A/N: Long time no see! Man, I've missed the writing world. I've become so inspired lately, but my course load has unfortunately lead a downfall of updating. Recently, I've had a (to quote Jimmy Neutron) "Brain Blast". I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 6: We R Who We R
The next few days dragged on more than I could believe. I kept running away whenever I saw Freddie and Carly together. It's been a long time since I've received a text from Carly and Freddie still hasn't said anything since the first school day. Each day has been harder than the next. It's been really weird to walk to classes alone.
The only nubbish quality I incorporated is the fact I threw myself into my schoolwork. It sounds un-Sam-like (when have I ever cared before?) but it feels like the only thing I can control right now. You should've seen the day I raised my hand with correct answers in my psychology class. Everyone's jaws dropped, and the teacher literally had to sit down and compose himself before he could continue the class. It's not the fact that I'm not smart; it's just the fact that I never had a reason to drive myself to learn. I figured I could slip by, copying little things, and make it big in the world through iCarly. But without it, I can't quite get anywhere. Without Carly and… him, I want to get into a college far away, where no one will care about "Sam Puckett, the rejected iCarly co-host".
I know it's supposed to be easier, but knowing that each day brings me closer to departure to my dad's house freaks me out. He keeps calling to check up, as if somehow things will magically get better between my mom and I. But I can tell, he's worried. I know that he's thinking one thing and one thing only. 'I'm going to have a mini Pam Puckett here.' The thought of it just makes me cringe. If it were Melanie that was supposed to go home to daddy dearest, he'd be welcoming her with open arms. She's the good, innocent and perfect one. I'm the troubled twin.
It's the day of a new iCarly coming out. Before Gibby is instated as the new co-host, before I'm banned forever from the iCarly world, forgotten forever. I'm far from thrilled about it, but I'll watch for Gibby's sake. He's been a good friend through this, and I appreciate it. He's still hurt over Carly, but I honestly don't think he's ready to back down. Working with them only just helps the matter.
I become more and more lonely as the days pass. Without Carly to talk to constantly, and Freddie to get into mischief with, I was doing everything I used to alone. Gibby was testing the waters with iCarly rehearsals and show set-ups, he never really got alone time that I could pull him aside for. Spencer was my last resort, but even that wasn't going too well. He had a new account that he was working on, vigorously and sleeplessly. He had no time for me whatsoever. I got used to walking around the Holiday Inn, making acquaintances with the bellhops and cleaning ladies.
Setting up my laptop in front of me, logging onto the free wi-fi in the hotel, I closed my eyes, bracing myself for what would appear in front of me. Logging on to the Live Webcast, The screen popped up, with Carly and Gibby grinning at the screen.
"I'm Carly!"
"I'm Not Sam!"
What? WHAT? Are you SERIOUS?
Carly's expression changed from happy to shock.
"Uh, well," Carly stutters, putting on a forced smile, "due to recent difficulties, I would like to welcome Gibby as our show's new co-host."
Gibby presses a button on my remote, and boos come out.
Carly's face grew more into confusion, aiming to laugh it off,
"Well, Gibby," her face was plastering a pained smile, "I think you pressed the wrong button." She snatches the remote away from him, pressing the button for cheers.
"Oops. My bad." Weird. It didn't sound very convincing...
"Well, here's a random clip of a boy pogo sticking while juggling eggs… upside down!"
Video was played, and I could tell that behind the scenes, whispers were running rampant.
"To further initiation of Gibby here, we figure we'll have a shorter show, and do our regular bits. So… onward with our favorite thing to do here at the iCarly studio, RANDOM DANCING!"
The lights flashed, color wheels spinning. Gibby started dancing alongside of Carly; then doing the trademark Gibby shirtless move whipping his shirt over his head.
And then all hell broke loose.
As Gibby continued dancing shirtless, Carly glanced over at him, and realized that Gibby was toned. I mean he had gotten downright buff. Gone were the days of his baby belly and in came the instances of manly muscles.
Carly was staring.
I don't mean shifty glances from the camera to him, I'm talking stop-what-you're-doing-and-stare-at-his-body-endlessly. She was frozen; her eyes were fixated on Gibby. And of course, Gibby was clueless to everything as he danced around.
Freddie abruptly cut the music mid-beat and Carly snapped out of it, in turn, found heavy interest in a chip in the floor, cheeks flaming hot.
I heard a couple beeps; Freddie's face appeared on screen.
"Gibby. Put your shirt on." His voice dripped rage, although aiming to whisper.
He shrugs, getting his shirt back on, confused as to what he did wrong.
"Well, anyways." Gibby points his words; "lets get T-Bo and little bro out here."
"Um. Come on in T-Bo and Guppy Gibson!"
T-Bo walks in with something on a stick, and Guppy tri-cycling in, hands behind his head as if to show of skill.
"Alright, Mr. Bo. What's that on your stick today?" Gibby continues on, no hesitancy.
"Well." Pause. "Hi mommm!"
Freddie palms his face at this point.
"Anyways. These are smoothies on a stick. They're the next big things." T-Bo grinned his trademark smile, as if it was so obvious.
All four sets of eyebrows raise, Guppy's included.
"Explain." Carly squeaks out.
"I froze all my smoothies in Styrofoam cups for three days in the freezer! Then… guess what I did next!"
Guppy was the only to answer with an enthusiastic "What?"
"Then! I ran this metal stick through them! But you gotta do it quick or else you won't get the stick straight through!"
"That certainly is… creative. Where did you come up with this unique idea?"
"Well. Uh. Sam Puckett, of course."
Silence erupted from the entire room.
"Okay. Thanks."
"Me next me next!" Guppy raised his hand as if he was in school, ready to be called upon for some important assignment.
