CHAPTER SEVEN
"Good Morning, Timmy!" Cosmo and Wanda announced as they poofed into existence over Timmy's bed. Timmy yawned and woke up.
"Morning, Wanda. Morning, Cosmo", Timmy remarked as he got out of bed.
Wanda raised her wand and poofed clothes on Timmy (as well as the ubiquitous pink ball cap). Timmy noticed on the nightstand that it was after 7 am. He wondered about the wish he made and thought about having Cosmo poof up the crystal ball so that he could see what was going on at the Flannigan's, but his stomach growled and he wanted to eat first.
Mrs. Turner had already put a plate of waffles on the table for Timmy. Timmy sat down and started eating. He was, however, only about half-way through when there was a knock on the door. Mrs. Turner walked up to the door and opened it. Standing in the doorway was Tootie.
"Sorry to bother you, Mrs. Turner, but I thought it best to let you know that my parents won't be driving me and Timmy in to school today", Tootie said.
"That's fine, Dear. Please come in. Have you had breakfast yet?" Mrs. Turner asked. Tootie shook her head.
"Well, just go and sit at the table with Timmy and I'll get you something", Mrs. Turner offered. Tootie went over to the table and sat down.
Timmy was annoyed at this interruption, but then noticed that Tootie was wearing her hair brushed down. He found himself staring at it.
"You really do like my hair like this, don't you, Timmy?" Tootie asked.
"Uh…why are we taking the bus today, Tootie?" Timmy asked in order to change the subject.
"For some strange reason, Vicky managed to cut off her ankle bracelet and to get the thermite charge removed from her money sack this morning", Tootie explained, "and then after that, she kind of had an 'argument' with Mom and Dad". Just then, Timmy heard sirens outside; he looked out the window to see Dimmsdale SWAT vehicles racing along the street.
"Oh good, they'll soon calm things down," Tootie said as Mrs. Turner brought over another plate of waffles. Timmy looked wide-mouthed at Tootie. If the local SWAT was involved, it was something much more than an argument!
"Uh, excuse me for a moment, Tootie", Timmy stammered, "I have to quickly go upstairs and grab some things". With that, he raced upstairs.
"Cosmo, lets have that crystal ball. It looks like things really hit the fan over at Vicky's", Timmy said as he entered his room and closed the door.
Cosmo poofed up the ball and Timmy looked into it while Wanda and Cosmo looked over his shoulder. Timmy saw that outside the house, there were tons of police cars pulled up in front of it. Smoke was streaming from several windows, and the sounds of battle could be heard inside.
"Looks like World War Three is happening!" Timmy exclaimed.
"Well, Sport", Wanda replied, "when you wished for Vicky to become equally brave, it meant that neither side would back down: Tootie's parents wouldn't want to go back to being threatened by Vicky and Vicky would want to get them back under her control. Result: stalemate".
Just then, Mrs. Turner walked in. Cosmo and Wanda poofed back into their fishbowl and made the crystal ball disappear.
"Dear", Mrs. Turner said to her son, "I've just been called by the Flannigans. As it seems that both Mr. and Mrs. Flannigan – as well as Vicky - have been arrested, they have asked us to look after Tootie until they are bailed out". Timmy rolled his eyes at that piece of news. Now it's going from bad to worse!
"Tootie is staying here?" Timmy blurted out. Mrs. Turner nodded.
"Tootie was pleased to hear the news", Mrs. Turner replied. As if to underline that, Tootie came in with little hearts popping around her head.
"Oh boy", Timmy muttered.
"Well, you both better get going before you miss the bus", Mrs. Turner said as she left the room. With a "See you outside, Timmy", Tootie followed suit.
Numbly grabbing his schoolbooks, Timmy headed out. Wanda and Cosmo poofed themselves onto Timmy's lunchbox. As he left the house, Tootie walked beside him.
"Timmy?" Tootie asked, "what's wrong?".
"To be honest, Tootie", Timmy replied, "You. You've been constantly cramping my style. First with you making me wear fairy clothes, then using that shock bracelet, and now you sharing my room. What's with you?" he finished angrily. The events of the last few days meant that he no longer really cared about being diplomatic.
"Oh, and I suppose that those water balloons you pelt me with regularly makes things right", Tootie responded acidly. "I just don't figure you out at times".
"What's to figure out?" Timmy asked tartly, taken aback with Tootie's answer.
"Firstly, your crush on Trixie", Tootie answered, "She treats you like trash every time you try to impress her and yet you still try to win her affections. What does she have that makes you want to score with her?"
"Well, she's pretty, and….. she's pretty, and ……she's popular…..", Timmy trailed off.
"She uses her looks to get her way, Timmy", Tootie answered, "and you just don't see it".
"Well, it helps if you flaunt what you have, you know", Timmy shot back, "after all, you don't go out of your way to make yourself look pretty do you? The hair is a good start, but your glasses, your braces, and those clothes of yours makes you an instant turn-off. That, plus the way you go about hounding me is not endearing you to me at all!"
Tootie went quiet for a few seconds, and then carefully replied.
"Timmy, Vicky made me wear these clothes and these other items", she began, "and I know what it means to look pretty, but I'd like to think that you would look beyond that and see what is inside a person. I thought you a lot more intelligent than that. When you gave me that Crimson Chin doll, I thought you did".
"Perhaps you should put yourself in my shoes and look at yourself in a mirror", Timmy replied, "then perhaps you'll see what I've been seeing. I don't hate you, Tootie, but your looks and your behavior around me really creeps me out. Anyway, there's the bus. We'd better get to school".
As the bus pulled away with Timmy and Tootie on board (and with Vicky, Veronina, Tad and Chad in the popular kid's section in back), Timmy thought about what Tootie had said. He looked towards Trixie in the rear of the bus chatting with Veronica and wondered about Tootie's description of her.
For her part, Tootie wondered about Timmy's comments. True, she was overly enthusiastic when it came to Timmy, but was it really THAT much of a turn-off? Looking down at her clothes, Tootie thought about what could be done to improve her image. Timmy did have a point….