This goes out the both of you - love you guys. Also idk how the american high school system works so I'm just gonna use my own country's.

In the confines of her room, Tootie watched as the message blinked on her screen, and she hesitated before typing a response.

- Hey

She stared at the greeting for a moment, and then at the numbers, subconsciously she believed she knew who the message was from( even though the number was unfamiliar. ) She could feel a mixture of curiosity and apprehension building up within her.

- Hi

Her reply was brief, yet it opened the door to a conversation she wasn't entirely sure she was ready for. The next message came sooner than expected.

- What's up?

Tootie bit her lip, her fingers hovering over the keyboard before she replied.

- Not much, just reading up on the syllabus... You?

There was a brief pause, and Tootie put her phone down. Not much time passed before she picked it up again and looked to the chat, the ellipsis appeared at that moment, and she'd almost put her phone down again.

- Same here, Just winding down after a really long first day back.

In her mind the current exchange between them felt heavy with unspoken words, the weight of their history and the awkwardness of their current dynamic weighed down upon her. Tootie sighed softly, unsure of how to navigate this conversation.

- Cool, cool...

She replied and furrowed her brow as she - quite frankly - did not know how to respond and or continue this conversation.

And now quickly looking back at her written response she felt unsatisfied, thinking maybe she could delete it, but it was too late as it had already been read.

Was Timmy genuinely curious, she wondered Or was this just an attempt to make small talk? Why message her?

Various thoughts raided her mind, and she decided that her responses would now have to be guarded.

- Hey look, I would really appreciate it if you hang out with us tomorrow. It's not good to be on your own y'know?

Upon reading that, Tootie's heart seemed to skip a beat, her stomach coiling in response to his message. an invitation, why to what? what were his intentions.

- I'm good honestly, I've always been on my own. You should know...

She had intentionally left her response open-ended, unsure of what to anticipate next, these were to be her own attempts at picking out his thinking/psychology.

- I don't think I knew you back then, but I can get to know you now?

Huh?

Tootie's fingers hovered over the screen, her thoughts racing once more. What did he mean by that? Is he blatantly ignoring their past, does he not feel the same awkward tension whenever she's nearby, was it just her?

After taking yet another brief pause, she typed cautiously.

- What do you mean by "get to know me"?

The screen remained silent for a while, and Tootie found herself falling deeper into her thoughts. Processing Timmy's intentions - or him in general was never an easy task for her, but the next message managed to catch her off guard.

- Well, you're a friend of Timmy's right? or were? In any case I just think maybe we could and should all be friends, y'know, starting a new chapter in our lives and we should move forward with the past buried behind us.

Tootie was taken aback, swiping up to re-read the messages. Her gaze returned to the unfamiliar number and then it hit her.

- Wait... who am I talking to?

She sent her reply and almost instantly, the next message arrived.

- Chloe... who did ya think?

Tootie almost slammed her face into her desk, wincing slightly at her own assumptions and thoughts. Her heavy heart had became lighter and she had not felt stupid, panicking and overthinking had been for nothing – "that's what I get for making assumptions." She had out loud, feeling embarrassed.

But why? she stopped to ask herself, and why was Timothy Turner her first conclusion. somewhere somehow he still lives in the recesses of her mind and she couldn't fully get rid of him, not entirely.

- Chloe, hey, how did you get my number?

The tone had changed, and she wondered now -

- I guessed...jk I got it from Veronica.

Veronica? why does veronica have her numbers? that's a cause for concern.

Looking back it was almost as if Chloe had been egging her on during their whole exchange.

Does she know?

Nonetheless Chloe's response left Tootie perplexed.

- Look, I don't know what happened between you and Timmy, but I can tell there's a...strain between you two, and that's hard to ignore. He's my friend, and you used to be his friend I assume so...

Tootie stared at Chloe's message, and now only know was it really beginning to register.

Who is she? and where is she from? does she live here now? Why? How come they've never met? she used to watch Timmy 24/7 for christs sake.

And as she snapped back to reality, and air of uncertainty weighed heavily upon her.

- It's not that simple, Chloe. A lot has changed over the years.

She sent that message with her own sense of truth resonating within her. She still didn't know her so it wasn't really safe to open up but still, chloe didn't seem like a bad person or gossip.

- I get that. but sometimes, it's worth revisiting the past to create a better future...look man, we're planning to hang out tomorrow, and I really think you should come. Just to catch up, you know?

Tootie sighed, her gaze fixed on Chloe's words.

- I'll think about it...

She replied, feeling a mix of uncertainty and curiosity. The idea of seeing Timmy again, under different circumstances, was both terrifying and strangely appealing. Odd given that they had just met this evening but Tootie's mind wandered as she considered the possibilities.

- that's all I ask :)

Sure. Tootie thought. Hang out with you guys, i don't even know you

Tootie groaned as she put her phone down, opening her file instead and choosing to see what they'd have to deal with for this coming semester.

I'll just keep doing my own thing. she told herself, I don't need those guys.

The next day...

Afters Crockers tough to pass class tests - which hopefully didn't count towards their term mark, given they'd only just begun school and math class followed by Latin and then History, It was time for a break. As Tootie took her seat in a secluded area of the school, she looked out to the window and fell back into her thoughts. She didn't share any classes with Timmy this year or so far she didn't, but she was with Trixie and Veronica, no Chloe and hopefully she wouldn't find her here as well. This was her safe little space where she could be alone in peace, no one to bother he or judge her - here she could be free.

That is until...

"Hey..."

A familiar voice greeted.

END.