"I... like boys. Yep. Boys." Tootie had been repeating this like a mantra for several minutes now, while looking at herself in a full-length mirror in her room. "I like boys. I like AJ, I liked Timmy, I like Chester. All boys. I like Francis." "I'm gonna barf..." "I like Tristan, yep. Tristan."

"I can hear you." she heard Vicky yell through the wall.

"Not now Vicky!"

"Trying to convince yourself of something?"

"N-no! I'm fine! Just talking to myself..."

"So how's Tristan?"

"How do you-"

"You did just say you liked him."

"Leave me alone!"

KNOCK

"Vicky?"

KNOCK

"Go away..."

KNOCK

Tootie answered her bedroom door. "What?!"

"But, dearest sister, won't Trixie be jealous that you're dating someone behind her back?"

"I'm not dating anyone! And how do you know about Trixie?"

"Because you left your phone on the couch yesterday. The last message was from Trixie... I thought you hated her? Something about how she was your competition to get the Twerp?"

"I'm done with Timmy. That's why I've been hanging out with Tristan."

"Trixie."

"No... Tristan."

"Then why did Trixie text you?"

"No idea, wrong number?"

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. You can't lie to me, I know you too well."

"Evidently not, judging by what you're suggesting..."

"C'mon... just tell me, get it off your chest..."

"Get what off my chest?"

"That you like girls."

"I don't! Not in the way you're suggesting!" Tootie crossed her arms defiantly and looked away.

Vicky merely smirked and pushed past Tootie. "I'll admit, I was surprised when I found out-"

"You didn't 'find out' anything! You're delusional!"

"Tootie, I've proven time and time again that you can trust me, so why won't you now?"

"Vicky, I've proven time and time again that I like boys, why would I jump the fence now?"

"Because being rebuffed by the Twerp finally broke something... or maybe... it fixed something."

"But-"

"You're worried about what people will think, right? Mom, Dad, Baldy, Braces, Me, ...Timmy?"

"I don't care what he thinks!"

"Ooh! Struck a nerve, did I?"

"N-no! I- I don't care what he thinks! Or anyone else!"

"Not even me?"

"No! I can be with whoever I want!"

"I know."

"I'm sure you- Wha?"

"Of course you can be with whoever you want, you are your own person, aren't you?"

"But I- What will they think?" the denial finally stopped, only to be replaced by uncertainty.

"Who cares? I don't care about what people think about me and Ti-" Vicky caught herself.

"You and who?"

"Nevermind. The point is, if being with Tristan, or Trixie, or whoever, is what you wanna do, then go for it. After all the times Timmy turned away your affection, you found someone who wants to return it, do you really want to risk losing another chance? Don't you think you deserve to be loved, like everyone else?"

"...This is too weird... why are you being so supportive? Who exactly is this guy? And what has he done with the old you?"

"I'll be the first to admit, sometimes- no, usually, being bad feels pretty damn good... but sometimes... being nice to the people I care about feels better." Vicky pulled Tootie into a hug and rubbed the top of her head. "I know that I've been horrible to a lot of people, even to you at times, but I want what's best for you, I want you to be happy..."

"But I- I'm confused..."

"Alright, tell me what's been going on, and I'll do my best to help."

"...A few months ago..."

Tootie explained what had happened that day at the arcade, when she told Tristan that she thought he was cute, then he revealed that he was a she. Then she explained how Trixie asked her to keep up the facade, to act like Trixie was a boy so they could fool her friends.

"She mentioned that the popular kids would think she was weird, and, as you probably know, Trixie is all about keeping up appearances... So we at first just acted like two friends with similar interests, but as the months passed..."

"You began to like Tristan."

"...Yeah..."

"The problem I see here is... Tristan isn't real, y'know? The way he acts? It's really Trixie, and when you return the feelings, a hug, holding hands, whatever, you're returning Trixie's feelings, understand?"

"...No..." Tootie responded, almost bitterly, like she can't stand the taste of the word in her mouth.

"Look, you two can keep up the facade for as long as you want, you acting like she's him, and her acting like this imaginary guy, but you need to admit to yourself: Do you like Tristan, or Trixie?"

"I-" She what? "I know I like Trixie... as a friend... But... could it be something more? If what Vicky says is true, then what I feel for Tristan is..." "I don't know right now..."

"Well, luckily for you, you're still young, so you have time to figure yourself out, just remember, waiting like this? You're playing with Trixie's heart, so if I were you, I wouldn't keep her waiting too long..." Vicky released Tootie and headed for her door. "No matter what you decide, you're still my sister, and I love you."

