8:15 A.M
Libby started her day with a run in the park, enjoying the fresh air and quiet of the early morning. She had always found solace in nature, and today was no different. As she ran, she thought about Cindy and the pain her friend was going through. She knew Cindy needed time, but she couldn't help but worry.
As she run, she spat and muttered "If only Cindy hadn't fallen in love with you, if only... I would have beaten you to a pulp, it's obvious that you're the reason why Sheen disappeared, you never had enough of the trouble you caused yourself, and now you're nothing but a dirtier, more shameless version"
She stopped to catch her breath and started walking "You and Cindy are a perfect and controversial couple, if you both get rid of some of your flaws we might not get into trouble and live happily"
"Jimmy the braggart" she muttered to herself, "Is always obsessed with science to the point that he never thinks of giving his girlfriend any attention.. He can't even realize that his big head is always getting us into trouble. Everyone knows you're smart. Just stop inventing danger for our lives"
She shook her head, quickening her steps "And Cindy... you're my best friend but there's one flaw I hate about you, you're arrogant and never apologize for your mistakes, and you obviously pin it on Jimmy, you're always bossy. You just need to get rid of your tsundere traits and share your feelings naturally and honestly if you want to keep your boyfriend"
Libby sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness for her friends. Despite their flaws, she cared deeply for both of them and wished they could find a way to be happy together.
After breakfast, Cindy locked herself in her room again, but not to complain, She threw all her books and tools on her desk and opened her computer, then took a deep breath "No school for a week?, Thanks Neudtron" Cindy is literally preparing for the entire school year from now "But I won't waste this opportunity to play and have fun like most fools. I will outdo you"
As she delved into her studies, she started with mathematics, thinking it would be the best way to distract herself. But the moment she opened her textbook to a page full of complex equations, she groaned.
"Great!" Cindy muttered, rolling her eyes "Of course, the quadratic formula... Neudtron favorite" She remembered the countless times Jimmy had explained the quadratic formula to her, always with that smug smile on his face.,...It's simple, Vortex. Just remember: ax² + bx + c = 0. Easy as pie!... he would say, his blue eyes twinkling with excitement.
She slid off her chair like dough with a heavy sigh "If I was super smart like you, I wouldn't have used it to blow myself up"
Nick started his day as usual but for the first time with a feeling of anxiety. He couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened with Jimmy and Cindy. To clear his head, he decided to go back to the slopes to practice his favorite sports.
The excitement of the rapid descent down the mountain helped him focus, but his thoughts kept turning to Cindy. He wondered if things could be different. He still wondered how Cindy's feelings for him had faded so easily.
After spending the morning, Nick ran some errands around town. He bought groceries for his family and helped his parents with some housework. On his way, he encountered a group of boys.
"Hey, Nick! It's so nice to hang out, what are your plans today?" one of the boys said with a smile.
Nick rolled his eyes "Just busy, guys. Got things to do"
"You mean I'm busy with Betty?" said a girl with a kissy expression on her face.
Before Nick could reply, a group of girls approached, looking equally annoyed "Nicky, why are you wasting your time with Betty? You can do so much better" one of them said, crossing her arms.
Nick sighed, trying to maintain his patience "Look, I appreciate the concern, I understand why you girls are upset" he suddenly shouted, "But I have a choice and I chose Betty because I chose her, can we just let that go?"
"Sure" said one of the boys, laughing "but don't come crying to us when she leaves you. Come on guys, I have a feeling Nick's popularity will fade soon" He said and started walking away with his friends.
Nick shook his head, "Yeah, thanks for the vote of confidence" he muttered under his breath.
Just when he thought he was free, a group of girls approached him, each with varying degrees of frustration on their faces.
"Nick, we need to talk" said Jessica, the leader of the group. She flipped her hair dramatically, causing Nick to brace himself for the impending confrontation.
"Yeah, Jess?" Nick replied, trying to keep his cool.
"We talked, and we didn't get it. Why Betty?" Jessica asked, putting her hands on her hips. "I mean, look at her. She was always standing with that Brain boy"
Nick scratched the back of his head "Betty's great. She's kind, she's fun, and she gets me"
"Do you get it? Please!" Brittany, cried "All you get is attention. I can give you more!"
