Hey! I'm sorry it took so long for me to update! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 2: Shock

The next day students of ages 14 to 17 gathered around the prison cell most called high school. Bags hung on the backs of teenagers as conversation erupted between peers. Everyone was preparing for the hustle and bustle of the classes that would soon take place. Although the morning was fresh and bright most were gloomier at the fact that the weekend was over and it was Monday once again.

The gang met where they usually did, somewhere by the shrubbery to the left of the school entrance. Cindy and Jimmy who had walked to school together had come to meet Sheen and Libby who had also just arrived and Carl who had already been there.

"Hey guys," Jimmy greeted in a somewhat sleepy tone.

"Hey," everyone greeted simultaneously.

"So, ready to start the day?" Libby commented.

"Like I ever am," Cindy replied sarcastically and everyone gave a slight chuckle. Cindy's sarcasm was something that could usually brighten up the mood.

"I hear ya," Jimmy replied with a smile as he turned to look at Cindy. He couldn't understand how she could look so beautiful, even with it being very early in the morning. She always seemed to have a heavenly glow around her (as corny as that sounds). To Jimmy if with all her faults she could never be more of an angel. Even when they were in heated arguments she always looked as radiant as ever. Sometimes he would catch himself just staring at her when he should be angry with her. He just couldn't help himself. To him Cindy was perfection and she didn't contain a single flaw but that's only because her flaws were what made her so perfect.

The doors to Retroville High opened and the teenagers stampeded into the hallways.

"Well here we go," Sheen said as the gang marched into the school.

Everyone went to their lockers. Sheen's and Libby's are at the end of the hallway and Carl's across from theirs. Jimmy's and Cindy's were somewhere in the middle and they were only about two lockers apart. As Cindy went through her locker Jimmy caught himself staring at her again. 'She is so beautiful,' he thought, a goofy smile forming on his face. Cindy finally noticed him staring at her and smiled back slamming her locker shut, the sound awaking Jimmy from his trance.

"So, you ready for English?" Cindy asked.

"Yup, let's go," Jimmy replied as they walked side by side to Mr. Sorene's classroom.

"Good morning," said Mr. Sorene, "I will be handing back your 'Catcher and the Rye' tests before we begin our lesson."

Mr. Sorene walked around the room handing back tests and when he gave Cindy hers, he said, "Congratulations Cindy, A plus!"

"Yes! A plus, top that Neutron!"

At that moment Mr. Sorene handed back Jimmy's test. "What! A minus! I don't understand!" Jimmy contemplated as he rummaged through his test to find he had points off on an essay question. "I don't get it! I expanded my point both scientifically and mathematically, what could I have possibly done wrong!"

"Not everything is about math and science, Jimmy," Cindy retorted to his outburst, "Sometimes things have to be proven in a more creative way that requires the right side of the brain, which yours obviously isn't very developed."

"Hey! I am highly creative!"

"Whatever you say, Neutron," Cindy said teasingly.

"Fine! Be that way! But one day you'll see just how open minded I can be!" Jimmy yelled, offended.

"You keep telling yourself that," she replied bored of the conversation.

"Miss Vortex, Mr. Neutron. That's enough," said Mr. Sorene and they calmed down with one more protrude of the tongue in mock defense from each individual. "Well class the lesson for today will be on some of the wonders of grammar."

The class groaned.

"Today we will be working on…..," Mr. Sorene went on and eventually class was over and lunch soon arrived.

The gang all sat at their normal table. Now, most people would have expected Cindy do be among a more popular crowd but she rose above that and found she could never find better friends then the ones she already had.

"So Jimmy, you want to do our homework together after school?" Cindy asked quite a bit nervous.

"Umm….sure," Jimmy answered with a bit of shock because of how random her question had been. Usually when they did their homework together it would be decided during their walk home or something, it never was something they planned ahead of time. "Your house or mine?"

"Mine is okay."

"Okay, cool."

