Disclaimer: Another day passes, another day I don't own Jimmy Neutron… But fortunately for me I do own some of his awesome inventions…. Like one of the ones in this upcoming chapter!
A.N. So I'm just going to stop apologizing for writing long chapters since you all like them so much, but I am going to apologize for taking forever with this chapter. It should be worth the wait. Enjoy!
Cindy's POV
He should have known better than to make the two smartest people in town angry. He should have known now that Jimmy and I were together, anything he did further to make one of us mad would just antagonize the other. He should have known we would get even some way. He knew the two of us; had known the two of us for how long now? He should have known Jimmy would never let him get away with what he had done; that I would have sought out the perfect way to make him pay. Our newfound symbiotic nature wouldn't allow for anything different. Pull on the tiger's tail, and he would find himself face to face with the claws and teeth.
The phrase "head for the hills" had never applied more in this case. Knowing what an unstoppable force the two of us were, like Ultra Lord and Jet Fusion, both with their own respective abilities, gadgets, and talents, he should have skipped town, defected to Canada, something. He should have run screaming for his mommy, but then again when had Sheen Estevez done anything he should have done?
Jimmy and I had been carefully laying out the framework for a great prank, and how Sheen never guessed that something was afoot just gave homage to the raging cluelessness of our childhood playmate. Finally, after months of prepping, going over my lines, the time had come to avenge my sullied name and have a few more laughs at Sheen's expense. It was now Sheen's time to pay the piper.
Libby and I were waiting patiently for Jimmy to pick us up in the limo he rented especially for the night. Really Libby was waiting patiently. I, on the other hand, fidgeted with my outfit, straightening nonexistent wrinkles and picking off imaginary fuzz from the shimmery fabric of my top.
"Girl would you calm down? Jimmy said seven. It's only quarter 'til," Libby scolded me. "You're gonna pick that shirt to death, which is a real shame, cause that halter is slammin'. Where'd you get it anyway? I don't remember seein' it before."
"Oh, Jimmy made it," I commented offhandedly. Libby gave me a severely weird-ed out look, so I explained further…
A Few Days Previous
"I call it the Neutronic Embryonic Sound Muffler, or NESM for short," Jimmy held up a black swath of fabric that resembled a halter-top that I once owned.
"NESM??? Wha-What?!" my confused mien urged him to clarify his newest invention.
"Libby's gift reminded me a few weeks ago that embryonic fluid is a good conductor of sound and that sounds any higher than 70 decibels could possibly be over stimulating or even harmful for the baby. The music at the club is going to be much louder. I didn't want anything to happen to Baby N, so I made this."
"What does it do?" I felt one eyebrow rise skeptically.
"Basically any noise over 69 decibels is filtered out through a compacted system of dampeners, discordant melodies as well. It took me a couple days to figure out how to convert the acoustical absorption qualities from the Acoustivac and turn them into a wearable form."
"You mean the same Acoustivac you used to suck up the song that took Libby, Britney, and me a week to write?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.
"Yeah that one," he gave me a shifty look and chuckled. "Anyway I tested it on myself this time. I'm not leaving anything up to chance."
"Ok, but you're sure it'll work, you know without blowing up or anything?" I queried, still slightly trepidatious.
"Cin, this model's been ready for over two weeks. If it wasn't working at one hundred percent efficiency there would be no way that I would let it near you or the baby."
"So how much sleep did you lose over this one?" I sighed softly.
I must have caught him off guard, because he answered me candidly saying, "Nothing more than I would have over the…" before he stopped and blushed.
"Thought so," I scowled at him. "Jimmy, I swear sometimes you're going to irritate me to death. You need to sleep. You know very well that I am perfectly fine at Libby's each night. I thought you told Carl that you found a way to disprove your nightmares using… What was it again?"
"Non-Euclidean geometry," he supplied lamely, shaking his head. "But that was eons ago, and these dreams are far more realistic than any others that I've ever had," he whined. "The only time I haven't been able to recall my dreams was that one time I was with you."
I waved a hand in his face to stop him and rhetorically asked, "I'm just going to have to sleep with you for the rest of our lives, aren't I?"
Though my sarcasm was apparent, his face instantly brightened. His eyebrows shot to his hairline and his eyes danced with a wicked gleam. I playfully slapped his chest and cut him off before he could make a comment.
"Oh you know what I mean, you nerd!"
"Maybe I do, and maybe I don't," he chuckled and wrapped his arms around my back. I threw him a half smile that broke into a full grin as Jimmy leaned down to kiss me on my neck.
