After all, they are no longer determined to make things official.

Sunday.

Sheen tapped his foot impatiently, knocking again for the fifth time. "Come on, man, open up!"

He tilted his head, then knocked harder. "Helloooo? Earth to Neutron!"

Still nothing.

"huh ...What is that?" Something strange stuck next to the door caught his attention and for the first time instead of touching it he pivoted and jogged to the front door of the Neutron household. He knocked once, then twice. When the door finally creaked open, Sheen's excitement faded into shock.

"Dude..." He squinted. "Have you become a ghost?"

Jimmy stood there, leaning against the frame, his eyelids drooping and his hair a complete mess. His face looked slightly pale, like he had spent the night wrestling quantum physics in his sleep—and lost.

He let out a tired sigh, rubbing his eyes "Oh... why can't you be Vortex or—I mean I'm just tired, I spent all night working on a new security system and finished it around 6 a.m., I think."

"6 a.m.? Man, that's, like, five hours past my bedtime… and my bedtime is when I pass out!"

Jimmy yawned, stepping back inside. "Listen, I want to hang out, but if I don't get some sleep, I'll probably start hallucinating equations floating in the air, and not in a fun way."

"Wait, wait, hold up! What's this new security system for? Is it, like, to keep Carl from accidentally unleashing mutant ducks again? 'Cause I think like that's a him problem, not a you."

"No, it's an advanced eye-scanning security system to keep the blondes out of the place. It won't work for you even if you use a high resolution picture of my eyes."

Sheen gasped. "Oh, I get it! ...Actually I didn't."

"Sheen, please… let me sleep, at least one hour."

"Dude, maybe if we took a little walk you wouldn't need this. I'm really bored and I want to fight a samurai or something... you know—"

"No... Maybe we could just take a walk, that might actually be a good idea."

Sheen had his hands behind his head, sighing dramatically every few minutes while Jimmy walked beside him, his posture still sluggish from exhaustion.

"Man, this town is so boring," Sheen groaned. "Where's the random alien invasions? I swear, nothing interesting happens when I actually want it to."

"We often make things crazy."

"C'mon, there's gotta be some drama. Maybe a crazy food fight at McSpanky's? A herd of llamas escaping from the zoo? Anything?"

Jimmy shook his head, smirking slightly. "As much as I like action movies set in Retroville, I also hate it."

"Pfft, something big is definitely going to happen soon... Tell me what's really going on with you and... your neighbor."

"Oh, speaking of Cindy. How could you have spilled juice on her and Nick?"

Sheen burst out laughing. "Oh yeah! it was a work of art. I went for a triple spin, then *bam!*—juice everywhere. Cindy's face? Priceless."

Both boys were mid-laugh when Jimmy suddenly tensed.

"A... Why now?" he muttered.

"Huh?"

Jimmy subtly jerked his head forward. Sheen followed his gaze—and immediately panicked.

She was walking straight toward them, eyes narrowed in thought, but that wasn't the problem.

The problem was that Sheen had recently committed war crimes against Cindy's wardrobe (and Nick's reputation) baptizing them in fruit punch.

"do not panic." Jimmy said calmly.

"I'M PANICKING."

Sheen immediately ducked behind Jimmy, gripping the back of his shirt like a terrified toddler. "Dude, we gotta bail, she will definitely break half of my bones!"

"We can't bail," He whispered harshly. "It's too close! If we turn around now, she'll definitely notice and it'll be embarrassing."

"Okay, okay," Sheen muttered. "Think, think, think—"

"I've got it," Jimmy said. "We play it cool."

"Cool? ...That's so dumb. I love it!"

He straightened his own back and puffed out his chest. "Fine. I'll do the opposite. I'll act like I'm the most feared man in Retroville. Cindy sees me, and she shakes in her boots."

"You? Feared?" Jimmy deadpanned.

They kept walking, and within seconds, Cindy did look up. She immediately locked eyes with them.

