Disclaimer: I don't own Fairly Oddparents, as much as I'd love to say I did. And, even though this has nothing to do with anything, I don't own Jake Long: American Dragon either, since I'd never own anything that whomped so terribly.
Chapter Two: Misconception
Like a pricking in the back of his head, he knew she was staring at him. She did it every day, much like Tootie with her stalking, and it was quite annoying. However, he didn't bring it up, preferring to try to ignore it than do anything about it. Besides, if he did bring it up, every time, she denied it.
So, irritated, he gathered his tray from the cafeteria line and grabbed his typical meal. Since he was grossly unpopular, he didn't get the top choice for lunch, but, as he was higher up than Elmer, with his unsightly boil, he didn't get the worst, either. It wasn't gruel, but it wasn't gourmet food, either. Whatever, he'd deal.
Cosmo and Wanda were off at another Fairy World meeting, leaving him alone. And, as was the custom with their departing, he'd been subject to everyone against the wet person in dodgeball. At least he hadn't missed the bus, but just barely.
Sometimes, he wondered why his life was so horrid. Without Cosmo and Wanda, he only had his friends to keep him happy. Vicky and her creepy little sister Tootie always came over, although he'd noticed Tootie had lost her zest for him. If he'd cared more, he'd be concerned.
However, without Tootie pursuing him, he was free to try his best to woo Trixie. (Nonetheless, if he thought Tootie was just giving up on him, he was sadly mistaken. Vicky's mistreatment had rendered her depressed, but she still had a thing for him).
Ah…Trixie Tang, the love of his life. He'd had a thing for her for so long; he couldn't remember just why he'd liked her in the first place. Sure, she was pretty…but there was more to life than looks, wasn't there?
This reminded him, speaking of looks- Veronica was still staring at him. Why did she have to be so annoying? Not even Tootie dedicated that much time to studying his features.
Slamming down his tray and jolting A.J. out of his concentration (working on a difficult math problem), he stomped over to Veronica. Well, this was it. He was sick of her staring. He'd put an end to this, one way or another.
However, seeing Trixie put him on ice. How could he yell at her best friend? It'd make him look even worse in her eyes! But then…what was he supposed to do?
A blush spread across his face as he glowered at Veronica and wondered what he was to do. He'd never noticed this before, but she wasn't that unattractive herself. Her blonde hair, today worn loose, cascaded down her shoulders like Venus.
Shaking his head and dispelling these thoughts (she was crazy, darn it!), he opened his mouth to try politely to get her to stop. Maybe now that he confronted her in front of someone she spent a lot of time with (and would probably bring it up, considering Trixie's penchant for gossip), she'd stop. After all, how could she deny it in front of all the popular kids?
"What is this loser doing here?" Trixie remarked, an air of disdain apparent in her voice. However, her eyes twinkled mischievously and she lightly shoved Veronica towards him. He couldn't fathom her intentions and decided not to try. Too much exertion hurt his brain.
As if on cue, the bodyguard appeared. Even though they were no longer in elementary school, he still trailed them, just in case losers like Timmy tried to 'put the moves on' one of the popular kids. Now that they were twelve, it wasn't as unheard of. Many was the time someone started up with Trixie…and lived in the hospital to regret it.
He cracked his knuckles and nodded towards the Asian girl. By now, they'd worked out a code. If she moved her head in a certain way, to the right, it meant he'd shove him into the nearest trashcan. If it jerked in the opposite direction, although he wasn't 'cool', she permitted him to stay.
Smirking, recalling the 'code', Trixie jerked her head to the left. Let Timmy stay for a little while…this promised to be interesting.
Veronica, sensing a confrontation, steeled herself. Her ever present sketchbook, holding her private, innermost thoughts (as most would use a journal or a diary), she clutched in her hands. She'd sooner die than let anyone, much less Trixie, who'd probably exploit it, see the contents. (Not that they'd care, since she didn't consider herself much of an artist…at least, nothing they could find. She kept her real drawings out of harm's way at all times. These were just doodles).
The towheaded girl forced herself to grimace, as though seeing him pained her considerably. Exhilaration zoomed through her and she felt considerably lightheaded. Timmy Turner was here, talking to them? Maybe he was here for her, not her annoying 'friend' she only hung out with to avoid blackmail.
Even if he was here for her, it might not be to ask her out, come to think of it. She'd noticed that he'd noticed her staring at him openly. The truth was, she'd been memorizing his features for her drawings…and he wasn't that bad a subject, anyway. (Not that she'd let him know that).
