"What is it with you girls?"

"Just hold still!"

"OW! Tootie, that hurt!"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to!"

I sighed. Only 36 hours into the trip itself, and we've already accomplished being bored out of our minds. Last night, although we couldn't really tell it was nighttime unless we glanced at a clock, was filled with scrambling to help Mark set up a steady course for his home planet. That alone earned ourselves barely time to dose off while working at a keyboard, if at all.

"Why are your nails so long, anyways?" He spat, still not turning around.

"Just to be able to do this!" I skittered my nails up his side to his ribs, and then placed them back in his hair. I smirked at his momentary squeak, which he ultimately failed at repressing.

"So when does the 'relaxing' part come in?" There was a hint of venom in his voice, but I decided to ignore it.

"When I hit the right spot, if you're not the type to take that the wrong way. It's different for different people. It might differ from guys and girls, too." I convinced him just a few minutes ago to play around with his hair. Out of utter boredom, he finally complied, but only after I mentioned it usually felt very good. I ran my fingers through his shaggy hair once more, "When was the last time you got your hair cut? It's so long!"

"Well," He snorted, "Last time I got my hair cut, I came to school with sores, a hospital bag of fluids, and too many bald spots to count!"

I tried suppressing my laugh, but it soon snorted out loudly anyway, "I remember that! Wasn't that the day that Trixie said it was a 'hair don't'?" I continued laughing at the hilarious memory, but soon stopped.

I noticed how his shoulders slumped immediately as he didn't actually respond.

A lump rose as I spoke again in a more serious manner, "I'm sorry she just doesn't seem to like you."

He straightened his back out again, ignoring my hands playing with individual strands of hair, "It's okay."

My hands fell back into my lap in shock, my mouth agape, "It doesn't? Why not?"

Timmy finally turned his upper body to face me at an awkward angle, "Why does it matter to you? You said you no longer liked me!"

I immediately felt guilt towards myself wash over me. My cheeks began to ache at the red-hot boil they reached.

Timmy smiled and looked me directly in the eyes with an obviously intended stare, "Close your mouth. You'll catch space-flies." He turned back around with a teasing grin, "Do that thing with my hair again. It was starting to feel good."

I closed my mouth quickly, my blush glowing brighter, and I shakily brought my hands back up to his hair.

Dammit.

I faked a break-the-ice kind of cough, "Whatever. No I don't. It does…not…but it really… doesn't… matter, to me… in some ways… but does…"

My blush must've increased ten-fold.

"Aww, Tootie…" Oh man, was he milking this moment, "You sound so cute when you babble incoherently around me…"

I just lost it there.

"WELL, I'M CERTAINLY IMPRESSED ALL OF THOSE BIG WORDS WERE AVAILABLE IN YOUR LIMITED VOCABULARY."

Yup. Nice and clear.

"Good comeback, Tootie. Tootsie. Tooterella…"

-Yet still very lame.

But now it was my turn.

"But since you claim you don't like me, why does it matter whether or not my questions mean I secretly like you or not?"

His rambling off of embarrassing nicknames for me quieted quickly, as he pondered my question.

"Well, I, uh… no… that's not…"

He completely fumed, "THAT IS NOT THE SAME THING."

"Oh, you're right," I tapped him on the shoulder so he would turn to face me, "It's even better." I waggled my eyebrows suggestively, to which his face lit up and he turned away quickly.

Not much was spoken right after that, assuming I won that particular conversation, until I played with a certain spot of hair directly behind his ear. His head immediately fell into the cradle of my hand.

"What exactly are you doing?" I questioned him, eyebrows raised.

"Mgmmmhhfssmmmm…." His jumbled reply came, barely escaping his lips.

"Does that feel good?" I tired scratching at the spot again, but this time, he fell slack against me, knocking the breath out of me in surprise.

"I'll go ahead and take that as a 'yes'." I smiled. His body fell into lassitude at the touch, somewhat keeping him awake.

Hmm. A very evil thought just popped up.

I once read that people are more honest in certain situations that others. Examples including states of mind when they are not in direct control of what they say: including drunken states, and semi-conscious states.

How wrong it is; but it would feel so right.

I took a deep breath.

"Timmy?"

"Hmm..?"

I gathered my thoughts, and asked my first question.

"Do you really like Trixie Tang?"

He answered almost instantly, "No. She's kinda… snobby and…mean…"

A large breath escaped my lungs, although I didn't realize I was holding it in.

"Then who do you like?"

"I'm NOT saying…" He scowled half-hearted, still disoriented.

"Say it!"

"NO!"

My head fell back and I groaned, rearranging my question. I greedily wanted that answer.

"Is it Tootie?" My head leaned closer to his face, waiting eagerly.

His eyes shot open, and he sniggered, clearly very awake. Timmy's sapphire blue eyes startled me to squirm out from under him with a gasp.

"You're just dying for me to say 'yes', aren't you?"

I eventually ended up at the other side of the deck, fuming.

I shot up my middle finger quickly and mouthed a few words I really shouldn't know before turning away. Hey, I know I'm only ten, but if you almost had a heart attack at an age you really shouldn't, you would've reacted that way, too.

Timmy rose to his knees and reached out with both arms dramatically.

"NO! TOOTIE! COME BAA-AAAACK!"

I rolled my eyes and tried holding back a giggle. Failing miserably, I left out my very real laugh, one I've been trying to get rid of for years, as I gave an embarrassing cackle. I slapped my hands over my mouth and turned away.

He may have won, but I'll win the next time.

SHORT CHAPTER IS SHORT.

Sorry about it being so short.

I'm attempting to work on NaNoWriMo stuff, but I felt the need to update this story.

I'll make up for how short it is through the next chapter!

Thanks so much to all of my viewers!

R&R PLEASE!