Jimmy averted his gaze like she was a mirage that surely did not exist. Sheen, meanwhile, walked with his arms crossed, chin up, smirking like he was the final boss in a video game.

She squinted, visibly thrown off by their bizarre behavior. But she recovered quickly.

And then, like a predator, she pounced.

She grabbed the final boss by his shirt, yanking him to face her.

"You idiot! How do you think I forgot?"

"What the hell! do I know you?" He shouted.

"Thanks to you, I had to spend the rest of the day smelling like artificial cherry syrup! And Nick—Nick is traumatized! He's been acting like his life is ruined!"

Sheen gulped. "This is it? girl! I've been through worse, why do you act like this has never happened to you before? It's not like I caused you to lose a family member."

Jimmy stepped back. *He's done.*

She pulled Sheen closer, her face inches from his. "Oh, what if you did that?"

Sheen shut his eyes tight. Then—

"You are unhinged! NO ONE appreciates you!" he claimed he was the bully here and suddenly shrieked—so loud it made Cindy flinch.

Taking full advantage of her surprise, he spun out of her grip like a ninja, dropped to the ground, and rolled away like he was escaping an explosion.

Jimmy blinked. *Was that part of his plan?*

Cindy, caught off guard, took a step back. "What did you say?!"

Sheen jumped to his feet, pointed at her dramatically, and yelled, "HAH! You're still slow, Vortex!"

he grabbed Jimmy by the wrist. "RUN, FOREIGNER, RUN!"

And just like that, the two bolted down the street, leaving Cindy standing there, baffled.

.

Sheen panted, trying to catch his breath. "See? Told you. You don't look sleepy now."

Jimmy exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, maybe… but I guarantee I'll be unconscious before my mom calls me in for dinner."

"Not if we have homework."

"Thanks for ruining my last moments of energy."

Sheen ignored him, glancing around before spotting the mall just a few feet away. His eyes lit up. "Hey, what do you say we check out? Maybe something interesting could happen there."

"Ultra Lord, Isn't it?" Jimmy raised an eyebrow.

Sheen gasped. "Ultra Lord? Who is that? Never heard of him." He flipped his collar up and smirked. "But I am Ultra Dork, feared by all—especially Cindy and… whoever else dares to cross me."

Sheen led the way like he was royalty, taking exaggerated steps and nodding at random strangers as if they should be honored by his presence. Jimmy, still a little tired, followed with his hands in his pockets, barely keeping up.

"So what exactly are we doing here?"

"Looking for entertainment," Sheen said, scanning the area like a hunter. "Someone somewhere in this mall has to be dealing with something wild. A fire drill, a breakup, an old man arguing with a vending machine—I'll take anything at this point."

"You could just—"

"Oh! This is it!" Sheen suddenly whispered, pointing toward the smoothie stand ahead. Jimmy turned his head and spotted an employee, a tall, muscular man who looked like he took his minimum-wage job way too seriously.

"What exactly is 'it'?"

He smirked. "That guy's been giving me dirty looks ever since I 'accidentally' took a sample when the sign clearly said 'One Per Customer.'"

"Sheen…"

"No, no, listen," Sheen waved him off. "This is personal. He thinks he can intimidate me out of free fruit juice, but I refuse to be oppressed!"

Jimmy didn't have the energy to deal with this. "I'm gonna go sit down before I start hallucinating," he muttered.

As he walked off to find a seat in the food court, Sheen lingered near the smoothie stand, eyeing the sample cups. He grabbed one.

The employee glared.

Sheen grabbed another.

The angry guy cracked his knuckles.

"…I regret nothing," Sheen declared, before sprinting off.

The employee immediately bolted after him.

Jimmy, now sitting with his head resting on one hand, glanced up just in time to see Sheen weave through tables like his life depended on it. The furious employee followed, shouting something about "THAT'S COMING OUT OF YOUR SOUL!"

He let out a small chuckle, rubbing his eyes. "Not even five minutes…"

He barely noticed someone approaching him until a familiar voice spoke up.

"Hey, Neutron."

Monday.