"How'd you make this anyway?" I asked quickly, trying to change the subject before it led to more concupiscent topics or activities.
"I had Libby send me a couple patterns for a shirt, as well as your measurements from the tailor, and I picked out one that I thought would look the best,"
"And you sewed it yourself?" I asked in mocking astonishment, placing my hand delicately against my heart. "Jimmy Neutron, boy seamstress. I never imagined." I snorted as he shook his head vehemently.
"No, that would be Vox. All I did was input your proportions, and the blueprints. I kind of borrowed the concept from your Sweatsock Transmogrifier from that science fair you got me kicked out of… 'Ban This Brain and Ease Our Pain' were your words I believe."
My hands shoved myself from his embrace. My eyes narrowed into slits and I made a scathing noise at the back of my throat.
"Wait you're telling me that you stole my idea and used it for your own nefarious purposes."
"When you put it that way…"
"Oh I will put it that way!" I shouted, jabbing my finger accusingly into his torso. "You stole my idea!"
"I would hardly call making something charitable and altruistic for my child and girlfriend nefarious. Cin, think of it as a compliment. You invented something truly remarkable. It was an imposing design that you created, not me. It was formidable enough to backwards engineer the blasted thing after you chipped off a piece of the internal circuit breaker when you threw it in the…"
"You went through my garbage!" I shrieked incensed.
"You threw it away… It was out on the curb… One man's trash…" came his self-justifying response.
"I only threw it out cause it didn't win."
"You came close," he whispered as though to soothe me.
"Yeah, 'til your stupid invention nearly killed those people. It was my quick thinking that saved them, and did anybody thank me? Give me an award for rescuing them? Noooooo. Instead I remember a certain smug smart mouthed genius taunting me about the fact that they only bestow those accolades to the same genius who nearly destroys the town every other week."
Knowing that this was sacred ground being tread on Jimmy chose to take the higher road. Instead of rising to my prepubescent goading, he held up his hands in surrender and apologized feebly.
"I'm sorry?"
I placed my head in my hands and shook it back and forth slowly, endeavoring to lower my blood pressure and calm myself. I took a few deep breaths trying to center myself before scrutinizing his face again.
"Well," I sighed, still irked, but only minutely so, "It's not like you patented it and sold it en masse…" I trailed off taking in his visage. "You didn't!"
Guilt had practically taken up billboard space on his face, complete with the neon lighting. Pupils dilated in fear, he retreated across the room to stand behind the couch, thinking that the furnishing would supply him with an adequate amount of room for a head start incase I decided that pulverizing him was the best possible solution for releasing my outrage.
"N-n-n-n-now Cin…" he stammered.
"Don't you 'now Cindy' me," I rounded on him. "You patented my invention! That was my invention. Mine! You already have so many. It's not fair. I have one good idea and you steal it."
Angry tears welled up in my eyes and spilled over. Jimmy, stunned for a moment at my capriciousness, quickly closed the gap between us and pulled me into tight yet comforting hug as I sobbed into his chest.
"I know," he said, quietly stroking my hair, "I know. We switched bodies remember? All those years of an overbearing mother who pushed you to unattainable perfection in conjunction with direct competition with an arrogant genius forcing you to be second best. Not to mention the variations in the chemical substances being secreted by your endocrine gland due to your gestational status. You don't have to explain, sweetheart; I know, and I'm sorry. It's not copyrighted under my name anyway. I submitted the application using your name. I was going to tell you, I swear. I just didn't know how to do it without making you mad."
"Oh," I sniffled. "You could have just told me."
"I meant to, I just never found the right moment,"
"How long ago did you patent it?"
"After your mom kicked you out. The day after you told me about the baby. I couldn't have you two living like paupers, and I knew you wouldn't readily accept charity, no matter how honorable my intentions. I figured if you made the money from something you invented then you'd be more apt to take it. You've made a pretty penny with too. Significantly more than my last invention, I might point out. Maybe you should be the inventor of the family then."
"Only if you can be the pregnant emotional wreck," I gave a watery chuckle.
"So wait," Libby shook an accusing finger at me when I finished. "You're tellin' me that Jimmy sold somethin' you invented and now you're loaded? Sheen and I betta be gettin' somethin' expensive for our wedding."
"Jimmy and I already got you something awesome, and I fully intend to pay you back for all the clothes you bought me."
"You shoulda told me sooner girl."
"Sorry I've been preoccupied with things lately," I apologized, peering out through the curtains for the tenth time.
