Disclaimer: Don't own Fairly Oddparents- but happy March 15th!

Chapter Seven: The Trouble With Tootie

Swallowing hard, he kept his eyes trained on the door and for her entrance. Fortunately, they sat next to each other, so he could easily talk to her while the teacher, more than likely, spent a majority of the class chatting it up with another math teacher. It was nothing short of a miracle that Tootie was in the same class and then another for them to be seated next to each other. They were close to each other in terms of alphabetical last name, but he hadn't thought he'd have the fortune to sit so closely to a girl he adored so much.

When had he started to like her, though? Could it have been after Timmy rejected her for the millionth time and she still pursued him? Could it be when he realized how horrible her home life had to be and how Timmy was her one shot at something good in her life? Everyone needed at least one good thing to hold and cherish, no matter what it was.

Although he had his work and his parents cared for him much more than Tootie's could possibly express in front of Vicky, that didn't mean he was as selfish as people made him out to be. Sure, he gloated sometimes over things that people wished he'd shut up about, but that didn't mean he was all about grades and nothing else. Then again, as long as Tootie thought that, he didn't stand a chance.

What did he have to do to win her over, though? Before now, he hadn't given much thought to it. He couldn't fathom why she'd given up her heart so quickly and not even bothered to talk to Timmy, running out instead. Did that mean she no longer liked him?

He had no friends of hers to talk about this with, since most people regarded her as completely nuts. Where did she turn to for solace, then? Who on earth did she express her deepest, darkest thoughts with?

Well, of course, a journal…his face paled then. If Trixie and Veronica still thought Tootie was in the race, they'd stop at nothing to make her drop out. What better way to cause her to concede defeat than to acquire her journal? He only hoped she kept it at home, where it belonged.

Before he could give more thought to the matter at hand, she walked in, her head hung extremely low. Unshed tears glimmered in her eyes, red rimmed with those already dispelled. Was he crying over losing her heart that early? An uneasy feeling seized him at the thought.

Other students jostled her, taking incredibly long to reach the doorway, but she failed to notice. It was as though the confidence, happiness, and spirit in her had died long ago and now she was just going through the motions of being alive. In fact, she resembled a ghost with her pallor.

The teacher arrived right behind her and gazed sympathetically. Despite the fact he frequently left the room to chew the fat with another teacher, he did care about his students. Just, you know, not enough to watch over them while they did their problems and see if they performed the operations correctly.

As he stood behind her, the bell rang and she shuffled quickly (well, as quickly as one might expect considering she failed to lift her feet) to a seat in the back of the room, not her assigned one. A.J.'s heart sank- she must not want to be bothered. Given her state, he didn't really blame her, but he wasn't like Trixie or Veronica, who might badger. He truly wanted to see her smile, if nothing else.

In the far back of the room, the other students gave her a wide berth. Glancing up speedily told her that there was now no less than five feet between her and any other student in the small class. Apparently, Tootie crying feared them more than Tootie shrieking over her beloved.

Well, to be honest, it disturbed A.J. more. Tootie was normally happy to see Timmy, to the point where his eardrums were about to burst, and seeing her like this after this morning worried him. Perhaps the teacher wouldn't mind if he switched his seat for a day- Tootie already had.

Writing a few pages on the board, he nodded to the class and they pulled their texts out, ready to get to work. Although this was an Honors class and, by proxy, Honors students tended to be more mature and quieter than Regular students, they broke out into a whispered hush over Tootie, trying to make herself disappear. This proved extremely difficult as, everywhere she turned, she heard her name uttered in less than flattering terms. Word had broken out of A.J. receiving Tootie's heart (which he turned over in his hands queasily, no longer as jubilant as this morning about receiving it) and her running out of Timmy's homeroom. Theories were being contrived faster than Trixie could awe a room full of pre-teen boys.

The teacher, however, took no note of their gossiping and left to talk, yet again, to the teacher across the hall. He would not return until the end of class and would not check their work. It was up to them to do it…or not do it and suffer the consequences.

A.J., naturally, would complete his work, but, first, curiosity and concern nagged at him. Unzipping his backpack and sliding his slick red Math book out of its container, he placed it on top of his red three ring binder and lifted them and himself up. No one noticed, predictable.

Knowing this to be a big step, as no one in Timmy's circle ever really conferred with her, he slowly made his way down the aisle and to her seat. The closer he drew to the pigtailed girl, the more eyes fell upon him until every eye, excepting his own, held him as their captive. Tootie herself gazed openly at him, no doubt wondering why he'd wish to draw attention to himself and more to her, by moving.

The eyes continued to claim him as he sat, somewhat rigidly, in the empty seat on her left. This was almost more awareness than he was used to, almost. Then again, it was probably more hostile attention than he was used to.

"Go away," She hissed, slamming her text book down and hoping the loud sound would cause others to shy away or at least stop openly gaping. Couldn't anyone see she wanted to be left alone, especially by one of Timmy's so called friends? That was the last thing she needed, for him to rub it in her face.

On her brown cover, he noticed "Tootie loves Timmy" crossed out as many times as it was written. The scratchings appeared to be recent, since some ink on her hands remained. He blinked, wondering what on earth that could be about.

"Go away or you'll wish you were never born," She snapped, still in a hush, still praying people would get to their work and stop staring at them.

He scoffed, recognizing it as an idle threat. There wasn't a cruel bone in her body, as much as she'd like to pretend there was. Tootie would be sweet and good-natured until the day she died, if nothing else changed her along the way. She might be angry right now, but that didn't mean she'd really strike out. All bark and no bite, he was certain.