"Dude, what's wrong with you?" One of his friends snickered.

Nick wasn't faring much better. He shifted uncomfortably, his friends nudging him and whispering.

He grumbled for the third time as he tried not to look in the direction of the blonde girl who seemed lost in thought. "Okay, I admit it—I kinda find Cindy... attractive. Would you lower your voice?!"

"Wo? but what's changed? She's been the same since, like, forever—"

"For some reason, it started when I was working with her on a project and she sprayed one of her perfumes on me, and then... I don't know." Nick whispered harshly, "please shut up,"

"Well, why are you nervous? I thought I saw her looking in your direction a few times too. She must like you, right?"

"Maybe... " Cindy grit her teeth, her internal monologue a storm of confusion. "Maybe it wasn't necessary to use this damn potion on myself as well," she thought bitterly. She knew better, but whenever she caught a glimpse of Nick, her mind betrayed her.

Libby stood a few feet away, looking more detached than ever, she was just staring at Sheen who was mumbling something into Carl's ear. Jimmy, who sported red sweatpants and a white shirt with his signature Neutron logo in red.

"I wonder if he made his own clothes with some invention, I don't remember him boasting about anything like that." Libby was curious and wanted to come closer and ask Neutron, but she didn't want to interfere in his conversation.

"Are you sure you're not feeling more energetic than usual?" She stood out in a pink tank top, headband pierces her hair nicely and black sweatpants, managing to look effortlessly composed.

"Please, Betty. Wearing new comfortable clothes doesn't make any difference to me." He muttered with a faint smile. He wanted to admit to her that she looked more attractive this way but—

"Alright, listen up, maggots!" Coach Gruber barked. "Today, each of you will compete in the Reaction Race. It's simple—run when you hear the whistle. Slowest one's out. Last one standing wins. And to be clear, so that no one takes this or that because I am the one who will choose the pairs randomly."

"First up! Wheezer versus… Tony!"

"Oh... Why?" Carl gulped as he stood beside Tony, one of Nick's arrogant friends.

The students lined up. The pairings were set.

... Other pairings

...

"Sheen and… Betty!"

Sheen gasped. "You're pitting me against the might of Betty Quinlan?! This is an honor—"

"Shut up, Estévez."

Betty just chuckled, rolling her eyes. She glanced at Jimmy, he seemed indifferent, his eyes were only on the blonde girl.

... Other pairings

"Oh.. hey, Betty."

She shrugged. "Didn't expect to see you here." She nodded toward him. "You look terrible, by the way."

"Yeah, that's the goal," Jimmy deadpanned. "I call it 'zombie chic.'"

She chuckled, setting her bag down and sitting across from him. "So, what's got you looking like you lost a battle with your own brain?"

Jimmy exhaled, resting his chin in his hand. "I was up all night upgrading my security system, to keep.. the blondes away."

She blinked, processing that. "Wait—what? Why yesterday?"

"Oh, just she takes my hovercar for a joyrides, treated my lab like a science fair full of free samples." He waved a hand. "And what's worse is that there's something wrong with her and Nick and she's making fun of me behind my back."

"That's... kind of shameful."

He let out a tired sigh. "It was exhausting. It's like every time Cindy breathes, Libby needs to give me an update."

Betty laughed, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at him. There was something oddly cute about him when he was tired. His hair was slightly messier, his posture was more relaxed—maybe it was the lack of overthinking, making him more natural.

"You're actually kinda adorable when you're tired," She said without really thinking.

Jimmy blinked at her, looking genuinely caught off guard. "Uh… thanks?"

She giggled. "Will you get used to it?"

He smirked. "Why not?"

Before Betty could respond, Sheen suddenly skidded to a stop next to their table, panting. "JIMMY. BETTY. HELP ME."

Behind him, the smoothie employee stood in the distance, cracking his knuckles and waiting like a final boss.

Jimmy took one look at Sheen and deadpanned, "You deserve this."

"What did he do?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Took too many free samples."

