Author's Note: Hey! It's been a while. I apologize. I ran into some computer trouble and I've been trying to get my computer back up and running for a while now. It took everyone a while to figure out that someone forgot to pay the bill for the cable. Lol! It was actually kinda funny when we all figured out. There wasn't one person in the house who felt smart. LOL! Anyway, I made this a bit longer than usual for you guys. I hope you all enjoy and I'm also happy to say that I've written another chapter and I'm almost done with another. The end is fast approaching. But let's enjoy it while it lasts. One more thing. The long ". . . . . . ." things after every part means a break in the story. I'll keep it like that until I figure something out. Since the sight doesn't support the paragraph indentations anymore, it messed up things for me and now I can't even break to show a different section or something. It won't even let me correct it when I quick edit. Anyway, without further ado I give you chapter 20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friday, Cindy thought as she sighed. She was thankful that the week was finally over, but she hadn't seen Jimmy at all. He hadn't been in school on Thursday. She figured it was because he was playing hooky like he had done in the beginning of the year, but when he didn't show up the following day, she begun to think that something was wrong. The whole day she had worried about him, wondering where he had been and neither Mr. nor Mrs. Neutron had left the house Thursday or that very morning. Something was horribly wrong. Her intuition was telling her. She felt a sudden sickness.

She found Sheen and Carl with Libby, Samantha, and Natalie on the school's front lawn. She rushed to them, but someone pulled her aside.

She pulled away as she turned. She was surprised to see Nick's face. "Nick?"

"Sorry," he apologized. "Just wanted to ask you something."

"I really can't talk, I gotta-"

"Come with me," he pleaded.

Cindy stopped to stare. She wasn't expecting this. She wanted nothing more than a friendship with Nick and she thought he understood that. She opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.

"To see a movie or something," he added quickly. "Or maybe to the Candy Bar for some ice cream. My treat." He smiled weakly. She tilted her head as she smiled.

"Thank you for asking," she said. "But I have plans with Libby and the guys."

"The guy?" Nick asked, giving her a confused look.

"Carl and Sheen," Cindy answered. "I promised them I'd hang with them today."

"What about your 'crew'?" Nick asked. "I haven't seen you hangin' around your usual crowd of people lately. Libby either."

"I'm still friends with everyone, I guess," she replied. "But they all seem to be avoiding me."

"Because of those rumors of you and Jimmy," Nick added.

Cindy nodded. "They still talk to me, but they seem so uneasy around me now. I think my popularity is running out." She looked at him with a smile as she shrugged.

"You don't seem to mind," he said.

She shook her head. "There are more important things," she responded. "Plus, I've changed. Thanks to Jimmy."

He nodded. "Me too."

Indeed he had. He was no longer selfish. He thought of others now. . .occasionally. Although, he still loved his hair more than anything and he did keep up appearances. But he was doing better now that Jimmy was back in school. The beating Jimmy had given him had changed him and Jimmy coming back seemed to enforce that change. He was still the same Nick Dean in more ways than one, but he was a new Nick all at the same time. A thoughtful one and a better person and he had Jimmy to thank for it. Even if his parents (especially his mother) thought differently. People barely noticed the change, but Cindy, being around him since elementary school had noticed it, even if the change was a slight one.

There was an uneasy silence between them before either one of them broke the ice.

"Why don't you join us?" Cindy suggested. "It'll be fun."

Nick smiled as he shook his head, placing his hands in his pockets. "No, it's ok. You go have fun."

She was reluctant, but Nick assured her and after giving him a hug, she walked off to meet up with Libby and the others. They greeted her and welcomed her into their conversation. She desperately wanted to ask Sheen about Jimmy, but she didn't want to ask in front of Natalie and Samantha, but they would soon be on their way and before she left, Samantha asked for Jimmy's number. Sheen was hesitant, but he gave it to her. She soon left with Natalie. Cindy still could not understand how Samantha still had her popularity when she was the one who had actually been seen with Jimmy and who had actual plans with the guy. Cindy hadn't even gone out on a date with him and she was the one who everyone was treating differently. They seemed to be afraid of her and for that her crowd of friends seemed to be growing smaller by the day and yet Samantha never lost her popularity. Cindy shrugged it off. Popularity means nothing to me anymore, she said. It's not important.

