Friday morning and the potent smell of disruption and destiny hung in the air. Everybody had their own plans and tasks to conquer for the day. Some well-organized, other's more disorderly. It was going to be a big day for the famous boy genius of Retroville for sure, little did he know.

Libby at least had some consolation for putting up with Cindy's escapades all week, Sheen was returning from Mexico that afternoon. After the events of last night, Libby wasn't around to be seen, she was more than likely preparing for his return. For Cindy, a little shut-eye was needed and then perhaps a hot shower to scrub off all the camouflage paint that covered her face. Or maybe shower first then sleep…? It didn't matter, as long as she had the judging time to look forward too, she was satisfied.

"Good luck today with your Science Fair competition honey."

"You're a shoe in for winner, Jimbo, with that big, sciencey brain of yours."

"Yeah thanks dad," Jimmy responded halfheartedly to himself.

"Be sure to look out on your way to school sweetie, prowlers have been spotted in the area," Mrs. Neutron warned.

"The 'chick's n' black' strike again!" Jimmy's ridiculous dad let out. Jimmy dismissed whatever nonsense his dad rambled about and headed out the door to leave for school once again.

He was one of the first to arrive. He came early so Cindy couldn't arrive before him. School never ran classes on the Friday of Science Fair Week so most everybody had the day off. After an hour of waiting, it was becoming desperate that Jimmy get to a bathroom, and fortunately Carl showed up just in time.

"Hey Carl, glad you showed up for support. I really need to use the bathroom; can you stay here with my jacket and guard my entry?"

"Sure, no problem Jim," Carl agreed and took Jimmy's place. But Cindy had shown up now and it was time for her to set the timer, but she needed Carl distracted.

"Carl! I've been looking all over for you… Your mom's looking for you it seems you forgot that 'thing' you need." Carl became panicked and hurried outside with Jimmy's jacket in hand looking for his mom, but not before asking Cindy to take his place and guard Jimmy's machine. Of course she agreed. Moments later, but too late, Jimmy came back from his trip to the bathroom.

"Not you again—Hey where's Carl! I thought I told him to stay here and guard my booth?" Cindy looked the other way. Distrustful, Jimmy gave a quick look over his apparatus, checking for Cindy prints. "Okay miss disaster, I think it's better if you sat up your booth waaaay over there," he settled while taking hold of her shoulders and gently scooting her away. Cindy left at his will but as the wiser. Off behind her, she heard Jimmy complaining that now his jacket was missing.

It was nearing the hour and for appearance sake Cindy brought what was originally her entry for that year. She set up her booth far enough away from Jimmy's and waited with anticipation. She couldn't wait. The judges had begun making their rounds evaluating. While Cindy was in her little fantasy world, dreaming of her approaching revenge, her headphones suddenly began picking up static, then sounds.

"I find its better when the students don't know. They aren't under pressure to impress. This way I can observe them as they are."

"We'll I'm very glad you could come all the way out here just to see our prized student, Mr. Talegate." By now the static had grown loud enough to catch Cindy's attention.

"What the..? Where's this transmission coming from?" She placed the headphones on her head to hear better.

"If he's everything you say he is, then it will be Harvard University that is privileged to have him come stay and study with us." –Small chuckle-

"Yes indeed. He's a very delightful, polite young man. Not to mention brilliant." -Chuckling-

The mysterious conversation had Cindy really hooked. She determined one of the voices was their portly Principal, Mr. White. The judges were now close at hand to evaluating Jimmy's booth.

"It's about time they get to his booth now. I can assure you James will have something that will be very impressing."

"I can't wait to see. And I assure you, that when Mr. Neutron comes to attend us in the fall he will have nothing but the best. He will be able to continue his experimentations as he does here but in a better environment for it, more resources, and in the surrounding of other intelligent students to feed that active mind of his. I have no doubt he will accept our invitation."

Cindy slowly pulled off the headphones. She was completely silent and her face was frozen in shock. She could feel herself filling up with instant remorse from what she had the gall to do.

I can't believe it! Jimmy had the chance to attend Harvard and I was actually trying to stop him? What kind of person am I? And I actually had the audacity to call myself his girlfriend. I don't deserve the right to be his girlfriend! I'm awful.

Cindy was losing herself in her thoughts when the two men she had overheard on the transmitting headphones entered the gymnasium to attend the judging of Jimmy's entry. Luckily good sense kicked in and she wasn't going to waste a moment to try and stop the calamity.

"No Jimmy, don't! I booby-trapped it, It's a sabotage!" the panicking Cindy shrieked while running over. It was too late, James had already started it up, but he caught Cynthia's words and valiantly pushed the crowded judges away. Something ignited and a messy explosion of toothpaste and such splashed everywhere. Jimmy's machine threw a conniption which released some noxious smelling fumes. Most everyone cleared the room to get out for fresh air. When the gas finally cleared, the only ones left standing after the episode were the judges the principal and victim & culprit. It wasn't a pretty sight. Nobody said a word for a full three minutes after. Then one angry innocent bystander broke the silence.

"That was the worst display… I can't even… James Isaac Neutron you are here by relieved from any rested hope on attending our school. Harvard is terminating your accepted application to our University." Mr. Talegate didn't bother with saying anything else and walked out in a huff. Cindy was going to apologize before that Talegate guy spoke but now she was too depressed to say anything else at all. Jimmy didn't have any words either. He was too disappointed and a little upset with Cindy to say much, but her expressed pain did not escape his notice and that only made him feel worse. He actually wanted to comfort her more than he wanted to scold. It was awkward silence with Cindy wanting to be buried and Jimmy under the spot light. Principal White only crossed his arms and looked intently at Jimmy/Cindy with disapproval. One of the men in the crowd that was pushed to semi-safety by Jimmy inched over to the principal and whispered a few words in his ear. The principal leaned over to heed the private words then nodded in compliance to a request the whispering man had.