Sheen gasped. "Jimmy! I am being persecuted."

"He's behind you. Run." Jimmy gave him a blank stare.

Sheen immediately bolted.

"A.. What's wrong?" Jimmy realized Betty had gone quiet. She was looking away, her expression slightly off.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm fine."

It didn't look fine. Jimmy's eyes narrowed at her.

Exactly as his eyes narrowed now at Cindy Vortex.

"Nick versus… Neutron!"

"Nerd guy vs me? ...Coolest guy? That would be interesting." Nick muttered, though his confidence wavered slightly as he eyed Jimmy, who stood there looking unimpressed.

For some reason Neutron was still staring at her warily. "You're lucky." he whispered sharply.

... Other pairings

"Libby and… Cindy."

...

There was a heavy silence. Cindy's fists clenched, she glanced at Libby who didn't react, she exhaled sharply through her nose. "Great, What do you think?"

"It's just a game and points, girl" She said, her voice devoid of warmth. "Take a break from Neutron."

"Well, but I don't have the courage to withdraw, just so you know."

Libby finally looked at her, her expression both sad and sarcastic. "I'm so fine... And by the way, I'm not jealous of your Nick, just so you know again."

""Well, well." Coach Gruber's grin spread wide. "This is gonna be good."

He raised his whistle, and every muscle tensed.

Carl's knees wobbled as he looked at Tony—a tall, overly confident boy who seemed to have been plucked straight out of a '90s teen movie about bullies. Tony rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck from side to side, his smirk razor-sharp.

"This will be easy," He sneered. "As much as I want to go easy on you, I've got a reputation to maintain."

Carl whimpered. "Can I forfeit?"

"No!" Coach snapped. "Positions! ...Or, you are withdrawing badly."

Both boys stepped onto the starting line. Tony crouched down, looking like a sprinter at the Olympics. Carl, looking like he had accidentally wandered into the race while trying to find the bathroom.

"On your mark!"

...

"Get set!"

Carl squeezed his eyes shut, probably praying to whatever deity watched over awkward schoolers.

"GO!"

He took off like a bullet, his legs pumping in perfect rhythm. Carl… didn't move.

The crowd blinked.

"Uh, Carl?" Sheen whispered loudly from the sidelines. "Run, dude!"

Carl opened one eye, peeking out. "Did I lose yet?"

"No! just RUN!" *It's over*

He took a single, step forward—and that's when it happened.

Tony, who had already made it halfway down the track, stumbled over a stray soccer ball that had rolled into his path. His foot caught, his body twisted, and with a spectacular lack of grace, he tumbled forward, arms flailing. The crowd collectively cringed as he landed face-first into the dirt, skidding a good three feet before coming to a stop. And he immediately regretted his blind trust and looked back several times.

He looked like he wouldn't be able to walk again... or maybe for a while.

The coach let out a sarcastic laugh and whistled. "Winner! Wheezer!"

"What?" Carl blinked.

"Well, a win's a win," the coach muttered. "Next! ..."

...

Nick's friends dragged Tony out of the dirt, brushing him off. "What happened, man?"

"I… I don't wanna talk about it."

Meanwhile, Nick and Cindy still seemed to struggle with wanting to stand next to each other and at least hold hands.

"Dude, stop looking at her—"

"I'm not!" Nick snapped, only to steal another quick glance. "Oh, why does she—why do I—this is so messed up."

...

Coach Gruber checked his list, snapping everyone back to attention. "Next up! ...Do I have to scream every time?!"

He glared at the clipboard, muttering under his breath before speaking up. "Sheen and Betty."

"Betty Quinlan?! The legend herself?! The honor, the glory! Ultra Lord himself would be proud me—"

"Yeah, just get in position, Estévez!"

She offered a lighthearted smile, seemingly unaffected by Sheen's theatrics. "Let's make this fun, okay?"

"Ready… set… GO!"

Sheen and Betty took off at nearly the same pace, surprising everyone. Sheen's usually erratic energy seemed focused, and Betty ran with a smooth, controlled stride.