"Okay Gup." The brothers thumbs up'd each other, and Carly began speaking.
"So Guppy. Do you like iCarly?"
"Yes."
"What's your favorite thing about iCarly?"
"Me bein on it."
"Who's your favorite cast member?"
Guppy looks over at Gibby, and starts laughing.
Carly breathes out a sigh of relief; she believes that it would be the new starlet, the big brother.
"Sammy of course!"
Freddie appears on camera. He doesn't smile. Doesn't tell the viewers something distracting. He goes up to Carly and whispers in her ear.
Carly turns to him, silently arguing something, and points to the camera, shaking her head.
"Fine. Gibby. You give our viewers the ending."
"Well, I'm not Sam, but you can call me Gibby. And that's still Carly. And this was iCarly!" He smiles wide, winking at the camera.
The feed gets cut, and I sit for about thirty seconds, just staring at the screen.
Did that really just happen?
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I jump up.
INCOMING CALL FROM: GIBBY
Oh boy.
"Sam," It's Gibby alright, but he's whispering, "I don't have a lot of time to explain, but I'm putting this on speaker so you can't say anything, ok?"
"Ok." I'm shaking somewhat.
I hear a faint, but pointed, "WHAT WAS THAT?"
"What do you mean, Freddie?"
"Are you TRYING to sabotage iCarly?"
Gibby, in his normally confused manner, goes, "No, why would I do that?"
"Are you working for Sam? Is that it? Is that where all this comes from?"
"Where all what comes from?"
Another sigh from Carly. She was just full of em today.
"Why didn't you stick to the script, Gib?"
"I did. We did intro, random dancing, interviews."
"NO. You did NOT have any reason to bring up HER in here. SHE doesn't belong in the show anymore."
"Who?"
"SAM!" It was as if all of his emotion built up like a volcano, and him spewing out my name was the full bursting eruption.
"Freddie."
"SAM screwed US over, and you're taking her side?"
"Freddie!"
"Sam's my friend. You guys are my friends too. What you guys did and were doing isn't fair."
"Well then get the hell out of here."
"FREDDIE!"
"WHAT?"
And then I hear her crying. Sobbing, more like it.
"Carly…" Regret fills his voice.
"Go away."
"Carls, please." This only makes her cry harder.
"I said go away!" She sounded miserable.
A door slammed.
There was silence on the line, I wasn't sure if Gibby had grabbed his phone and left, forgotten about the phone, or they were all standing frozen.
"Carly, I'm sorry." It was Gibby's voice. He was there, Freddie was not.
Sniffling Carly. "It's all my fault. She's my friend. I didn't want to tell her. I should've told her. We shouldn't've waited. Look at Freddie. Look at what he's become because of this! He hasn't even said her name since everything happened."
He hasn't?
"I think you and Sam will end up back to being friends again. You and Sam, you're like Sam and Ham." I hear her giggle a little through her sniffling, and I suddenly become proud of Gibby. He's so much more her type.
"You know, Carly. I wasn't very happy about it either."
Now, he was braver than me.
"I'm sorry, Gibby. I didn't know you were going to come into the room."
"I know. But would you've stopped it?"
"Of course. I would've eventually told you…"
"After you told Sam, I'm guessing."
Carly begins to cry hard again, and I could guess Gib wanted to take what he just said back.
"Carly. I'm really sorry. It's just that… we all deal with being hurt differently. I mean look at me. I broke up with Tasha for you-"
"You did what?" Carly's voice interrupted him, yet it sounded so tiny, so small.
"Uh. Well. Anyways. Sam and you will work things out. I bet she's missing you too."
"Thank you. "
"Uh, well I need to pick up my PHONE now, and if you have anything else to say, SAY IT NOW." Uh oh Gibmeister, way to blow the cover.
"Well all I gotta say is that I care about you, Gibby. I appreciate what you did tonight, no matter what Freddie says."
Pfewh. That was close.
I hear some background noise, rustling with the phone, and then,
"So did you hear any of that? Or did I screw up and mute the phone again?"
"I heard."
"Good."
"Gibby, I don't know how to thank you."
"You don't have to. Like I said, we all have our ways of dealing with things that hurt us the most."
"But Freddie…"
"I know Sam. He's got a long ways to go."
"He's so mad at me."
"Yeah. He is. But he doesn't have a reason to be, Sam."
I hear a beep on the other line. Carly.
"Gibby, its Carly on the other line. I'll talk to you later, okay? I owe you."
"Good luck, Sam."
I wait a few milliseconds, and then I switch over.
I know better than to let into Gibby's secret phone call, so I decide to play along instead.
Before she can even say hi, I begin. "Carly, I didn't tell Gibby to do anything that happened on the show, honest. I wasn't even planning on watching the whole thing anyways, I just wanted to see how much better you all were off without me."
"Sam. I'm sorry…"
"Apology accepted."
Confusion emitted from the other line.
"That's it?"
"Come on, Carls. We're like Sam and ham."
"That's what Gibby said!"
I smirk on the other line, "Oh? Did he really? Was this before or after your eyeballs popped out looking at him shirtless?"
"Saammm!"
"Hey, I speak the truth Shay."
She laughed, and finally, I felt a little more at peace.
"So we're good?"
"We're good."
We spend the next few minutes talking about random things, yet carefully avoiding Freddie and the iCarly show's involvement.
I was glad to have my best girl friend back in my life, but I wasn't ready to tell her full detail of me moving away, or how much Freddie hurt me by how much he was acting out.
Where do things go from here?
Ahhh, chizz. I'm so glad to have accomplished that. I'm planning on finally getting to tell you what's going through Fredhead's head. Haha (: I already have the next chap mapped out, all I need is some lovely reviews to get me driven!
_ iHearYou *