A.N.: So, thanks to those reviewers! You are awesome! And, sorry I lied to you about updating last Sunday. I was planning on it, but then life happened. It is the end of the school year, meaning 500 projects soon due, and I have yet to recreate the Eiffel Tower out of popsicle sticks and create the oral presentation for it. KILL ME. I AM GOING TO SLICE MY SKIN OFF. Haha, sorry for my rant. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter and as always, do review! I appreciate it and it lets me know that I am not just wasting my life on this.
ALSO: I already had this chapter pre-written when I wrote the first chapter on my iPod, I just had to transfer it to my computer and fix the errors, italicize, and all that jazz. Meaning, it will be a little bit longer until I update again. I am so sorry about this inconvenience. I only have approximately two more weeks of school though, so I should be able to update after that is out. Thanks for reading again, and ON WITH THE STORY.
Timmy awoke to the pitter patter of rain sloshing lightly against the window pane. He stayed on his bed, momentarily confused at the stillness of the house, but recovered when he recalled the events of the previous night. He slid out of his nice warm bed, and tugged his sweat pants down to make sure they covered all the damage he had inflicted onto himself.
He quietly walked to the bathroom to change his clothes and get ready for the day. As far as he knew, Wanda and Cosmo were still asleep. His suspicions were proven true; by the time he had returned to his room, they were still nowhere in sight. He decided on making breakfast for himself.
Timmy took out the bowl, spoon, box of cereal, and the milk carton from their various homes. He poured a little bit of milk in the bowl, and opened the cereal box, dropping a few flakes in the bowl to set the scene.
There, I ate. Or so it looks.
Just as he dropped his metal eating utensil into the small plastic bowl, he was scared by a person talking.
"Morning sport!" came the female voice when they appeared as salt and pepper shakers.
Timmy jumped slightly, and plastered a smile onto his face. "Hey guys! Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"Oh you didn't. We were already awake, we just figured we'd let you sleep in as late as you wanted to. It is 7:30 in the morning. Early for you."
"So much for sleeping in right?" He forced a small laugh. "Oh, you guys can be normal by the way. The parentals are out."
The star-tipped wands appeared and a disapproving Wanda floated next to her husband. "What do you mean the parentals are out?" She questioned.
"Well obviously he means that they are not currently in the building, Wanda! Sheesh, and I'm the dumb one." The green haired fairy stated.
"I mean they're out for a few weeks. Something about a second honeymoon or the like." Timmy replied, beginning to play with the spoon as the smile faded. "Vicky was supposed to come, but we all know that won't happen." Fake a laugh. Stand up. Take your bowl and place it in the sink. Every move he made was calculated. If it wasn't, someone might see the cracks.
"Oh, I'm sorry sport. But hey we have a surprise for you!" Wanda exclaimed.
"Really?" Timmy tried to feign interest. It was probably something stupid; these days it usually was.
"No Poof weekend!" Cosmo interrupted.
"What?"
"Cosmo!"
"What? I've been holding it in all night!" Cosmo said, trying to defend himself.
"Again I say- what?" Timmy questioned, extremely confused.
"Well sweetie, we have been really busy lately with Poof starting school and some other business up in Fairy World, and we know we haven't been exactly there for you lately," Wanda began.
That's an understatement.
"And we thought it would be a good if we had a weekend just the three of us, like it used to be." Cosmo finished. "So we dropped Poof off at Mama Cosma's house last night!"
It all made sense to Timmy, and for the first time in a long time a, albeit small, but nonetheless genuine smile graced his features. "Awesome! Well what are we going to do?"
"Whatever you want!" They both shouted, sounding so enthusiastic.
Timmy spent the first half of the day just goofing off with the two. Playing random board games, video games, staging a reenactment of war.
But it was at one in the afternoon when reality reared its ugly head.
The three were having fun with a serious pillow fight when Wanda's phone rang. She quickly looked at the I.D. and answered. She spoke quickly and quietly into the device, and soon she hung up. By the look on her face, Timmy knew the happiness he believed to be true was soon going to be a far off memory.
"Timmy, I'm sorry but something is wrong with Poof. We need to go check on him right now." Wanda said, sadness and worry for her son filling her eyes.
Timmy faked a smile. "Oh it's fine. Go ahead."
"Timmy-" Wanda began, the voice wet with worry.
"Wanda."
"Do you want to come with us?" Cosmo asked, unknowingly interrupting the start of a banter.
The teen knew how much extra magic it took for fairies to transport a human to their world. He quickly shook his head a smiled wider. "It's fine. Go. Make sure he's okay. Bring him on home. You guys have given me the best-" he checked his watch. "Five hours a kid could ask for."
"Oh, sport." Wanda's voice drifted off, somehow sensing the disappointment.
I need to act better. NOW.
