CHAPTER EIGHT
The first class period passed quickly. Timmy was too engrossed in thought to hear Mr. Crocker's usual rants about Fairy Godparents. Wanda and Cosmo noticed Timmy's thoughtful expression. True, Timmy was glancing – as usual – towards Trixie, but it was different in that his tongue was not hanging out, nor was his eyes glazed over. The expression was more analytical.
For her part, Tootie was also rather thoughtful. She had been looking at the various more popular girls in her class and noticed how they carried themselves about. Though she was loath to admit it, Timmy had been right in that looks do play a powerful role – this despite all the classes on valuing a person from the inside. She had disdained those other girls because of their arrogant attitude, but seeing what they wore and how they styled themselves had given her an idea.
"Don't try to emulate any of the so-called 'beautiful people' too much", her parents had said to her when she first went to scool, "after all, they are probably insecure and have things to hide. Just be yourself and you'll be okay".
Tootie had thought that this doctrine was sensible – especially since Vicky had made her parents fit braces on her teeth and that the glasses she wore bore the trademark GEEKS 'R US. However, with her realization that Timmy looked at her differently with her hair brushed down rather than put into pigtails, there was hope of having herself look more presentable to him. Still, there was that other observation of Timmy's that her previous means of getting his attention was having the exact reverse effect. She would have to do something about that, but for the other bit, she could take care of that little problem.
"Here's your recompense, Dear", Mr. Flannigan had said two nights ago while handing her a large wad of cash. Vicky had been extorting her allowance for years, and when Vicky's cash pile had come into her parent's possession, they thought that it would be a good idea to give back to Tootie what Vicky had taken. When recess came, Tootie used her cell-phone to make two after-school appointments. She also took pains not to talk to Timmy as she noticed that he was also deep in thought.
Timmy picked at his meal absent-mindedly, not listening to A.J. and Chester talking to each other, or bothering to watch the kids at the 'popular table' point and poke fun at him and his friends. Trixie looked annoyed that Timmy was not responding to any of her rejection gestures, but that was because Trixie was not on Timmy's mind. It was Tootie.
When he inhabited Tootie's body last night, he had seen a little something of what she could become when the hair bands broke. And yes, Tootie – unlike Trixie – cared about him, even though it was in a way that made him shudder.
"Are you all right, Sport?" Wanda asked (from her milk carton disguise).
"Yeah, Timmy", Cosmo added (in his disguise as a plate), "You've been so not yourself today".
"Sorry", Timmy replied contritely, "I've been thinking about things".
Since Wanda had heard the exchange earlier this morning between Timmy and Tootie, she thought that perhaps Timmy was starting to get some basic truths hammered into his head – like Trixie was a lost cause and that Tootie was not as bad as he had thought. For his part, Cosmo was nibbling at the bottom of the sandwich that was sitting on top of him.
Trixie really enjoyed humiliating Timmy whenever he tried to come over to the popular table, but it was plain to see that Timmy was not going to oblige her this time. So, she decided that she would instigate things for a change. Getting up out of her seat, she walked on over – ostensibly to get a condiment from the front table, but making sure she passed by Timmy's seat.
"Hi, empty bus seat", Trixie said as she walked past his table. That remark made him flare.
"Hi yourself, loser", he snarled back. Trixie stopped and stared back at him.
"WHAT did you call me?" she burst out loudly. The kids in the lunch room stopped and looked at the source of the outburst.
"I didn't stutter. I called you a loser", Timmy replied coolly.
"Considering that I'm popular and you're not, I think you've got that observation wrong", Trixie shot back with a smug look.
"Popular in that you're well-packaged, but that's about it", Timmy retorted, "but since your insides sure don't match your outsides, why don't you go back to your popular table and get pandered to by your like-losers?" With that, Timmy stood up and grabbed his tray.
"Don't you walk away from me!" Trixie snarled, "I get to do that, not you!"
Timmy didn't even react to that comment. Cosmo and Wanda poofed back into Timmy's lunch box, looking at each other in amazement. They were not the only ones staring at each other. No-one had ever heard Trixie getting spoken to like that. Tad and Chad were speechless, while Veronica looked at Trixie with a barely suppressed grin.
Tootie was at the far end of the lunch room, but she heard and saw everything. Seeing Trixie taken down a peg by Timmy was amazing! She wanted to go up to Timmy and hug him for what he did, but she thought better of it, remembering Timmy's words to her earlier.
After school, Timmy and Tootie got on the school bus and they got back to Timmy's place. Tootie looked smugly at Trixie's cold glare at Timmy throughout the bus ride. In fact, Trixie had been the brunt of some discreet chuckles behind her back over the lunchtime episode. Timmy had hit Trixie where it really hurt: her pride and Trixie was not the kind of person to forgive and forget.
"Timmy, I have to head out to see how my parents are doing?" Tootie said after the bus let them off. Nodding, Timmy headed back into the house. Tootie walked off down the street, though not to the Police Station. She had her two appointments to go to, as well as a stop-off at the mall.
Speaking of Police Station, Mr. and Mrs. Flannigan was in remand while Vicky had been remanded to Juvenile Hall. All three of them had bandages and bruises adorning their bodies from their morning 'discussion'. Plus, all of them were still feeling the effects of the tear gas that the Dimmsdale SWAT team had shot into the house. As their court hearing was not going to be until tomorrow, it meant a night behind bars, which also meant a peaceful night for the Flannigan's neighbors…
Timmy was getting his homework assignment done while Cosmo and Wanda were residing in the fish bowl. Timmy wasn't aware of the time, so when he heard the doorbell and looked up at the clock, he realized that he had been engrossed for three hours! As Mr. Turner was working overtime and Mrs. Turner had left a note (and a sandwich) explaining that she would be out for a while, it meant that he had to answer the door.
Timmy got downstairs and opened the door. What he saw took his breath away.
"Sorry to have to get you to answer the door, Timmy", Tootie said, "I didn't have a spare key". Timmy hardly noticed what Tootie said. He was looking at what Tootie had done to herself.
Tootie had arranged an appointment with the orthodontist, who had removed her braces. A following appointment with the optometrist had Tootie fitted with contact lenses so that she no longer needed glasses. After that, Tootie had gone to the mall so that (a) she could get her hair and nails styled properly at the beauty salon, and (b) so that she could get outfitted in more tasteful clothing.
"Are you all right, Timmy?" Tootie asked with a smile. She could see that his mouth was hanging open and his tongue was hanging out. It looked like her makeover had done the trick….