CHAPTER NINE

Trixie was still fuming as she headed home from the mall. How dare his favorite not-boyfriend publicly dump her like that! What made it worse was that at the mall – where she sent in order to cool off – she noticed that that other empty bus-seat that had an unrequited crush on Timmy – Tootie – had given herself a full makeover and was looking positively beautiful! Trixie knew that Tootie was capitalizing on Timmy's dumping of her and that judging by her looks, she would be successful. This was unacceptable to her. True, she could have intercepted Tootie and told her bluntly to keep away from Timmy, but Trixie knew about Tootie's sister Vicky, and that was a person she would not want to provoke (she did not know about the recent events at the Flannigan household).

"No-one beats up on Tootie except me!" she once heard Vicky say after she saw Vicky pound Francis into the ground for doing so. Considering that NOONE but Vicky would take on Francis like that – and win – that meant solving this problem would not be by that channel. Inviting Tootie over to the popular kids area probably would not work either. Tootie already made it plain that she thought that popular kids were not worth socializing with, so Timmy had to be the target.

Trixie knew that Timmy – like all boys – had his weaknesses that could be exploited. Timmy liked to play baseball for example, but it was not yet baseball season. Comic books were another avenue, but Timmy had an extensive collection of comics, which she would not be able to rival with what she had (kept secretly from her mother).

However, Timmy liked video games. The first time that Trixie played videogames was when her one-time best friend Timantha took her to a video arcade at the mall. Trixie found that she had had a talent for the various arcade games there (and the admiring looks by the boys there didn't hurt either), so perhaps this would be a way to get Timmy to notice her again. Not that it meant that she wanted him as a boyfriend, of course. This was in order to make him pay for his outburst. She wanted him to latch on to her so that she could publicly dump him the same way that he dumped her. Bruising his ego like that would be satisfaction indeed. She started formulating a plan.

For his part, Timmy was still agog at the knockout that Tootie had become. Not only her looks, but also Tootie was making a gallant effort to restrain her enthusiasm for Timmy. Tootie knew that this approach was paying dividends. She rather liked doing this, but was astute to realize that doing it too much would make her act like Trixie – and she did not want to become anything to resemble HER! Trixie and her clique of would-be superstars was a real turn-off.

Timmy was proving to be a perfect gentleman, getting her a drink and snack, and helping her with his homework. Tootie just adored being pampered to by Timmy. She rued all the earlier wasted time, but realized that it was just not possible before with Vicky calling the shots. Wanda and Cosmo were secretly watching Timmy act around the redone Tootie, and smiling broadly.

"Tootie", Timmy said after both of their homework was completed, "I wanted to say sorry for snarling at you this morning".

"Timmy", Tootie replied, "What you said was right. I needed to break out of that mold that Vicky pushed me into. The makeover made me feel perfect, and thinking about my hounding you all that time made me think about being a little more approachable. I like you, Timmy, and I don't want to do anything to make you not like me". With that, she reached out and held his hand.

"Well, I like you too, Tootie", Timmy replied, squeezing her hand in response.

"I liked you all the more when you told Trixie what she really was. Those kind of people love manipulating others, and it saddened me seeing her doing so to you so much", Tootie said next.

"I was stupid, shallow, and empty-minded not to realize that earlier", Timmy said quietly. While part of him rued the break, the rest of him actually enjoyed talking to Trixie like that.

Tootie's lips were starting to pucker into a kiss. Timmy was going to do what he would never have considered doing before today: he was going to kiss her. But just before their lips met, the phone rang. Sighing, Timmy went and picked up the phone. After a few seconds, he passed it on to Tootie, saying, "It's for you".

Tootie took the phone and listened while Timmy relaxed and basked in Tootie's new look. Timmy noticed Cosmo and Wanda in their fishbowl looking out at them. Wanda winked. After a minute or so, Tootie hung up the phone.

"Dad and Mum have got their bail sorted out early. They're coming home this evening, so I can get back home", she said to Timmy.

"I thought that they would not have their hearing until tomorrow", Timmy replied.

"Well, when the authorities found out what they did to Vicky, they couldn't wait to get Mum and Dad bailed out. Vicky is remaining in Juvenile Hall until tomorrow, when the court hearing takes place", Tootie explained.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Timmy asked next.

"Well, hopefully, the court will find some kind of solution that will work. Mum and Dad is not going to put up with Vicky's bullying anymore and Vicky's actions have shown that the household would not be a convivial environment for me if she returns, so maybe she'll have to move out", Tootie opined.

Timmy thought about that. Without Vicky, then Tootie will be able to stay as she is, and with Mr. and Mrs. Flannigan wanting to make sure that Tootie stays happy, perhaps things will work out. Still, he did not like the idea of Tootie not staying over tonight…

"Well, if you can't stay, do you mind if I walk you home?" Timmy asked.

"That would be so nice, Timmy", Tootie replied with a smile.

"Then let me get your books", Timmy offered. Grabbing them up, he then walked over to the door and opened it. Tootie left the house, with Timmy following close behind. Flying above them were two birds – one purple, and one green.

"Aw, those two lovebirds", Cosmo said.

"It's nice to see Timmy liking Tootie, and Tootie looking like a proper young woman, but I'm getting my 'look-out-Timmy-for-vengeance' vibes", Wanda said in response.

"Those vibes of yours again….", Cosmo said disdainfully. Wanda poofed up a mini-anvil, which fell on Cosmo. Como hit the ground in a pile of feathers. Wanda landed beside him.

"I thought your time of the month was over", Cosmo moaned as he got up from under the anvil.

"Yes, it is, but the anvil does come in handy at other times too", Wanda replied with a smile.

"Boy, Love really hurts", Cosmo said as he flapped back into the air again…