"I... thanks Vicky, love you too."

She watched Vicky leave, then immediately re-open the door. "Oh, thought you should know, it's nine-fifteen, you're late for school."

Tootie grabbed her phone. "What?!"

"Yeah, spent a little too much time convincing yourself you like boys, huh?"

"Shit!" Tootie began hurriedly running around her room, grabbing her backpack and papers.

Vicky watched with an amused grin on her face. "You want me to call the school and say you won't make it today?"

Tootie stopped and thought about this, it was certainly a tempting offer, but... "No! I need to go in today!"

"Oh? Someone you wanna see?" the glint in Vicky's eyes suggested she already knew.

"Why even ask? You clearly know, especially after that conversation..."

"Sometimes feigning stupidity has its uses... C'mon, I'll give you a ride."

School was boring, as expected. It felt like it dragged on even longer for Tootie, since she needed confirmation of something from her friends, though she worried if she would still be able to call them that after today.

"Guys?" she now sat with them at lunch, Timmy on her right, Chester on her left, and AJ on Timmy's right.

"What's up?"

"I uh..." she hoped someone would interrupt her so she could chicken out and forget the whole thing, but her three friends listened with rapt attention. "I-" Tootie cleared her throat, but whispered so no one but the three at her table could hear. "I like Trixie Tang."

"Okay?"

"So?"

"I thought you hated her for being the only competition for Timmy's heart?"

"No, what I mean is... I like Trixie."

"What? Like you and her are friends now?"

"AJ, she pretty much just said that..."

Timmy spoke up, ironically being the most perceptive today. "I think she means she likes Trixie... like Chester like Veronica..."

"What?! No I don't! Stop saying that-" Chester turned to look at Tootie. "You mean...?"

"Oh..." AJ looked over at Trixie at the popular table.

"When you saw me at the mall with'Tristan'? It was really her, disguised so no one would recognize her..."

"Alright." Timmy returned to eating his lunch.

"Alright? Just- just like that?"

"Yep." Timmy shrugged his shoulders. He was quite aware of the fact that Trixie dressed as a boy now and then from his time as 'Timantha', but he wasn't about to share that.

"Uh-huh." Chester began eating his lunch.

Followed by AJ doing the same.

"That's- that's it? You guys are... just fine with it?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" Timmy looked at her questioningly. "We've been friends for a while now, that isn't about to change."

"Chester? AJ?"

"It's not really a big deal."

"Nope."

"But-"

"What? Did you think we'd cast you out?"

"I... kinda..."

"Hm. You must not have very high opinions of us." Timmy winked at Tootie to show he was joking.

Tootie could feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes and wrapped her arms around Timmy, causing him to stiffen up for just a second, before relaxing in her grip. "You guys... you're true friends... and the best a nerdy girl with stars in her eyes could ask for..."

Timmy returned the hug. "Hey... we need to stick together, you can't get rid of us that easily..."

"You know guys... this is nice and all, but this is really, really sappy." AJ interjected, and was quickly silenced with a smack to the back of the head by Timmy.

"Why you gotta ruin things? We were having a moment here!"

AJ rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry... heheh..."

"But... let's keep this whole thing between us, okay?"

"You got it, what about Trixie?"

"Well, obviously I have to tell her that you guys know, but no one else! I mean it!"

"We got it! Calm down, none of us are gonna tell anyone anything, besides, who would we tell? The only people we talk to are each other."

"Thanks... now I just have to tell Trixie..."

"Tell her what?"

"That... I like her?"

"Whoa! You told us before her?!"

"Well I-"

"You better tell her quick! You should always tell your crush that you like them first! Your crush comes before your family, your friends... anyone!"

"Timmy, I think you're over-"

"Nuh-uh! Don't wanna hear it!"

"Alright... consider the issue dropped..."

"Good. So, how have you guys' days been going?"

After school, Tootie waited in her bedroom for the text she knew was coming.

BEEP

"And there it is..."

Hey, you good to meet up today?

Tootie texted back.

Yeah, be there in a few.

Tootie got off her bed and grabbed her purse, depositing her phone in it as she did. Upon opening her bedroom door, she was startled by Vicky, leaning up against the door-frame. "Um! Vicky! What's up?"

"Need a ride?" Vicky smirked knowingly at Tootie.

"Er... if you're not busy..."

"I always have time for you Tootie."

"This nice act is really creepy sis..."

"I have no idea what you're talking about..."