Chapter twenty-eight

So, just like they said, the girls and the professor got on with their life without Bubbles. Tino also acts like he forgot Bubbles; He still seemed happy everyday, not even caring a bit about Bubbles. Blossom and Buttercup were both curious, wanting to know how Tino REALLY felt about Bubbles. So they went up to him one day after school. "Tino, we want to talk to you." Buttercup said. Tino looked at her and Blossom, "Uh are you going to slap me again?" He joked. Blossom said, "We're serious Tino, we want to talk to you, and don't worry, Buttercup's not going to slap you again." Buttercup nodded. "Alright." The three of them walked to the park near their school.

"Tino, did you EVER like Bubbles?" Blossom asked while they sat down on a long bench.

"No." He replied.

"Why not?" Buttercup butted in.

"Because," was all he said as he looked down.

"It's okay Tino, you can be open with us. We try to understand, and we don't think this whole thing's your fault. It's childish of Bubbles to do that just because you didn't want to go out with her." Blossom explained, "We just want to know how you felt about her."

Tino looked at Blossom, then Buttercup, "That's why she did all that? Because I didn't want to go out?" He gasped.

Buttercup frowned, "What did YOU think was the reason?"

Again Tino looked down, "I…I…well I thought…I thought there was some kind of like problem at home PLUS the thing with me…but it never occurred to me that it was ONLY because of me…" He stammered.

Buttercup raised an eyebrow, "O...Kay…whatever…"

Blossom insisted, "Well, now you know. Just ONE problem…"

Tino looked at her.

"IT'S TOO LATE!" She yelled.

Tino looked down again.

The three of them stayed silent for about half an hour before Tino finally spoke. "I guess it's true what they say, 'when you have something, you don't realize its worthy, but when one day you suddenly lose it, then all the good things about it comes back to you. I just realized, that letter Bubbles wrote to me, she's the best poet I've ever met in my whole live. Well I mean, I don't read that many poems, but her's really moved me. She's a great poet, I guess if we became FRIENDS, NORMAL FRIENDS, I could have asked her to help me write them." He thought to himself.

Blossom and Buttercup exchanged looks, "Yeah I doubt she would have just wanted to be your NORMAL FRIEND."

"Yeah she only wanted to be your GIRLFRIEND." Buttercup added, laughing.

"Maybe I should have gave her a chance…I mean…besides her annoyance, she's a good friend I guess…" Tino finally said.

Buttercup yelled at him after hearing that, "Oh My Gosh, She DIDN'T want to be your FRIEND, she wanted to be your GIRLFRIEND. Can't stress that enough!"

Tino backed up, "Yeah…um…sorry…but you didn't have to yell like THAT. I think everyone in Townsville heard you."

"Good idea! I got it!" Blossom finally spoke, "If Bubbles is still alive that is."

Bubbles looked at her curiously while Tino just looked around knowing this great plan of Blossom will mainly consist of HIM doing something. So he pretended he didn't hear Blossom.

Blossom looked at him, "Tino are you listening?" She asked, knowing he already knew he's the main part in her plan. Tino signed, "Yes." "Alright," Blossom spoke, "If Bubbles is still in the town then she would hear people yell all the way across because of the small town Townsville is. So…we'll have Tino yell out loud that he wants her as his girlfriend, and hearing that, I KNOW Bubbles will come rushing back." Blossom smiled. Buttercup nodded, "YEAH! That's such a great idea."

Tino backed up again, "OH NO! I'm not yelling that." "Hey, might I remind you? YOU'RE THE REASON THAT BUBBLES RAN AWAY!" Buttercup said furiously.

"Why?" Blossom just asked. "Long list, you see Blossom, we both understand algebra right?" Tino started to explain. Blossom nodded. "This whole thing has so many 'variables' in it. I mean first of all, we don't know for sure that Bubbles ran away because of me. We're ALMOST positive, but there's still a small chance that there's another reason. Secondly, we don't know for sure that she's still in this town. Thirdly, we don't know for sure that she's still alive. Fourthly, we don't know for a fact that she still likes me; I know she wrote in the letter that she will always love me, but she was just infatuated that time, people's minds change. So you see, even if I DO yell that, first of all, I'm scared that everyone will laugh at me for yelling to someone whom they think is gone already, and also everyone will be all like 'why didn't you take her as your girlfriend when she was still here, while now she's gone you want her again? You're so weird!' or something like that. So yeah, I don't think this is such a good idea. Let's think of another plan."

Blossom thought for a minute, "I know there are many things that we're unsure of, but if we want Bubbles to come back we have to try EVERYTHING." She told him. Tino looked down, "But do we REALLY want her to come back? I mean everyone else is use to her being gone. You two will get use to it in a while. I'm going to be honest; I kind of don't want her to come back because she's so annoying to me. Like she's really not going to rest until I ask her to marry me."

"What is about her that you just totally don't like Tino?" Blossom asked sadly. Tino was meaner than they thought, "Everything." He claimed. Buttercup, who has been staying quiet for the past couple minutes, suddenly bit her lips. "Tino you're such a…a…I don't even want to say the word. I just want to give you a fist in the face." "BUTTERCUP! Let's settle this the calm way, we still need his help on this plan. And besides, hitting is not the best way to straighten out something." Blossom told her.

"Yeah, and besides, if you hit me, I'll tell Clayton!" Tino teased. Buttercup's face turned red. "You…you're a…okay whatever." She stammered. Seeing these two like this, Blossom spoke again, "So I think we should still try our first plan, if it doesn't work, we'll think of something else."