Against All Odds

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly

A/N:

Chapter 35 (Opportunities)

Carly hurried into the Groovy Smoothie, and in her rush, nearly knocked down an employee. "Sorry!" The employee waved the accident off and smiled cheerfully at her. She saw T-Bo shaking his head, chuckling. She made her way towards him, barely even shaken by the run in. "I didn't mean to run into Taylor, I'm just excited. I have some great news!"

"I can tell you got something going on." He folded his arms and smiled at her. Carly breathed in and looked over to the door, she'd called her friends up and asked them to come down to the shop. They were all on their way. How would they take the news, she wondered? Would they be happy for her? She was finally going to meet her other relatives! Her mother wasn't the only one she hadn't seen since she was young, some of these people she'd never even met! Thank god Blake would know them. "So, what's got you in such a happy mood? I didn't think you'd be in a good frame of mind at all today, after what happened earlier."

"Yeah, but Spencer talked to Mom…we're moving to Florida!" T-Bo's eyebrows lifted up and he gave her a gentle smile while moving over to the smoothie machine with his rag. "Everyone seems to have come up with this idea that maybe you know someone in Florida and could give them a recommendation for me?" She really would miss him, but she was too excited to think about that right now. After the excitement wore off, she was sure it would hit her. Either way, she couldn't be happier that she'd be getting out of the hellhole and into a place where just maybe she'd be happy again.

"Well, I do have a cousin down there. Are you going anywhere near Lake Bradford? That's right near the Tallahassee Regional Airport, if you're flying there." Her mom lived near a lake, and Bradford did sound familiar. At least the airport was familiar, since that's the airport that her Grandpa said he flew from. If she remembered anything about how her mom's house was described, it was a two story home surrounded by almost a 'forest' of trees on the sides and behind the house. A short walk through the trees led out to a lake that was on the outskirts of Tallahassee.

"Is that the lake that's on the south side of the capital?"

"Yeah, just on the outskirts."

"I think mom lives around there…Cypress Hawk Lane, I think she said was the street name." T-Bo tapped his chin and lifted his eyes up thoughtfully.

"It's been some time since I've gone down there, but I think I recall that street being around Lake Bradford. Terrance and I have gone boating out there. Anyway, my cousin lives just south of the lake, about fifteen minutes away in a small town, Woodville, Florida. If you take Woodville Hwy, you come to Oak Ridge Rd, first road into Woodville, if I remember…there should be a family dollar right there, next door is a Jamaican food shop. That's Terrance's store."

Only fifteen minutes away? That seemed like a long drive for work, but a job was a job, right? Hell, the Groovy Smoothie was literally ten minutes away from where she lived now. "Do you think you could talk to him? See if he'd be willing to hire me? I don't know anything about Jamaican food, but I'm willing to learn!" T-Bo eyed her and slowly rubbed his finger along the indent beneath his lower lip.

"Have you ever had Jerk Chicken before?" Once, and only once, but she actually enjoyed it.

"Yes, and it was tasty, but there's not a whole lot of Jamaican foods here…"

"Plenty down there, and I'm sure I could convince him to give you a chance. Any idea when you're moving down there?"

"Not sure, maybe within the next few weeks. Probably next week."

"Damn, you're a hell of a good worker. I'd hate to lose you so soon." Her heart sank and she slowly bowed her head. She felt a coldness descend upon her and thought about all she was leaving behind. Now it was beginning to affect her, and it scared her, but it was for the better. When she lifted her head up, her friends finally walked into the store. T-Bo reassured her with a pat on the shoulder and a friendly gaze. "I'll talk to Terrance. I'll call you and let you know what he says, most likely he'll want to interview you for a position, but coming from me, I'm sure you'll have a job."

"Thanks T-Bo."

"Don't start feeling bad, this is a good thing, okay? I'd rather you go down to Florida, work for my cousin and be happy, than to work for me while living in poverty." She chuckled and felt Sam brush her shoulder.

"Did I just hear T-Bo say you're moving to Florida?" She gasped in surprise and spun to face her friends, all of whom were eyeing her carefully. It wasn't how she wanted to invite them into the conversation, she wanted to let them down gently. T-Bo cleared his throat and moved towards the back. Sam tilted her head. "Is it true? You're moving away?"

"Come on guys, let's go sit down…" She led them to their usual table and took her seat. The trio sat with Gibby and Sam on either side of her, and Freddie straight across. She closed her eyes and breathed in, there was no easy way to say this. They had so many memories together. "I love you guys, you're my best friends, and you'll always be close to me. Even if we're miles apart…" Geez, it wasn't like she was breaking up with them, but why did it feel this way? Her heart was actually breaking! She opened her eyes and saw them all smiling, a mixture of happiness and sadness.

"Doesn't your family live down there?" Freddie asked, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over. She nodded and lifted her eyes to his. "That's what I thought. Spencer's decided to go down there finally?"

"Yeah…he talked to Mom and they found him a job at a Museum. The owner wants to interview him as soon as possible, and will most likely hire him." Sam clapped her hands together, her lips grew and her eyes lit up with excitement.

