Chapter 1: Being given a opportunity

Today was another day at Retroville highschool but for Cindy it was another opprtunity to get Nick's love. To Libby it seemed pointless seeings though Nick was dating Betty but Cindy didn't care. She was going to get Nick and nothing was going to stop her.

When the bell rung, Cindy went to her next class straight away because it was one of her favourites, music but drama was her number one. She sat down with Libby and waited for the rest of the class to come in and once that had been done their teacher began giving them work. Soon the teacher had a annoucement to give her class.

"Alright, class I've got a annoucement. As we all know the school is having a music contest so I've decided you're all entering the contest." Miss Johnson said. She was a new teacher and 24 years old, 5ft 7 with blonde shoulder length hair, green eyes and tanned skin. She could've been Cindy's older sister if she weren't from California.

Everyone groaned at what they just heard but Miss Johnson spoke again. "I know, I know you guys hate performing but this is worth fifty percant to your marks."

"What do we have to do?" Libby asked.

"All you have to do is pick a song and perform it. You'll be paired up with another person. This is due in two weeks from today and when you perform it you have to dress like the artist." Then she got out her list and started announcing the pairings she was almost finished until she announced these names.

"Jimmy Neutron will be paired off with Betty Quilin."

"What! That's not fair! Nick's my boyfriend!" Betty protested but Miss Johnson gave a reply.

"That's why I've separated you two because as you can see I've separated all the couples so that you can all concentrate instead of making out every five minutes! And none of them complained so separating you & Nick shouldn't be any different for anyone else." Everyone laughed as Betty blushed in humiliation.

Jimmy also joined in the laughing but he was annoyed that he was paired off with Betty because he wanted to paired with Cindy. For years now he's realised that he was in love with her but they always argued and had not gotten any closer to being friends. The same for Sheen and Carl who had fallen for Britney.

The 3 boys had changed a lot during those starting years of puberty. Jimmy was 6ft 1, short spiky hair and had become muscular because he begun doing more sport such as baseball and football. Sheen was 5ft 9, still had the same hair and become the quarter back of the school's football team. Carl was 5ft 8, short messy hair, wore contacts and had lost weight because he was on the school's baseball team.

Libby was 5ft 8, she always had her waist length hair in very small braids with lavender purple highlights and had a figure that supermodels wanted. Cindy was 5ft 9, long blonde hair with really dark pink highlights which pasted her chest and worn up in her usual ponytail and had a figure that every girl in the school envied.

"Carl Wheezer, you'll be paired off with Britney." Carl just blushed.

"Sheen Estiveen you're with Libby Folax." Sheen would've shouted "YES!" but Libby was watching.

"And Cindy Vortex will be paired up with Nick Dean."

The inside of Cindy was exploding with excitement because she knew that this was her chance to finally get Nick but Jimmy frowned. He was jealous of Nick and was afraid that Nick may try to take Cindy away from Jimmy but he knew that Nick was enough of a gentleman not to cheat on Betty and Cindy was Jimmy's anyway so he could try his best but he thought that this project could've helped him be Cindy's boyfriend.

After class Cindy walked up to Nick and asked him what their project should be on. "So Nick, what song do you reckon we should sing for our project?"

"I don't really care. You choose."

"Well do you wanna come over to my place and pick a song with me?"

"Whatever. What time?"

"Anytime after school. Bring some cds over that you may want for this."

"Alright. C'ya later." Nick casually said and walked off to find his girlfriend.

Cindy sighed but she wasn't going to give up and began walking home because it was the end of school. She kept thinking of a song that would be perfect but nothing came into her mind. When she got home she was about to go in until she saw Humphry & Goddard running towards her.

"Hey Humphry. Hey Goddard." Cindy said and kneeled down so she could pat both of the dogs.

They had made peace a few years ago and had become friends. Cindy always laughed at this because if her dog can make peace with Neutron's dog then Cindy & Neutron could become friends too. (AN: Ok that's just plain weird but why not? It's a fanfic.)

"Goddard! There you are boy." Jimmy said as he ran over to pick up his dog.