"Yeah, like what?" Nick asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Like...like...constant admiration!" Brittany stammered.
"Nonstop" Jessica added sarcastically "Because that's what every man wants, right?"
"Not to mention I'll throw you the best folk parties" said another girl, Sarah, trying to sound convincing.
Nick chuckled. "parties, huh? Well, that's tempting, but I'm sticking with Betty"
The girls groaned in unison, clearly not pleased with his response. "You're hopeless, Nick," Jessica declared. "When you get tired of her, we'll be waiting"
As Nick walked away, he could hear the girls whispering and plotting, likely coming up with new ways to win his affection. He couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
"Seriously, Nick?" Sarah shouted after him "Betty doesn't even like snowboarding! What kind of girlfriend is that?"
"Yeah, and she doesn't even appreciate your perfectly tousled hair!" Brittany added, making dramatic gestures.
Nick shook his head "I'll survive, thanks"
"Oh, and let's not forget her terrible taste in music" Jessica chimed in "We all know you secretly love boy bands, Nicky!"
"Ohw, girls!, Nick was a victim of a food war once. Who knew that even the popular boys die sometimes?" Brittany blew it sarcastically and the girls started laughing. Mentioned from Chapter 3 of the first part of the story
Nick stopped in his tracks, turning to face the girls "You know what? You're right. Betty hates my hair, hates snowboarding, and yes, she doesn't appreciate my incredible boy band playlist. But you know what she does do? She makes me happy. So, thanks for the advice, but I'll stick with her"
As Nick walked away and disappeared from sight, the girls exchanged glances and sighed in annoyance.
"Forget him" Sarah said frustrated "If I'd known he'd choose Betty, I wouldn't have tried to impress him"
"Honestly, I'm starting to see Nick as less cool now than I thought he was before" Jessica folded her arms and said indifferently.
"Brittany interrupted angrily "Let it be, think I'll find another love like Cindy did"
"Wait a minute!" the three said in unison. girls exchanged bewildered glances, each of their minds racing to piece together the puzzle of Cindy's evolving affections. They huddled closer, whispering among themselves, the shock and confusion evident on their faces.
Jessica said with narrowed eyes "Is it just me did I think Cindy was following Nick everywhere?"
"ah..." Sarah added, shaking her head slowly "Cindy herself who was trying to get his attention, wearing those pink clothes she thought he would like, and laughing at his terrible jokes"
"Well?, now she barely even look at him" Brittany concluded, her voice tinged with awe "It's like she's a completely different person"
As they pondered over Cindy's recent behavior, they noticed how her interactions with Jimmy had changed over the last few months. Gone were the days of constant bickering and one-upmanship. Instead, there was a subtle warmth, a genuine connection that hadn't been there before.
"Girls, haven't you noticed that Cindy has started to accompany Neutron in most of his troubles?" Jessica recalled, and said with a goofy smile, "Instead of her continuing to get close to Nick, I can't even remember the last time she tried to impress him"
Brittany nodded, laughing in disbelief "Don't even doubt it, it can't be him. She threw ice cream in his face at Candy Bar once after he confessed he liked her, That was funny"
"Am I an idiot or do I think that Libby, who is her best friend, once hinted on the kids news that Cindy had hidden feelings for Neutron" Jessica recalled "Didn't you notice the expression on her face, when she let him walk his fingers up her arm?"
"I didn't care about that kids news and didn't watch it, but I was surprised by the whispers of some students about the hidden relationship between Cindy and that arrogant rival of hers, and I thought they were just fools saying anything" Sarah said then, her eyes wide in disbelief "wasn't it?"
Sarah, Jessica, and Brittany shared a collective moment of realization, their eyes widening as the truth dawned on them.
"Cindy likes her enemy Neutron?" Brittany whispered, trying to stifle her laughter "No way!, girls, What the heck?"
The revelation hung in the air between them, heavy and profound. The same boy Cindy used to make fun of, the boy they had all teased and ridiculed, had somehow captured Cindy's heart.
"It's kind of... sweet, don't you think?" Sarah ventured, a small smile playing on her lips "I mean, who would have thought?"
