AN: Hey guys! I'm back with a new story in the iCarly fandom. Because iCarly is truly my first love. And I was INSPIRED! Haha

So here's my little (not really little) fanfiction about Sam and Freddie and Carly (but mostly Sam) in college and the letters that Freddie gives Sam on her first day. I'll be updating every Saturday so keep an eye out for that!

Read, Review, and Enjoy!:)

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly and I wish I was as brilliant as Dan Schneider!

Open When...

Open When... You First Find These Letters

September

The thought of living in this box killed me.

A box filled with boxes. My boxes. I didn't even know I had all of this shit. As I packed up the contents of my room at home, finally managing to leave that hellhole, I realized how much I'd hoarded over the years. Which is why I'd eventually agreed to share a towaway U-Haul truck with Freddie in exchange for his help with unloading everything.

"I packed too much," I said.

"Who ever thought you would say that," he said. "Honestly. Who ever thought you were such a girl?"

"Shut up Fredward."

I rolled my eyes as he placed another cardboard box on the floor.

There were two beds in the room. They suggested bringing your own mattress. I couldn't afford one. It wasn't covered by any scholarship. The fact that I probably had my very own disease ridden, bedbug invested mattress, led to my choice in picking the better side. The one with the view.

Behind the generic wooden headboard of my new single bed was a large window that was rounded at the top. The view seeing out to the busy streets surrounding the Juilliard campus. My new room was underneath one of the many archways in the apartment-like dorm on one of the top floors. The dorm was not exclusive to one gender, but this floor was. In fact, I was taking a huge risk even bringing Freddie into my room to help. Boys were not allowed in our rooms.

Though I wasn't sure that applied on "Move In Day".

"I think that's the last box," he said.

I looked over at the one he had placed on top of my bed.

"Sheets?" I asked, more to myself than anything. I walked over to it and inspected the label I'd hastily placed on the side. "Yeah that's the last one."

"You want me to check?" he asked.

"No," I said. "The sheets were the first thing I put in the truck so makes sense they're the last out."

"Okay, great!" he said, flopping down on the bed to the right of the box.

I laid down on the other side of the box and ran my hands over my face. My hair fanned out on the cream coloured sheet the college had provided.

"How did I get here?"

"What?" Freddie said.

I trained my gaze to a corner of the ceiling, squinting and trying to figure out whether or not there was a spider web, or I was imagining worse situations again. On the drive from Seattle to New York, I'd interpreted too many bumps as the truck detaching and rolling away. Something about actually being wanted here made me uneasy.

"You know what I mean. I just - " I paused. He didn't have to know what I meant. He probably didn't in the first place. Since when did anyone have a clue on what I did? "Never mind."

Silence came between us. All I could hear were footsteps in the hall and the giddiness of other freshmen settling into their dorms. I didn't feel the same sort of hype.

"I do know what you mean," Freddie said, breaking the void. "For the record."

"Yeah and what's that?"

He sighed and pushed the box of sheets off the bed. I winced, expecting a louder blow, though it only softly bounced against the blue padded down carpet. I felt his gaze on me but I kept mine trained on the spiderwebbed corner.

"I'm not sure when you first thought it, but you didn't think you'd be able to get here. Or maybe anywhere aside from the inside of a prison cell."

My arm shot out and slapped his shoulder. He took the opportunity and grabbed my hand.

"It's a stupid assumption, really," he said. My hand balled into a fist. "You're not worthless, Sam. And maybe I just said the assumption was stupid, but you're far from being stupid, yourself. You're really, really quick on your feet."

"And how does that say anything about me being smart?"

"Because it does. You are smart. And clearly the head honcho's here thought you were pretty smart too."

"No," I said, rolling my eyes and finally snatching away my hand. "They just thought I could act."

"You're talented," he said.

He said it as if it were fact. As if no one could dispute it. I shook my head.

"Yeah, I'm talented until I get into the classroom and find out that I'm nothing compared to these highly trained snobs."