"Have you guys seen the new Ultralord movie it was the best! Like that one part where Robofiend came out of no where and shot his plasma ray at Ultralord but he stooped him with his force field! Then-"

"No! Stop!" Cindy was becoming very agitated with his meaningless ramblings. "You're the only on who would have Ultrafreak!" She just couldn't help but use his old nickname when she got mad at him.

"Now Cindy, aren't we all a little bit too old to be calling people names?" Sheen retorted.

"Oh, shut up," Cindy said with smile. She couldn't help but laugh at his comment. Her friends could do just about anything to make her smile.

Lunch went on like that for the rest of the period. They just talked aimlessly on different topics as they shared many laughs and told of different events that occurred in their lives. It was just like they always would do and things were finally the way they should be, except for a relationship between a certain two people….

Later in Chemistry class Jimmy and Cindy were in the middle of an argument as a test had just been handed back.

"I got an A plus!" Jimmy said triumphantly. Not like he doesn't get A plus's all the time, it was just for the purpose of rubbing in the fact that he beat Cindy.

"Oh stop being such a show off!" Cindy teased. "Just because you got one lousy plus more than me doesn't mean you have to rub it in!"

"Ah, but there is where you're wrong Miss Vortex! You gloated English and now it's mine turn to gloat!"

"Whatever."

The day went on like this, Jimmy and Cindy continuing their friendly competition, seeing as they had the same schedule. Once the final bell rang Jimmy and Cindy gathered their things from their lockers and pursued their destination that was Cindy's house.

"Cindy? Just out of curiosity, how have things been going on at home? I mean I know you and your mother don't always get along and she bugs the hell out of you, as you've told me many times, so you know, just asking," Jimmy questioned trying to be as gentle as possible so as to not strike a nerve.

"Yeah, I guess. She just is so annoying sometimes! I can't stand how she wants so much out of me! I'm only one person, I can only do so much!"

"I know Cindy. That's just how parents can be. They want you to be the best you can be and sometimes it may get annoying but it just means they care."

"You're right, wow I don't say that often." she said with a chuckle and he just smirked at her. "My mom can just be so intense about everything and you know how she is. It can just be really annoying when she expects so much."

A few minutes later they arrived at Cindy's house and went straight up to her room to do their homework.

"Let's do English first. I know you need help on that topic Neutron," Cindy said with a smirk.

"Fine, Vortex," he said mocking her use of his last name.

"Okay, so for our assignment we had to do a creative writing passage. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well actually yes. I was thinking of something along the lines of a boy about the age of 10 trying to find the cure for cancer and having elaborate problems with chemical reactions and-"

"Neutron, stop. Okay, listen. It's one thing if he had a reason for finding a cure for cancer. Like let's say a relative had cancer and he wanted to help them but otherwise you're going too far with the whole science thing. You need to stop and really think about this. Be creative and come up with something that involves heart and emotions."

"But Cindy, you know I'm not creative. What do you expect me to do?"

"Look, Neutron. You may not be creative but anyone can use their heart and mind to write a creative story. And remember this assignment is due in 3 days so you better come up with something quick."

"Okay Cindy. Only on one condition, you have to help me." Jimmy gave Cindy this pitiful look and she just couldn't resist.

"Maybe for you but I am a genius after all," Jimmy had that smug look on his face like he always did when he gloated and Cindy couldn't help but smile. He could always get to her that way. But what could she say, she loved him.

"Oh, put a sock in it Neutron," she said with a chuckle and they got back to work, engaging in conversation every once in a while.

Jimmy finally went home around 6:00 to find his mother in the kitchen with a sorrowful look on her face. Her eyes were blood-shot like she had been crying and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"M-mom? What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Jimmy questioned, his voice full of concern.

"Jimmy…..," she could, "your cousin Nikki, she's been raped."

"Love is triumph of imagination over intelligence." - H.L. Mencken

A/N: There's chapter 2. Chapter 3 will be up soon and please reply!