Jessica sighed, her expression thoughtful "It's more than sweet. It's like... a storybook romance. The kind where the hero and heroine start off as enemies and then realize they're meant for each other"
Brittany grinned, nudging Jessica playfully "Getting all poetic on us, huh? But you're right. It's kind of amazing."
The three girls stood there, the weight of their discovery settling in. They had witnessed a transformation, not just in Cindy's affections but in Cindy herself. And in that moment, they felt a newfound respect for her and for Jimmy.
Sarah said, breaking the silence "Wow, I'm not too shocked that Cindy's feelings for Nick have faded, But even by 1%, I didn't expect it to be Neutron"
Jessica and Brittany laughed, nodding in agreement. They had a lot to think about, and a lot to change. But for now, they were content with their discovery.
"Honestly, my mind still hasn't processed it, it's hard to believe" Brittany laughed "It's just a suspicion, we don't know that officially, why don't we just interrogate Libby, I know she's keeping her friend's secret too"
At noon, Libby decided to try to contact Cindy.
"Hey, Cindy, it's me. Just wanted to see how you're doing" Libby said, leaving a voicemail when Cindy didn't answer "Call me back when you get a chance, okay? We can hang out or just talk. I'm here for you"
Cindy was like a drunk now, after hours of continuous concentration on her studies, but also her mind kept drifting to Jimmy's enthusiastic lectures.,...and don't forget, Cindy, the discriminant tells you how many solutions there are! b² - 4ac..., She sighed dreamily "He's arrogant but... very magic"
She shook her head, trying to push the image of Jimmy out of her mind "Yeah, magic always ends with something exploding" she muttered under her breath.
after 5 minutes
She found herself doodling little hearts around his name in her notebook, Then when I realized that, shaking her head at her own ridiculousness "Ugh, Stop distracting me"
3 minutes later
"And his hair" Cindy said, leaning back in her chair "is so anti-gravity, but it always manages to attract me. His haircut is weird, but it's really cute, isn't it? And those blue eyes, so focused and full of intelligence"
"Focus, Cindy. You've got to stay focused" Cindy shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.
As she continued studying, she came across a section on electromagnetic waves. The diagrams and explanations reminded her of the time Jimmy had built a device to manipulate electromagnetic fields "I remember when he tried to explain this to me" she thought out loud, briefly smiling wryly "He was so arrogant, I couldn't understand half of what he was saying"
Her smile faded as she realized that Jimmy's excitement for his inventions was one of the things that had led to his current situation. The memory of his evil clone taking over hit her like a ton of bricks.
At an inopportune moment, the door to her room opened, and her mother Sasha walked in "Cynthia, dear, are you already awake and studying? I'm so proud of you!" she exclaimed, beaming with pride "You really are the best student in this city. I'm sure you'll be able to destroy Neutron Boy one day and regain your first place"
"Of course I can destroy him" Cindy quickly wiped away her tears, hoping her mother wouldn't notice "Even though there's nothing left of it" she said, trying to sound optimistic.
Sasha glanced at the textbook on Cindy's desk and shook her head in mock frustration "Newton's laws of motion, huh? That guy was such a bore. You know, you should aim higher, Cindy. Show that Neutron what real intelligence looks like"
Cindy forced a smile, feeling her mother's eyes on her. "Yeah, Mom. I'll do my best"
Sasha's tone became full of sarcasm as she continued "Defeat him. Show him you're not just a pretty face"
Cindy nodded, but the weight of her earlier thoughts was still heavy on her mind "Yeah, I'll show him" she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sasha's expression softened, and she reached out to touch Cindy's shoulder "Are you okay, sweetheart? You seem... off"
Cindy swallowed hard, trying to hold back her tears "I'm fine, Mom. Just a lot on my mind"
Sasha narrowed her eyes slightly, suspicion creeping into her gaze "If there's something bothering you, you can tell me"
Cindy shook her head, avoiding her mother's eyes "Really, I'm fine. Just... tired"
Sasha didn't look convinced, but she didn't press the issue "Alright, darling. Just remember, you're the best. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise"
Cindy nodded, feeling a lump in her throat "Thanks, Mom"
As Sasha left the room, Cindy let out a shaky breath and buried her face in her hands.
She whispered while crying "Damn it!, Neudtron, this is all your fault, and it's always your fault, how are you going to fix it when you're not even yourself"