"James Neutron, This man here would like to have word with you in private." He pointed out to the girl that she had to leave. Cindy gazed sympathetically at her betrayed boyfriend for reassurance that she would be alright, that he would be alright. Jimmy assured her with his eyes that it would be ok for her to leave. Cindy left with her head lowered, looking back only once, before closing the doors.

"Cindy what happened in there? Did something go wrong with your booby-trap? Did it go as planned? I just came from home and now everyone out here seems too been talking about it."

"I don't want to talk about it," Cindy sank. Libby understood. She didn't have to hear it from her to know it was a disastrous mistake. It was written all over her face and she figured her best friend could do with more of a hug than questions as to why.

Before hearing what he knew was going to be said, Jimmy began first by wiping off some major globs of toothpaste that was smeared all over him and his red t-shirt. But it was a fruitless task without having a complete bath and something to get rid of the overpowering smell from the minty flavoring.

"Before you say what you have to say, please I know I'm entirely responsible. Please don't blame any of this on that girl, she didn't mean any harm. I can swear to it. Hold me entirely responsible," Jimmy pleaded.

"Noble and selfless," honored the man. Jimmy gazed up, completely perplexed.

"Excuse me?"

"Why would we ever blame you? You are altruistic individual James Neutron. From other accounts that I've heard about you and from what I've witnessed today, I understand that that's just one of the many envious qualities you possess.

"Thank you sir, but I still don't understand. Who are you exactly?"

"His name is Timothy Alcorn, a representative from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration," Principal White declared.

Jimmy's eye's bulged. "N.A.S.A.?"

"That's right," he smiled in confirmation. "I was invited to attend this science fair event. I was told it was very famous," he winked, "and notorious for two very lively well known kids that compete passionately to win every year. I also understand that one of those two is your girlfriend."

Jimmy blushed. "She's a very passionate person herself," he avowed.

"So that is why I'm not judging him or her for this 'event' too strongly. I like to see brilliant kids not wasting their talents but exercising them and expressing their selves in creative ways. Besides it's all around town that you two agree to this kind of competition every year. But I also realize something went wrong here today and let me say first hand that I'm sorry you lost that chance to attend Harvard."

It was too late to do anything about it now. Jimmy just shrugged sympathetically. "Thanks, but It doesn't really matter."

"No it does matter, don't kid yourself. But I guess it's a good thing it happened the way it did because now I have the chance to snatch up what they were so blind to see in you." "Jimmy Neutron," he began officially, "we could use a brilliant mind like yours at our administration," and out Mr. Alcorn reached his hand for an honored handshake.

Jimmy returned the shake; unsure. "You could, but why? You don't even know what I built for this year's fair."

"It is, well, was, a _, correct?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"I recognize the _ in the _ area. It's very impressive, especially for a prototype built by an even more impressive eighteen yr. old."

Jimmy's heart began to fill back up again. The color started to finally return to his face.

"Thank you, but I have to admit, this is not my best work. I didn't feel too much this year like putting something new together so I had to pull this off a shelf of abandoned inventions."

"I see," Mr. Alcorn chuckled. "Still, I'm very impressed so let's talk about establishing you at NASA headquarters. That is, if it is your wish that you should join our team. We'd put you in the astrophysics department?" he coaxed.

"Oh wow, It's always been my dream to be an astrophysicist," Jimmy shared, "but don't you think it's important that I study a while before I think of a career there?"

"I do. What were your plans?"

"Well… the ones I had planned… fell through." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Right," Mr. Alcorn understood.

Mr. White saw his queue to step in. "That reminds be Jimmy. I received a call from University of Texas this morning. Their down a physics professor and need a replacement for a year or two. Knowing you were an expert in the field of advanced physics I told them about you as a student here who could be more than capable of handling the job. I was going to wait until after the judging to tell you because I knew there were others coming here to offer you scholarships to their schools. I wanted you to have the choice to choose between which, first."

"Really? University of Texas is where Cindy is going," Jimmy realized, holding that thought.

"You know, we accept applicants from UOT all the time," smiled the NASA rep, seeing the potential in this new development. "We find they get the education they need there, studying in our offered courses."

"I could teach physics but I can study as a student," announced the teen genius, likening the idea very well.

"What do you say? Two years at UOT then join our team?"

Jimmy drew a huge smile "Agreed," shaking Mr. Alcorn's hand in resolution. It was all smiles between the three men.

"Wait. How much did UOT say it would pay for a professor position, Mr. White?"

"_ a month."

Jimmy was satisfied. "Well that will be more than enough for intuition and…" Jimmy stopped and blushed when he realized he almost shared his secret.

"Something else you're interested in?" inquired Mr. Alcorn.

"Yeah. Don't worry; I'm going to take care of it." Neither man understood what he was talking about but that was alright. Things ended well today and it was now a time of celebration.

"Well Jimmy, we look forward to the day. I have to be on my way now. I think I'll have to take a few baths to get this minty smell out," he chuckled in good humor. "And thank your girlfriend for me. Without her creative mind, NASA would not have the pleasure of expecting you to our administration."

"I still can't figure out how she managed it."

"She's one imaginative gal. I think you'll do well for each other," was the last thought that he shared and after that, Mr. Alcorn was on his way. The last thing that was heard from him was the word 'toothpaste', followed by a humored mind that simply couldn't comprehend why of all sabotaging substances, why something as absurd as toothpaste?

It was now time for Jimmy to go out to his girlfriend for some much deserved comforting.

"We'll talk about clean up later Jimmy."

"Yes sir, thank you sir." And James left eagerly on his way.