Instead she'd focus on what was really important; Jimmy. She was going to find out what was going on with him one way or another and Carl and Sheen would tell her.

"What's happened to Jimmy?" she demanded as soon as Samantha and Natalie were out of sight. Carl cringed at the sudden demand and Sheen looked away. Libby crossed her arms over her chest, knowing that they were both hiding something.

"Tell us, Sheen," she said.

"No," he said. "I'm not your messenger boy!"

"Really?" she challenged.

Sheen took a step forward. "You can't make me tell you that Jimmy's depressed because he found out what Becca has."

Silence fell upon them.

"Oops," Sheen replied.

"He figured it out?!" Libby asked as he arms fell to her sides."What does Becca have?"

"Uh. . .ci-cidic fibers," Sheen stuttered. "How do you pronounce it?" He scratched his head.

Libby gasped. "Cystic Fibrosis!" she exclaimed as her eyes opened in realization. Cindy looked at her, surprised that she understood him, but horrified at the words that she had spoken. Becca has cystic fibrosis? She could feel the dread seeping into her heart. It felt as if someone was painfully tugging at it. Becca's smiling face appeared in her mind. Why did bad things always happen to good people? Jimmy, she thought. It was clear to her now. Jimmy didn't want to leave the house. No one did. And Becca, Cindy thought. She must be scared out of her mind. . .

"Jimmy," she said aloud. Without much thought she sprinted off to his house. Libby, Sheen, and Carl followed close behind her. Sheen pleaded with her to stop. He was afraid Jimmy would be angry with him, but Cindy couldn't stop until she had made it to his house. She had to see him and she had to see Becca as well.

When she arrived she was out of breath, but she ignored it. She knocked on the door and waited impatiently, knocking again and again. The others soon joined her on the porch. She was growing frantic and afraid. When the door slowly opened, Cindy ran inside, almost knocking Jimmy over. He thankfully did not fall, but he looked at her as if she had grown a second head. He looked behind her and Sheen waved sheepishly with an apologetic smile. Carl did the same. Libby looked concerned, she seemed to be looking about for something or someone. Cindy took a step forward, but Jimmy took a step back. Cindy took a deep breath before talking another step closer. This time Jimmy did not move.

"I heard," she said as her vision blurred. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't hold the tears back any longer.

Jimmy's face twisted with anger as he looked to Sheen and Carl. "You told her!"

"It was an accident," Sheen pleaded.

"He didn't mean it," Carl defended.

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything to you two!" Jimmy exclaimed as he looked at them.

"Don't be mad at them," Libby said.

Cindy looked at him, her heart breaking. Behind his anger she could see his sorrow and fear. She was tired of playing this game. She saw right threw him and she wished he'd just give it up. She placed a hand on his face as she laced her fingers around his, stepping close. Their bodies touched and for a moment she could feel Jimmy's body tense, but he did not protest the closeness of her body and Cindy was thankful. She inched closer as she lifted his face to look at her. She smoothed her hand on his cheek again as if it could help heal his pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Jimmy looked down again and subconsciously, Cindy moved a strand of hair away from his eyes before kissing his forehead. He looked at her and then suddenly pushed her away as if he were remembering something. She shook her head.

"I'm here to comfort you," she said, her voice shaky but oddly firm.

"I don't need your comfort," he sneered. His voice was like venom. She could sense the lie in his voice and for that she would not back down. She stepped close to him, but before she could wrap her arms around him, Becca came into the room. She greeted them sweetly as if nothing was going on.

Cindy looked down at her as the tears poured. She knelt down before her. "I'm here for you," she said, her voice shaky. She embraced the small girl and soon Libby did as well. There was a moment of silence where Becca had been in complete shock. No one said a word and the only thing that was heard were the light sobs from Libby and Cindy.

"Will everyone just give it a rest!" Rebecca shouted, pushing the older girls away. Cindy looked a bit scared as she fell to the floor. She couldn't believe what Becca had done. What was going on? Why was she so angry? Cindy was sure that she would've been scared not angry. "You all act as if I'm dead already! I'm not! I'm still here!"

"Becca, we're all just-" Cindy began.