"You mean you've been too busy makin' out with Jimmy," she smirked, causing me to blush furiously.
"Hey look the boys are here!" I called, quickly running to the door to answer it.
"How convenient," Libby muttered.
I threw open the door to see Jimmy shoving Sheen, who wore a bright purple blindfold over his eyes, up the sidewalk. A very bewildered Carl shuffled behind them. They stopped only a few feet outside the door and I stifled a giggle. Carl looked at me, uncertainty written across his face. I held a finger to my lips, hoping that he would catch the drift and keep quiet, but poor Carl still hadn't learned to keep his mouth shut.
"Ji-Ji-Jimmy" Carl stuttered, finally voicing his confusion. "I thought we were going out tonight."
"We are," Jimmy responded casually, nudging Sheen a few feet further.
"Then why are we…"
"Carl! Shut it! It's a surprise."
"Alright! It's been my life long dream to be kidnapped! Now what are we doing? Wait I know! We're at the tattoo parlor! I wanna get 'Libbylicious' across my arm."
"Dream on, lover-boy. That ain't gonna happen," Libby snapped.
"Libby?" he asked flabbergasted. He ripped off the blindfold to gape at the two of us. Melodramatically he clutched his hands to his chest and pretended to swoon at the sight, stumbling back into Jimmy, who shoved him playfully.
"Ay dios mio!" Sheen blurted out, elbowing Jimmy in the ribs, "Check out those mamacitias. I knew you said we were meeting up with some hot chicks later, but I didn't realize you meant these two, cause I ain't ever seen Libby, or Cindy for that matter, look so spicy. Are they coming too?"
"Of course we're coming out with you, you big dunce," I laughed, blushing at his compliment.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go! The wolf is back on the prowl! Aooow!!!" Sheen howled.
Jimmy turned to me and gave me a secret look that I knew meant, "Remind me again why he's one of my best friends?" I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed my jacket and their wedding present. The five of us walked out of the apartment. After we climbed into the limousine, Jimmy threw his arm around my shoulders gently.
"I forgot to say how beautiful you really are," Jimmy gazed down at me. Sincerity rang throughout his voice.
"I'm just wearing my black slacks and that NESM thing." I rolled my eyes.
"Vortex, you make sweats look sexy," he replied, making me blush.
"You're not so bad looking yourself, Neutron," I replied, winking at him. "Though your choice in wardrobe…"
"Hey!" he cried indignantly, "I dressed up tonight!"
Really he had, but I couldn't resist giving him a hard time about it. He wore a button down shirt that I bought him as a belated birthday gift and a pair of nice jeans
"Oh and I especially love it when you haven't shaved in days and your hobo beard comes back, Crazy Louie," I added unable to resist.
I ran a finger over his cheek, pretending to feel thick stubble on his clean-shaven face. Grinning ear to ear, he batted my finger away.
"Stop that."
"Stop what? Asking you to open coconuts for me? Ooh! Coconut sounds good right about now. Do you think they'll have anything on the menu that has some, or do you think we'll have to special order it? You could always offer to be the one to open them, so they don't have to go out and buy any special equipment."
"Vortex," he growled playfully.
"Yes, Louie, I mean Jimmy?"
He tilted my chin towards him and looked me in the eye. "Stop it," he insisted again, and pressed a firm kiss against my lips.
"I love it when you end our arguments like that," I told him with a wicked grin when he finally broke the kiss.
"I know," he admitted, quickly lifting his eyebrows to emphasize his point, "That's why I do it."
Stepping out of the limo you could tell that it was going to be an interesting night, one of memories and laughter. Something about the way the air tasted, the electric current that flowed through the air (though that may have just been the normal tingles that I got when holding Jimmy's hand) the way the stars shown in the cloudless Texas sky, the vast and endless expanse of obsidian flecked with a myriad of shattered pieces of a broken mirror refracting the light of the distant stars just for our benefit, all seemed to foreshadow the adventures of the night.
Even though the club wasn't the swankiest place, it was crowded, but that was also typical. As the only club in the greater Retroville area that didn't serve alcohol, the youth practically flooded the doors on a Friday night. People were pressed into the sides of the walls, but mercifully Jimmy's reputation, and the roll of bills he slipped to the man at the door when he thought none of us were looking, got us a private secluded booth near the far back of the establishment. Really I had to roll my eyes at his audacity, and I stored it into my memory banks to give him a hard time about it when we got home that night.
Insisting that the guys stay at the table, Libby and I took their orders and then walked to the counter.