"What are you doing here, loser?" Veronica intoned, folding her arms across her chest. She wished Trixie would stop nudging her; it started to gnaw on her nerves. What on earth was she so confident about, anyway?
She loathed referring to him as a 'loser', though, despite the fact that, according to the chart, he was. She hated having to berate him, doubt him, and generally stick up for Trixie in every situation. She was sick and tired of being so phony…but she had no idea when she'd stop. With every passing moment, she detested what she'd become more and more.
Timmy's eyes fell on Trixie and Veronica's heart dropped unpleasantly to her stomach. In her mind's eye, she imagined shoving her into a wall and screaming, "I love you, Timmy Turner. Notice me! Not my shallow, selfish best friend, me!"
Of course, she did none of this. She stood there, feigning calm, and said, through gritted teeth, "Do you have to ask Trixie out every single day? She isn't interested!"
She could make an issue out of this, she knew it. She could rant and rave at him, telling him to move on, get a new hobby. If she wanted to, she could tell him exactly what Trixie did with all the special things he made her and what she thought of him and his little 'charms'. But she wouldn't do that either. Gah! Why was she doomed to live the sedate life, staying in Trixie's shadow?
From behind her, with a hoot, she thought she heard Chad mutter, "But I think someone else is interested in you, Pinky."
The heat rose in her face, but she decided the best thing to do was ignore it. She didn't need a big scene or for everyone in Dimmsdale Junior High to know whom she was crushing on. Unlike Trixie, she didn't have as short a fuse…and she could wait a long while for something.
"Huh?" Timmy said, apparently overhearing Chad. He glanced from her to him and back again, perplexed. Then again, that wasn't terribly surprising considering even a simple math problem could do that.
The murmured comment brought him back to his original purpose for being here- reprimanding Veronica. However, as usual, Trixie distracted him and he stared at her now, wondering why she kept rebuffing him. How could he not like her after all that?
And how could the crazy one like her? What had he done to make her like him? Even now, when she stared only at him again, so annoyingly, with the heat rising in her face and her fingers slipping and sliding over her sketchbook, he remembered. At least she didn't chase him around like Tootie…now that was a plus. Creepy little girl.
"It's nothing!" Veronica suddenly squeaked, causing all of their heads to turn towards her. She hated being in this position, where she was so close to him and she could do or say anything to jeopardize his opinion of her. Sometimes, she wished she could let him know…without scaring him off in the process.
"Uh…sure…" Timmy muttered, giving her an odd look. "Just stop staring at me so much…"
Trying her hardest to repel him (and for Trixie to stop nudging her, because she kept doing it!), she snapped, "I'm staring at you because I wonder how someone so unpopular and with a stupid pink hat and buckteeth could try so hard to get someone who clearly doesn't like him to like him!"
Phew…that cleared the air…and created an extremely long run-on. Whenever she was nervous (or lying), she tended to prattle on. If someone didn't stop her, she committed grammatical atrocities most English teachers wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.
Timmy drew back, stung. It was the first time anyone had openly told him, at least, anyone as close to Trixie as she was, that Trixie didn't like him. The realization hurt more than he could say.
"I…I'll just go back to my table now…" He murmured, head low, despondent. Without a backward glance, he dragged his feet back to his table and ate lunch, ignoring all of his friends' questions. Right now, all he wanted to do was finish his lunch in pieces.
You broke his heart…Way to go, Veronica, She thought, just as despondent as him, and settled down to eat her lunch. Although Tad and Chad congratulated on her speech, Trixie gave her an odd look and she refused to answer any questions. She'd broken his heart; she wasn't in the mood for idle chitchat.
-
"I wonder if she really does hate me," Timmy muttered, hoping against hope that Cosmo and Wanda would appear and make everything better. As they were currently occupied with Jorgen, they did not.
"Did you really think all of your insane stunts were going to convince her otherwise?" A.J. replied, with a frown. He casually flicked the volleyball over, sending it sailing into a group of gossiping girls. That'll serve them right not to pay attention.
"If you've been trying for years and she still hasn't noticed you, don't you think there's something wrong there?" Chester added, accidentally catching the ball on his braces and cutting it open. Another gym class, another ruined ball. Such was life.
"I just thought…" Timmy started, but stopped. He hadn't been thinking, there was his problem. He'd just acted on pure instinct, and, surprise, surprise, instinct had bombed out.
Sighing, he spiked the ball and said, "Maybe it's time to move on…"
Veronica, grinning from ear to ear, muttered, "Maybe it is…"
