AN: I got the inspiration for this one watching Much Ado About Nothing… enjoy!
The gang has been split in two since high school graduation; Cindy went to Columbia to study journalism, Libby went to Juilliard to major in music, and Carl is studying zoology at NYU. The three of them have an apartment together. Jimmy and Sheen, on the other hand, have remained in Texas. Jimmy chose to go back to Pomona, to major in astrophysics, while Sheen was at community college, studying animation. His first year results were surprisingly good; he's done well enough to transfer to a better school, if he wants to that is… Since school was out for the summer, Sheen has been reminiscing about their high school days, particularly since they've received an invite from Carl to spend the summer in the Big Apple.
"Man, Jim, can you believe it's been a YEAR?"
'Yeah, time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?'
"Fun… you call staring at your test tubes and microscopes FUN… man at least in high school you had more of a life…" Sheen's reply sounded slightly bitter, even to his own ears. A defensive Jimmy didn't seem to notice, however.
'Well… I'm getting a lot more work done now that Cindy… I mean, everyone's not here to distract me'
"Everyone, huh? I'm still here…" Sheen replies with a smirk.
A defensive Jimmy tries to change the subject. Both boys' minds, however, are thousands of miles away, in a city known as the Big Apple. They sit in silence awhile, until Jimmy breaks it.
'You know… Carl's staying with Cindy and Libby'
"Yeah… the traitor! He split up the three amigops!"
'NOT the point Sheen… Anyway he can't be having much fun with Cindy around all the time… yelling at him all day… She probably gets him to cook and clean for them, and do her homework, and…'
"Dude, she's not THAT bad…" Sheen interjects.
'She pushed me in her pool at her graduation party… right when I was about to make my move… on… Betty' Jimmy was indignant.
"You did kind of dodge a bullet with that one. Remember how she dumped Nick for Eustace last month? That could have been you, man."
'Still… the girl has permanent PMS… Carl's probably miserable over there..' a stubborn Jimmy insists.
"He's living with two gorgeous girls, in a sweet penthouse near 5th Avenue, courtesy of Cindy's mom… I hardly think he's suffering, Jim"
'I'd rather live in a rent controlled hovel than with… hey, did you say TWO gorgeous girls?'
"Yeah… you and Cindy may have had your problems, especially in high school, but we got along pretty well, and she is good looking…"
'I know Cindy's beautiful,' Jimmy gets a little dreamy when he replies 'but Libby?'
"Dude, Libby was the most gorgeous girl in school"
'Sheen… she wasn't'
"YES she was!"
Jimmy sighs, knowing that there was no way Sheen was going to back down. He'd always found Libby to be attractive enough, but she lacked that spark of intelligence mixed with mischief, and a little bit of fire that Jimmy finds irresistible. Personally, he prefers green eyes on girls, himself. He shrugs, thinking that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
'I don't know why you never asked her out in high school'
"I guess I was too busy trying to become someone… who deserved her. I had my eye on getting into college; as it was I barely got in" Sheen seems thoughtful, and a little pensive. Both are unusual for him.
'You're doing great now… you're even looking at better schools for transfers…'
"Yeah, well… we've all moved on since high school, haven't we?" The boys exchanged tired smiles, as they pull up at the airport.
Meanwhile, in New York, Cindy is NOT in the best of moods.
"Carl, sweetie," She calls in what is known as her dangerously sweet voice.
'Yes…' Carl responds nervously. He knows his housemate well, and is no stranger to her syrupy I'm going to kill you tone…
"Is there a reason why you invited Neutron to OUR house… without telling Libby or me?" her emerald eyes glint with anger.
'SHEEN'S COMING HERE?! Um… I mean… not cool, Carl,' a tentative voice chimes in.
'They are my friends… and… I … missed them… kind of' Carl mumbles a reply, not daring to look the angry blonde in the eye.
"I know this has been a hard year for you… but, you should have told us.. I'd have gone home for the summer…" Cindy softens considerably seeing her friends obvious distress.
'That's why I didn't say anything, Cin… I didn't want you to leave'
'Girl, you be trippin…' Libby comes out of her reverie to admonish her best friend.
Cindy fumes silently, while the other two, who are smart enough to know that saying ANYTHING at this point would upset her further, watch her quietly.
"So… how's Neutron doing in school, anyway? I promised I'd cook him a 5 course meal if he did better than me at college…"
'He's got a 4.0 GPA… and is on the dean's list…' Carl replied, in a slightly hard tone.
"No Nobel prize yet?" Cindy brightens up considerably.
'Girl, what is your problem? Jimmy's a great guy… a GENIUS… stuffed with all that jazz you've been saying you look for in a guy' Libby, at this point feels the need to say something.
"Exactly… he's nothing more than a stuffed man!"
'Whatever… you KNOW you always-
'THEY'RE AT THE AIRPORT' Carl interjects, after reading a text. For the last few months, he'd somehow become irritated every time Libby brought up the subject of Jimmy and Cindy. Every time, he'd find a way to head her off, and change the subject, much to Cindy's relief. She always supposed it was because Carl could sense her discomfort. Carl, on the other hand, knew otherwise…