"Libbs, I forgot to tell you," I shouted above the din of the music. "If Sheen hits on any girls tonight, let me take care of it."
"What? Why?" she eyed me uneasily over her shoulder. "Is this part of your big…"
"It's for the benefit for all," I cut her off.
"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to enjoy this?"
I shared a smile with her as we placed our order. A few minutes later, laden down with our snacks, we returned to the table. We set it down in the center, both of us unable to remember who had requested what, save our own dinner.
"I beat myself at checkers once," Sheen told Carl and Jimmy, proudly pointing to his chest as though the honor was one of the best he had ever been bestowed.
Bewildered, Libby and I exchanged glances. What conversation had we missed in the ten minutes time it took us to get the food and drinks that led up to this comment? I looked to Jimmy for an answer, but he shrugged his shoulders indifferently.
"That's cause you let yourself win," Jimmy commented, and moved his arm to make room for me in the seat next to him.
"Yeah well I was feeling sorry for him," admitted Sheen with a sheepish expression on his face.
"Ooooookay…" I said, changing the subject. "Let's eat."
I reached for my plate of food, slapping Carl's hand away from my chili-cheese fries in the process.
"Are you sure you should be eating that?" Jimmy interrupted, indicating the French fry covered in layers of gooey cheese and chili that I had just picked up.
"Yes," I snapped lightly and nodded my head at him. "You read the studies too. The latest one I read says that you should give into your cravings and this is exactly what the doctor ordered." I popped the fry into my mouth and smirked at him.
"Yeah! Jeeze Jimmy, you should know better than that!" Sheen exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air. "She's pregnant, not fat!"
"Sheen!" Carl whispered, seeing the looks on both Libby's face and mine.
"I know what article you're quoting and I can name five off the top of my head that disprove that preposterous theory. I've read at least twelve that state that pregnancy cravings are linked to the emotional wellbeing of the mother," Jimmy calmly replied, effectively diverting my attention away from Sheen's comment. He pulled the plate of fries out of arm's reach.
"Whatever!" I crossed my arms across my chest. "I just want my fries."
I felt my face fall and I was sure that I must have looked like a spoiled child that hadn't gotten her way as I pouted over my pilfered snack.
"You sure you just don't need a hug?" he asked with a knowing expression.
Placing one finger on my jawbone, just underneath my ear, I pretended to think for a moment and then responded, "I'll take one of those, but only if I can get a kiss too."
"You're greedy tonight," Jimmy could barely contain his smirk.
"Oh I am," I murmured, scooting my body closer to his.
"Well if you insist."
He carefully wrapped his arms around me and planted a passionate kiss on my lips. Pretending to reach around his back to pull him closer, I leaned into his body more, and quickly snatched the plate back from where he had placed it. Smugly smiling at my craftiness, I pulled away and delicately placed another fry into my mouth.
"You…" Jimmy griped, flabbergasted at my shamelessness.
I kissed him again on the cheek and whispered, "Don't ever stand between a Vortex and what she wants. You of all people should know by now, I play dirty."
"I don't know which I liked better," Sheen nudged Carl, "Jimmy and Cindy going at it, or them going at it."
"Uhh…" Carl muttered, knowing if he said anything he'd probably get beaten up.
"Speaking of going at it. Carlito, when are you going to find yourself a woman?" Sheen exclaimed, changing the subject. "I mean you've been single like forever."
"Nuh uh." Carl protested, blushing, "I dated Elkie for a while."
"For like two weeks!"
"Yeah but they were the best two weeks of my life."
"Dude that was like five years ago! There are plenty of other chica's in the sea. You're gonna have to get over her sooner or later!"
"I am over her!" Carl crossed his arms across his chest defensively.
"Yeah that's why you cried when she said she couldn't come to the wedding with you. Seriously man we need to find you someone to take to the wedding!"
"I'll be fine Sheen. I'll just hang out with Jimmy and Cindy,"
"Uh…" Jimmy muttered, but Sheen quickly interrupted him.
"Those two are not going to want to baby-sit you the whole time, Carl! I mean, look over there at those two," Sheen pointed to a couple of striking girls across the dance floor. "I bet you could get them with one hand tied behind your back."
"I dunno…"
"You're going to have to put a rush order on that, Sheen. The wedding's in…" Jimmy turned his wrist to consult his watch. "Six days, 17 hours, and 23 minutes."
I rolled my eyes and nudged Jimmy softly with my elbow. "Leave it to you to be exact about everything"
"Hey, I can't help it if I like to be precise," he shrugged his shoulders with a crooked grin.
