Chapter 13

As the name of the blonde girl echoed through the air, everything suddenly clicked into place for Lucas. The familiarity of the school and Principal Ted became clear—the entire setting was part of the popular series, iCarly. This realization struck Lucas with profound astonishment. He had never considered the possibility that the world he lived in could be a crossover of multiple television shows. Silly as it may seem, he had foolishly assumed that his reality consisted solely of the cast of Grey's Anatomy.

Witnessing the commotion, Lucas observed the tense exchange between Ms. Briggs, Carly, and Freddie. Carly's voice trembled with fear and worry as she pleaded on Sam's behalf, emphasizing that it was an accident. Desperate for support, she tugged at Freddie's shirt, urging him to confirm that it was indeed unintentional.

Freddie, wearing a smile on his face, responded, "Well, she was about to throw those paint cans at me, so I'm not entirely certain if it can be classified as an accident per se."

"Freddie!" Carly exclaimed, her voice filled with frustration. She had hoped he would stand up for Sam, not add fuel to the fire.

Despite being restrained by Ms. Briggs, Sam erupted in anger, her gaze fixed on Freddie. "You're going to pay for that, Benson!" she shouted, causing the smile to instantly vanish from Freddie's face as he sought refuge behind Carly, seeking protection from Sam's wrath.

"Stop squirming, Puckett! Soon you'll be kicked out of this school once and for all!" Ms. Briggs' grip on Sam remained firm, her determination unwavering.

Observing the scene unfold, Principal Ted let out a weary sigh. "What happened this time?" he asked, his tone laced with resignation.

"Miss Puckett threw paint cans at me, and I demand her immediate expulsion!" Ms. Briggs declared, her eyes burning with anger.

Principal Ted turned to Sam, his gaze firm. "Sam, is that true?" he inquired.

Sam's demeanor suddenly shifted, becoming docile as she addressed Principal Ted. "I didn't mean to throw it at Miss Briggs. I was aiming for Freddie, but I missed," she admitted.

Principal Ted sighed once again, his patience wearing thin. Turning to Ms. Briggs, he calmly said, "Why don't you go and clean up, Miss Briggs? I will handle this matter."

"No, I want her expelled this instant!" Miss Briggs insisted.

At that moment, Principal Ted's demeanor transformed. Gone was his calm facade, replaced by a figure exuding unwavering authority. "I said I will handle this, Miss Briggs," he stated firmly.

Witnessing the shift in Principal Ted's demeanor, the anger in Miss Briggs instantly dissipated, replaced by a begrudging acceptance. "Fine," she conceded, her face marked with annoyance as she departed from the group.

Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, "I am busy with visitors today," he explained, motioning towards Lucas and Meredith.

"We will discuss this incident during our weekly Thursday meetings. Is that understood, Miss Puckett?"

Sam muttered reluctantly, "Fine."

"Return to your class," Principal Ted instructed, causing Sam to immediately sprint towards Freddie, fully intent on exacting revenge for his recent betrayal.

As Sam charged at him, Freddie quickly began to run away, sensing the impending danger.

"Sam, don't!" Carly shouted, her voice filled with concern as she watched Sam chasing after Freddie. She too started following after her friends, this time to try and see if she could save Freddie from Sam's anger.

"Apologies for the interruption," Principal Ted addressed Lucas and Meredith.

Meredith responded, with a slight smile marking her face, "No problem." She understood that being a principal can be quite a hard job.

"Moving on, Mr. Grey," Principal Ted continued, a warm smile adorning his face. "I have personally prepared your exam papers, and I will personally oversee their evaluation once you're done with them. If you successfully pass all your exams, I will approve your promotion to the 9th grade."

With a friendly gesture, Principal Ted directed Lucas to a spare classroom where a substitute teacher would be in charge of supervising his exams.

Recognizing that the process would take some time, Meredith decided to make use of the opportunity and treat herself to a visit to a nearby coffee shop.

Taking the exams proved to be surprisingly easy for Lucas. It seemed that the old Lucas was actually quite smart before he started skipping classes. Combining that with the new Lucas' memory, the exams were quite doable.

As the day came to an end, Meredith awaited Lucas at the school entrance, holding a selection of snacks and a refreshing bottle of iced tea.

Seated in the front passenger seat, Lucas happily indulged in his snacks, savoring the flavors. Meredith, curious about his impression of the school, asked, "So, what do you think of the school?"

"I think it's going to be a fun school," Lucas replied with a smile. His excitement was palpable. After seeing the familiar faces of the iCarly cast at Ridgeway, the first thing he planned to do once he returned home was to check if the iCarly web series was available online.

For a fleeting moment, Meredith paused and posed a question, her tone laced with a touch of seriousness and concern, "You're not planning on running away again, are you?"

Hearing her question, Lucas cast a sidelong glance at Meredith, his expression inscrutable, offering no immediate response.

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[EXTRA SCENES LATER IN THE NIGHT]

♪♫Wake up the members of my nation, it's your time to be♪♫

♪♫There's no chance unless you take one and the time to see♪♫

♪♫The brighter side of every situation, some things are meant to be♪♫

♪♫So give me your best and leave the rest to me♪♫

♪♫Leave it all to me, leave it all to me, just leave it all to me♪♫

The familiar tune of the iCarly theme song resonated from Meredith's laptop as Izzie and Lexie made their entrance into Meredith's house.

Noticing Lexie's arrival, a hint of annoyance flashed across Meredith's face, but Izzie quickly interjected, "She's his sister too, Mer."

Meredith's gaze briefly shifted to Lexie, who appeared sheepish, hiding behind Izzie and clutching a guitar case in her hand.

Despite her reservations about Lexie, Meredith reluctantly conceded to Izzie's point. "He's in the kitchen, watching an online show," she said, her tone begrudgingly granting permission.

With a beaming smile adorning her face, Lexie wasted no time and made her way to Meredith's kitchen, eager to talk to her younger brother.