A/N: Welcome back! I hope to see that you enjoy this upcoming chapter, but first, let me thank my loyal and lovely reviewers: Jenna-mckenzieloveseddie, Marshmello, KWilson , PewPew, x33Sarahx , Take this and kick it , Just Another Random Reader , MandarinWafflesOfSaltyness , Seddielovergrl , ccQTccQT , SuperSumer , Axedl , mebelucy , Flutter360 , Lanter , Lauren, hCcGlee , n3rdf1ght3r , OverTheRainbow91 , seddielover595 , I should make an account but, g, KarlaRockAngel, CryingxInside , Virgoleo23, scoobygang101 , personmcpeople , & a5h13y 101. You all have given me amazing inspiration, and if I could, I'd thank you personally.
In this chapter, I switched back to Sam's point of view. In the time range, I was originally going to try and fit three days (the three days that Carly and Freddie had been wondering where Sam was since she wasn't showing up at Ridgeway High) of Sam's new life into this. But, I can only fit two, so maybe next chapter, I'll mosh Freddie and Sam together.
I have added 3 characters of my own. Normally, when a writer's own characters are added, readers lose interest. I promise that they won't have too large of a part aside from this chapter.
Thank you for taking the time out of your days to read this, it's my longest chapter I've ever written in my entire life!
Chapter Nine: The Crow & The Butterfly
I never imagined anything like this to ever happen. I'm sitting in a guest room in some giant mansion that belongs to my father and his wife, whom I've been told to call my stepmom. Never.
From the moment I had the Seattle Cab drive me from the Holiday Inn to the Airport, I immediately felt sick to my stomach. I was leaving my hometown. The only people who I ever've known. My best friend, my worst enemy, my big brother, my deadbeat mother, Mrs. Crazy Benson, Gibby, Lewbert, Ted, T-bo...
Who was there? I didn't know anyone there. I hardly even remember what my father even looked like. How could I share a house with him? I'm considering asking him to pull Mel from prep school so I could have her by my side.
When I was in the airport, checking my bags and looking up boarding times, I ended up puking in the restrooms. I was so uneasy of the whole situation, so scared that I was shaking. Nausea increased as I attempted to grab some food before the flight, and ended up throwing up instead.
The small plane I was seated in freaked me out. It was tiny and made me feel claustrophobic, and there was no Carly here to calm me down, and no Freddie to squeeze the hell out of his hand during take off and landing. As we sat before departure, I checked my phone one last time, skimming through the texts from Carly, asking "where are you!" I just told her I was okay, and alive. That's all she needs to know anyways.
A stewardess noticed my white knuckles and asked if I wanted headphones to watch the in-flight movie. I paid her a few bucks and kept them around my neck, waiting for the screen to pop up and start. A little blonde head popped into the seat next to me, her parents getting her settled before sitting two rows ahead. She was a small girl, around the age of five or six with fairly curly hair, and she turned and grinned widely at me. (A/N: hello, iSpace Out)
"Whatcha want, kid?" I grumbled, raising my eyebrow at her.
She shook her head and tugged at my purple bracelet, the one I stole from Freddie a couple months ago.
"You're kidding me, right? It's mine." Yanking back my wrist, I stuck my tongue out at her and she stuck hers out right back at me. Geez, kid's got spunk.
I fished through my carry on bag and tried to think of something to give her instead. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't want a fat cake. Stickers? Kids like stickers. Carly gave me some sniff and scratch stickers of fruit, and they were in here somewhere.
I pulled them out, and handed them to her. Her head tilted a little in confusion, and then she pulled at my arm again. "What now?"
Her face scrunched up, and then her eyes lit up as if she figured it out.
-Poke-
Sticker on my arm. Grapes.
Hmm. I'm pretty amused now.
"They go with your bracelet!" She squealed. I realized then that this wasn't gonna be too bad of a flight.
SPFBSPFBSPFBSPFB
As the plane landed, the little girl next to me, Kylie Bennette, and I were covered with stickers all over our arms, shirts and faces. I've gotta remember to thank Carly again for those.
Her parents were kind of surprised to see us laughing and covered in stickers, but her mom spoke up, saying, "I'm so thankful that Kylie made a friend. She hates flying with a passion; we were preparing for a scream fest the whole time. Thank you so much for keeping her entertained."
I told her it was no prob, her kid was pretty awesomesauce. As I was getting my stuff from the overhead compartment, I hear Kylie yell, "Bye Sammy! Good luck with Freddie!"