"Alright! Let's get going!" Sheen called, ignoring the exchange between Jimmy and me.
"Sheen… I don't… I'm not…" Carl stuttered.
Sheen thought for a moment and then snapped his fingers, "I got it! I'll be your wingman."
"I'm not really comfortable with…"
Still Sheen tuned out Carl's protests, "I'll go talk you up to those chicas and then you can come over and buy them a couple of drinks."
"Sheen. No," but Carl's objections fell on deaf ears as Sheen stood and walked over to the dance floor.
"They'll be putty in your hands when I get done with them, Carlito," he called over his shoulder as he left.
Both Carl and Libby made motions to get up to stop him, but I quickly shook my head.
With Sheen now out of earshot, I leaned over to the two of them to whisper, "Just wait."
The four of us watched as Sheen smoothly approached the pair of young women he pointed out earlier. He tapped one on her bare shoulder and almost as one the two, both brunettes, turned to face him. From our position we could see they were dressed alike.
"Twins," Libby muttered under her breath and buried her face in her hands. "My worst nightmare."
She peeked an eye through her hands. I could tell that she was on the verge of panicking as the two carefully wound themselves, like cats, around Sheen's muscular body.
"Cindy," she muttered my name in almost a growl. "You had better have something spectacular planned after this."
Libby placed both hands onto the table as if to either brace herself so she could jump up before things went too far, or to restrain herself, I couldn't tell which. I reached across the table and pried one hand from its death grip.
"Not long now," I murmured, and I was right.
Jimmy flicked a finger at me; giving me the silent signal, like we rehearsed, but I didn't need it. Libby, I could tell, had reached her boiling point, watching the twins caress and fondle her irresponsibly flirtatious husband-to-be, and if I didn't do something quickly, not only would all of our scheming be for naught, but there might not be a wedding after all. I jumped to me feet, as fast as any 8-months pregnant woman could and stalked over to Sheen with an angry scowl on my face.
"Oh Sheen, you're so nice," one of them cooed as she ran a finger down the side of his neck to his chest.
"Yeah Sheen, it's so kind of you to do this for your friend," the other one added.
I marched up to him and grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around domineeringly. One of the girls, the one with honey blond highlights that I hadn't been able to see from our table, played with his earlobe, or had been until he wheeled around to face me. For a tenth of a second his face held the look of a puppy who was being petted and loved on, but that instantly disappeared when he took in my frightening face.
"Sheen Juarerra Estevez!" I shouted in a picture of perfect irascibility.
I watched him gulp and steel himself for whatever browbeating he thought was coming next.
"You tell me that you're just going to 'step out for milk' and I find you here schmoozing here with these hussies. Meanwhile, I had to drop our other two kids off at my sisters!"
I placed my hands on my hips, angling them differently than I normally would to emphasis my still small, but obviously pregnant belly. The flashing lights of the club sparkled and danced on the fabric of the shirt. It played a multicolor horror show upon the black material and I secretly applauded Jimmy for coming up with something so brilliant, even if he did steal parts of it from me.
'I will definitely reward him for that,' I thought, still keeping on my mask of rage.
"What do you have to say for yourself?!" I demanded.
"I-I-I-I," he stammered, completely caught off guard.
"Well?" I asked, beginning to shake with what appeared to be anger, but in reality was pent up mirth.
"Yes Sheen," the highlighted one began…
"Tell us," her sister finished.
"I-I-I-I."
"I-I-I-I," I stuttered, mocking him. "I can't believe you would do this to me, again! After all I've done for you! Bailing you out of jail, paying off your bookie, bearing your two, now three children, ironing your underwear because that's the way you wanted it."
By this time tears had begun to stream down my face, smearing the mascara I bought because I knew it wasn't waterproof. I was making a spectacle of myself, and I knew it, but if it ended Sheen's comments and possibly put a halt to his womanizing ways, it was well worth it.
"Three children?" the darker of the two turned to face him and crossed her arms across her chest.
"Bailed out of jail?" the other mirrored her stance.
"Ironing your underwear?" they asked in unison and one following the other, the two women slapped him across the face. One hand to each cheek, Sheen's face had perfectly matching handprints on either side of his face.
Spinning on my heel, I attempted to stalk back to the table.
"Cindy, dear," Sheen growled. Obviously the slaps had knocked his speech abilities back into gear. "May I have a word with you?"
He placed two hands on my shoulders, but I quickly shrugged him off. He moved to grab me again, but the twins, taking pity on the "unfortunate pregnant Cindy" shoved him back away from me.
