A/N: Please tell me about any grammar mistakes, spelling mistakes and/or anything else that you liked or didn't like. I tend to be rather meticulous when it comes to chapters, so any comments are warmly welcomed.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jimmy Neutron nor anything related to it. I didn't come up with the quote.

In the Middle of a Bench

By Dr. F. M. Obsesser

Libby always had a creative mind, whether it was used in the fields of music or in the fields of match-making. No one could deny her talent toward the two, for to do so would go against all logic. She had a natural knack for picking out couples and when it came to her friends, it was even easier to pick out the couples. It was no surprise that she was the first to notice Jimmy and Cindy's love/hate relationship, particularly the love half of it. She probably noticed it before the two lovebirds did, but that was no matter. For even if the lovebirds did know that they liked each other, they would do nothing about it; they would sit there like lame ducks hoping everything would work out for them. How naïve.

Libby knew that nothing would come out of just waiting. Someone needed to give those two a push in the right direction. A sign, a billboard, or anything that was big and sure to catch their attention to the matter at hand. Maybe a slogan along the lines of "Cindy and Jimmy, get together already!" or maybe "Cindy and Jimmy kissing in a tree and loving it!" would get the two geniuses, who were actually idiots in love, to realize that they liked each other. Then they would need a jealously plot to get them to admit it, because even if they knew it, they still wouldn't do anything about it. Then even more planning was called for, and of course it would be Libby who would have to do all the planning. It was all much too confusing.

However, Libby had found an easy way to get them together. For once, it would be a very small shove, more on cute side then romantic, no drama or anything along those lines. It would be simple yet sweet, like the perfect recipe of chocolate chip cookies. When the idea formed in her head, it didn't take long for her to put it in action. In fact, it took one day of planning. That was it; it was, without a doubt, the perfect cookie.


Libby was currently hiding in the bushes at the park, waiting for the two lovebirds to appear. She had sent both of them a note requesting them to met her at the park. The note was such:

Please come to the park bench next to the fountain at 4:15 after school today. I will wait for you there. I may be a bit late, so please sit on the bench and wait for me. By the way, I asked another person to come as well.

She then signed her name and slipped the note in each of their lockers. She knew that both would come, because they would be curious; it was human nature. She checked her watch, 4:03. She still had to wait for some time. She thought over how the entire plan would go, step by step. She had everything she needed, her shoes were tied, and if everything went as she anticipated, then the aim was dead on. Really, this was all thanks to her mom; she couldn't have done it without her...


Libby often talked to her mom about all the funny things she did when she was little. She loved to hear about the time when she started singing in the middle of her uncle's wedding or the time when she started dancing in the middle of a classical concert or even the time when she played this classical piece at a recital, and fell asleep in the middle of playing it. One of her favorite topics to talk about was all the funny things she said when she was little. One was when she asked her mom what love was.

"Mommy, what's love?" asked five year old Libby.

"What do you think it is?" replied her mom.

Libby thought a little. "Music with a good beat and a nice melody!" she replied.

Libby's mom couldn't help but chuckle.

Libby once again asked, "Mommy, what do you think love is?"

Her mom only smiled and said, "You'll know when you're older."

Libby protested, "But I wanna know now!"

Libby's mom just shook her head and chuckled as Libby walked away, pouting.

That prompted the present day Libby to always ask what her mom thought what love was. She always received the same "you'll know when you're older" response, except for the other day, when her mother finally gave her an answer. It was a quote that her mom had heard from somewhere, and she repeated it to Libby. The quote was what motivated this entire idea. Libby couldn't help but thank her mom all over again.


Jimmy was now turning the corner and arriving at the park bench. He looked around, for a sign of Libby. No one was there. He glanced quickly at his watch – 4:13 – and decided to sit down by the fountain, waiting for Libby and this mysterious person. Why was he here anyway? Libby called him, but gave no reason. He should be in his lab, he had things to do. But, he thought with a sigh, his friend called and he should go and at least check it out. But, oh, the things he had to do at home. He let his mind wander to the rest of the day, hardly noticing the footsteps behind him.

Cindy arrived at the park just a minute later and looked in the direction of the park bench. No sign of Libby. She looked around for this mysterious other person and spotted Jimmy. She instantly groaned, just imagining what Libby planned. She walked towards Jimmy, cursing Libby at the same time.

"Hey Jimmy," she said to him when she was about two feet behind him.

He flinched and quickly turned around, only to relax when seeing Cindy. He returned the greeting.

"Libby called you here too?" He asked Cindy, who nodded.