"Then he should take the job! Isn't that the break he's been hoping for? I mean sure it's not here, but…I think we all can agree it would be better for you to be with your family. Wouldn't it?" The tone in Sam's voice didn't express a deep sadness, but a happiness for her friend. Sure, there was a sadness in there, perhaps she was trying to fight it off. "Just, I know it's all the way in Florida, but it doesn't mean we can't still communicate. You know Freddie and I are going to college in Texas, so…we won't be here forever either."

"I don't want to leave you guys though, you mean so much to me." Her body started to shake and the tears she was fighting were beginning to overpower her. She pointed her hand to T-Bo and drew in a rattled breath. "T-Bo has a cousin near Tallahassee that owns some Jamaican store, he's going to try and talk him into hiring me so I can have work experience while going to school." She looked over to Gibby, seeing him pull out his phone. He tapped the screen and glanced over to her.

"Do you know where you'll be living?"

"With mom…"

"Where's that at?"

"Cypress Hawk Lane." He nodded and started typing his screen again. She raised an eyebrow and watched, he seemed very focused in what he looking for. He let out a grunt of victory and moved the phone over to her. The others leaned inwards and saw a school website.

"The closest school to that location is Richards High School, and it has great ratings." She smiled and took the phone in her hands, gazing at the website pulled up. The school was home of the 'raiders', the site had loads of information that any parent would probably love. As she read the reviews on what people had to say, all good and pleasant, a tear was brought to her eye.

The school had friendly staff, always helpful to the students and their parents. On the front page was a list of faculty members and their emails, and also links to various places on the site. There was a picture slideshow going on beneath the list, showing photos of the school, students, and teachers. Her heart lifted as she watched the photos moving along, full classrooms, great sports, and friendly looking people.

Gibby reached over and started clicking back on his phone, leading to the Tallahassee Community College on Google. Fourteen reviews, a five star college. "I imagine that's where you'd go when you start college, it's very close to your mom's street address too." She moved her hand to her mouth and felt her tears running along her cheeks. When she goes to college, Gibby didn't say if. She closed her eyes and choked out one silent sob. She was actually going to get to go to college! "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just…I didn't think I'd get to go to college. Not after what happened." He curled his lips upwards and started rubbing her back, soothing her. Sam reached over and hugged her shoulders. Her heart pounded in her chest as she opened her eyes and gazed down at the cell phone.

"Also nearby is Florida A and M University, they have a law school there, if Spencer ever pursues that." He tapped his screen once more and pulled up museums. The nearest museum that looked like an art museum was the Smith's Museum of Art and Science. Could Spencer be working there? "Look at all the opportunities you guys are going to have, so much more than you could ever have here." She slowly nodded and leaned her head onto Gibby's shoulder, trying not to keep crying those tears of joy. "I know you don't want to leave your friends here, but in all honesty, I haven't seen much of a life here for you."

"It just…I don't know what to think right now…I was happy, and then everything just kind of piled up."

"It's going to be okay Carly. We're all going to be cheering you on, you know that. We'll miss you, but we still have the internet. We're happy for you, and I can almost guarantee Sam would be pushing you all the way to Florida if you tried to hang back here." Sam laughed and nudged her in the side. Carly flinched slightly and smiled at her friend, who had the widest grin she'd ever seen.

"Yeah I would!" Carly slowly sat up and wiped her eyes. God she would miss these three, but Gibby was right, she'd probably have more of a life in Florida. She folded her arms onto the table and stared down at Gibby's phone, which still had a Google Maps screenshot of the area.

"If it wasn't for you guys, I would have gone insane by now, you know that? I can finally see myself being happy again."

"That's all we want for you," Freddie remarked. "All of us, we'll be standing by you until you move, and then still be by your side, though we're miles apart. I'm just glad Spencer's finally doing the right thing. This craziness has gone on far too long."

"Yeah…I don't know when we're moving yet, probably next week…"

"Then we should make the most of the time we have left with each other." She smiled and quickly nodded her head while moving her arms around Gibby's and Sam's shoulders. Whatever they did in the next few days, they would do together. T-Bo called for her and she quickly looked over to him, he had a large grin on his face and a sheet of paper in his hand.

"Carly! Terrance says once Spencer settles on a date to move, call him. He's hoping to give you a job interview next Saturday, but he can change that whenever you figure out when you're heading down there." He moved from the front counter and walked over to her, setting the slip of paper down in front of her, it was Terrence's phone number. The place of business was listed above the phone and Terrence's name. Authentic Jamaican Foods. She would be willing to learn everything she needed to know. "Call him. I told him what a hard worker you've been and he's looking forward to meeting you, also, he's looking forward to getting you hooked on Jamaican cooking." Her boss and friend smirked at her and she chuckled. As she brushed away a tear, she turned her gaze down to the phone number and sighed.

These were the only non-related people she had in Seattle that she truly cared about, and never would she forget them. She would give Spencer the good news regarding Terrance. Maybe she would share the college and high school with them, so they could look into it. More than anything, though, she wanted to know that she really would still be in touch with these friends of hers. A lot was about to change, she could see that, and she could also see that this change was good. Truly, a change for the better.

So T-Bo has a cousin in Seattle that may be able to hire her. Things are starting to look up.