"Feeling sorry for me," Becca finished for her.

There was no answer.

"Well, stop it!" She looked at everyone. "All of you! God, I can't stand it anymore!" She pushed everyone aside as she stomped toward the stairs. Cindy could not believe the words that were coming from the small girl's mouth. This was not the same Rebecca Neutron she had spent so much time with before.

"Hey!" Jimmy shouted. "Can you blame us! We don't want to lose you!"

"Yeah, well, you better stop moping around and get on with life!" Becca argued. "It was bound to happen some time!"

"Don't say that!" Jimmy scolded.

"It's the truth and someone around here has got to say it!" she replied. "Everyone else is just too damn scared to say it."

Cindy shook her head as she watched the argument unravel. She had never seen Jimmy argue with Rebecca. This was frightening and what was even more frightening was the fact that her words were painfully true.

"You're all just too scared to admit it yourselves," she said. She turned and walked up the stairs. Jimmy stood at the bottom.

"You're sacred too," he said, his voice soft. Becca froze. "You just don't want to admit it." He took a deep breath. "This is scaring you just as much as it's scaring everyone else. Possibly even more and you don't want anyone to know because you want to keep up your brave appearances. But I know you, Becca. You're scared about this. Your scared because you don't know what'll happen to you. You won't be able to live-" His voice cracked. He took a deep breath as the tears brimmed in his eyes.

Cindy chocked back her sobs as her tears fell. She continued to watch the events unfold before her.

Becca turned. Her face was wet with tears and her chin quivered. She ran to Jimmy, her arms wide open. She jumped and he caught her. She cried on his shoulder.

"I am scared," she confessed. "I'm afraid of losing you."

"Me too," he said.

She sobbed. Her cries were like knives piercing through everyone's hearts. It was to painful to watch and even more painful to hear the truth.

"I love you, Jimmy," Becca sobbed.

Jimmy rubbed her back to sooth her. "I love you too."

Cindy rubbed at the ache in her heart. She wanted it to go away, but it would not. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Time had passed. Cindy, Libby, Carl, and Sheen had all gone and Jimmy found himself sitting in his lab. He held the heart he had been working on for months. It had been Becca's idea to make a heart that could sense what people were feeling by detecting anyone's pulse within a 30 mile radius. The heart was designed to zero in on any one person's emotions out of the 40 pulses that it could sense.

He looked at it as he thought of Becca. Wouldn't it be cool if you made a heart that could tell you what people are feeling? Her voice sounded in his head. You can find out what they're hiding from you.

He took it with him and immediately the heart began to pulse in his hands. He looked at the small screen imbedded in it. Tiny colored dots were scatted about, but one caught his eye. It seemed to twinkle with a deep blue.

There were different colors for every emotion. Blood-red was for anger, rose-red was for love, yellow was for fear, black was for hate, green was for envy, orange was for joy, and blue was for sorrow. The list of emotions and colors went on and they varied depending on the emotions one person felt. He stepped outside as he zeroed in on the one dot. He soon came to realize that it was Cindy. A list of thoughts and emotions ran down the small screen of the heart.

He read it to himself: Specimen 16 feels: deep sorrow, helplessness, confused, concerned, anger, and fear for loved ones.

He wondered what had been bothering her. Of course, he thought, realizing right away. She's worried about Becca.He smiled weakly at the thought. She really does care.

He placed the heart in his pocket and walked inside the house. His mother sat quietly in the kitchen. She stared into an empty coffee mug. Her eyes looked empty and lifeless and she seemed to be in some kind of trance. She didn't notice Jimmy stepping inside. A chill ran down his spine as he looked at her. A flash of a short memory of his mother dressed in her robe, her eyes bloodshot and lifeless as she stared into the deepness of nothing. She had the same look in her eyes now as she did 4 years ago when his father had left them. He shook his head to rid himself of the memory and continued inside. His father was no where in sight. He had barely hung around the house since the news of Becca's illness. Come to think of it, he hadn't been home at all.

