Well, I know I would have had this up sooner, but since my internet went down, I couldn't get it up last night. You guys are really doing great with the "at least five reviews per chapter" thing. This makes me excited. Anyways, another part for you lovelies to read and enjoy. A short part, I might add. I guess it's short but says a lot. I'm not sure what I want to do with the next chapter. I mean, I have it all written out (yes, I write everything out before I put it up here. I can't afford to lose anything), but I'm not sure if I want to keep it like that.

I have had mostly wonderful reviews and I thank all my readers! But onecomment to Zim999: I don't understand. The bottom of a lake isn't very interesting. What purpose would scuba diving serve? Maybe if there was a good reason, I could put it into later chapters.

Another thing before I go: I think I'm going to be starting a new fic soon, something less fluffy, and with more drama and other characters and bad dudes and drug busts! Wait, did I say drug busts? I meant action and fight scenes. I get carried away with drug busts. I love watching them. Maybe I'll put up a teaser here. Tell me what you think about that, okay?

I'd Rather be Anywhere but Here

By me, Cassi Mo.

Chapter Four: A Rude Awakening

Cindy had just sat down to breakfast in the shared mess hall the next morning and was trying to make her eggs more edible my adding Dave's Insanity (spankin' stuff. Amazing on eggs. Made me a morning person!) to her food. After covering her breakfast in the hot sauce, she lifted a bite to her lips, looking up as she did so. What she saw made her drop her fork from her left hand and clatter on the plate, her mouth gaping.

Before her in the doorway stood Jimmy, his whole backside covered in last night's dinner; his feet were underneath an inch of Fluff so everywhere he walked he stuck and left sticky footprints. The Fluff also attracted everything, including bugs, grass and pebbles. But the funniest thing by far was his head. His formerly unruly hair had been re-styled into its old fudge-do, only with white streaks due to the shaving gel and reeked of raspberry. On top of this Jimmy looked around with sleepy eyes and an angry frown upon his face.

Cindy could not contain herself any longer. Realizing her prank had gone perfectly, she burst out into laughing so hard she could not compose herself for many a minute. Once she was calmer, she looked at Jimmy again and started her laughing fit all over again, not watching him get more angry and frustrated by the second. Finally, she stopped laughing enough to be able to look at him and talk at the same time.

Grinning wildly, she looked Jimmy straight in the face and giggled, "Good morning, Whippy-Dip head—I mean, good morning sunshine!"

Jimmy glared at her. "You better be glad the sun's shining. Once it's not, look out! You'll get yours, Vortex. You will get it and get it one hundred fold!"

"Oh, relax. It will all come out in the shower. Tell you what, I'll wash your hair personally in the big sinks behind the hall."

"Whatever."

"Okay, I'll get my stuff and see you there!"

As Cindy walked out of the hall, she heard Jimmy mutter, "I hate mornings."

She quickly grabbed her bottle of Insanity and ran to her cabin. When she arrived, Cindy threw a bottle of fruity-smelling shampoo, one of deep conditioner, and a towel into her bag and hurried off to find her irate friend.

Ten minutes later, Cindy found Jimmy in one of the industrial-sized sinks behind the mess hall kitchen. He already had the water running and his shirt was off.

"Okay, don't even ask why we're doing this," Cindy said from around the corner of the hall. Her eyes were rolled up and as she talked she made her way to the back of the building. "Because you and I both know you can't… do it… yourself."

By the word can't, Cindy was already around the building and was walking toward the sinks. But her sentence trailed off when she saw Jimmy bare-chested, her eyes widening along with her mouth.

Her Jimmy had grown up! He has to work out to look like that! Cindy thought. Indeed, Jimmy had gotten quite toned, enough so that his muscles were slightly enlarged but not enough so for him to look overly jock-y. He also stood a couple of inches taller than her.If Cindy didn't think of him as hot back when they were kids, she certainly did so now.

"Why yes, Miss Vortex, I do work out," Jimmy casually stated, noticing her stare and breaking the growing silence between them. "Now you can't tease me for spending all my time in the lab. Which I do, by the way; I just have a state-of-the-art gym down there now. Along with a tanning booth. Because you know you can't convince a mom that you're getting out with kids your own age if your skin looks whiter than a sheet. And speaking of which, you don't look too shabby yourself. But we can go skinny-dipping later, when the kids are asleep. Now I need my hair cleaned. I have a class in 45 minutes."

"Um, sure, ok…" Cindy was still dazed. Shaking her head slightly, she came back to reality. "I think, to go skinny-dipping, you have to be skinny, Dweebtron. That's why it's called skinny-dipping."

Jimmy just grinned as he put his head under the water. As Cindy put her shampoo-lathered hands onto his head and began to try to get the caked shaving gel out, a tickle went down his spine. Unfortunately, not unnoticed by Cindy.

"Water too cold, Jimbo?" She could feel his body stiffen under her. Uh oh.

"Don't… ever… call me that… again." Cindy could hear the anger and pain in his voice as he strained to keep himself in control. "And yes, the water is entirely too cold."

"Baby," Cindy stated as she turned the cold faucet clockwise until it wouldn't go any further. The lukewarm water turned searing hot. With shampoo still in his hair, he stood up and faced Cindy.

"What in God's name are you thinking? That wasn't even funny, you little—unh!"

Jimmy dropped to his knees suddenly, pressing his fingers to his closed eyes in an attempt to stop the stinging. Cindy realized what was happening and dropped to her knees as well.

"Jimmy," Cindy gently said, taking his shoulders, "I'm sorry about the water. I'm sorry about the nickname. Whether you forgive me or not is up to you. But I'm the only one who can properly help you get this soap out of your eyes, or you'll have some painful damage later."

With that, Cindy helped her wounded friend up and helped rid him of all shampoo and shaving gel. Conditioner followed shortly after. Everything was done in silence. Jimmy was the first to speak as he toweled his now floppyhair dry.

"Jeez, Dorktex, I'm gonna smell like you all day now."

"Oh my God, did you just use improper English?"

"Yeah…"

Cindy literally leapt for joy. "Yes! The great and indomitable Jimmy Neutron is no longer perfect, and I, Cindy Vortex, am here to witness it! Oh God, I wish I had my webcam! You totally made my day."

"Well, don't get too comfortable," Jimmy remarked as he threw Cindy her now-damp towel and walked away.

"Goddard, artificial sunscreen."

Jimmy was now in Cindy's cabin. It was well after midnight, and to make sure he would get away with this, he knocked her out with some painless vapor. I wonder what she's dreaming about, Jimmy wondered. Even in sleep she's beautiful. His smile matched hers for a second, that dopey smile spreading across both their faces as he watched her slumber.

"Ahem." Goddard's artificial voice broke through Jimmy's thoughts. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Goddard, of course was not getting paid for helping Jimmy, but Cindy was not his creator. It was hard being a dog sometimes.

"Oh, yeah." Jimmy took the bottle of sunscreen off of Cindy's bureau and replaced it with an identical bottle filled with a liquid that smelled and looked the same but had an SPF of 1 instead of 20, like the regular one had. Jimmy felt a pang of guilt as he switched the bottles, but then brushed it away, saying to himself, she had it coming.

With a final glance at the still-sleeping beauty, Jimmy made his way out her door and eventually into his own cabin.

Ah, the pranks continue. Well here I will leave you with my Golden Rule; even though I'm sure you memorized it already. Because it's a good rule; everyone should abide by it. Always review how you want to be reviewed. If you don't want bad feedback, don't give it!