I started smiling at him. My train of thought was suddenly derailed by my name being called from over by the front door.

"Freddie," Carly called running into the Groovy Smoothie and heading straight for our table. It took me a moment to figure out what was wrong with her; it was her hair. Carly's hair was normally perfect straight, but for some reason today it was all frizzed and puffy looking. I really wasn't sure what to make of it; except that I hoped maybe this was the starting point of her turning into the super woman I always wanted her to be.

"Hey Carly, what's up," I asked trying my best not to look at her hair. Last thing I wanted was to piss Carly off at me.

"You're just the guy I was looking for," she started taking the empty seat next to Gibby and giving me her innocent smile.

I really hated it when she started a conversation out with a statement like that. It inevitably entailed me either suffering through or doing something so completely out of the normal for me that by the end of it I was questioning my love for her. I tried to put on the biggest and best smile I could before propelling the conversation forward. "What's up Carly," I asked hoping the exhaustion at this kind of thing didn't register in my voice.

Her response was to give me one of those smiles that just seem to liquefy me on the spot. "Okay, now before you say anything or go all crazy on me," she started in.

I could see that at this rate it would take forever to get to the point so I figured I would prod her along. "Carly," I interrupted snagging her attention. "You have to tell me what it is you want before I can react," I explained hoping to push her into getting to the point a little quicker.

Taking a deep breath Carly seemed to steady herself before continuing. "Okay, I need you to go on a double-date with me and my new boyfriend," she finished in a hurry. I could feel the pain rip through me at that particular thought. Not only was she going to be on a date with someone who wasn't me, but I would have to be there to watch.

"Sure, I guess I can do that for you," I said looking over toward Gibby so that Carly wouldn't see my real reaction written all over my face. Gibby had busied himself in the magazine he brought with him.

I knew that Gibby had just as much of a thing for Carly as I did. After him and Tasha had split up a year ago, I had given him my permission to try for Carly. He never did though, and part of me was glad for it, but the other side really had hoped he would. It would have given me a reason to go after Sam instead. Oh well, the choices in life are such.

"So, a double date with you and your new boyfriend; who am I supposed to be going with," I asked hoping that whoever she chose would at least be someone halfway attractive. I may love Carly, but that doesn't mean I don't still look around.

Carly quickly mumbled a response before jumping into the where and when of the double date.

"Hey," I called interrupting her. "I missed who you said I was supposed to be going with," I asked again.

A heavy sigh later she locked eyes with me before answering. "I need you to take Sam as your date," this time speaking in a normal volume so I could understand her.

Temporarily, my mind went completely blank. I didn't know what to say or more importantly what to think. While it was true that I have wanted a chance to be closer to Sam, I normally chalked those feelings up to being mentally unbalanced. Carly's words seemed to have had a similar effect on Gibby as he had torn his eyes away from his magazine and was now staring at Carly. Like this was what I needed going into the senior trip; Sam would really have it out for me then.

Focusing my mind I look straight back at Carly. "Are you serious," I asked my voice coming out a few octaves higher than I had anticipated.

"Look," she quickly answered holding up her hands in a placating gesture. "It's just so I can see if this guy checks out okay," she said making the end of her explanation a question.

I was confused for lack of a better word. I really didn't know what to say or think. "Why do you need both of us, and together of all things," I asked looking at her like she had grown a second head.

Carly looked at me like I had grown the second head this time. "This way he isn't suspicious of you guys being there. He really doesn't know either of you...And besides we are like family," she answered all smiles.

Yeah right, like Sam would ever consider her and I family, in my wildest dreams. "If that's what you think," I responded back smiling trying to hide my obvious discomfort at the thought.

"Please Freddie for me," she pleaded pulling out the old guaranteed trick. "I really like him; he's cool and cute and..." she droned on and the only thing I could think of was: It should be me. Why isn't it me? It could have been me.

I didn't really understand what she was doing here. Carly usually works to keep Sam and I separate from her boyfriends. I never understand why she did things that way. All I care about is her and Sam's happiness; that is all that has ever been important to me.

"As long as Sam acts civil; then I will do this for you Carly," I said taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment.

"YES," she screamed startling me for a moment. "Thank you so much for this Freddie; I will never forget it," she screamed before wrapping me up in a hug; the smell of her strawberry and cinnamon shampoo surrounding me in a comforting cloud."You're the best; now you can tell Sam," Carly quickly said straightening up and stepping away.

"YOU HAVEN'T TOLD SAM," both Gibby and I screamed grabbing the attention of everyone in the Groovy Smoothie. This was going to be bad. I assumed that Sam had already agreed to everything.

"What haven't I been told Dorks of the Round Table," Sam asked coming up from behind.

And of course, speak of the devil and he will appear, or in this case she. I swear it felt like the devil really did enter the Groovy Smoothie as the temperature suddenly jumped. I immediately started sweating as she approached.

"Okay Freddie, well I have to go. Talk to you later," Carly said waving at us before disappearing into the crowd. Oh, I wanted to drag her back so she could talk to Sam.

