Tommy Turnbull was in grade 8 - the last year of middle school, and he had a huge crush on his long-time best friend, Lola Mbola. Since Tommy was twelve, Lola was the only thing he'd ever 'thought' about when he was alone. However, he was always too nervous to tell her, in case she rejected him and it broke their friendship, but it was nearly summer, and the end of the school year was upon them, so during the heat of the moment, Tommy didn't want to lose the opportunity to potentially become even closer to the most important girl in his life.
Tommy and Lola were walking home from school on a Friday, and they were chatting about various things, including their former friend Augustus Turner. By grade 8, Tommy and Lola had recently fallen out with Gus, simply due to his destructive and selfish nature, and they'd both had enough of his carelessness.
"So, what're your plans for the weekend?" Tommy asked Lola.
Lola made her thinking face. "Hmm, not much, if I'm honest. Gonna spend it in my room with Princess, probably. You should come! We could watch TV in my room with snacks!" Lola suggested optimistically.
"Yeah, sure, okay!" Tommy replied happily. "How's the little fuzz-ball doing these days, anyway?" He asked, about Lola's cat.
"Aw, she's just fine - same as always! Although, she's been a little more tired recently." Lola responded.
"Figures. She is a cat, after all." Tommy replied with a small grin, making Lola giggle.
Some time later, they were both back at Lola's place. "Dad, I'm home!" Lola called out.
Ambassador Mbola soon approached. "Lola, how was school? Oh, hello, Tommy! Good to see you!"
"Hi, Sir." Tommy greeted with a small wave.
"Tommy an' I are gonna chill for a bit." Said Lola.
"No problem, kids!"
Tommy and Lola then went up to Lola's bedroom, where they found Lola's cat, Princess, laying on Lola's large bed. "Hey, Princess!" Lola greeted her cat warmly as she went to hug her, whilst Tommy walked in with Lola, before closing the door behind him. Tommy sat beside Lola on the bed, who was holding and stroking her purring cat.
A short while later, Tommy and Lola were watching TV whilst sitting on the bed, with Princess in Lola's lap as she stroked her. "Lola, I gotta tell you something." Tommy said suddenly.
"Um, okay." Lola said as she turned down the volume on the television with the remote.
"Now, I don't want you to be mad, and I really like you a lot, because you're my best friend." Tommy said gradually. "But… I guess I… I really like you, Lola." He admitted, making Lola blush as her eyes and mouth gradually widened. "So… yeah, I like you… a lot." He concluded. Lola stared at Tommy for a few seconds, before she just leaned over and gave him a big hug. "Are you okay, Lola?" Tommy asked as he slowly hugged her back. The two were now in a tight embrace, and after a fair while, Lola eventually pulled back; she looked into Tommy's eyes, and Tommy looked straight back into Lola's watery eyes with confusion. As tears gradually ran down Lola's cheeks, her lips formed a smile.
"I love you, Tommy!" She practically shouted, before giving Tommy a quick, but wonderful kiss. When Lola pulled back, Tommy looked at her with a poker face as he blushed, before his eyes softened; this time, it was his turn to kiss her. As Tommy's lips pressed onto hers, Lola was taken by surprise at this, but she quickly adjusted to this sensational feeling and she cupped Tommy's cheeks as she closed her eyes. After this kiss went on for a few seconds, they both pulled back and just looked at each other. "You dummy!" Lola said with a happy grin as she hugged Tommy. "You dunno how long I've waited to hear that!" Lola sobbed as Tommy hugged her back. "I've always loved you, Tommy!" A short minute later, they both pulled away again, and Lola looked down in embarrassment. "I'd had a crush on you since we were kids. I've loved you for years, Tommy. And, after a certain time, I knew I'd never get over you." Lola confessed as she wiped her tears away.
"Well, I… I've always loved you too, Lola. I guess I only realised it a couple years ago." Tommy replied, before kissing Lola on the cheek, making her look up at him; they smiled at each other and hugged once again. "So, um… wanna go out some time?" Tommy asked sheepishly, making Lola giggle.
"Absolutely." She responded happily, making Tommy smile.
A while later, the two teens were still sitting on the bed, now holding hands, whilst they reminisced about being children. They discussed Dr. Kamikaze, who had died by now, having never fulfilled his dream of conquering the world.
A while later, the two teens were still sitting on the bed, now holding hands, whilst they reminisced about being children. They discussed Dr. Kamikaze, who had died by now, having never fulfilled his dream of conquering the world.
"Do you remember when you saved me from Dr. Kamikaze's weird Tunnel-of-Love trap, Tommy?" Lola asked as she snuggled up to Tommy.
"Heh, yeah. I remember that you kissed me afterwards." Said Tommy, before he sighed. "That was my first kiss."
Lola giggled. "Mine, too. How was it?" She asked.
"Pretty damn sweet." Tommy answered with a smirk. "How 'bout you?"
