Chapter 6: Reminiscing
I felt exhausted as I went into my bed. I fell asleep within a matter of seconds. This time when I dreamt, I fell right through Memory Lane with all the memories I had with Cindy prior to her moving away. We were never really official by any means, but we were pretty damn close. I could remember our tense rivalry towards each other like it was yesterday. The competitions we had with each other. The first sign might've been in early 4th grade, when she and I looked at each other in space to rescue our parents, and when she helped me move forward in prison.
"So why don't you buck up mister, and put that big brain of yours into action?"
"Cindy... Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because everyone around here needs you, and... I do too."
My memories shifted to 5th grade when these moments became more often. First semester, they were few and far in between. One instance was when both of us switched bodies and about to switch back to a dream both of us remembered.
"Do you remember the 2 of us walking down a country lane, holding hands, and um... kissing?"
"Hey, I think I rember that... but that wasn't me dreaming that."
We were very stubborn, weren't we? Next the dream took me to near the end of the semester after I took the gang to Egypt.
"Well I hate to admit it Neutron, but that was kinda fun." Cindy said as she punched me lightly in the arm. Moments like these were a bit awkward between us since we weren't used to it, so we'd jump right back into our comfort zone, meaning arguing again.
My mind drifted into 5th grade, 2nd semester, when things really kicked in. Definitely when it escalated to when I had the love potion.
"So you love me, don't ya?" Cindy came with a smirk on her face walking closer to me. "What're you prepared to do about it?"
"Well, maybe if you'd like, we could hang out somewhere... if you want." I said very nervously.
"I'll give you one chance, Neutron. If you mess this up, I'll make you wish you've never been born." She warned.
My mind suddenly shifted to when we had to save the planet in the intergalactic game show. Especially afterwards at the Candy Bar, where I found out that she might've had a crush on me. We signed the contracts to finally be friends.
"You know, this is kinda like our Gorokian Seal of Trust," Cindy said definitely hinting towards something more.
"Er... Yeah, I guess it is from a certain perspective." I say nervously.
"What a weird ritual," she chuckles as she moves close. "Hhhow does it go exactly?"
"...Well you sorta pucker your lips like this and-" We both lean in. At the time, I didn't even know what I was going into. I sometimes wondered what it would've been like if the meteor didn't fall.
Being a dream, my mind sent me to when we got stuck on an island in the middle of the ocean, with Cindy and I staring at the sunset.
"Wasn't this the best day ever Jimmy?" Cindy asks happily.
"You mean not counting the time NASA let me use the space Hubble Telescope?" I say.
Cindy just nodded. "Uh-huh"
"Definitely," I said. In all honestly, they both were pretty equal. That day was great in the sense of how much exciting scientific information I got. The day I spend on the island I was the best day when it came to how happy I was overall.
"And to think: we get to do this every day." Cindy sighed dreamily. "No more grades. No peer pressure. Just you and me and all the time in the world."
I suddenly remembered what I was supposed to give her. "Oh Cindy. I got a present for you."
"A present? On a deserted island? But how?" Cindy asks as I hand it over. "Oh... a mollusk. How... charming."
I could tell her voice was uncertain. Of course I wasn't just gonna give her a shell. "You're supposed to open it."
She opened it and she was nearly beyond words. "A pearl. Oh Jimmy, it's beautiful."
"Oh it's nothing. While you were gathering fruit, I decided to open a few oysters. 137 actually." I explain as I blush.
"Jimmy, that's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." Cindy says as she puts her hand near mine. I got the picture, and I held her hand too. We both grinned at each other and stared into the sunset with our cheeks against each other. If I count anything science related, I'd say that was the greatest day of our lives.
Shame all things had to go end. A mind jog too was when we went to Mars for the first time. Cindy kept distracting me and I kept pretending to ignore her, because I was still in denial. She took it to next level and betrayed us all. We weren't too happy even after she was double-crossed by Strych.
"But... It's all your fault!" Cindy glared at me, with Carl, Sheen and Libby confused in the background.
"What?! How is this my fault!?" I wonder since she DID betray us.
"Oh don't act dumb!" She explaned. "Eustace at least treated me like an equal! You act like I don't even exist."
I could see a tear in her eye. I wasn't quite ready to admit my feelings, so I sorta half-assed the whole thing, since I didn't want to hurt her feelings further. "You are so clueless Vortex! Of course I know you exist! That's why I pretend to ignore you!" I say, with my face turning a bit pink.