But then, something sparked in Sheen's mind. His face lit up.

He became Ultra Sheen, sprinting at impossible speeds. He raced through scorching deserts, leaped across canyons, and bounded over towering sand dunes. The scene changed—he dashed through the underworld, flames licking at his heels as he weaved between ancient statues. Next, he was running on water, zipping past Japanese temples and cherry blossoms, then blasting into outer space. He zoomed past planets, surfed on asteroids, and outpaced shooting stars. "That's AWESOME!" his voice echoed through galaxies.

He lay on the ground, his arms and legs moving sluggishly in slow-motion running. His fingers scribbled nonsense in the dirt, his lips forming unheard words, it halfway the track.

The entire class, including Coach Gruber, burst into laughter. Even Betty couldn't hold back her giggles as she strolled to the finish line without breaking a sweat.

"Uh… where am I?-Hah, did I win?" Sheen mumbled, still sprawled out on the ground.

They both returned to the starting line.

"You won… in another universe." Nick snickered.

Betty gave Sheen a playful pat on the head as she passed. "Nice effort, Sheen."

Sheen's eyes blinked back to reality, his lips curling into a proud smile. "I… I saved the galaxy!"

Carl leaned over to Jimmy. "Is he okay?"

"Maybe. I'm sure he's just trying to make people laugh to gain some popularity." Jimmy just smirked and took another look at Cindy.

"No... you're not. Are you hiding something?"

"No, nothing really, I was just lost in thought—"

"If you're going to... break up with me—" He started, voice flat. *—you were the one who started this anyway.*

"I just wanted to ask if you still feel the same way..." Betty interrupted, her voice quieter. There was a strange unease in her tone. "I… I still remember it like yesterday. You were waiting for her to confess something to you. But we all know how she's changed."

He frowned. "What are you talking about?" He was sleep-deprived, but not enough to be stupid.

*She secretly likes him or not, I don't think I'll back down this time.. Jimmy is sweet and smart, sure dreams of becoming a scientist or something, but with her? I'm scared he'll turn into a bad and disgusting person or worse.*

"Betty?" He leaned in slightly. "Everything will be fine—"

"Nothing will be fine until you tell me—have you rethought her? Or can you still take more of her insults?"

He blinked. "You're scaring me now." He usually got nervous around girls, but not because of this.

She exhaled, gripping the edge of the table. "Tell me when you've ever faced her like a real boy, Neutron? You let her yell at you, insult you, embarrass you—" She hesitated, glancing away. "I wish it was at least a boy, but having a girl put you down every time she looks at you? It's embarrassing... and yet you was liked her?"

She wasn't wrong, and that thought unsettled him more than anything.

"Trust me, I've thought about this countless times." He tone was serious now, his exhaustion briefly forgotten. "But I have no idea what would happen to her if I crossed my boundaries."

"And why is it okay for her—or anyone—to cross their boundaries with you, Jimmy? What boundaries are you even talking about?" She let out a frustrated sigh. "After everything she's done to you, there's no reason you should be afraid of her."

"You think I'm afraid of her?" He frowned.

She gave him a long, disbelieving look.

Then, with a knowing smirk, she stood up, grabbed her bag, and said two words—"Time out."

He stiffened.

"Think about it smartly this time." She smiled before walking away. "See you later."

He stared blankly at the table, completely absorbed in his thoughts.

...

"JIMMY, BRO, I ESCAPED, BUT I THINK I'M BANISHED FROM THIS PLACE—"

Sheen skidded to a stop next to him, panting. His shirt was slightly ripped, and he was holding what looked like a smoothie cup with no smoothie in it.

*Time out?*

"DUDE, are you even listening? They almost attacked me over a sample." Sheen waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello? Genius boy? Anyone home?"

*Time out?!* How could he forget? That phrase alone left him speechless. Suddenly, sleep wasn't even on his mind anymore.