What?
I never told the girl anything about Freddie, let alone mentioned his name in the whole flight.
I turned around to ask her where she even came up with it; she was running off the plane.
Weird.
My head kept replaying the flight, wondering when I mentioned Freddie or if I had fallen asleep or said anything to her regarding him, and I honestly couldn't think of any instance.
Baggage Claim was a zoo, and I picked up my bags and looked around for my dad, or someone who resembled what I remembered.
No dice.
When I was about to give up and call my dad's cell, I notice a guy holding a sign, "Samantha Puckett".
My dad had enough money to blow on a chauffer? Huh. This was new.
I walked up to him and raised an eyebrow at him. Sure didn't look like a chauffer; he was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with light brown hair and looked to be a teenager. Gotta admit, he was pretty cute.
"Who are you?" I ask from next to him, startling him.
"Damn, you do look just like Melanie. Come on, let's go."
He starts walking, expecting me to just follow him without taking any of my things. He stops when he realizes that I'm not following him.
"Are you deaf?" He sees my eyes narrow, and rolls his eyes in retaliation, backtracking and forcefully grabbing two bags and a roll-on suitcase. I follow him with the rest of my stuff, grumbling. Who was this kid anyways?
I follow him all the way to a parking deck, and we stop at an escalade.
"Okay, pretty boy. I'm not getting in this car 'til you tell me why you're here and not my dad, and who you are."
"First off, I'm older than you. So don't treat me like I'm five. I'm eighteen. Second off, your dad's at work. Mom didn't want to freak you out too much by coming to get you, and they sent me because your dad says you're a lot like me."
"So who are you?"
"Colin Everett Owens. Your step brother."
Lovely. I eye him over. Must've been her kid with another guy before daddy dearest came along.
"Fine." I snap.
"No nice to meet you?"
"You're not anyone I'm happy to meet. " I snarl at him.
He laughs a little, as if I've told him some great joke. "Your dad told me you were the opposite of Melanie, but I didn't expect this." He runs his hand through his hair, kind of like Freddie often does. Agh.
"Come on. Lets go." The fancy car unlocks, and I slide into the passenger's seat grudgingly.
"So, Samantha, tell me bout yourself."
"Don't call me Samantha. My name is Sam. Nothing to tell. Don't worry, Colin, I'm not here to join your big happy family."
"Right. Big happy family. Sure. At least Melanie treats me nice."
"Will you quit it with the Melanie comments already? We all know I'm not Melanie. I don't own anything pink. I don't like lace or bows. And I don't just accept being abandoned by my father at the age of six, especially when he tears my twin sister away from me."
That shut him up quick.
I turn the radio on to some rock music and we stay silent for the rest of the ride.
We pull into a driveway, with a gate at the end, and then I see it.
Colin must've noticed my gawking, because he says, "So, welcome to the Puckett estate."
This gigantic house belongs to my dad? The same man who hardly sends minimum for child support? Mel always said he was well off, but I never thought this well off.
I sit there, soaking it all in while Colin takes out all my bags. I close my eyes tight and take a deep breath, before opening them and the door.
"Okay, lets get everything inside, the guest bedroom's set up for you. Mom should be in there someplace."
I tagged along into the house and ogled. Everything was so large and clean. It made mom and mine's home look like a rabbit hole.
Before Colin could stop me, I dropped my things by the front door and headed up the steps, taking them two by two. Main bedroom, the lovely couples. Side bedroom, door closed. Colin's bedroom. Melanie's bedroom. I travelled down the opposite end of the hall, and found a guest room; my name glittered on the door. I was expecting it to be like Melanie's, frou-frouy and decked out in pepto pink, but was extremely surprised to see this room of whites and reds. Everything had a place, and I had no clue what I was doing in here.
"Where do you want your stuff, Princess Puckett?" Colin asked, red faced from carrying everything.
"Don't call me that either!" I sniped, and he set the stuff down, putting his hands out in defense. Freddie calls me that. Only Freddie.
"Fine. Be like that. For your information, I never asked for you to come here, so quit tweaking."
He exits the room, finally leaving me with some peace and quiet.
I take off my boots, and spread out on the comforter. It felt like I was lying on a cloud. If I could stay in this room for the rest of my life here, I would. Then again, I might just try.