"Okay," he said. "So you may not be classically trained like some of these 'snobs' but you wrote and acted in your own web show since 6th grade. That's something. I know how to work a camera and a website, but I can't act or come up with anything to save my life. You know that from that robot skit I did."

I laughed. "You know that's only funny because it sucked ass."

I heard him snicker then agree. I sighed and finally looked over at him, only to discover he was no longer looking at me. His eyes were on the ceiling, staring at the same corner I had been.

"Is that a spiderweb?" he asked.

I drew my eyes back over to the web. That's all it was. No spiders. Just a web. Perfect for my box with boxes.

I was about to open my mouth or nod or something, when I heard footsteps. You could clearly hear people walking and running down the halls, but it's a different sound when someone enters your room. I heard scuffs by the door and a light knock before a tall, proper, scowling blonde woman appeared amidst my boxes. Please, God, don't be my roommate.

Freddie and I jumped off the bed at the same time, as if we had been caught doing illegal activities and wanted to wipe our hands of the mess.

"Men aren't allowed on this floor," the woman said.

"Freddie was just helping me unload the truck," I said, trying hard not to roll my eyes again. "We made a deal to help each other unpack at our dorms. Not that you need to know that."

She gave me a once over. Her eyes trailed from my worn out converse, up my bare legs and jean shorts, over my black, slightly too much cleavage revealing, tank top, until she finally settled on my messed up blonde mop of waves. Hey, at least we had the blonde thing in common. Her face never wavered, though. Through her scrutiny of me, the scowl remained.

I crossed my arms over my chest, accidentally causing my bra to further poke out of my tank top. She bit her lip and looked down at the clipboard I hadn't realized she was holding.

"I'm Daniella Maddon," she said, holding out her right hand. I hesitantly took it. "I'm your RA. I live down the hall and oversee a few levels of the dorm. If you have any questions or problems, you're to come to me. I assume you're Samantha Puckett?"

"Sam," I said. "But yes."

She nodded. "Welcome Sam. Boyfriends aren't allowed in your room."

My mouth dropped open.

"We're not dating," I said, but Daniella had already sauntered out of the room.

I saw a smirk play out on Freddie's lips and a part of me wanted to punch him.

"We're not," he said. "But she certainly thinks we are. I guess that's my cue to leave though."

"You don't have to," I said.

"I know you only want me to stay so I can unpack for you," he said. I didn't. "But I should get back to Boston and unpack my own things. I'll see you in a few?"

I chuffed and nodded. He moved towards me with open arms and enveloped me into a hug. My arms were trapped by my sides, caught off guard. I freed them and wrapped them around him for a moment before pulling them back and stepping away.

"Later Nub," I said.

He smiled and waved like the dork he was. "Bye Sam."

I watched him walk out of the room, turn slightly, wave once more, then leave. I smiled and backed down onto the bed. It had been a while since I'd been in a room this quiet. Without my mother doing God knows what somewhere in the house or Melanie laughing with her friends. It was somewhat unnerving.

For someone who very much had to fend for her own and learn how to be independent at a young age, I realized I had never fully been alone. Maybe my mother had never been much help in my life and we'd never really mended our relationship. And maybe Melanie got out the first chance she could... But now that I was gone, I wasn't sure what to do. In an odd sort of way, I kind of missed them.

I ran my hands along my bare legs, ridding the goosebumps, and stood up. I stripped the bed of the old sheet and threw it into a closet before opening the 'Sheets' box and putting my own linens on instead. About five minutes later, my old comforter in varying shades of blue stripes was now on the bed. Melanie's old pink blanket was thrown overtop. She'd given it to me as I was packing up the final items in my room a few days ago. In return I'd given her my old blue blanket that I'd had since I was a baby.

I threw the collapsed box into the corner and kicked another with the intention of opening it and unpacking. The printing on top was not my own. I pulled out my phone to text Freddie and let him know that one of the boxes was his but paused before unlocking it. I dropped the phone onto my bed and picked up the box. In Freddie's too neat printing was my name.