Anger washed over him. I knew he wouldn't be staying long, Jimmy thought. And as if on cue, Hugh opened the door and stepped inside. He looked at Jimmy and stared at him for a while. He smiled, but Jimmy turned away. "Let me explain," he said, but Jimmy ignored the man as he continued up the stairs. Hugh was ready to follow him, but the phone rang. He looked at the phone and at Jimmy. With a sigh he gave up and answered the phone. "Hello?"

There was a pause and then Hugh looked up at Jimmy. "Yes, he's right here," Hugh said. Jimmy turned. "Hold on a second. I'll get him." He held up the phone and with a scowl Jimmy walked down the stairs and snatched the phone away. Hugh opened his mouth, ready to say something, but the coldness of Jimmy's eyes wore him down and he left.

"Hello?" Jimmy asked a bit harshly.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Samantha's voice came.

Jimmy felt foolish. He had imagined it was one of his so called "friends" calling to apologize. "No," he answered. "I thought you were someone else." After a short wait he asked, "How'd you get my number?"

"Sheen and Carl," Samantha replied.

"I see."

"I was a bit worried. You didn't come so school today or yesterday. I thought maybe something was wrong and well, I wanted to know if you were still up for ice cream."

"Oh," Jimmy said. "Yeah. I'll, uh, pick you up in about ten minutes. Is that alright?"

"Yes," Samantha replied. She sounded pretty happy.

"Great," he said.

"Do you have my address? I gave it to Sheen to give to you on Thursday," she said.

"I got it," he replied. "See you in ten. Bye."

"Bye."

He hung up the phone and sighed as he looked up at the stair case, wondering if Becca would still be in the mood for ice cream. He slowly made his way to Rebecca's room. The door was closed when he reached it. He knocked once before going inside. Becca sat alone on her bed, holding a stuffed rabbit. It was the one Jimmy had given her for her first birthday. It's left ear was almost torn off and the stuffing was coming out of one of it's arms. It looked a bit dirty and completely worn out. He smiled.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked.

She shrugged.

Jimmy walked inside and sat down beside her. He looked at the bunny in her hands. She handed it to him. He took it, a bit confused.

"I won't be needing it anymore," she said.

Jimmy looked down at it. She had named it Bunny simply because she was able to say the word when Jimmy had taught it to her. After that the name also became a special little nickname. She liked it right away, but he hadn't called her buy the name in two years. She had said she was growing to old for the name and so from then on he called her Becca. He sighed as he thought about it. He handed it back to her.

"I gave it to you," he said. "I can't take it back. It's your's. And you will be needing it." She took it as she placed her head on his arm. She could not yet reach his shoulder. He placed an arm around her.

"Will you miss me, Jimmy?" she asked. "When I'm gone?"

The question had hurt him. He didn't want to think about that stuff. "No," he said. She pulled away from him. "Because you won't be leaving me." He smiled as he kissed her forehead. She hugged him.

"You won't let me go, right?" she asked as she buried her face in his chest, her voice sounded a bit muffled.

"That's right," he said. "I won't let you leave me. And Chase and Aunt Meryl will take care of you. They'll be treating you. Plus, I'll be working in the lab for a cure. You'll make it. You're the strongest person I know."

She smiled at him. "I am, aren't I?"

Jimmy allowed himself a hearty laugh in what seemed like a lifetime. He nodded. "Yes, you are. Now how about some ice cream?"

"Yeah!" she exclaimed as she jumped off the bed. She ran for the door and he followed her down the stairs, but not before he placed the heart on her night table. He stood in the center of the room for a long while looking at the pictures and gifts he had given her over the years. Her room was like an album. Everything had a story behind it. Some happy or bad memory attached. He looked at the bunny again.

"Jimmy?"

He turned. Becca stood in the doorway.

"Can I ask you something?"

He smiled. "Sure."

"Do you think you can call me Bunny again?" He looked at her and she blushed as she looked down at her shoes. "I miss it." He walked to her and scooped her in his arms.

"I thought you were to old for it," he said.

"I know it'd make you happy and that's what I wanna see. And it wold also make me happy."

He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. "My little Bunny," he said as he put her down. She smiled.

"Race you," she said hurriedly as she dashed down the stairs. Jimmy followed her.

They ran into Judy as they raced toward the front door.

"Where's the fire?" Hugh asked.

"We're going out for ice cream!" Becca shouted joyously as she made her way around her mother and out the door. Jimmy followed close behind.

