Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day, y'all. Hope you're having a good one…
Oh, and by the way, this is an actual tradition at my school, what you're about to read. I thought it was pretty nifty.
Disclaimer: New FOP on at six! NEW! At any rate, I don't own FOP.
Chapter Three: A Date That Will Live in Infamy
The date, Valentine's Day, February 14. The time, seven fifty a.m., the beginning of first period. The place, Veronica Master's first period class, English 101. The goal, to force Timmy Turner to speak with her and for him to get her heart. The shot- probably one in a million.
-
Veronica Masters flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and scrutinized the cut out of a heart and the red string attached to it. Every year, it was a tradition for the girls to receive paper hearts, to represent their 'real ones', and for the boys to connive (or not, depending on whether or not the girl was attached) into receiving the most. The one who received the most hearts, most likely through trickery, was dubbed "Mister Irresistible" over the loudspeaker at the end of the day. (Their friends would congratulate them; the girls would bury their head in their hands and wonder how they could have lost such a symbolic thing so quickly).
Most boys tried hard, although very few succeeded. Some of the bullies, like Francis, threatened girls into giving their heart away. Of course, even though they did manage to acquire a great deal, they were usually threatened by an even bigger bully and forced to relinquish them. After all, it was the food chain.
Some boys, like Tad and Chad, winked their way into receiving them. By the time the girls realized what had gone on, they were down the hall and at their next period class. Even though they'd only done this for a year, they'd soon become masters.
However, Veronica cared little of this. All she cared about was tricking Timmy into talking to her (which really wasn't the way things went) and him receiving her heart. The only problem is, she wanted him to have only hers, which meant preventing Trixie from speaking to him (given the amount of time she spent rejecting him, not that unlikely), but her even more worthy adversary, Tootie, from getting near her.
Tootie inevitably lost her heart to him and, every year, hers was the only heart he got. He'd walk around with those sad, puppy eyes and that dejected look, and, every year, she vowed this would be the time she'd give him hers. Of course, she never did…
The problem was this year, even if she'd pledged her heart to him, she had no idea where Timmy and Tootie were first period. If they were in the same class, she might not have a shot, but if they weren't, then things got interesting.
However, the first thing she had to do was use her good friend Trixie and pump her for information. Given her connections, she was sure she'd find out in fifteen minutes where the four eyed freak and her beloved spent their first hour of the school day.
"What do you mean, you don't know where Timmy is!" Veronica shrieked, causing all heads to turn in their direction. The teacher glowered, disapproving.
"I'm not particularly interested in his schedule," Trixie smirked, casually shoving aside a fawning fan attempting to get her heart. Every year, they tried and every year, they failed miserably. She'd yet to give her heart to anyone, much less these dorks.
Folding her arms across her chest, their English teacher, a stout, middle-aged woman in a long red skirt and flower blouse tucked under her bosom, glared. Her fingers, yellowed from years of using chalk, twisted around her current piece. If she could, her graying brown hair, tightened in a bun, would release itself as Medusa's snakes and promptly squeeze the life out of this conversation.
Every year, it was the same thing with her students. She wished they'd just go away with this ridiculous practice. First hearts, then something more meaningful. Hmph.
Limping slightly, since her bad left leg, the one with the run in the stocking, had always been gimp, she walked down the aisle to the far back. Since she'd foolishly let the students choose their own seating, Trixie and Veronica had selected a seat in the back, far from the scrutiny of their least favorite teacher. It granted them the much needed opportunity to sleep, if need be, or, in Trixie's case, to read up on the latest fashion.
Trixie, who had, in fact, a teen magazine open to an article ("How to Woo Your Man"), glanced up at her. Long black hair held back by heart barrettes, fingernails painted with pink, and a sleeveless red dress that started at the chest, she looked the part of the femme fatale. And if anyone tried to get her heart, other than Timmy, it would be fatale.
"Young ladies," Mrs. Lauren began (although how she was a missus was a mystery), slamming her hands down on Trixie's desk and scrutinizing the magazine. Several circles enclosed a few paragraphs on the page, but for whom the advice was intended remained unclear.
As opposed to young men? Veronica thought scornfully, leaning her head over to peer at Trixie's magazine. The instant she did, the raven-haired girl closed it and put it away. Of course, this wasn't to abide the teacher, but she'd find out in a while.
"Thank you," Mrs. Lauren said and then turned her attention to Veronica. She knew an instigator when she saw one. She had a keen eye for these things and she just screamed 'trouble-maker'. Valentine's Day, hmph.
I don't need interruptions, I need to know where Timmy and the freak are this period! If I can prevent a catastrophe, the time is now!
Gritting her teeth, she glowered at her. The more time this consumed, the less likely she was to intercept Tootie and the more likely she'd be to lose out. Simply put, she didn't have time for education- she had work to do.
Hand wrapped about her paper cut out heart, already neatly inscribed with her name and his surrounded by no less than twenty hearts, she concentrated on what she knew she had to do. Some way or another, she'd be the first and only to give him her heart…and let him know how she felt about him. Today was the perfect day to tell him…if Tootie didn't beat her to it.