I turned to try and get some kind of assistance from Gibby to find that he had taken the lull in the conversation to bail as well. This, of course, left me to face the wrath of Sam when I asked her to go out with me.

"Alright Frederly, what were you dork's and Carly talking about and why did everyone run away when I walked up," Sam asked standing entirely too close for comfort.

I really couldn't make up my mind how in the world I was going to accomplish what I had already agreed to. There was no way that Sam would agree to this and to make matters worse there was no way I was going to get out of this without being pummeled to death. I quickly glanced around the Groovy Smoothie and several sets of eyes were still on us. A beating was a beating and the one I was going to receive for asking Sam out was going to be a killer, and not one I would particularly like to have here in the middle of a crowded hangout. "Hey come on," I said to Sam handing her my mostly fully smoothie. She looked at it for a moment before taking a huge gulp. She did on the other hand follow me out of the Groovy Smoothie and toward the park.

I was so caught up in my thoughts about how I was going to ask and the fact that Sam had followed me, alone, without any kind of fuss that I managed to miss the slurping sound of an empty cup behind me. What did bring me back was the sudden thud in the center of my back that sent me tumbling head over heels ending with my face slamming into some newly tilled soil of a flower patch.

"Hey," I yelled after righting myself on the ground. Sam just seemed to stare off into the blue sky pretending to be completely innocent. "Why'd you do that," I asked her standing up and dusting off the dirt.

"My smoothie was empty and you weren't talking so I thought I would entertain myself. Besides, what are we on a date? We never go to the park alone," She said looking at me like I was crazy.

"Well," I said taking a deep breath. "Look Sam, here is the deal. Carly has a new boyfriend and she wants you and me to pretend to be a couple and join her on a double date. She said she wants our opinion," I finished very quickly bracing for the impact of her fists. When none came I tempted a look in her direction.

"Okay Dork, I'll do this, but only for Carly and you better make sure that you treat Mama Right," Sam threatened grabbing my collar and bringing my face close to hers. I couldn't help as my eyes wondered down to her lips thinking about that kiss we had shared on the fire escape. My thoughts were once again interrupted as she roughly pushed me away and back into the flowerbed.

##########

It was Friday, the night of the monstrosity that society calls a double date. I still could not make rational sense of the fact that I had agreed to this date, but to make things even stranger Sam had agreed to play the role as my girlfriend for the evening. I thought that perhaps I had managed to step into the Twilight Zone.

Of course, we still really didn't know anything about Carly's date other than purely superficial details. We knew that his name is Ted and that Carly met him when we all went to that under-21 club last month. It was still confusing, and somewhat irritating, that they had been dating for a month, and she was just now telling us about him; kind of late to ask our opinion of him if you ask me.

"Hey, Queen of the Dorks," Sam called getting my attention away from my thoughts. "How does Mama look," she asked walking down the stairs from Carly's room.

I didn't even have time to answer before Carly joined her on the stairs. "Yeah Freddie, how do we look," she asked twirling in place.

I felt like my brain had just crashed; it was just like when Sam had borrowed my laptop back in freshman year and I came in to find it puffing the blue "Smoke of Death". I fully expected that same smoke was pouring out from my ears at this very moment. Both of the girls were wearing outfits that screamed their individual natures'. Carly's dress was covered in a floral print that looked like thousands of little roses. The dress hugged her petite figure making her look absolutely stunning. Sam's on the other hand had a bolder look to it. Her beautifully curved figure filled the blouse and skirt combo. Her hair followed down her shoulders in such a way that I had an almost overpowering desire to run my hands through it.

"Freddie," Carly called being me back to the situation at hand.

I was still having trouble processing coherent thoughts in the presence of the two most beautiful creatures I have ever seen. Sam, Sam, was who I was having trouble comprehending. She just looked too amazing for a supposed "Fake Date". I have never seen her look this good when she really was going on a date. Shaking my head lightly, I once again looked towards the girls. "Yeah, you guys look alright," I said before turning to look at the TV. I could swear I saw both their faces fall out of the corner of my eye.

Thankfully, I didn't have much time to focus on that thought as someone started knocking on the door. You know sometimes I forget that most people knock on the Shay's door and don't just walk in like Sam and I.

"Teddy's here," Carly squealed as she raced for the door nearly knocking me over in the process. Sam and I exchanged looks of complete and utter confusion at the situation.

I shot Sam a small smile rolling my eyes in an effort to make her smile. I was rewarded with one of her real smiles. We both turned to look at the guy walking into the apartment with Carly on his arm. I could feel the shock on my face; turning slightly I could see that Sam was warring a similar expression.

"Hey Guys," Carly called, "I want you both to meet Teddy."

I was having trouble forming a greeting. My mind was reeling over the fact that: THIS GUY LOOKS LIKE ME!!!

Yea, this has to be the Twilight Zone!!!

A/N: Well, I apologize for the late posting. My weekend became a little more than I had time to deal with. Chapter three should be up and on schedule. For those of you that are Seddie fans will have something to look forward to in the next chapter. Those of you that are Creddie fans; do not despair your time is coming.

Hartful13 has a new iCarly story out called: iWant to be something more. I suggest you check it out.