"One of the best moments of my life…" Lola responded dreamily, before snapping herself back after a few short moments. "Oh, and what about that killer treehouse that we built with Robotboy?"
"Oh yeah, that was a crazy day!" Tommy commented with a grin. "Then again, your hair was very fluffy afterwards, so I guess something good did come out of it." He said with a smile. "I remember us walking inside my house and that you had a very poofy afro." He added, to which Lola responded by giving him an appreciative kiss on the cheek. "Or what about when Justine stole Robotboy?"
"Yeah, I remember you tellin' me about that. I also remember when Gus got Robotboy to wreak havoc on the city just to get some damn chocolate!" Said Lola, looking slightly frustrated. "That was the same day you were at the hospital for banging your head. I was so happy that you were okay, and when you let me stay there with you."
"... I'm… I'm really sorry, Lola." Tommy said as he softly embraced Lola.
"What're ya sorry for?" She asked, confused.
"You've always been so nice to me… You were always there for me, especially when Gus wasn't…" Tommy began. "I just cast you outta the way like an asshole, like when you snuggled up to me on the hospital bed that day, and I just shouted at you for interrupting me from watching Human Fist… Or when we were playing in my yard, and I abandoned you to hang out with Gus instead…" He explained regretfully. "I'm really sorry, Lola… You deserved a way better friend than me…" He said as a tear rolled down his cheek, before he quickly wiped it away.
As Tommy looked down, ashamed of himself, Lola looked at him as she cupped his cheeks and gently lifted his head to look at her; they both looked into each other's teary eyes for a second, before Lola brought Tommy forward and softly pressed their lips together. They had a long, emotional kiss, before eventually pulling away, when Lola spoke.
"I couldn't imagine a better friend than you, Tommy; you're smart, and creative, and compassionate... and you're so sweet." She said sincerely. "I love you so much, Tommy."
"I love you too, Lola." Tommy then leaned towards Lola and kissed her, which Lola reciprocated as she closed her eyes and embraced Tommy as they kissed. As they kissed, Princess was still resting on Lola's lap, and the feline fluff-ball began purring as she looked at the couple. The two teens sensed this, and they pulled away to look at Princess. "Aw, we love you too, Princess!" Tommy said as he stroked her head, whilst Lola picked her up and gave her a few kisses.
A few minutes later, Tommy began to get up. "Leaving already?" Lola asked.
"Yeah, I gotta get home - Mom's gonna be worried. Dad - not so much." Tommy snickered.
"Oh- okay…" Lola said dismally as she looked down, not wanting Tommy to leave.
Tommy walked back to Lola and gently lifted her head up. "Hey, I'll come visit you tomorrow." He said with a hopeful smile, reassuring Lola as she smiled back. "After all - you are my… girlfriend, now." He said proudly, though with it seeming unnatural to say those words, especially to his BFF. Tommy gave Lola a quick kiss and then stroked Princess' head. "See ya later, Princess." He said to Lola's cat, which made her purr.
A while later, Tommy arrived home to find his parents having dinner in the kitchen, though without his brother Donnie, since he was in the detention centre. "Tommy, just in time! I was just about to help myself to your meal!" Tommy's father Dwight called out, just when Tommy arrived in the kitchen.
"Sit down, hun. You must be starving." Said Deb, Tommy's mother.
Tommy sat at the table and began eating with a big smile on his face. "Have a good day at school, Tommy?" Deb asked in her typically sweet tone.
"Yeah, kid - ya got a big, dopey grin on your face. What's goin' on?" Dwight asked in a less subtle manner.
"Ah, nothin'." Tommy responded in a dreamy glare. "Just, uh… got a girlfriend."
"Oh, really? Well, it's about time." Dwight boomed.
"Dwight!" Deb snapped back. "That's great, Tommy!" She said happily.
"So, anyway, who is this chick? Is it that Bambi girl - the one who was fangirling over your tetherball tournament?" Dwight asked casually.
"Um, no, Dad. It's Lola." Said Tommy.
"Lola? Never heard of her." Said Dwight, shrugging it off.
"Oh, Lola? The cute black girl?" Said Deb. "Oh, she's very nice, Tommy. I'm glad you're so close to her." Deb said with a supportive smile, making Tommy smile back slightly.
"Oh, the black one that you and Gus used to hang with?" Dwight asked. "Yeah, I remember her. Man, she used to stare at you ALL the time, Tommy!" He said, making Tommy give a nervous chuckle.
A short while later, Tommy went up to his room with a full belly and a bounce to his step. As he entered his room expecting to see Robotboy, only to find him gone, Tommy remembered that he was still in Professor Moshimo's lab, going through an upgrading procedure. As Tommy got in bed, the last thing he thought about before he fell asleep was Lola.
Meanwhile, Lola got into bed with Princess right beside her. "Goodnight, Princess." She said happily to her cat as she lay beside her, as Lola turned her lamp off. "Goodnight, Tommy." Lola whispered, before drifting off.
