I've been frustrated lately, mostly with myself, because I've been trying to brainstorm another story...but the well is temporarily dry, unfortunately. So instead of killing myself over something so trivial, I'm going to write another chapter. Sound good? Great.

Disclaimer: I already feel bad, damnit. Leave me alone!

Identities

Chapter 4 - Getting Some Help

Betty definitely didn't look happy when Cindy told her that Libby was going to hang out with them. Cindy didn't think it was totally fair if she just ditched Betty, despite all her flaws. So now Cindy could the truth in the saying "Three's a crowd." Because she could feel the tension between Libby and Betty, and Cindy was in the middle of it.

Betty blamed Cindy's current medical condition on her sudden relapse in judgement when it came to her friends. She'd just have to try harder to help Cindy from now on. She obviously didn't know what she was doing.

Cindy was stealthily avoiding the married man who kept following her. Ducking into the bathroom at the last second, running over to the bar and hiding behind Libby, who was helping her. She knew she should talk to him and tell him that whatever they had before her accident was over, but she was too scared.

Wait, Cindy Vortex, scared of a little confrontation? That never happens.

And when Cindy thought that it couldn't get any worse, jinxing herself in the process, it did.

She was successfully hiding between Betty and Libby, who were bickering again, when she spotted a familiar person in the entryway of the bar.

Nick.

Cindy groaned and slid down more in her seat.

Her two "friends" didn't notice.

"You don't have room to talk, Betty! You probably don't even know what her favorite color is!" Libby snorted.

Betty huffed angrily. "Yes, I do so know her favorite color! It's pink!"

"It's blue!" Libby shouted at the same time. They started at each other and then looked expectedly at Cindy. She just shrugged.

"Actually...I don't really like either."

Betty scoffed. "Blue?! What would give you that ridiculous idea?"

"Cindy told me!"

"When? Four years ago?" Betty rolled her eyes.

Libby muttered, "No. It was only three."

Cindy sighed. "Great, I've got one friend who I hang out with but doesn't know anything about me, and another girl who thinks she's my friend and knows stuff about me from like five years ago! This isn't helping me at all!"

She stalked off then, and she felt a strange sense of deja vu. Did she have a tendency to run away like had just done?

The answer is yes, Cindy.

Not even bothering to pay attention where she was walking, she ran into someone. Praying that it wasn't the mystery-married-man, she took a step back and apologized before attempting to run off again. A hand grabbed her wrist and turned her around. She sighed in relief when she saw who it was.

"Should you be here?" Nick asked.

"I'm doing fine, but thanks. Actually, I was just leaving."

Cindy was just going to turn to leave again, but then she thought of something. "Nick, do you know what my favorite color is?"

He shrugged. "Green?"

She smiled. "That sounds about right."

"So, how does it feel like to have a day off for once?" Riley asked breathlessly as he slammed the shot down on the bar.

Jimmy shrugged. "Eh, I'm kind of bored, actually. I like being at work, anyways."

Riley rolled his eyes. "You're the only one."

Jimmy smirked and just shook his head. Suddenly, he could feel the strange vibrating sensation that told him someone was calling him. Sighing, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Jimmy? How are you, dear?"

"Fine, mom. What's going on?" He worked seventy hours a week, and out of the forty-two hours that he had to spare when he wasn't sleeping or working, he was working overtime and spending time with Riley. He had lost touch with most of his friends since high school...he didn't exactly talk to Sheen or Carl much anymore. They used to try to keep up a tradition of going out to eat every week, and then every month, and then every few months, and then the tradition just stopped altogether.

Once in awhile, though, he would recieve a phone call or email from them, and he would happily respond back. Sheen was engaged to Libby, and of course he was invited to the wedding. He would do some catching up, then.

He hadn't talked to Cindy in probably over two years, and from what he had heard from Sheen, neither had Libby. He'd heard that she was living uptown with Nick and hung out with Betty Quinlan. Who used to be her worst enemy. He didn't know how much she had changed (or hadn't changed, but it was obvious she had) in the past few years, and he probably wouldn't ever know.

"Not much. Have you heard what happened to Cindy?" His mother asked casually.

"No...what happened?" She was going to tell him whether he asked or not.

"She got hit by a car!" She blurted out. Jimmy's eyes widened and he turned away from Riley's ears and eyes.

"What?! Is she okay?" He hissed.

"Oh, yes, she's fine. She just has a slight case of amnesia. And I was wondering, actually, if you would give her a call or meet up with her to talk. I think it would be great for her."

"Mom...if you haven't noticed, I haven't talked to Cindy in over two years. I doubt if my talking to her would help her much." Jimmy rolled his eyes.

"Well, of course it would! You two were pretty good friends when you were younger! Maybe it's better if you talk to her, anyway. Since you guys lost touch and all." Judy sounded smug with her victory.

Jimmy sighed. "Yeah, mom. Maybe you're right."

"Of course, dear. I know I'm right. Now hop to!" Jimmy stared at his phone. Did his own mother actually say "hop to?"

"Bye Jimmy!"

"Bye, mom."

Jimmy spun back around to his previous position. Riley looked at him with amusement with his eyes. "You know, you may be the big boss at work, but you sure can't stand up to your mom very well."

Jimmy glared at him. "You're not helping." He growled.

Riley just grinned and shrugged.

"Nick, what went wrong with us?" Cindy asked, spinning in her chair slightly.

They had left the sophisticated, classy bar for a louder, grungier sports bar. And surprisingly, she found she liked it better.

Nick had helped her a lot; telling her her favorite color (green), favorite animal (dogs), favorite food (ice cream!), and even her job (co-editor-in-chief for Cosmopolitan magazine. Yes! She even let out a little squeal with that one!), amongst other things.

Nick shrugged. "I guess the spark wasn't there anymore." He didn't exactly sound sad about it. Maybe a little nostalgic.

Cindy didn't feel sad, either. Maybe before her accident, she knew that it wouldn't have worked out. Which was good, because she didn't think she could handle a messy and emotionally-damaging break-up at the moment.

She nodded. "That's good enough for me."

He smiled.

She smiled back, looking past his shoulder momentarily. Then she did a double-take, her brows knitting together. Nick caught the look on her face and looked behind him. "What are you looking at?"

She pointed to the guy with brown hair and blue eyes, who was conversing with another guy with black hair and hazel eyes. Why did he look so familiar?

"Who is that?"

Nick leaned closer, narrowing his eyes. "Um, I think that's Jimmy Neutron."

And Cindy's heart stopped in her chest.

I hope this chapter satisfies you. I put Jimmy in here...and I tried to make it longer. I don't know if I succeeded, though. Please review!

And on a completely random note, I watched the music video for "Suddenly" by Ashley Tisdale and surprisingly very good! I like her way better than (shudders) Vanessa Ann Hudgens. She's too sweet and kind for her own good.

Anyways, I have to learn how to play my NEW ACOUSTIC GUITAR now. Later!