"We'll be back later!" Jimmy called over his shoulder. When they reached a good distance from the house Jimmy slowed down. "Hold on, Bunny."

She turned to him. "What is it?"

"I have to pick up a friend."

"Who?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. There was a devilish grin on her face. Jimmy blushed.

"Just a friend from school."

"A girl. . .friend?" she asked, her smile growing.

"No," he said. "Yes."

Becca let out a laugh. "You sly devil," she said as she elbowed his arm playfully. "What's her name?"

"Samantha."

"She nice?"

"Very," Jimmy replied. "You'll like her.

"Not like Cindy," she mumbled.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said. "Let's go get her."

Jimmy let it slide, pretending as if he hadn't heard what she had actually said. She still obviously wanted to know what was going on between him and Cindy, but at the moment he didn't know. They weren't together. He didn't even think she liked him much, but he liked her. He loved her. That much he did know. He looked at Becca as he remembered. Cindy wanted to tell me something important before. She has ever since I came back to school. Becca knows what it is. Maybe now's my chance to ask.

"Becca?"

"Hm?"

"Cindy has told me a few times that she wants to tell me something important," he began and it was all he had to say. He sensed Becca tense up.

"Mmmhmm."

"And I know you know what it is she wants to tell me, so I-"

"Hey, look!" she shouted. "A lawn gnome!"

"Don't change the subject-"

"But look!"

He turned to look. He stopped. This was the house. Samantha's house. Dammit! He shouted. With a sigh he took Becca's hand and led her across the street toward the house. He suddenly felt guilty. He had only used her to get Cindy jealous and there was no need for her anymore, but he had already told her she could come along and he couldn't just walk the other way. He had to go through with it. And hey, maybe she'd turn out to be really fun. But then again he didn't want to add yet another person in his life. The less people the better, but on Wednesday when she asked him he couldn't resist. He had gotten jealous himself when he had seen Cindy flirting with Nick. He just had to get back at her. I guess it's true what people say, he thought. Love makes you do crazy things. Stupid things. Here he was, in love with the one and only, Cindy Vortex, and he was adding another person into his life when all he wanted was to have less people involved with him. I'm pathetic, he said.

He knocked on the door as Becca jumped to ring the door bell. He looked down at her and she smiled. A woman opened the door. She didn't look to old, but she didn't look to young either, but she was beautiful none-the-less. She smiled as she greeted Jimmy and Becca both.

"Please, come in," she said. "Sam's just getting ready. You must Jimmy Neutron. Sam keeps talking about you."

He smiled with a slight blush. She had actually talked about him to her parents? Was that good? "Yeah, that's me."

"I'm Mrs. Skyler," she replied, extending her hand. Jimmy shook her hand as a man wearing a suit came in from the back.

"Honey, I'll be taking a shower," he said as he kissed her cheek. "Let me know if any of my clients call." He dashed upstairs.

"Dear," she said. The man turned. "This is Jimmy Neutron and. . ."

"Rebecca Neutron," Becca replied, holding out her hand. The man took it as he smiled. "We're taking your daughter out from some ice cream. My brother here promised me he'd take me and he invited Samantha to come along."

Mrs. Skyler laughed softly.

"Nice to meet you both," he replied with a smile as he shook Jimmy's hand. His grip seemed a bit firm. "Treat her with respect, young man, or else I'll-"

"Daddy!" Samantha exclaimed.

"Pumpkin!" He let Jimmy's hand go as he walked over to his daughter. Jimmy rubbed his hand as Becca giggled.

"Leave Jimmy alone," she said, her smile fell.

"I didn't do anything," the man replied.

"Honey, just go upstairs and take a shower," Mrs. Skyler ordered. The man walked up the stairs with a shrug, but he turned to give Jimmy a warning glance. Jimmy smiled sheepishly as he waved. "Don't you worry about him. He's a teddy bear at heart."

"I'm sure," Jimmy replied.

"Have fun, kids," Mrs. Skyler called as Samantha pulled Jimmy outside. Becca waved before following her brother out the door.

"Bye, mother!"

