Chapter 9

Jimmy sat in his room, looking up at the glow in the dark stars he had stuck on the ceiling many years ago.

"Goddard?"

The silvery dog looked up from the bolt he was gnawing on. "Bark, bark."

Jimmy smiled and laid down on his bed. "Did I ever do anything wrong, something so bad that it made someone really mad?"

"Bark, bark. Bark."

"No, I don't mean when I made the pants go crazy... I mean, something I did to one person."

"Bark, bark, bark. Bark, bark."

"Hmm... No, not that either... I... Have I ever done anything with Betty and then gotten amnesia or something?"

"Bark."

"No? Well, then what was Cindy talking about?"

"Bark, bark."

"What?" he asked in a baffled tone. "A misunderstanding? Of what?"

"Bark."

Jimmy stayed silent, moved by the logic in Goddard's bark. "Wait..."

He sat up quickly, shoving his hands into his hair. "No!"

Jimmy patted Goddard on the head quickly, snatched a jacket off of his computer chair,grabbed his jet-pack, and leapt out the window. He flew toward Cindy's house, aiming for the window that he was sure was Cindy's.

He tapped on the window, pleased he finally figured out the problem... Or, with Goddard's help, at least...

When Jimmy finally got Cindy to turn around, she was wide-eyed, and screaming. Jimmy couldn't really hear anything because of the thick glass, but he could make out the words that Cindy's mouth formed.

Cindy opened the window, slapping Jimmy right after. "What the hell are you doing here? I hate you, didn't I tell you that? Go away, you jerk!"

Jimmy grabbed her arm and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Shhhh! Here, put this on." He handed her a plain red jacket, emblazoned with the famous atom symbol on the back.

"What? Why?" she asked suspiciously. "Where are you taking me?"

Jimmy put his arms around her torso and activated his jet pack to full power. "We're going to the park."

"At this time of night? What? Oh my God, are you going to rape me?"

Jimmy gave her an annoyed look. "No, I'm not raping you. I want to talk, what do you think?"

Cindy stayed silent for the rest of the trip, and Jimmy thanked God for that. Or whoever he believed in.

"Cindy."

She opened her eyes, she had fallen asleep on the quiet journey to the park. "Huh?"

"We're here."

Cindy jerked awake. She looked at Jimmy's watch, practically pulling his arm out of its socket. "It's only ten o'clock?"

Jimmy nodded slowly and set his jet-pack on the ground gently. Cindy sat down on the log nearby. "So please explain to me fully why you brought me out to the park in the dead of night."

Jimmy sighed and laid down on the grass. "Well, there's that thing with Betty you keep talking about."

Cindy opened her mouth, but Jimmy continued before she could say anything. "Yeah, well, I have no recollection at all of that 'event' you keep talking about, most likely since it never happened."

She stared at him, speechless. Well then... That changs everything.

"Well, I guess...I guess I had no reason to do what I did with James, huh?"

Jimmy nodded and closed his eyes. "Does this remind you of anything?" he asked quietly.

Cindy looked up at the sky, amazed once again at all the stars glistening in the dark.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

And all was silent, except maybe besides the crickets and the small creek beside them. All was silent like that night under the stars.

A/N: No, it's not over yet, there's still more to come. :D