'Carly!' Mr Shay was struggling to get a word in edge wise with Carly throwing ideas about what they could do while he was in town. Everyone feel silent and waited for him to continue. 'I'm leaving tonight.'
The silence was eerie. 'Wow. Way to bring us all down.' Of course Gibby had to be the first to say something.
I knew the look on Carly's face, it was the look she had when she was trying as hard as she could to not burst into tears. 'But.. you can't leave tonight..'
'Sorry, the need me back at the base in Italy tomorrow.' He tossed his hat onto the couch beside him.
'But..thats not fair.' Carly started to walk away, like she does when she's finding it particularly difficult to control the tears. I looked to Spencer, he looked just as defeated as Carly felt but just like always he would put on a brave face and be the adult that Carly needed. 'You just got here!' Carly tried to reason.
'Come on! This is supposed to be a happy night!' I didn't know what it was like to have a dad but I would rather have no dad than a dad I got to see for 3 hours every four years.
I knew Carly was talking but the only part I heard was Mr Shay 'Then come with me.' I had to look to T-Bo and Freddie to make sure I had heard that right. Across the room I could tell Gibby was looking to Spence and Spence to Gibby. I guess we were all a little shocked by that sudden bombshell. My mind started going over everything, if she went, there would be no more iCarly. No more between class chats at our lockers. No more hiding place after school or fridge full of ham to raid. No more three musketeers, not that I would ever tell anyone that I thought of our little click like that.
'Sam?'
'Ha dude! If my dad asked me to spend some time in Italy I'd say… well first I'd say "oh so you're my dad.." and then I'd go!'
'But.. what about iCarly?' I could tell she was dying to say yes. She just didn't want to let anyone else down.
'The internet will still be here when you get back.'
'Im going to Italy!'
4 minutes. That's how long it took my best friend to decide she was
Freddie was up stairs packing up all the technical stuff. Gibby was in the bathroom smelling the liquid soap and Carly was up in her room packing. Me and Spencer sat on the couch and just starred at the blank TV screen.
'Wow.' Is the only word I could think of.
'You're telling me. Now whose going to keep me sane.'
'Go talk to her Spence.' I looked over at him.
'I don't know what to say. How do I say goodbye to a little girl?' He looked back in my direction.
'Shes not a little girl anymore. She's 18 in three months and you don't. Because it's not goodbye. Go, tell her how you feel.' He pushed himself up off the couch and made his way upstairs to say his goodbyes.
The next few hours passed by in a blur and then just like that, I was watching the girl who had kept me out of prison on so many occasions and who had made me a better person, my sister, climb into the car with her dad and drive away.
I walked slowly back around to the alley behind the building and grab my motorcycle.
As I was waiting at the traffic lights that 4 years ago I would have ran, I could only think one thing. 'Good on you Carly.'