When they were finally away from the house Jimmy looked at Samantha. She wore a stylish pair of denim jeans with a with a short, buttoned down shirt. It was white and the sleeves were short and it was open to reveal a matching tank top. "You look. . .nice," he said a bit unsurely. He couldn't believe he was doing this.

"Thank you," Samantha replied with a blush. Becca looked as if she was about to gag. She made a gagging sound and Jimmy nudged her and she stopped. He smiled at Samantha and she smiled in return. They didn't talk much as they walked to the Candy Bar, but when they arrived it was as if the ice cream had given them all sugar highs. They talked and laughed and Jimmy found himself actually having fun for once. He felt closer to Samantha which was just something he didn't like and liked at the same time, but he liked her as a friend and nothing more. They seemed like close buddies than anything else, but it was a bit confusing for Jimmy. He didn't want to add another person to his already twisted life and he really couldn't stand to have more fear. He already thought of himself as a wimp as it was already because of all his insecurities.

"Hey, guys," Libby greeted. She walked to the table with Cindy beside her. Sheen and Carl followed close behind.

"Hey, Jim," Carl called.

Jimmy nodded as he looked at Cindy. She looked surprisingly hurt to see him.

"It's good to see you out having fun, Jimmy," Libby replied.

"Very good," Cindy agreed, but she seemed to be forcing the words as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You too, Becca. I didn't think I'd be seeing either one of you for another month or longer, to be honest," Libby admitted.

"Jimmy invited me for ice cream last week and I never let down an offer," Becca replied. Libby laughed a bit.

"You're not still mad are you, Jimmy?" Carl asked.

Jimmy smiled weakly as he shook his head. "It's was an accident, right?"

Sheen nodded with enthusiasm.

"Well," Jimmy said. "I should've guessed it would come out knowing Sheen."

Sheen agreed. "Wait," he said. "That wasn't a compliment was it?"

"It's ok, Sheen," Libby said as she patted his chest.

Jimmy looked at Cindy as the other's greeted Samantha. He wanted to know why she looked so angry with him. Had he done something that he didn't know about? He was always doing something to make her angry. There was no use thinking about it. Even if he asked, she would only respond with an attitude. He looked down at his ice cream. He suddenly did want it anymore.

"Join us," Becca welcomed as she moved in for them.

"Yeah," Samantha agreed as she scooted over as well. "The more the merrier, right?"

"Is that double fudge?" Sheen asked as he gazed at Becca's ice cream.

The small girl nodded. He slid in beside her and began eating her ice cream. Becca didn't mind. She happily shared it. Libby scolded him, but Becca assured her it was okay.

"Jimmy?" Carl questioned as he pulled up a chair. "Are you going to eat that?"

"Help yourself," Jimmy responded as he slid the bowl across the table. Carl caught it. Cindy sat beside Samantha. Libby shook her head in disapproval as she watched Sheen.

"I'm going for some ice cream," Libby said. "Cindy, you want anything?"

"I'll go with you."

Jimmy watched Cindy as she went off with Libby. He looked down. Should he tell her that he loved her? How would she act? And what about that guy she told him about? Would he even stand a chance with Cindy? He sighed. He needed to rid himself of the thoughts. Just have fun, he said to himself. But how was he suppose to when Cindy was there. He wanted to stay away from her, but now more than ever he felt drawn to her. Now that he knew of his feelings for her it was harder to stay away.

"You okay?" Samantha questioned.

He nodded.

"Oh, this is good," Sheen said as he ate the last spoon full of Becca's ice cream. "I'll go get more. This time I'll get two spoons!" He dashed for the counter as Becca laughed.

Jimmy looked at her. He was happy to see that she was laughing. With the news they had received and then the hell they all went through on Thursday and that very after noon, Becca needed to be out having fun. Living life to the fullest while she could. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

When Libby and Cindy returned from the counter with Sheen not too far behind, Cindy wasn't very happy to see Samantha flirting with Jimmy. He didn't even flirt back, but almost as if on cue, Jimmy smiled at her as she took his hand. She scoffed. They don't even look good together! She sneered. He's just trying to make me jealous! She paused. And it's working. She sat down beside Samantha as Sheen took his seat beside Becca followed closely by Libby.