He laughed. "Oh, Wanda," he started, mocking her. "Go get my God brother. It is seriously okay. I don't mind. I never do." He did not mean to let that last part slip, but there was no going back now.
"Okay, if you're sure. We'll be back as soon as we can." And with that final word from Wanda, they raised their wands and poofed away.
Timmy plopped down on his desk chair and began to look over the mound of homework he had accumulated over the past few days. Most of it wasn't even that hard- he truly was a smart kid; Crocker was just the only bad teacher who failed him for no reason. Now that he was in high school he had four classes one day and four classes the next. They rotated every other day.
Crocker was the teacher of only two of them.
It was then Timmy remembered a quote from a story he read in his English class.
He picked up his pencil and began playing with it. "'When you're me, you learn to live from one scarce rich moment to the next, no matter the distance between. You become like a camel in a vast scorched desert dotted with precious few oases, storing those cool blessed watery moments in your hump, assuring survival until you stumble upon the rest.'" He recited aloud. "Man, I feel ya pal." He inputted his opinion as he threw his pencil on the desk and dropping his head in defeat. "I'm hungry." He then realized what he said. "And I'm talking to myself."
Food is nasty anyway. You are fine.
He sighed and began his homework. So much for a relaxing weekend. He popped a single headphone in and got to work.
Not even thirty minutes later the married couple returned. Timmy was still hunched over his desk, knee deep in homework.
"We're back!" They both yelled in joy. Timmy jumped a little, but made no move to make eye contact. After mumbling a "hey", he went back to the Geometry glaring at him.
SOH-CAH-TOA. Sine equals opposite over hypotenuse. Cosine equals adjacent over hypotenuse. Tangent equals opposite over adjacent. That kept repeating in his head.
"Poof was fine; we just forgot to give him his blanket." Wanda told.
"Yeah, I remember when I was that age-" Cosmo started ranting. Timmy was ignoring, and Wanda was getting concerned. She floated towards him and sat next to his face.
"Hey, why don't you just wish it done? I'm sure if it's a rule, breaking it would not be THAT big of a deal."
Wanda? Talking about rule breaking? She knows. I need to act.
He sat up straighter and started looking like he was deeply involved with his homework.
But- I don't want to pretend anymore.
The inner turmoil was eating him alive.
Should I tell?
No. Are you really THAT freaking idiotic? You need me.
No, actually I don't.
Uh yes, actually you do. You tell them something, they figure out EVERYTHING. You don't want to give me up do you? No, you don't. You can't live without me. I am apart of you. You need me. Just like you need your blade.
You're a demon. You're a MONSTER.
No Timmy. Look in the mirror. YOU ARE THE MONSTER.
The snapping in half of his mechanical pencil brought him back to the present, and the red sticky substance was now bubbling up on his hand. He made no move to do anything about it, just sat and watched it drip slowly down his wrist. There was a feminine gasp of his name, and the now monotonous voice of Cosmo had ceased.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a wand being raised. "Stop." He commanded, not taking his eyes off his injured palm. "Let it go."
"Timmy!" They scolded.
"Hey, I've done worse." He had had enough.
"What do you mean?" Cosmo was the first to ask.
He laughed a small, sick and twisted laugh. "What do you think I mean?" He pushed his chair back and lifted up both of his legs, pulling up his sweat pant legs to show the damage. No going back.
He heard the gasps and the "oh no's", and the "Timmy's", and all the other things that shock makes people say. "Drink it in."
After he allowed them to stare for a solid ten seconds, Timmy pulled his legs off and jumped up off the desk chair, nearly knocking the floating people out of the way. Rage surged through him, and he ripped his hands across his desk, scattering textbooks and papers the like on the floor. "I QUIT!" The boy shouted. He raked his fingers through his hair as he began pacing to the center of the room.
To Timmy, time seemed to never end. He had been pacing for only a mere thirty seconds, but it felt as if hours had paced. He finally stopped and glanced up to see the two people who were the world to him; Wanda was trembling with muffled sobs as she clung onto her husband and his shirt for dear life in an embrace, and Cosmos embraced her back, still facing Timmy. Although his godfathers face was completely drained of any emotion, the godchild watched as tear after silent tear streamed slowly down his face. Was it shock? Disappointment? Shame? Timmy couldn't quite place his finger on it.
Timmy swallowed hard. "Say something." He tried to remain strong, but that crack ruined his façade. "Please."
Cosmos eyes dropped and a wand came out. Timmy spun around to look at his fish bowl just in time to see the two golden "animals" appear, and retreat into their castle home just as hastily.
He ran over to the side table and dropped to his knees. He let all of his emotions out. He did not care anymore. "Guys, please." He sobbed quietly. "Please, please, please. I am so sorry. Please, I don't mean to be a disappointment." The young, shaking body began rocking back and forth. "Please- I can't do this without you."