Anger shone in her eyes, fury at being considered a mere trifle, insignificant. Again, she slammed another item down, this time a heavy three ring binder, and, again, the sound resonated around the room. Other than breathing and her whispered threats, no other sound struck. One could hear a pin drop.

Swallowing hard, she glowered at the group. "Don't you have other things to do!'

Yes, of course they did, but she was far more entertaining. Nevertheless, a few people turned their heads away, deciding work would win over controversy. The vast majority, however, kept their eyes trained on the two.

"Oh, honestly!" She snapped, her tone growing increasingly antagonistic, "Get a life!"

Folding her arms across her chest, she stared down anyone who dared to meet her eyes and, believing her to be closely enough related to Vicky to actually behave like her, they backed down. Soon, it was only one who had their eyes on her. He, of course, had no intention of backing down.

Turning to him, her eyes glittered in malice, but a hint of pain shone through. It was this pain he found interesting, the key to her appearance. If only she would entrust him with that gift.

"What the hell do you want?" Tootie snapped, surly, spinning on him. A.J. stared her down, not in the slightest bit intimidated. Siblings, after all, did not mean anything other than a similar genetic code.

"I want to speak with you," He replied softly, thankful they no longer had an audience. Despite his warm tone, she didn't relax. Instead, she tensed.

"Why? So you can report back to Timmy and rub it in my face? I lost, I give up! What's the point of going after someone if they don't care whether you live or die!" She fired, suddenly furious with not him, but herself for wasting so much time. However, he'd do nicely as a scapegoat.

I wouldn't go that far, but she does have a point, He thought, observing her fury with a smirk. Clearly, she had no idea how cute her false anger was. She thought he believed her to be angry with him, but he knew the truth. Intellect had never steered him wrong yet…as far as anyone else knew.

Shaking his head, he replied, "I'm not here because of Timmy."

He can figure out his own love life, He thought, still smirking. Besides, how exactly did you help a kid choose between the lesser of two psychos?

Wait, she said she gave up. That would imply that her tears were either over (a), the fact that she realized she no longer stood a chance or (b), concerning the wasted time over him. In either case, this meant he didn't have to deal with her near fanatical obsession with Timmy. This was good, since it meant he didn't have to compete with someone who wanted no part of her.

"Then why are you here?" She hissed, glowering at him.

"I wanted to know if you were okay, that's all," He said, shrugging apologetically. He'd leave the business of his crush for later. She'd had enough excitement for a few periods.

Narrowing her eyes, she gazed back at him distrustfully. She couldn't prove her suspicions, of course, since she hardly knew him, but Timmy wasn't known to always be sweet and generous. In fact, she'd seen him be downright nasty. (This, when one thought about it, made him and whomever he chose still left a perfect match).

"I'm perfectly fine, now go back to your seat and leave me alone!" Kicking him hard in the shin, she indicated his seat at the front of the room. Despite the pain in his ankle, he didn't budge an inch. Let her hurt him minutely, he wasn't moving.

"You aren't fine and denying it isn't going to do any good. Why were you crying?"

"I wasn't crying!" She snapped, slamming her notebook shut. Doing any work this period was hopeless, they both realized it now. It looked like they were in for a ton of homework, then.

Then you were clawing your eyes out, because I can't see why your eyes would be so red, He thought, scowling. You may be able to fool Timmy, but you can't fool me.

When he didn't answer, merely gave her a look that showed his disbelief, she replied, louder than anticipated, "I wasn't!"

Fortunately, most students were too engrossed in their work to hear her or notice as she rose from her desk and then stood, glowering at him, at the front of his. What on earth was she planning to do, whack him with his textbook? Somehow, he doubted that.

Rising from his own seat, he placed a hand on her shoulder, one she regarded immediately with mistrust. What did she expect him to do, though? Karate chop her in the shoulder? Honestly.

"You were…and I apologize if my taking your heart was the reason," He murmured, fingers unconsciously stroking it again. Her eyes fell upon it and she glanced from it to him and back again.

"Why are you doing that?" She replied, curiosity overtaking anger for a minute.

"I…I really appreciate your sacrifice, Tootie. I…" Here, he blushed. Of all times to blush, he had to choose this one!

Again, she glanced from the heart to his face and back again. A blush spread across hers as well. He smiled, liking it when she blushed.

The bell rang just then, but neither noticed as the rest of the class filed up and backed up. Swallowing hard, he turned to her.

"Well…"

"I gotta go!" She blurted, grabbing her bag and darting out of the room.

Smooth, real smooth, He chastised himself, grabbing his own belongings. There was always lunch…

>>>

Oh! I have an announcement! I officially have fifty one people on my author alerts! That means fifty one people get alerts for my stories!

(watches as people remove me) O.o

Replies to reviews!

Yeah Loi- Of course Trixie's planning something evil. Okay, maybe not evil, but not very nice, either.

Spiritual Magic- Er, thanks.

warprince2000- As I've said before and I'll say again, one of these days, I'll break you of the habit of repeating yourself. C'mon, you have to be tired of typing the same thing every time.

Evilevergreen- Man, that line about Trix and Ver reminded me of Undercurrants…Trixie was the sweetest when she was gay…

At any rate, yeah, it's going to be something.

Yamato's Tiger Lily- Um, I know this may sound cruel or whatever, but I don't really like Chester. He annoys me in an impossible to explain way. That's why he's never in my stories, or, if he is, it's a bit role.

Thanks for reading and reviewing, those who have (with the exception of ahhelga and Deacon1, who didn't review the last chapter). Those who haven't or who are reading and not reviewing, review! What do you have to lose but a small amount of time?