..what is becoming?

[Cindy Vortex]

It was a very normal happening for Cindy Vortex to be wrestling with her locker door after the last bell rang through the halls of Retroville High. It seemed to always insist upon giving her the greatest of trouble, especially at the worst of times. This day was no different, exempt the fact that her side of the battle was more agressive and her cursing was much louder than usual. One wouldn't be incorrect in the assumption that she was indeed more angry than usual, which in some cases was saying something.

One could labor under the misconception that Cindy was angry about something that happened in her last period class, or that a teacher was in some way pissing her off. The correct answer to the question of what had set Cindy off today was peers, one in particular. Cindy didn't think that one James Neutron had ever annoyed her more. The thing was that he wasn't doing anything, in a very literal sense. He wasn't speaking to her, or even acknowledging her existance, for that matter. He seemed to even be avoiding her, much to her dismay.

She supposed the reason she was so angry was that she didn't understand why. The rumors had been flying and she knew he couldn't possibly have missed the hurried excited whispering people engaged in when passing one or both of them in the hall. Everyone knew, most likely from what had happened in the Candy Bar a couple days before. She wasn't sure whether she had made a good call with that action and she wondered whether he appriciated it. It didn't seem so, by the way he was acting. That didn't mean she understood it, though. They'd kissed (or more made-out), for Christ's sake!

Then again, now that she thought about it, that almost made sense. Was he getting cold feet, perhaps? It seemed Jimmy's style. She would have done anything to change that, if that was the problem. The thing was, she was almost scared to talk to him, after his behaviors over the past few days. What if she learned something she didn't want to know? It made her just want to break down and cry, as she'd done the other day. Well, perhaps he'd kiss her again if she did.

She supposed the reason she was so tripped out about it was that she wanted nothing more than to be able to let everyone know for sure, and let herself know for sure, now that she thought about it. She honestly did adore him, but she had to wonder if he was having doubts. She wasn't sure how either of them would handle it once they did confront each other, if they ever did. All she wanted was to be with him, for sure.

She stood up from her crouching position (due to her locker's position), glaring at the metal door. Cursing loudly, she kicked the door numerous times in a row, surely putting a dent somewhere in the poor innocent locker. "I hate you, Neutron... Why do you have to be so confusing?" she muttered under her breath, throwing her head back and closing her eyes briefly. Crouching down again, she spun her combonation again and pulled at the door once more. After a few rough tugs, it flew open, clanging into the locker beside it.

Cindy Vortex was dangerous at the moment.


{ o o c : I've been wanting to do a pissed-off Cindy post for a while. Reply so I can continue! I luff you all, really! }

[Jimmy Neutron]

{o.o.c. Out of my sheer need for a good RP, the fact that we don't even have a consoling Carl to comfort Jimmy in the locker room, and you've opened up a good opportunity for me to accomplish the same idea here, I'll re-post here!}

Jimmy didn't think he ever felt more torn in his entire life, which was not entirely what he'd been hoping to accomplish just a few short days ago when he -- he, Jimmy, -- had kissed Cynthia Aurora Vortex after accidentally running into her at Miss Martin's Dance Studio. (Not only that, he had practically flown down the street to employ himself once again in a make-out session.) The emotions and feelings he had finally hoped to clear up and push out into the open seemed to have magnified tenfold overnight.

He knew Cindy very well, (which should have been expected, considering he had spent the majority of his life observing her every move,) but he could not, for the life of him or the love of science, figure out exactly how she felt about the entire -- er, situation.

The strong emotion Jimmy could feel radiating off of her whenever they were close should have been enough to tell him she felt just as passionately about him as he did her, but he was a genius. He hadn't missed that odd look in her eye when they had -- very reluctantly -- parted ways the other day. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, something that was infuriating him to no end. Some genius he was...

It was this almost-invisible barrier that had given Jimmy a strong sense of foreboding. When he spotted Cindy's back in the hallway, he was stricken and did not know whether to dash away before he was spotted or to jump her and kiss her senseless. Eventually the knowledge that he could not run forever rationalized him and convinced his legs to move and walk over to her. This had given her enough time, however, to start a heated argument with her locker and she was venting her anger through several, well-aimed kicks.

Jimmy grinned as the locker relented to Cindy's furious hail and slammed into the one neighboring it: same old Cindy... his Cindy... oh, how he loved saying that.

His Cindy or not, she was still dangerous when in her fits of anger, and she was obviously peeved about something. Praying with all his might that her kicks would not be turned around and directed at him, he nervously said, "Hey, Cin."