I sat down with the box in my lap and picked at the tape. In all my suitcases and boxes, I'd forgotten to pack scissors. I could probably find them somewhere in this building but I wasn't really willing to ask for help so soon. I eventually pierced the tape with one of my nails and ripped it off. I tore into the box, only to find a series of envelopes.

Oh. My. God.

Only Freddie.

Taped to one of the top flaps of the box was the first envelope. It was purple. My favourite colour.

"Open When... You First Find These Letters"

Oh my God, the Nub. In spite of myself, a smile came over my lips.

I detached the letter and placed the box on the floor. I ran my fingers along the top and ripped it open. Out fell a folded piece of paper and a few pictures. I picked up the pictures. The first was of Carly and I the day we first started iCarly. I smiled, noticing Spencer in the background attempting to put out a fire he probably started. The second was from a few days ago, Melanie and I making the same terrified face at each other, pretending we had seen ourselves in the mirror. The third was a group shot at the Groovy Smoothie. Carly, Gibby, T-Bo, Spencer, Freddie, and I were standing in front of the smoothie bar, fruit staining our faces from a gigantic smoothie explosion. The final picture was of Freddie and I at prom. Since Carly had still been in Italy, Freddie and I made a deal that we'd go together. And after he made a rather lame Promposal using the fans of iCarly, I agreed to go. But only as friends. I'd worn a red high-low dress with a bejewelled top and he gave me a red and blue corsage to match his tie. Somehow, though we weren't even a couple, we won King and Queen.

I put down the photos, remembering how much I wanted to kiss him that night. Kiss him. Touch him. Do something. I wanted him but I stopped myself because I knew by the end of the summer we'd be here and I didn't do well with distance. And that was fine for now. We were fine as friends.

I picked up the letter and unfolded it. I took a deep breath before beginning to read.

"Sam," it read.

"I'm not sure I've ever physically written a letter in my life, but here it goes. I promise these will get better.

"So I guess by now you've found the box and that must mean I'm on my way to Boston. But if I haven't left, please wait to kill me until the next time. I know this is probably the lamest thing I've ever done and I know that you will make fun of me for this for the rest of my life. But I am okay with that. And I'm okay with that so long as when you read these letters you at least smile a little, okay?

"Promise me that."

He was off to a good start, I had to admit.

"I know how nervous you've been recently. I know how scared, anxious, worried, out of place, uncertain, and less than you have been feeling lately. I know that you think you've been super sly about all of that and that it hasn't been obvious. I know you're trying to keep up your image of having no feelings and no fear, and you can keep that up, it's fine. I just want you to know that it's okay to feel that way.

"Going to MIT, I'm terrified that I'm not going to fit in. I'm terrified that I won't make any friends. I'm terrified that I'll be alone. I'm terrified that I'll fail. I'm terrified that I'm not good enough. And I know that you might never say it in those words, but I know that that's how you've been feeling. I've known you for long enough and well enough to know when you're afraid.

"You don't have to tell me. I don't expect you to. I just wanted to give you these letters so that you know that even though I'm 3 or 4 hours away, you're not alone. And that even though Carly is in Italy and Gibby is in Seattle, I'm still here if you need me.

"Of course, you can throw all of these letters out if you want to. I also wouldn't fault you for that. Just know that I'm here and generally, that if you have a bad day, there's probably a letter for that.

"Don't hesitate to call if you ever need to."

I smiled and looked down at the still open box. A rainbow of letters were inside.

"Your friend,

"Freddie.

"P.S. Don't forget to take some time and do some Random Dancing every now and then."

When did he have the time to do this? God, he was such a Nub. But he was my Nub and my friend.

I walked into the small kitchen/lounge area of the dorm room and found a roll of tape, then used it to hang up the four pictures he had given me. I stood in between the two beds and stared at the pictures, trying not to tear up. A smile found its way to my lips once more.

I grabbed my phone and put on some music then navigated to snapchat. I angled myself in front of the pictures I had just hung up on the wall. I sent Freddie two snaps. A video of me Random Dancing and a snap of my face with a simple word: thanks.