Sheen frowned. Then he smirked and leaned in. "Yo. Neutron. Cindy just walked in wearing a lab coat and said she's your new assistant—"

"WHAT?!" Jimmy snapped his head up, fully alert—before narrowing his eyes.

The others raced...

Then.

Jimmy and Nick stepped forward, both looking surprisingly composed. Jimmy, in his red sweatpants and white logo shirt, radiated calmness, while Nick, in his signature jacket and confident smirk, looked like he owned the field.

"This'll be interesting," Sheen whispered to Betty, still brushing dust off his clothes from his 'intergalactic adventure.'

"Good luck Neutron." Nick rolled his shoulders, shooting Jimmy a sideways glance. "... but not with me."

"Thanks, Nick." Jimmy simply crouching into position. "Or.. Nickorama."

"Don't you dare call me that again!—"

"All right, boys, you know the rules." Coach Gruber held his whistle.

Libby, who had been quiet and withdrawn, couldn't help but focus on the two boys. Something inside her stirred, a feeling she couldn't quite name, but it felt heavy.

Cindy stood on the sidelines, her attention solely on Nick. Her fingers twitched as if itching to move closer to him. She bit her lip, torn between the rush of emotions swirling in her chest.

The whistle blew.

Both boys launched forward, neck and neck. Nick's longer strides seemed to give him an edge, but Jimmy kept pace with an effortless rhythm. It was clear from the get-go: this wasn't going to be an easy win.

"Go, Nick!" a few students cheered, but their voices were quickly drowned by the sheer focus on the field.

Jimmy's expression remained neutral, every step calculated. Nick, however, began to scowl. He wasn't used to this—Jimmy Neutron wasn't supposed to be his equal on the track.

"What's the matter, Nicko-rama?!" Jimmy said, his eyes sharp. "Losing your cool already?"

Nick huffed. "Oh, please. I was just warming up."

Cindy clenched her fists, her inner turmoil breaking through. "Do it.. NICK!" she shouted.

Every head turned to her, eyebrows raised.

"Did she just…?" Tony whispered.

"There's something between her and Nick and this I hate it so much." a girl mumbled.

Libby's face fell further, her eyes glassy. She wrapped her arms around herself, her focus drifting back to Jimmy. It was like watching the inevitable.

Back on the track, Nick decided to play dirty. "You know, Neutron, Cindy's got a thing for me again."

Jimmy's jaw tightened, his pace maintaining, but a sharpness crept into his gaze.

"Yeah," Nick continued, smirking. "Can't keep her eyes off me. It's almost like she's under a spell or something."

Something snapped. Jimmy's expression became very upset and that the force behind his steps doubled. Nick, who had been confident just moments before, found himself struggling to keep up.

"Nick! No..." Cindy's voice rang out again, though this time it was more of a whisper to herself, her face flushed with confusion and embarrassment.

Libby's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She knew. She had always known.

And then, it was over. He crossed the finish line, a full two strides ahead.

Silence fell over the students. "Go Nick... Go? ... Huh?"

"Neutron won?"

Nick stumbled to a stop, his face flushed and his breathing ragged. He looked at Jimmy, who was also panting but frowning like he hadn't won or anything. His eyes, for just a moment, flicked to Cindy. Her face was red, her posture rigid, he knew very well that that voice belonged to her.

"Do it, Nick. mey Nicky, do it!" he repeated her words sarcastically.

"Next!"

...

"It doesn't make a difference to you, does it?" Betty asked quietly, her voice gentle but curious.

"It does, actually. Just because he didn't cheat like Cindy often does—" He exhaled. "I don't know what Nick was planning, but he told me Cindy 'fell in like' with him again, and I heard her scream his name! As if it was her own victory!"

"But it doesn't matter, Jimmy. You defied their expectations. I thought you'd show off and act all cocky like usual, but this time... you really went up against Nick and won." Carl chimed in, a hint of admiration in his tone.

Jimmy sighed, glancing between Carl, Sheen. "You guys talk about Nick like he's some kind of big deal, But.. being popular doesn't mean he's the best at everything."

