winter wars
part one
THIS STORY HAS BEEN BETA'D BY PUMPERNICKEL MUFFIN!
"Ah, this is the life," Libby laid down on her back, arms behind her head comfortably. "Why didn't we think of this before?"
Cindy sighed, shrugging lazily. "I don't know, but this was a great idea. Who thought of this again?" She shook her head as the artificial "wind" swept through her hair.
Libby closed her eyes, feeling too wonderful to glare at her best friend. "You, of course, because you are the best, smartest person in -"
"I would big to differ, Libby," A masculine voice chimed in, with a hint of smugness in his tone.
Cindy whipped her head around to her window. "Go away, Neutron! No one wants you here, this is um…a girl's day."
Libby snickered. "Yeah, Jimmy! Go awaaaaay," She mocked, and Cindy threw a flip-flop at her head. And missed. She continued. "Plus, real sunlight! Ew! Take it away!"
"I agree," Cindy nodded rapidly, getting up from her comfortable position on her lawn chair and closing the window on Jimmy's smug, retarded face.
"So," Cindy flopped back onto her reclining lawn chair. "What now?"
"We could fake-bake, or we could…take a swim," Libby giggled a little at the thought.
Libby and Cindy considered themselves true-blood geniuses. It was the middle of February, and even though they lived in Texas it was only about 55 degrees outside. Too. Freaking. Cold.
So they took it upon themselves to create a little Summer Heaven inside Cindy's big-and-convenient-house and after a good few hours of working and sweating and cursing the world, they were relaxing in Cindy's basement.
With blue bed sheets hung up on one wall to represent the clear, blue sky, old pillows and lawn decorations (aka: dented pink flamingos and dusty lawn chairs) to make it seem more real, a small kiddie pool filled with cool tap water to keep them cool, and of course, rotating fans to keep everything feeling real.
And also, heat lamps. They had to tan somehow, you know.
Just as they were getting comfortable (again), the distant ring of the doorbell vibrated through the house and Libby groaned, cracking one eye open. "Ten bucks says it's Jimmy Neutron."
"Of course it's Jimmy." Cindy didn't move. She was basking in the light.
A few comfortable, silent moments passed.
"Eh, you gonna check?"
"Do I have to?"
"He won't leave if you don't."
"He won't leave if I do, either, but alright." She hoisted herself up, adjusting the strap on her bathing suit top and making her way up her stairs, flip-flops clicking against her feet the whole way up. "Want anything while I'm up?"
"More drinks…more ice."
"Got it." She closed the door behind her, feeling the slightly cooler air hit her exposed skin and she shivered. Should she answer the door in nothing but her bathing suit? It wasn't a big deal, but it was still weird. And it was Neutron -
The doorbell rang again. Cindy growled lowly. "I'm coming, shut up!"
She walked faster towards the door and peeked out the window before unlocking the door. It was indeed, Jimmy Neutron and boy (erm, teenage) genius.
But of course, he had his idiot friends with him. Sighing, Cindy opened the door only a little bit. "Yes?"
"Hi Cindy!" Sheen waved. She didn't wave back, only raised a brow.
"You need something?"
"We're bored." Jimmy exclaimed, as if that statement would explain everything.
Cindy couldn't help herself, she just started laughing. A lot. "What? You're…you're bored? That is NOT my fault, I'm sorry. Don't you have tons of little gadgets and supplies to keep you un-bored? I mean, even Libby and I found a way to occupy ourselves."
"Well, we do have plenty of things to keep ourselves busy, but Jimmy is just lazy and he wanted to come over here -" Carl started to say, but a good punch in the arm from Jimmy kept him from continuing.
"YOU MOOCH." Cindy was overcome by the strong urge to slam the door in her neighbor's face. "NO. YOU MAY NOT COME IN, DAMN YOU."
Slam.
"Good going, Carl!" Sheen exclaimed.
"I was right, right?" Libby asked as Cindy bounded down the steps, two glasses filled with strawberry lemonade (with ice - and maybe a little…eh, alcohol?) in her hands.
"You were right. But Sheen and Carl were with him, too."
"What do they want this time?"
"They want to mooch off of our CREATION." Cindy gestured to her surroundings, from the pink flamingos to the heat lamps.
"WHAT. NOT COOL. THIS IS A GIRL'S DAY."
"I KNOW."
They both shook their heads in self-righteous disgust, because honestly, how dare they?
Cindy handed Libby her drink and set her own down on an unstable card table that was between their chairs and settled down in her seat again. "So, we need a plan. What if they come back again, but this time demanding all my money and valuable items?"
"Like jewelry."
"Of course. Carl could probably ram into my door and like, completely break all my windows, or whatever."
"Carl is a hoss."
"Indeed, that's why we need a BATTLE PLAN."
"BATTLE PLAN sounds good."
The two best friends looked at each then. Libby lifted her bright blue sunglasses and twisted her iPod headphone around one finger.
"Do you have any water balloons?"
"This was a great idea," Cindy exclaimed, picking up another balloon and stretching it out, putting it underneath the faucet and filling it up.
Libby tied another bloated balloon and grinned. "It really is…who thought of this again?"
Cindy raised a brow. "You, of course…," She glanced at her, looking lost for a moment, but then her eyes lit up in realization. "You're a dork."
