This story is when the two are 18; just about ready to go to college. And the song is sort of what Jimmy's thoughts are.. Except in song form.
Collide; A One-Shot, Song-Fic.
Jimmy was just walking in the park like he usually did. But today, why oh why today, did he have to encounter a sobbing Cindy Vortex, clutching a sodden paper in her hands.
"The dawn is breaking
A light shining through
You're barely waking
And I'm tangled up in you
Yeah
"What's wrong, Vortex?"
She glanced up, her face tear-streaked, yet still beautiful to Jimmy.
"N-Nothing, Neutron! Just leave me alone!" she yelled in response.
Jimmy took a step forward, regardless of her behavior.
I'm open, you're closed
Where I follow, you'll go
I worry I won't see your face
Light up again
"What's wrong, Cindy?" he repeated. Jimmy took another step forward and kneeled down in front of her.
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind
I somehow find
You and I collide
"N-Nothing!" gasped Cindy. "Just go a-away! I-I can take c-care of -m-myself!"
But he couldn't help but ask what the paper was.
"It's my SAT t-test scores," she whispered. "And m-my mother... She says she doesn't a-approve."
Cindy looked up and glared at Jimmy.
"And it's all your fault."
I'm quiet you know
You make a frist impression
I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind
Surprised, Jimmy stood up briskly and dusted his pants free of imaginary dirt.
"What?" he asked. "Why me?"
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
I somehow find
You and I collide
"Oh, like you don't know!" she hissed while clambering up, she had been sitting on the tree stump for the past half hour, her legs were pretty shaky. "You're the one who always got the first place ribbon in the science fair, the one to always somehow manage to beat me on tests by, like, three measly points!"
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to ryhme
Out of the doubt that fills your mind
You finally find
You and I collide
Jimmy grabbed her arm, helping her stay up, although this was not his primary reason.
"Listen, Vortex," he whispered. "I didn't choose to be born a genius." He pushed closer to Cindy. "I'm under pressure, too. Ever thought of that? The pressure to reach above the expectations of others, the pressure to save the world every fucking day, the pressure... Of staying away from you."
Cindy sniffled and asked, "Staying away from me?"
Jimmy let go of her arm and sat down on the tree stump she had occupied a moment before.
"Yeah," he muttered while pulling his hands through his hair. "Don't you get it? Ever since 5th grade... We've always been sworn enemies... But I didn't want to be... I wanted it to be like when we were stuck on that island... I've always hoped we could do that again... How it felt..."
Cindy dropped her paper absentmindedly, unaware she had even been holding onto it since he had come. She sat down next to him on the stump and perched her head on her hands.
"You've been waiting for that too?" she asked. "You know... I still have that pearl..."
Jimmy actually grinned at her. But then, the grin disappeared.
"What's the use of being friends now?" he uttered. "I'm going off to Harvard in a month... I don't even..."
She stood up quickly, even surprising herself.
"Who says I want to be just friends?" she asked while pulling on Jimmy's hand, urging him up. "I've never wanted to be just friends."
They stood together, both shocked by the fact that Cindy had said that.
"You... You wanted to be..." gasped Jimmy.
Practically giddy with relief, Cindy pulled on Jimmy's coat and pulled him toward her body.
"I always had a feeling," whispered Cindy into his ear. "That we were destined to be..."
Then she kissed him. Their bodies fused together, both flooded in bliss. And when they parted, they were desperate to be in each other's arms again.
"Wow," gasped Jimmy. "So which college are you going to?"
You finally find
You and I collide
You finally find
You and I collide."