"Pretend? You mean you only acted like a dweeb because-" Cindy asked a bit surprised.
"He likes you..." Carl interruped.
"He thinks you're fine..." Libby commented with Sheen nodding with a big grin.
I wasn't ready to admit this, especially since I was in denial. "I do not! I just think you're pretty smart, smell nice, and you kinda distract me... sometimes." I say all the while rubbing the back of my head.
"Wow Jimmy. Thanks." Cindy said cheerfully.
Cut to after that whole adventure after we were flying back to Earth. "I can't believe Jimmy admitted he likes Cindy." Libby remarked.
I can at least say I didn't want this to be brought up again. "I said she distracts me. There's a difference!"
"Sure there is," Cindy says in a teasing way.
Great no one believed me. They all think I'm in love with her. Technically this is kinda true, but I was still sorting all this out. Another memory among others struck me to the aftermath of a news show. Libby realized her faults and the angry mob was after the celebrity Corky.
"Forgive me guys?" Libby asked nervously.
"Eh, what the heck," Cindy said pretty relaxed. Libby went on ahead to pick up Sheen from the floor.
"At least everything worked out in the end." I say before walking. "Come on. Let's go home." I then felt an urge to reach out and kiss her. So I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards me causing our lips touch for the first time, feeling all too happy. I nervously walked forward for a few seconds. Next thing I know I felt her hold my hand with a grin on her face.
These moments kept happening into the summer. We were rivals becoming friends, that were nearing romantic couple. Sadly everything changed when she came to my front door. "Hey Neutron!"
"Sup, Vortex?" I reply. Cindy comes closer grabbing my hand.
"Let's go to the Candy Bar." And with that, she took me to the Candy Bar. She bought us both ice cream to have. We talked about basic things, though I could tell she was scarving down the ice cream too fast.
Next thing I know, she got a brain freeze. Cindy pulled me into a tight embrace, and I could feel a tear land on my cheek. "I didn't think a brain freeze would be that painful for you."
"It's not just the brain freeze," she explained. "I'm also moving on short notice. I'm leaving tonight."
My mind immediately flashed all of my 5th grade memories into one burst. If it was 4th grade or earlier, I would've felt more than happy Cindy was leaving. However with all the adventures we went through together, I couldn't help but feel a tad heartbroken.
"Why?" I asked.
"My father got a job offer in New York, and the pay will be twice as much as he gets here." Cindy said.
For a few hours we embraced the time we had left in my lab, just talking. It was eventually time for her to go. Carl, Sheen and Libby also said their goodbyes to Cindy. I just had to get one thing off my chest.
"Cindy! Before you go, there's something I have to tell you." I say as she's getting ready to leave.
"What is it?" Cindy asks curiously.
"Listen after all the adventures we went through in fifth grade, it's given me a different opinion about you."
"Yea?" She asks.
"You see, we were at our throats at first. Then we are close friends. And now I just want to say that I... l-lo..." I struggle to say.
Cindy then comes up and kisses me in the lips for a good ten and a half seconds. "I got the message." Cindy says. "I love you too James. I hope I can see you again."
We both were in tears as she left. I was stupid for not getting her number. I had no sign to track her either. It wasn't until the end of 6th grade I moved on to date Betty which was a mistake.
I wake up around 7:30 in the morning feeling cold with sweat. I usually woke up this way in the mornings. Sort of depressed with heartache. I went downstairs smelling the pancakes, eggs and bacon that mom was making. I walked into the kitchen and I ran into a female with blond hair making the food. My mind immediately raced to me seeing her again yesterday. I looked at her in shock.
"Morning Neutron." Cindy teased at my expression. "What's the matter? Didn't think I could cook, did you?"
"It's not that," I say as I pull her into an embrace. "Last night's dream made me realize how much I missed being around you."
"Aww. I missed being around you just as much. I dreamed about saying goodbye as well. I'm glad to be back." Cindy said returning the embrace. "I love being with you."
"I love being with you too." I said as we pecked each other.
"Now come on. Eat up, we got a big day ahead."
"What's up?" I ask.
"You'll see." Cindy winked.
Definitely gonna be one of the more fuffy chapters. I figured it was a great idea to connect the fans with a bit of nostalgia. Please review.