Libby cackled. "I want to hear that I'm the best, smartest person in -"
"No."
"Okay."
Cindy's doorbell rang. She groaned, dropping a balloon carefully into the half-filled bucket. "Give it UP, already!"
"They can't hear you."
"I'm sending brain waves. I know Neutron's head is big enough to receive them."
Libby cackled, again. Cindy wondered if she was working on her evil laugh, or something. "Whatever you say, girl. Go answer the door and I'll finish with these balloons. Then we'll get up on your roof. Remember our plan?"
"I sure do. Be swift, fox!"
"I will, cat!"
"…cat? I'm not a cat, Libby."
Libby shrugged, starting on another balloon. "Well…if I get to be a fox then you have to be the cat."
"You mean…the hound?"
"Oh…wait, yeah. That's what I meant."
Cindy blinked at her friend.
Her friend, who obviously does some sort of drugs.
"Can you tell me where you buy your crack?"
"GO ANSWER THE DOOR, WOMAN."
"Cindy, Cindy, we need your help." Sheen was jumping up and down.
Cindy had barely even opened the door (only a few inches - she wasn't taking chances) and she was bombarded with pleas and shouts, mostly from Sheen. Some from Jimmy. But…mostly from Sheen.
"Really? With what?"
"Sheen needs to use your bathroom," Jimmy replied.
Cindy shrugged. "Um, he can't. My bathroom is…er, being…fixed?" She finished lamely.
"Fixed? You mean…your toilet is broken?" Jimmy raised a brow, a knowing look on his face.
She glared at him. "Yes, it's broken. I'm sorry, Sheen. Why can't you guys just stay at Jimmy's house?"
"Because…we're bored." Carl had been trained, obviously.
"Oh. Well…I'll help you with that…," Cindy smiled a secret, sly smile. They were clueless.
"Really?" Sheen stopped jumping and grinned.
"Yes, really. Libby and I will come outside and we can all do something, okay? Just give us a few minutes. We're still in our…bathing suits."
All three boys' eyes lit up.
"Well, you guys can just come out now. It doesn't matter if you guys are in your bathing suits or not." Jimmy shrugged, trying to look casual. But his mind was racing - Cindy in a bathing suit? Oh yes.
"Don't be ridiculous - it's too cold outside. Just wait out back, okay?" Shooting the boys a sweet smile, she closed the door softly.
Carl walked down the steps slowly, Jimmy and Sheen followed behind them. "Damn it, Jimmy! We were so close, man. Girls. In. Bathing suits."
Jimmy nodded sympathetically. "I know, I know. Maybe next time."
"But summer isn't for months! The only way I'll be able to see girls in bathing suits is -"
"Don't finish that sentence, Sheen. Please. For me and Carl's sake."
"Whaaaat?"
Cindy ran through the house, giggling the whole way. She took the steps two at time up to her parent's bedroom, which was in the back of the house. Libby was already there, struggling to open the window. The bucket - full of water balloons - was on the floor next to her.
"They bought it?" Libby asked.
"Of course they did. It's Jimmy, Sheen, and Carl. What did you expect?"
Libby snorted.
"I'm going to find some clothes." Cindy announced, running out of the room.
"Well, hurry up!"
Libby finally got the window open, looking out. She could see the three boys making their way around the house, arguing and chattering the whole way. They didn't notice her as she slipped out the window and stood on the balcony, reaching back into the house to retrieve the bucket of balloons.
Cindy ran back into the room then, helping Libby pick up the bucket and then slipping through the window herself.
"You know what you should do?" Libby asked in a hushed whisper.
"What?" Cindy whispered back.
"…play some Christmas music."
"…Uh, seriously? Why?"
"Because! Perfect distraction! HELLO!"
"Shhh!" Cindy put a finger to her mouth, glancing at the boys who were now sitting in lawn chairs below the balcony. "Let's just forget about that and use the water balloons, eh?"
"Fine," Libby pouted, picking up a water balloon. "Hey guys!" She called over the balcony. All three of them turned around looked up at them.
"What are you doing up there?" Jimmy asked, looking at Cindy. She had a devious smile on her face.
"Oh…nothing…," She trailed off, picking up a red water balloon and quickly tossing it over the edge, Libby quickly following suit.
There were a few, uncharacteristic girly shrieks from the guys below as Libby and Cindy bombarded them with water balloon after water balloon, showing no mercy. Carl was attempting to hide underneath the picnic table, complaining about his hurt spleen, Sheen was running around like a crazy man, and Jimmy was trying to use random objects to shield and block himself from the balloons; like a chair and the lid to the gas grill.
Libby and Cindy, however, were having a grand time. Libby had perfected her evil laugh, it seemed, and was cackling away, and Cindy was near hysterics.
Unfortunately for them, though, they were almost out of water balloons.
And knowing Jimmy, he didn't take things sitting down and would most likely think of a revenge plan.
After the last water balloon had popped on Sheen's back, Cindy called, "Wasn't that fun?" She high-fived Libby and they both climbed through the window, making several clanging noises with the bucket. Sheen could swear that he was haunted by Libby's cackling laugh.
"You know what this means, right?" Jimmy set the lawn chair down and looked at his friends.
Carl peeked out from underneath the picnic table. "No, what?"
"This means war, guys. War."
…now this has to be a two-shot. Oops…
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