"Well, you two seem to be hitting it off, pretty well," Libby commented as she looked at Jimmy. Cindy turned to her, giving her a face which clearly said, How could you? She looked away as she folded her arms over her chest. Libby cleared her throat and when Cindy did not turn to look at her, she threw herself into a coughing fit. Everyone turned to her, including Cindy.

"You okay, Libs?" Sheen asked.

She nodded. "Just peachy." She smiled brightly and then everyone turned away. Libby leaned forward a bit and Cindy did as well. "This is your chance," she whispered. "Show Jimmy that's there's more to you than anger. Comment on him and Samantha."

"Over my dead body," she whispered. "They don't even look good together!"

"Cindy?" Carl asked.

"He probably doesn't even like her!" Cindy continued, ignoring Carl.

"Maybe he really does. Look at him. Have you ever seen him smile that much?" Libby argued.

"Cindy?" Carl called again. He attempted to take her ice cream bowl, but her hand blocked him. She didn't seem to notice.

"He's to afraid to let anyone into his life. He's got trust issues. He's not going to let someone he barely knows into his heart so quickly. He's probably just being nice because he feels bad," Cindy suggested.

"What a horrible thing to say!" Libby whispered harshly. "And how are you so sure?"

She wasn't, she just hoped that's what it was. It was better than thinking he actually liked this girl. She shrugged as she looked at Libby.

"Cindy?" Carla asked again.

"What?!" she exclaimed. Everyone in the place looked at her. "What, Carl?"

"You're ice cream is melting," he said.

"So!"

"So. . . are you gonna eat it?"

"Have it," she said as she pushed it toward him.

Libby smiled a bit sheepishly as she leaned back into her seat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Soon after, they left the Candy Bar. They stepped outside as a red Nissan rode up on the curb. A young woman with flowing brown hair sat behind the wheel. She smiled as she waved at them. They were all a bit confused. No one seemed to have ever had met this person before and Cindy wondered why she was waving at her. In seconds Samantha spoke.

"Alison!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey there, cousin," the young woman replied. "Your mother told me I'd find you here, but she didn't mention you'd be with a boy. Or three of them." She waved at Sheen, Carl, and Jimmy and they waved in return. "So who's the cutie?"

"Oh," Samantha replied. She took a step back and knelt down beside Becca. "This is Rebecca Neutron."

"I meant the boy you seem to be hanging on to," the girl said.

"I know," Samantha responded as she flashed Jimmy a smile. She stood and Cindy scoffed. "This is Jimmy Neutron."

"Ah," she said. "So this is the famous Jimmy Neutron you've been raving about."

Jimmy blushed as the young woman climbed out of her car.

"It's very nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Jimmy said as he shook her hand.

"And these are my friends, Cindy Vortex, Libby Folfax, Sheen Estevez and Carl Wheezer," Samantha introduced.

"Nice to meet you all."

They nodded in response.

"Well," Alison replied. "If it's alright with you, Jimmy, I'd like to take my cousin with me. I haven't seen her in months and I'm only here for a few hours."

Cindy watched as Jimmy looked at Samantha. He smiled as he nodded. "It's no problem."

Samantha smiled. She bent over and shook Becca's hand. "It was nice meeting you."

Becca nodded as she pulled Samantha into an embrace. For a moment Samantha was surprised but then with a smile, she returned the embrace. "Jimmy was right," Becca said. "You are really nice."

Something seemed to nip at Cindy's heart and it hit her as clear as day that she didn't want Becca to like Samantha. Because if Becca liked her, Jimmy most definitely liked her just the same. Possibly even more. She took a deep breath as she watched on.

"But you're even nicer than I could ever be," Samantha replied as she pulled away. She walked to Jimmy and with a deep blush she placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed his cheek. Things seemed to go in slow motion for Cindy as it happened. Please, tell me this just a horrible nightmare? "Thanks for letting me tag along. I had fun."

Cindy's anger slowly boiled.

"Me too," Jimmy said with a small smile, and then the jealousy and anger drove her crazy. She stormed away ready to scream.

"I'll see you on Monday. I hope," Samantha said. She walked off with her cousin and then soon after she drove away.

Cindy scowled and turned to walk away. Libby shook her head as she followed Cindy, trying to calm her.