Chapter Three

Hallway Fun

Jimmy picked up the copy farthest away from him, seeing as how Cindy was behind him at the time; they should be in that order… should. Jimmy scanned over the first paragraph, hmmm, a lil different than I remember. Jimmy thought. He read the rest of the paper; it wasn't till he had gotten to the bottom, that he realized that the reason it wasn't exactly as her remembered was it was not his. At the bottom of the page, written in writing clear as can be, and beautifully planned cursive, were the word, 'Love always, Cindy Vortex.' After about 30 seconds after finishing the letter, he realized what that meant; each of them had grabbed an almost exact replica of what they had written.

Cindy realized she had Jimmy's paper by the end of the first paragraph, but her curiosity got the best of her and she read the whole thing. Amazing, Cindy thought. This is almost word for word what I wrote; maybe it is mine after all. That thought was erased from her head as soon as she saw the neatly and carefully planned penmanship of Jimmy's signature, only in the middle of the atom, where the round nucleus was usually found, Jimmy had drawn a heart shaped nucleus. A sense of humor, and artistic, perfect, as usual, Cindy thought to herself, this time making sure her smile stayed in her head.

"I think this is yours." Jimmy said handing Cindy back her copy.

"And this would be yours? Cute, who'd you write it to?"

"It's not really to anyone. Last week at church we were told to write a list of qualities we wanted our future spouse to have. I guess in the end mine turned out to be a letter written to that person, of course sticking to the purpose of the assignment and telling her what I liked about her. Who's yours written too?"

He'd never believe it if I said Nick, would he, I mean there's a lot of clues in there as to who it's about, or to, but I can't just say I wrote it for him, that would be, well weird! "Well, like yours mine was written to someone special. It was suppose to be addressed to my first love, and he was supposed to be the only one to read it, but you kind of ruined that didn't you?" Congratulations, first lie that you don't know whom it's written about or to, then blame him for messing everything up when you know he's exactly the only person you ever wanted to see the letter. "Wanna hear something funny?"

"Sure, why not?"

"It's just that girl that you described in your letter, well, she sounds a lot like someone I know."

So she knows, that's great, now I don't have to worry about actually having that talk. Wait, she sounds to cool, has to be a trick, or she could think it is talking about Libby, Brittany, Stacey, Dani, Shayna or Shelby. Nah, she's smarter than that, I mean honestly none of the descriptions describe anyone in her little pose but her. "Really? Like who?" Jimmy said opening his locker.

Should I say it? I could say it sounded like one of the girls in my group, but which one? Shayna, well Jimmy gets along great with her. Stacey, Dani and Libby all have brown eyes so I have no idea how those could 'sparkle like emeralds.' Shelby, has potential, but isn't almost as smart as Jimmy is. That leaves Brittany but she doesn't even talk to Jimmy… okay looks as if not even my girls can help me on this one. "Well, I guess it sounds a little like me."

So she has a tiny hint, should that mean anything? I mean, even if it is in the right train of thought? Or…could we play a lil game of hard to get, that's what we've been doing our whole lives anyways, right? At least I know I have been playing hard-to-get, cat and mouse, whatever you wanna call it, so let's use a lil mind play, could be fun. "Well, I wouldn't say yours doesn't sound like me, cause it kinda does."

Is he trying to play mind games or is he seriously trying to get somewhere?

"However, we both know neither of those notes were wrote with a single person in mind, and they especially weren't wrote for each other. Even though I have no clue how you could possibly write a note to a person you don't know with such vivid descriptions."

Unquestionably he's using mind play. I can play that game too, haven't I done it my whole life? "Well, James Neutron, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were purposely playing with my mind, but that is so not like you."

"And if I was?" Jimmy said closing his locker.

This could get fun! "Well, that was no longer mind play right there, what you just said, could be considered flirting."

Is to… kinda. Man she's good! "Cindy, do I look like someone who would flirt with you?"

Man, back to the mind play, o well, I'm better than that anyways. "Do I look like the kind of person that would want you to flirt with me?"

Oh, touché…wait, what if she's right? Am I trying to flirt with her? Nah, just a lil messing with her brain, that's all… or is it? "Vortex, if I didn't know better I'd say you were flirting with me."

Hey, I used that against him; he can't use the same line! "In your dreams Neutron!"

She has a point, am I dreaming? "More like nightmares!"

Cindy and Jimmy were almost to the principal's office and neither wanted to go in just yet, they still had five minutes. "Am I really that bad to ya?"

Oh no, she can't use the guilt trap! "Depends, what your definition of bad is?"

"Now, James, that was flirting and you know it!"

Caught guilty as charged, but I don't have to admit it. "As you say, in your dreams Vortex!"

"Neutron!  I would never dream of you flirting with me!" Specially not if I knew I had a chance in real life.

"Sure, whatever Vortex, whatever you say." I can't believe I'm having fun… and with Cindy, outside of my dreams… life is good.

"That all you can come up with?" Cindy said leaning the palm of her hand up against a wall by the office. Jimmy was trying hard not to laugh. "What?"

"Nothing." Jimmy, you really shouldn't…but it'd be so much fun! Ok let's do it!