"Nuh uh!" one said.
"Don't you think you've done enough to this poor girl?"
Internally I smiled and laughed, the plan going better than Jimmy or I ever thought possible. The stars must have aligned to have things go so perfectly. It was almost like someone had preordained it.
"She's not my… I'm not the baby's…" he scrambled to find some sort of defense that wouldn't earn him another blow.
"No! I don't think so!" one of the girls waved a finger at him and picked up her drink with her other hand. She launched the liquid at him. It splashed across the countertop as it ricocheted off his face. The other scantily dressed girl took her beverage as well and Sheen watched in disbelief as she poured it over his head, drawing out the process at a painstakingly slow speed. The combined purple and orange fizzy soda stained rivulets down the white fabric.
"Fine!" he finally relented and stormed off towards the bathroom to clean up his clothes. "We'll deal wit this later," he growled as he passed me.
"Will you be alright, honey?" one of them asked me.
I nodded quickly, eager to get back to my friends, and slipped into the crowd. I took a longer route to the table so that the girls, who had unknowingly played the best part in our revenge plot, wouldn't notice that I stayed in the club. When I made it back to the table, I paused. Carl looked, for lack of a better word, traumatized. His eyes were wide in shock and his mouth gaped open and closed like a fish breathing underwater. No words came from his speechless mouth. Tears of exhilaration rolled down Libby's cheeks, unchecked, and her shoulders bounced up and down, shaking with uncontainable giggles. Jimmy clutched his stomach and bent over the table, laughing. His forehead was so close to the table that as he laughed it banged lightly into it several times.
"I… I… Love you!" Libby giggled.
"That. Was. Masterful." Jimmy sat up and pulled me back into the booth next to him. "You were brilliant!"
"Thank you, thank you," I made an awkward bowing motion due to the baby and the table blocking my way.
"Yeah, thanks a lot!" Sheen muttered returning to the table at last.
His shirt was still damp. The stains blurred together in several places, but there would be no hope for saving the garment.
"What was that about?!" he demanded, throwing himself down next to Libby, who still quivered.
I smiled at him sweetly and answered in a honeyed tone, "Maybe next time you'll think twice about making fun of our sex life."
"Or hitting on other girls, even if it's for someone else," Jimmy added.
"You! You knew about this!" Sheen rounded on him.
"Of course I did. Who do you think came up with it in the first place?"
Sheen looked disparagingly across the table and began to scold him, "Jimmy! For shame! Bro's before…"
"Sheen, don't you dare finish that sentence," Libby nudged him in the ribs.
"You should consider yourself lucky," Carl nodded his head, finally regaining his speech. "Jimmy could have just turned her loose and let her pound you into guacamole."
"Hey! I never pounded anyone into guacamole!" I interjected.
"No, you just threatened to do it," Jimmy leaned close and kissed me lightly on the forehead.
"Hey Cin," Libby shoved Sheen from the booth and stood up. "Come with me to fix my makeup. Your mascara's runnin' and mine's probably doin' the same."
I nodded, pressed a kiss on to Jimmy's cheek, and followed her, saying, "Be back in a minute."
Approximately 10 minutes later
"Cindy?!" Jimmy's voice called from my wrist. I looked down at the charm bracelet that had yet to leave my wrist since he gave it to me. It was the first time he had actually used it other than to let me know he arrived safely at his house each night, and I was startled by the raw panic in his voice. "Cindy! Damn it woman! Where the hell are you?!"
"I'm in the bathroom, Jimmy. Calm down. I've been gone for like five minutes."
"I will not calm down!" his voice echoed through the room as he burst through the door.
A few of the women in the bathroom shrieked as he barged his way through the crowd to get to me. He latched onto my arm and began dragging me from the spot where I had been attempting to fix my makeup. His nails dug into my skin.
"Ow," I winced and tried to pull myself from his grasp. "You're hurting me."
"Sorry," he apologized curtly, and adjusted his grip, sliding his hands up my arms and steering me towards the exit on the other side of the club.
"Jimmy what's going on?"
"We're leaving."
"What!? Why?" I spun around to face him and planted my feet firmly. I wasn't going to leave without a fight, or at least a valid reason. "We just got started and they haven't even….
"Strych is back," he cut me off tersely.
I felt all the blood drain out of my face. My knees buckled and Jimmy barely caught me in time as I swooned. His words followed me into oblivion, repeating over and over again as I slipped into unconsciousness.
Strych is back... Strych is back... Strych is back…