"We might as well sit down at the bench, at least then she'll see us and get this over with."

Jimmy agreed and they both walked toward the bench. He gestured to her allowing her to sit down first, him following. The two sat next to each other in the middle of the bench and began talking about the day at school.

Behind the cover of the bushes, Libby smirked. This was ideal. It was almost as if they planned this out as well. Predictable people... well, it was all to her advantage. She picked up the paper airplane at her side. She then aimed and let the paper airplane fly. It was straight on course. 3...2...1...

"OW!" yelled Jimmy in the middle of Cindy's sentence. A paper airplane just hit him on the side of the head. Cindy tried to stop herself from laughing but failed miserably, and was currently laughing up a storm. Jimmy glared at her and picked the paper airplane off the ground. He presumed that something was written inside of it. Cindy leaned on him, trying to see what was written. Her head was on his shoulder and her face was touching his.

"Come on Neutron! Open it!" she said impatiently, still slightly giggling.

Jimmy opened the airplane and turned the paper 180 degrees so that they could read what was written. He and Cindy read the note, realized their current position, began to blush bright red, and sprung apart a good five feet. A loud laughter was heard from the nearby bushes. Both slowly walked towards the amazing laughing bush, only to find Libby on the ground, laughing.

"Libby..." began Cindy threateningly. Though Libby was her best friend, she is going to get a yelling of a lifetime.

Libby stopped laughing when she noticed the fire in Cindy's eyes. She turned to Jimmy and said, "I'm going to run now."

Jimmy smiled sweetly and replied, "Smart move."

Libby got up and ran as fast as she could to get away from Cindy's wrath, a fervent Cindy followed. Shouts of help and bursts of laughing were heard for a good three blocks.


Jimmy looked at the paper still in his hand and let it drop onto the bench. He slowly walked away mumbling something about getting Libby back and setting Sheen up. What was that all about? Why did Libby do that? Did she really think that he didn't know about his feelings? Of course he recognized that he liked Cindy in... that way. But, he noted, that he didn't know that she felt the same way. Well, how could he be sure of that? She did react the same way that he did... did that mean that she felt the same thing? There was definitely the possibility. There was only one way to make sure. He would have to ask her about it. Something had to be done. He walked away in a puff, just now leaving the park. He quickly glanced back at the bench before walking home.
The unfolded paper airplane rested on the park bench, awaiting the next couple to come sit down. On the paper was Libby's mother quote.

"Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends."

Fine


A/N: In the middle of the story, I found myself rambling on with Jimmy. I later saw that not only did it not fit in with the story, but it almost lowered the cute-ness of it all... but I loved the ramblings and the last line so much. So... I decided to add it in as an extra. Enjoy!

Added bonus, ramblings that I wrote later:

Jimmy wondered how he never noticed the possibility before, or how he never even considered it. He almost took it for granted that she couldn't possibly feel the same way, because that would be unreal... impossible...unthinkable... Maybe that's why he never considered the possibility; logically, it wouldn't make sense. It still didn't make sense; why would he like her? Why would he care about what she thought of him? Why would he in the entire world care about the one girl who seemed to make his life a living hell?

He paused. He knew why. He always did. It was the only thing that never made sense. It was that one word… that one feeling… that ill-logically feeling that he swore he could never, would never feel. Love. That was it. He could never make heads or tails of it, so he disregarded it completely. Really, it was entirely possible that it was non-existent. It couldn't be proved, it couldn't be explained, but Jimmy couldn't find any other way to explain it, no other way to name the way he was feeling.

So what did Libby's plan mean to accomplish? What did it accomplish?

Nothing.

Right?

Right.

Who was he kidding? Libby did the only thing she could; make him realize, and finally admit to, the minuscule possibility that Cindy liked him back. In all reality, that was enough, should be enough. He had to take the chance to tell her, if not he could lose everything. He would go right up to her and tell her how he felt. Right now! Well... no he had...uh... something to do now... so he'll do it tomorrow! Definitely. Maybe. Highly unlikely...

Jimmy groaned, it looked like her would have to go ask Libby for help... indirectly of course. After all, it was him that told Libby's mom that quote...


A/N: I hoped you enjoyed it. This idea came to me after reading the quote on the web. Quotes are actually where I get a lot of story ideas... Anyway, I'll be out with a new One-shot... maybe a Two-shot. It's based off the idea of the movie Sliding Doors, the book "A Crack in the Line" and a school science paper. I hope you read it (when it comes out for that matter... it should be out in the middle of September... maybe earlier if school isn't too big a pain...Ciao!