"Oh, man, that's true!" Sheen burst out laughing. "I mean, I heard you call him 'Nickorama' or something, and he looked like he was about to cry!"

*He didn't look like that.* Jimmy thought.

Carl snorted, and laughed too, Jimmy and Betty just smiled, a quiet understanding passing between them.

...

The coach looked at his notebook and smiled sarcastically.

Libby and Cindy stepped up to the starting line. Cindy adjusted her ponytail, a determined look on her face. Libby kept her expression neutral, her eyes focused ahead.

"Ready, ladies? ..When I blow, you go."

The whistle shrieked, and they were off.

Their paces matched almost perfectly—Cindy's quick strides balanced by Libby's smooth, consistent rhythm. They ran side by side, neither gaining a clear lead.

"So, what's wrong? You seemed so calm," Cindy asked, not breaking her stride.

"It doesn't matter. Just focusing."

Cindy rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Is this about what's going on between me and Nick? You don't seem to have a problem with Nerd-tron's wife."

"I'm just neutral!" Libby's expression hardened. "And why do you always have to mention Neutron? You and Nick are together now—what more do you want?"

"You seem so isolated these days, and I've noticed you're a lot less sarcastic toward that idiot and his buddies."

"That's what I call maturity!" Libby clenched her jaw. "Why do you act like you need a partner to laugh with you while you're insulting everyone?!"

"Why are you screaming like that?!"

The students watching could sense the tension even from afar. Their running was nearly synchronized, but there was nothing friendly about it.

"Are they... arguing?" Carl whispered, his confusion mirrored by the crowd.

"They're arguing, joking, or whatever. Nobody can do anything. It's like Ultra Lord versus his evil twin—there are no survivors,"

Betty's frown deepened. There was no doubt this had something to do with her. Even if not directly, Libby's behavior had changed, and Betty could see her own influence woven into it.

"And when you get a response, you suddenly go into megalomania, like someone who has been wronged. Like the whole world's out to get you!"

Cindy huffed. "As I expected, it seems that naive snake girl has had an effect on you so much that you now find me boring and bad... Sorry about that but it seems like you've become weak."

"Wha? When did I say you were boring?" Libby's pace faltered just slightly, but enough for Cindy to surge forward, crossing the finish line a second before her.

The small crowd applauded, but the energy felt off, like they had just witnessed a rift crack open.

...

"You're right."

Cindy turned, her expression a mix of victory and confusion.

"I'm probably getting too weak to take your logic." She looked indifferent, as if Cindy's win meant nothing.

"What's wrong? You thought it was just a game."

"You just said that I'm weak just because I talk with your grudge sometimes like NORMAL people. Well, what if I confessed that I agree with them being... together. What would you do then?"

She said that mostly as a last ditch effort to get Cindy to admit her feelings for that stupid genius.

"Excuse me?" Cindy's face twisted in shock.

The crowd had fully turned toward them now, whispers rippling through the students. Even the coach stood frozen, clipboard forgotten at his side.

Sheen and Carl exchanged worried glances. In fact, Sheen was enjoying it.

Cindy stepped forward, their noses almost touching. "So now, I'm sure you're really weak... A weak, sensitive, and naive girl like her and Nerd-tron, and that's unfortunate."

Betty's lips pressed into a thin line, her expression unreadable. Jimmy's face was blank, but his hands were balled into fists at his sides.

"Please, girls, aren't you friends?—" Brittany attempted to intervene, her voice hesitant.

"I'm not..."

Without another word, Libby turned on her heel and walked away, pushing through the crowd. Students parted for her, some glancing back at Cindy with a mix of pity and judgment.

...

"Cindy," Jimmy approached her and asked worriedly "You're okay?"

"Of course." She replied "As if it matters to you, Nerdtron,"

Sure, he— Wait-did he do it?

Jimmy just looked at her, If it was really Jimmy for her, he would have said something. But he just... imagine.

He finally moved, but not toward her—he walked away, Betty trailing behind him.

*Time Out.*