Jimmy sat next to Cindy casually sipping a cup of Purple Flurp much to Cindy's annoyance. The boy she once knew smirked at her and said, "C'mon Vortex, I don't remember you getting surprised easily."

Cindy coughed violently to get the soda out of her system. Jimmy took out a handkerchief and handed it to her, but she was much too angry to accept his kind gesture. "But still stubborn as always."

Cindy glared at him and asked, "Whatever did I do to deserve your presence, professor?" stressing out the word as if the whole world needed to hear it.

Jimmy grew grim at this and looked down at the cup in his hand to avoid eye contact with his young student. He gave a cold smile and said, "What are the odds that you out of all people are one of my students?" When Cindy did not respond, Jimmy sighed and added, "I understand that you are still upset with me for not contacting back home, but for tonight, can we please just put it behind us? I wish to catch up with an old friend, not pick up where we left off as rivals."

Cindy bit her lip as it was her turn to look down at her own cup. What should she do? Everything that Neutron had put Sheen and Carl through made her want to never speak to him again; even if he was her teacher. She wanted to shut him out and never let him back into their lives again. But now, looking at how soft and innocent his face was and how much it resembled the face that once tried to tell her that she looked beautiful under the moonlight back in Mars, she was torn.

Cindy looked back at Neutron where he was patiently waiting for an answer. She took a deep breathe in and slowly released it out. Feeling her mind clear up a bit, she knew what to do.

Speaking slowly and softly, she said to Jimmy, "I will never truly understand why you left us, Neutron, and I am not sure if I can ever really forgive you for doing so. But I did..I mean we all did miss you. So..let's just catch up for tonight."

Jimmy gave a slight smile at this and raised his cup of soda while saying, "Shall we?"

Cindy laughed with strengthened confidence and raised hers as well, "Bring it, Nerdtron."

"Wait, you and Dee were roommates?!" Cindy exclaimed as she looked and Jimmy with a surprised look.

The pair were sitting with each other back on the couch with Dee and his other friends. They were all sharing stories about their past years together and apparently Jimmy and her boss had close college years together.

Jimmy laughed warmly and his eyes sparkled. He looked alive and happy to be with everyone around him and it reminded Cindy of the times that they had together back when the entire gang went on adventures together.

Cindy liked that.

Dee said, "Oh honey, you should have seen the look on my face when I saw that I was rooming with a fourteen year old! I thought I was back in high school and Lord knows what a tragedy that was! Can I get an amen?"

The group laughed out, "Amen!" as they toasted their drinks with each other.

"Naturally, I thought that the kid was a dweeb who had a huge head," Dee continued on.

"I'm right here, Dee," Jimmy said to his friend.

"Oh, you know I'm just kidding, James. You know I love you!" he said as he gave him a playful push on the shoulder.

Cindy chuckled and shook her head in amusement. The picture of an ecstatic, eighteen year old Dee hanging out with a fourteen year old Jimmy was a sight to see all right.

Lyla, who was also sitting next to Cindy on the couch on her other side, leaned in close and whispered with a devilish grin on her face, "I thought you weren't looking for anyone new?"

Cindy turned a few shades red and quickly whispered back, "He's not with me or anything like that! We are just old friends, plus he's also my poetry teacher."

Lyla raised an eyebrow at this and replied, "Relax, I'm only teasing! Besides, I think you and your friend are cute together."

Cindy tried to roll her eyes and her, but Lyla just giggled and started a conversation with someone else.

Nevertheless, Cindy was having a great time at the party; she could not remember being so happy and care-free. Everything here in this moment was perfect and enjoyable. It was not until she checked her phone for the time did she see that it was almost three in the morning!

"Where the heck did the time go? It still feels like I just got here!" Cindy exclaimed as she stretched out her arms and leaned back on the sofa.

"Time flies when you're having fun, sweetie." Dee replied with a sly win, "It was about time that you starting having some."

Cindy smiled along with him and slowly got up from the couch where she picked up here clutch and coat. "Well, I think I should probably get back to my apartment and call it a night. Thanks for having me Dee."

Dee looked at her was an incredulous look, "Do not tell me that you are traveling by yourself this late! The city will be crawling with criminals! James, be a dear and go escort Cindy back to her place. I want her back on work tomorrow in one piece!"

Jimmy smirked and said, "Oh yes, think of all the money you would lose if something were to happen to her."

Cindy could of sworn that she saw Dee wink at Jimmy out of the corner of her eye, but that's just crazy..

Right?

A/N: Sorry for the cliff hanger! It is finals week after all, but no worries, the next chapter will be my longest one yet! Stay tuned!