God, she hated that girl. First of all, she annoyed her to no end, with her pleading for Timmy and her life revolving around him. Why couldn't she get over it? Timmy would never be hers…because Veronica saw him first.
But she had to admit, Tootie, if she stopped being so annoying, might have a chance at him. After all, Trixie definitely wasn't biting (although she wasn't sure whether or not she liked him and kept it hidden or just found him amusing) and Timmy didn't see Veronica as a possibility (that would change today). Besides, a lot of people already thought Timmy and Tootie were already a couple…
"If I may interrupt your inner dialogue!" Mrs. Lauren barked, slamming her hand down on her desk again. She wished she'd stop that, it was rather irritating.
I didn't give you permission to let me stop narrating…and where on earth is Timmy this period!
"Deep thoughts, huh, Ver?" Trixie teased, earning sniggers from some of the other pupils in the rows further up. Leave it to her to always put on a show like that and embarrass her. Some friend she was…(as though she herself was much better).
Like you'd ever spend more than five seconds thinking about yourself. Okay, you would, but it'd be more like: "Am I pretty? Of course I'm pretty! Tell me I'm pretty!"
What a shallow twit.
Ignoring her jibe aloud, Veronica replied, teeth still gritted, "May I please be excused?"
Because I have to run around the building and locate the person I'm madly in love with and ask him if he'll be my Valentine and then he will and we'll date and marry and have kids and grow old together and then when one of us dies, the other'll die of heartbreak and we'll have plots together and we'll meet in heaven and we'll always be together…
But it's not like I spend every waking moment thinking about this! I mean, I don't have a diary full of my innermost thoughts with my name written with his and hearts and…
Okay, whom am I fooling? (And how badly am I butchering the English language?)
And it doesn't matter! I need to find Timmy Turner!
"Absolutely not! You interrupted my class with your shenanigans-"
Who on earth says that anymore? Shenanigans…Veronica smirked, twirling her heart around her index finger.
And this is a matter of life and death- my life and Tootie's death. It's the war of the roses, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre…and winner take all.
"Veronica has a weak bladder and she really has to go the little girls' room," Trixie snickered. In an instant, she'd never hated her more in her life.
The class dissolved into laughter and Veronica wished a gigantic black hole would suddenly appear beneath her seat and suck her into its void. Anything would be better than everyone laughing their heads off over something so insanely stupid, she wanted to die…but not before she took Trixie with her. Conceited, stuck up brat.
"And since Trixie has a kidney infection, she has to come with me," Veronica snapped, and the room fell silent. Every eye fell on her and she went scarlet.
Oh, so it's all right for her to make fun of me but when I say anything against her, the cavalry arrives?
I hate you…"You ought to get that checked with the school nurse, Miss Tang," Mrs. Lauren retorted, turning her focus and, in turn, the class's, onto Trixie again. Good…even though everyone was against her, at least now she could make a reasonable exit. (She'd never hear the end of this, though…)
Slowly, she slid out of her seat, walked behind the teachers' desk on the far left of the room, and bolted out the door before anyone realized she was gone. Down the stairs, all the way to the entranceway of the school, until, finally, she discovered no one was following her. Good…because she had work to do.
-
Contrary to popular belief, Tootie was not in Timmy Turner's first period class, as much as she'd like to be. Instead, she sat, bored out of her mind, toying with a pencil. Of all the classes she had, this easily sent her into a trance. United States History, the earlier years, what a snooze fest.
Maybe, with the right teacher, it wouldn't have been, but, as it were, most of the students sat in a stupid. Some, in fact, were asleep, but when called on, would utter the correct answer in a decidedly monotonous, matching that of the teacher, tone. What a horrible waking dream.
Yet again, she'd try to give Timmy her heart this year. He'd sworn, however, that if she tried this year, he'd cram something in her mouth. The thought would have discouraged many, but not her. What did she have to lose? Her dignity? Ha! Gone long ago.
However…if Trixie did indeed give him her heart, then there was no point in trying. She had to be the first person, regardless of the competition…it didn't count otherwise. To her, her heart was symbolic of her real one and she wasn't going to let the person who received it accumulate them.
Unfortunately, she didn't know where he was this period…apparently, no one did. Perhaps the school had him tucked away, far from the prying eyes of fan girls. (Knowing, of course, that Timmy Turner had many fan girls).
If she could excuse herself, then she was free to pursue him. However, the question became- how was she supposed to find him first?
Indicating she had to go to her locker, Tootie quickly left the room and ran into the main lobby. This wouldn't be as easy as she'd thought.
-
Trixie, after the laughter had died down from another nasty remark, managed to connive her way out of class. Like Veronica, she quickly sped down the stairs and into the entranceway. Things were going to get interesting…
-
"What are you doing here!" All three shrieked upon seeing each other.
"Giving my heart to Timmy!" Again, in unison.
"Since when do you like him!" Tootie snapped to Trixie and Veronica and Veronica snapped to Trixie.
"Well, well…" Trixie's eyes lit up mischievously. "This ought to be fun."
Dashing down to the main office, she called over her shoulder, "All's fair in love and war."
