"Ow."
"Stop whining, twerp." Vicky grumbles.
"My back is killing me. I had the worst night sleep in years."
"Me too, but you don't hear me constantly whining about it."
"But I do hear you whining about my whining, grumpy butt."
"You're the… buttface."
Vicky rolls her eyes. She was grumpy. Grumpy from spending the night in the backseat of their car curled up in a ball, all so Timmy and her could keep their meeting with Tootie. Vicky stretches her back as she slides into the seat at the restaurant, pressing her back against the chair, arching her spine until the bones crackle and pop.
"Aw, yeah. That's the spot." she moans. After a few more minutes, Vicky's sister arrives.
"Holy crap." Timmy says as Tootie approaches. Her glasses are gone, replaced by contact lenses that fully reveal her beautiful brown eyes. She's wearing thigh high leggings and a skirt that perfectly complements her form, with a shirt that's almost too tight for her to be wearing.
"Stop staring at my sister, dork." Vicky says. Timmy shakes his head, banishing any potentially developing naughty thoughts about the Tootie's buxom figure.
"Don't worry, you're still hotter." Timmy jokes.
"Damn straight."
Tootie makes her way over to the pair as Timmy sheepishly rubs the back of his head.
"Hi guys!" Tootie squeals happily. The manic pixy teen pulls up a chair.
"So Toots, how's it hanging?" Vicky asks.
"Pretty good. Managed to convince A.J. and Chester I was feeling sick. Kind of feel bad since it's our last day, but hey, if it gives me time to hang out with you guys it's fine."
"I see you're becoming a pretty good liar, huh, sis?"
Tootie looks away ashamedly. Vicky cackles lightly at her sister's guilty expression. It always amuses her to see goody two shoes give in to darker impulses.
"It's my fault we're meeting like this." Tootie says suddenly. The three are silent for many awkward seconds after. Talking about the past was never a happy conversation with them. Then Vicky blows a raspberry.
"Don't sweat it, sis. All water under the bridge."
Tootie chuckles nervously. Hear she was again, apologizing after almost ruining her sister's life.
"So what are you doing now, Timmy?" Tootie asks.
"Same old, same old. Studying, and I'm hoping to get a better job. Kissing the landlord's butt for cheaper rent gets old."
Tootie laughs. And then she apologizes again. Suddenly Timmy realizes that he's just made Tootie feel guilty again.
"Hey, come one. It's okay." Timmy responds. "I was just making light of my landlord's butt. She's got a pretty big butt."
Tootie giggles slightly as Vicky rolls her eyes, taking her glass of water up and sipping. Then Timmy looks over at Vicky with big puppy dog eyes.
"But don't worry, Vicky. Your butt's the biggest."
Vicky chokes back water as she laughs, dribbling over her shirt as Tootie laughs.
"You're going to regret that later, twerp."
"Ha. So Tootie, how are Chester and A.J.?"
"Chester's, well, Chester. Dad's probably a marijuana pusher, and he sometimes comes to school with bloodshot eyes."
"Don't take any of that shit he offers." Vicky says protectively.
"Aw, thanks, you do care."
Vicky grunts as a response to cover up her sisterly nature.
"Yeah, don't worry, I'm not dumb enough to try that stuff. A.J. isn't either. He's actually studying to become a doctor. At college level!"
Timmy chokes on water as Vicky's eyes bulge open.
"Seriously?" Vicky asks.
"Yeah. He's working with a vet this summer. Could be graduating before he's twenty with that giant math brain of his."
"Nice." Timmy replies.
The friends chat for the few precious moments they have before their lives separate again. Vicky maintains her laid back exterior, but Timmy can tell that she's happy. Her smile is brighter, and a heavy air seems to have been lifted. Meeting Tootie again has cheered up the usually irate redhead. Finally, have an hour and some minutes, Tootie takes her leave, apologizing again for dragging the couple into this situation. Vicky and Timmy head back to their car. Vicky plops into the driver's seat while Timmy leans back in the passenger side. The ride home is quiet, with Vicky keeping her attention on driving as Timmy buries himself in his phone.
"Do you think my parents will ever come around?" Timmy asks.
Vicky keeps her eyes on the road ahead, never looking back as usual. Never caring about the car coming from behind on the long, dusty road back home. After a few moments she replies.
"Doubt it. They don't seem the forgiving type."
"Yeah." Timmy sighs. He knows how difficult it is to accept. He couldn't imagine how he'd react to his own kids in such a situation. Then he shakes the thought of being a parent from his head.
Kids? You can't have kids yet. At least a real job first.
As the pair drive through the night, they fail to realize that a mad man with a grudge against their very existence is following them all the way home. Detective Frank Johnson followed Tootie to the beach. He kept his eye on the hotel she was staying at and by cruel chance, saw her leaving long after her friends had gone to the beach without her. He followed her down to the restaurant, and now he's closing in on Timmy and Vicky like a wolf stalking its prey.
"Gonna teach that psycho bitch some manners. Make her scream."