-Knock-
I jump up and there's a lady standing at my door, curiously looking in. She was tall – not as tall as my mom – but had long layered brown hair with bright green eyes. She was wearing a slender black dress, looking like a typical housewife.
"Samantha! It's nice to finally meet you." She comes into my room and leans in for a hug. I look at her like she's some kind of alien.
Awkward.
"Well. Welcome. I'm Cindy, you can call me your stepmom; Melanie does. I hope you like your temporary room. We're going to have the decorators come in and properly adjust it to your tastes. I was hoping for more warning so I could tailor it to look a bit like Melanie's, but we can work with it soon."
I nod. I don't want to be impolite and yell at her to realize the obvious – I'm not Melanie.
"So, Samantha," (I cringe) "Tell me, how do you like California? Aren't the palm trees beautiful?"
"Sure." I can't be as emphatic as her, and my short statement comes out in a monotone.
She seems slightly offended, but continues on anyways, "Well. Dinner should be in an hour. You should probably wash up and change." She gets up to leave.
"Change?"
"Yes, of course. Oh, don't worry. Melanie was kind enough to lend you a few of her clothes, including dinner dresses. They're in your closet. Hopefully, we'll get to the mall this week to buy you some proper clothes." She eyes my wardrobe, pointedly.
"Right."
"Alright, well. I gave the nanny and housekeeper the night off; her name's Ellie if you run into her this week. Your father suggested we order in tonight to celebrate your arrival. He should be home within the next twenty minutes."
She leaves the room and I follow her seconds later to look out into the hallway. I see Colin walking by.
"Is she plastic?" I ask him. Cindy looked like a Barbie doll.
"Of course not. That's just her money supply." He enters the side room from the master bedroom and comes out with a sandy haired boy. Great. More screwed up family.
"Nash, say hello to Sam."
"Melanie! I miss-sed you!" The boy wraps his arms around my legs.
"Nash? What kind of name is that?"
The little boy looks up at me, not understanding. Blonde hair, green eyes. Perfect mix of the two.
"Sam, he's six. Cut him some slack."
I bend down, and look him in the eyes. "I'm not Melanie, got it? My name's Sam. And I'm not your sister, so cut the crap."
His eyes go wide, as if it sunk in a little bit. He ran and hid behind Colin's legs, scared.
"Colin, she swore! She's mean!"
"Crap's not a swear word. But if you really want I could teach you some."
"Oookay, lets get ready for dinner, Nashy." The big brother interrupts.
Colin shoots me the evil eye, looking extremely exasperated. Oh well, not my problem.
I actually comply with Cindy's wishes and pull on a purple dress, just for tonight. If this was a daily thing, there was no way I would put up with it.
From my window, I see a Lexus pull into the drive, and I knew exactly who was in it.
I paced in the bedroom, trying to muster enough confidence to go downstairs. Colin pokes his head into the room, likely to tell me that my father is home, but stops when he notices my actions.
"Hey, are you okay?" His tone dramatically changes from earlier.
I shake my head, trying to tell him to go away, but he just enters the room further.
"Stop pacing. You're shaking, Sam. What's wrong?"
I take a few deep breaths before answering, "I haven't seen him in ten years."
It takes a few seconds for him to get it. "Oh. I see. How about I go downstairs and stall? Come down when you're ready."
I then realize that this kid isn't so bad.
I sit on the edge of the bed and try to concentrate really hard on what it was like, what life was like before my dad left. I remember the smell of his aftershave, I remember his constant anger at my mom, I remember when he would take Melanie and I out for ice cream, calling us the three Pucketteers.
But I can't help but remember the night he left us how I couldn't sleep and pretended not to hear my mom and Melanie cry, how my mom drank herself through the week and how I learned to grow up and fend for myself at the age of six. I remember the jealousy I felt when Melanie was chosen to come to his home instead of me. I remember the anguish I felt from being alone in the suddenly huge room that was meant for Melanie and I to share. I remember my mom bringing home different guys every night and me thinking, "that's not my daddy."
Why did he have to leave me all alone with her?
I decided to put on my brave face and weather the storm.
Taking the same swirly staircase back downstairs, I could hear them in the dining room, and I could hear him.
I was still shaking before I could enter the room. Game face, on.
"Hey."
My dad turned around in his chair and stood up quickly to face me.
"Samantha."
His smile grew large, and I just looked down at the floor.