"Hello Neutron." Cindy bitterly said.

"Good afternoon Vortex." Jimmy softly said.

"Are you looking forward to working with Quilin?" Cindy questioned but spate out Betty's last name which seemed to Jimmy that maybe Cindy was jealous of Betty. Was it because of him?

"Yes I am." He lied.

"Well I am. I'm working with Nick Dean." Cindy sighed out his name making Jimmy jealous.

"Well have you two been think of a song?" Jimmy asked with a smirk on his face.

"No. Have you?" Cindy bitterly asked.

"Yes." Jimmy honestly said making Cindy scowl.

"Well I'm gonna bet you." Cindy competivelly said.

"Oh really? Wanna make a bet then?" Jimmy asked Cindy with a glint of mischief in his blue eyes.

"Alright. What happens if I win?" Cindy asked after she stood up to face Jimmy in the eyes.

"Whatever you want."

"And if you win?"

"I'll think about it."

"Deal." And they shook hands. "Prepare to lose Neutron."

'And prepare to lose your heart, Cindy.' Jimmy thought and went back to his place with Goddard.

'I wonder what he's got in store for me.' Cindy thought but walked inside with Humphry. If Cindy won, she would make Jimmy do all of her homework for a year but she felt uneasy of what Jimmy had planned for her if he won.

"Goddard, do you think I'll be able to get Cindy's love?" Jimmy asked while they were walking up the stairs to Jimmy's room. If Jimmy won, he would take Cindy on a date but he was curious of what Cindy had planned for him if she won.

"Let the games begin." Jimmy said and looked onto the internet for the lyrics to the song that him & Betty had agreed to do for their project.

Meanwhile with Cindy...

Cindy kept looking through her cds for a good song but they all seemed inappropriate. Sighing, Cindy decided to have a shower when she got out, she put on some clothes that would attract a guy's attention but didn't make her look desperate. She put a grass-green singlet, pink baggy pants and had her hair down because she couldn't be bothered to put it up.

When the door bell rung, Cindy answered it and saw Nick who changed into some other clothes. Baggy denim jeans and a brown short-sleeved t-shirt.

"Hey Nick. Come in." Cindy said and Nick took off his black sneakers.

"Would you like a drink?" Cindy asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"Sure. Do you have any purple flurp?" Cindy chuckled at that and Nick raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny about that?"

"It's just that I remember when we were 10 and we used to drink this stuff. A lot changes. Doesn't it?"

"Yeah it does. That's sorta depressing."

"Definately. Here you go." Cindy said and handed Nick a purple flurp.

"Thanks." And he gulped it down. "I just realised something. You're not sixteen yet are you?"

"No. I'll be sixteen on Saturday. I'm having a party. You can come if you want."

"I'll see if I can."

Then it took another minute for Nick to notice that Cindy had her hair down which was one of those rare seeings so he gave a comment on it. "You look nice with your hair down."

"Huh? Oh thanks!" Cindy said giving herself a mental note to wear her hair down more often.

For the rest of the afternoon the two teenagers discussed about what song but most of the time they ended up arguing which amused Nick because he felt like Neutron. Soon Nick had to leave for dinner. "See ya 'round, Cindy."

"Bye Nick."

After he left, Cindy turned up her stereo and began writing in her diary.

Dear Diary,

Today in music Miss Johnson gave us a project. We have to enter the

music contest and I was paired off with Nick!

After school Jimmy came over to get Goddard back and he made a

bet with me. If I win I'm gonna make him do my homework for a year!

But I wonder what he's got in store for me. Who cares? I'm gonna win.

Soon Nick came over because I had asked him to and he said he

liked my hair down! So I should wear it down more often.

Everyday has always felt like a opportunity but today I've been given

one and soon Nick will be mine!

Cindy.

"Today was the best opportunity I could ever be given." Cindy said and laid on her bed to listen to her music.

End of Chapter 1.

AN: What did everyone think? This fanfic is the prequel to "Leave!" It's just about how Cindy got with Nick. Please R&R if you liked it.