He was dressed in a white dress shirt with a powder blue tie. His hair was combed perfectly, his face fully shaven. Those blue eyes, the eyes I inherited, haunt me.
"Come! Come sit! We ordered Chinese food in your honor. I remember when you were a kid and used to eat pounds of this stuff." His deep voice brought me back. No, dad. That wasn't me that ate all of the Chinese food. That was Melanie.
I didn't want to correct him. I didn't even shake my head.
I just sat down next to Nash and put some lo mein and sesame chicken on my plate and ate it politely.
Nash and Colin were cutting their food into itty bite size pieces before taking small bites. I couldn't help but cringe. Napkins set in their laps, elbows off the table.
Cindy was staring at me, expecting me to say something, but what?
"So, Samantha, how was your flight in?" He said, attempting to spark conversation.
"Um. It was okay."
"She looked exactly like Melanie when I found her at baggage claim." Colin attempts to save me.
"Colin. You know not to interrupt the conversation between your stepfather and Samantha. That was very disrespectful. Please apologize." Cindy scolds him, as if he was five years old.
"No, its okay. Its true, I look identical to her. When Melanie came to visit back home…" I trail off, thinking of Freddie's reaction.
No one was really listening to me anyways, which was pretty annoying. Colin's cheeks were red, Nash was trying to use his butter knife in the right manner, Cindy was shooting daggers through her eyes in his direction, and my father was rubbing his temples as if this was the most stressful thing in his life.
I sat back and let the Chinese food sink down my stomach, making me feel queasy after being the only food since throwing up earlier.
"Uh. May I be excused?" I ask, hopefully.
"Samantha, we have not even served desert yet. You must wait." Cindy insisted. I almost said, "Yeah, right. You're not my mother." But for the bajillionth time that night, I bit my tongue.
I sat as Cindy brought out a cake of some sorts, white with raspberry filling. I took about three bites.
"Samantha, its impolite to waste food." There she goes again. I was starting to feel like Mrs. Benson was a better woman than her.
"Sorry, Cindy, but I'm not hungry." She twitched when I said her name. I was, really. But my stomach just wouldn't agree with me.
"Well. Nash. How was school today?"
"It was well. We're working on subtraction with large numbers, which was pretty easy with all of the help Ellie provided me."
Was this kid a twenty year old in a six year old body? He sounded like a total snob to me.
My stomach was starting to lurch.
I got up and sprinted up the steps, with Cindy behind me, yelling, "Samantha! You weren't permitted to be excused!"
My stomach emptied in the bathroom, which was luckily connected to my new room.
I hear Cindy and my dad talking as they walk up the steps.
"She had better not stain the porcelain." The wretched woman just will not give up.
"Sammy? Are you okay?" My dad knocked at my bathroom door as more bile came up.
"Ugh. Maybe I should call Ellie to come back and take care of her."
"Nonsense. She'll be fine."
"I'm fine. The plane ride didn't sit well with the Chinese food."
He shrugs and leads Cindy away.
"If you need anything, tell Colin."
I was feeling better, yet I was extremely aggravated with my father and Cindy's passive behavior towards me. And telling Colin? What good would that do?
I cut the lights and climb into bed. I need to get over the jet lag.
Lying there, I was too comfortable to sleep.
"Do you need anything? Ginger ale and crackers? A cold cloth for your forehead? Are you running a temperature?" Colin stood in my doorway, aiming to help.
"I'm fine. I just have a little jet lag, I guess."
"Alright, I'll let you sleep…" He's about to walk out.
"I can't sleep. Colin? Why are you being so nice to me?"
"I know things are hard for you. My mom's kind of an ice queen, so she doesn't really help. Plus. You look a hell of a lot like Melanie. You haven't talked to her recently have you? I'm surprised she never mentioned me or Nash."
"I try not to. My mom kind of has this unspoken rule about her not talking about the life she has with you guys."
I see his smile fall a little. What was it with this kid and Melanie?
"Melanie talked a lot about you and your mom… Besides the obvious, do you miss life there?" Wow, Mel must've filled him in a lot more than I expected.
I let my shoulders sag a little.
"My best friend and I were just starting to piece things back together after a big fight. My other best friend… my enemy… my frenemy? He hates me. I miss Spencer and Gibby and Guppy. I even miss my school a little." I feel a little worn when I mention these things. "Do you guys watch iCarly?"
He gives me a sincere smile. "My mom monitors Nash and mine's online time. We're only allowed to use the Internet for research. She's afraid Nash'll get addicted to online video games, and that I'll be addicted to porn." He says it with a straight face, which only makes me laugh a little more. "But everyone in school definitely talks about it from time to time. Your charisma with Freddie seems to take everyone's interest." Of course they would.
"Have you ever liked someone you couldn't have?"
He looks at me and starts laughing, hard.
I don't get it.
"It's okay. Sorry I'm confusing you. It's just… you have no idea. Get some sleep, Sam. School starts tomorrow; be up around six am."
With that, he exits the room.
My mind starts reeling. Freddie keeps haunting me everywhere I turn, but I doubt he even cares I'm gone. I bet he loves living life pain free.
And what's the deal with Colin anyways?
With all of my disturbing thoughts and unanswered questions, I drift off to sleep.
FBSPFBSPFBSPFBSPFBSPFBSPFBSP
Six am comes too early.
I'm dragging my butt out of the comfortable bed and get into the shower, grabbing clothes that were haphazardly laid out for me sometime during the night by step monster dearest.
Pink. Great. A pink sweater, and grey jeans. I was about to tackle my clothes pile for something of my own to wear, but someone had already taken it to the laundry room.
I worked through my tangled mess of hair forcefully and blowdried it as straight as could be. I pushed in a black headband to aim to salvage dignity my hair made me lose.
I walked down to the kitchen and noticed a little woman cooking.
"Ah! Samantha! Sit, sit, breakfast is served." I noticed Colin, ready with his polo and khakis, with Nash wearing nearly identical attire.
"You're wearing those boots?" Cruella de Ville snapped at me. Her hair was in curlers and she was waltzing to the table clad in a bathrobe. Gross.
A plate of waffles appeared in my setting, and I almost picked them up with my hands and ate them like that, just to spite her. "What's wrong with them? They're leather. So what?"
"They're inappropriate for school."
I rolled my eyes. She looked as if I just swore every word in the books.
"When your father finally realizes that your attitude is disrespectful towards me, you best believe things will change. I will not stand for it in my house."
"Kay. Colin, can we go now?"
"Sure. Mother, may we be excused?" Colin still plays the polite game. I feel like he's brainwashed.
"Fine. Go."
With that, we head to drop Nash off at Elementary school, and then get to the high school, where everything's new to me…
I head to the office first; to tell them I'm a new student and pick up a schedule and signed late passes.
I get to my new locker on the second floor and it takes four tries to get the combination right. I sputter out obscurities, and people are staring. A group of people come up to me, asking about iCarly.
Which then prompts more.
And more.
And more.
All day long, kids were approaching me, asking the stupidest questions about iCarly, especially ones dealing with Freddie and I. I was fed up with it.
By the time sixth period came around, I took off towards the doors.
But no.
They lock their students in here. Prison? I think yes.
All of my time spent in my classes was either being talked about behind my back or being asked forward questions.
No one is afraid of me here.
At the end of my school day, Colin came around to find me.
"Geez, you'd think you were another celebrity." He jokes, guiding me to the entrance, finally unlocked after final bell.
"I hate this. I want to go back to Ridgeway." I never thought I'd say that in a million years, but here I was.
He puts his arm around me in a brotherly manner, "Sis, you'd better get used to it."
I climb into his escalade, and he doesn't protest again when I change the radio station to country.
After entering the house, I throw off my boots and plop myself down on the couch in what I believed were their living room, taking the remote from the side table and changing the channel from the already on TV. Infomercials, yuck.
I begin flipping through channels, until Cindy comes in and begins to throw a fit. "Excuse me? Who said you could change the channel? I didn't hear you ask. And even if you did ask, I didn't respond. Change it back."
"You weren't watching it." I mumble.
"TV isn't meant for children. This is my television, and when you're older, maybe you may watch. But in my home, what I say goes."
She snatches the remote back out of my hand and changes it back to the infomercials.
Okay. She's way worse than Mrs. Benson.
I want to go home.
A/N: So? What'd you think? I promise to have some Seddie interaction within the next chapter, this was just all the little stuff needed to add up to the next chapter. And before I get reviews asking about Colin and Sam, no. He doesn't have a crush on her. But he does have a crush on someone! I bet you can figure it out if you look really closely. If not, you'll likely figure it out within the next chapter or two.
Most of all, I couldn't have gotten this far without your support! You guys are my inspiration, and I appreciate you for all of its worth.