[Cindy Vortex]

Cindy was, at the time of Jimmy's unknown approach, glaring at her locker as she removed her needed materials from its bowels and replaced them with the things she was going to be needing for tonight's homework. The string of works currently rolling off her tongue at sizely volume would most definitely have been proclaimed horrendously vulgar by any ear trained in the English language, but she didn't currently care as she continued to engage in her zealous cursing streak. It wasn't until he spoke that she knew he was there, and when he did speak, she froze for a moment, halfway in the process of pulling her World History book from her locker. Her heartbeat did indeed increase a bit as she turned her head toward him, locking her jade eyes with his sapphire ones. She knew she shouldn't have been nervous around him anymore... but she absolutely couldn't help herself. He had that effect on her, or at least he did when she wasn't sure exactly how he felt about her. "Hi." she replied unceremoniously, turning back toward her canvas messenger bag as she pushed her book into it. Before standing up, she closed the locker door, or more slammed it, perhaps a bit harder than she'd intended.

She was still awfully peeved about the fact that he'd grown taller than her over the past few years. She most definitely had to look up at him now, seeing as he had to be six inches taller than her, at the very least. Her face was stuck between a glare and a grin, flickering back and forth indecisively as she shifted her weight onto her right foot. She wasn't quite sure whether to appear upset with him or just to be glad he was talking to her again (maybe). The question remained as she continued onto her next comment.

"Haven't seen you in a few days. I was sure you'd finally killed yourself on one of those ludicrous inventions, or something of the sort." Her voice was casual and nonchalant, yet it did indeed ooze that familiar sarcasm that was always present when one was talking to Cindy.

She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now. What would he do if she took his hand or kissed his cheek or something of the same nature? Thoughts regarding this swirled relentlessly about her head, though the confusion did not pass through to her already indecisive face as she placed her hands on her hips and drew herself up to full height as she pushed a whisp of loose hair away from her face, dismayed when it fell back into her eyes again.

{ o o c : Wheee, awkward teens in love! I live for this as well! This is one of the reasons I love roleplaying. Well, thank you mucho for joining me! This is going to be fun... Ohhh, and tomorrow the dance roleplaying starts! I'm excited. }

[Jimmy Neutron]

Jimmy tried to smile at Cindy as she wheeled around to face him, but he was sure it turned out to be more of a nervous grimace; but even when drenched with guilt, he still felt the too-familiar lurch in his stomach when their eyes connected, and he was left rather light-headed when she stood and fixed him with a stare somewhere between a glare and a smile.

When she spoke again, though, his insides squirmed in shame. He'd never acted like more of an idiot in his life, and he didn't even have a solid reason for it! He would just toughen up, resist the urge to kiss her, and ask what had been bothering her... shouldn't be that hard, now...

His mouth would not form the words that were slipping slowly through his mind, however, and it was slightly open as he watched Cindy in a trance-like state swipe a strand of hair away. His head tilted to one side when the enticing lock fell back into her line of vision. He stepped forward and reached out, sweeping the strand back and entangling his hand in her long, loose hair.

"I'm really sorry," Jimmy said truthfully, his other hand finding her upper arm and pulling her close. How he had missed becoming lost in her scent. "You just seemed a bit... off the other day. What's bothering you?"

{o.o.c. Yay for the dance! I take it you will be one of those people posting in the wee hours of the morning? }

[Cindy Vortex]

Cindy leaned against him submissively, wrapping her arms firmly around his waist and tucking her head beneath his chin comfortably. Making a small contented sound, she listened to his words, which, she could tell, were drowned in sincerity for once. He was sorry, honestly sorry for not having spoken to her at all. It felt as if an immense weight was being lifted from her heart and if she wasn't already as close to him as she could be, she would have cuddled even closer.

She thought for a moment about his question. If she hadn't been bursting with queries of her own, she would certainly have passed off her own doubts and said nothing, but she was not feeling normal for sure. Right now she was confused, something she wasn't at all used to and an emotion that she didn't want to have to get used to. Her hands grasped each other behind him and she closed her eyes momentarily. Upon opening them, she found herself staring into the face of what was people passing at uneven intervals and passing them odd looks. It wasn't as if she was very surprised at this; it was very odd that they were together. That thought led back to her own doubts.

"Everything." she murmured, closing her eyes again in a desperate attempt to block out everyone in the world but herself and Jimmy. "Everything's happening so suddenly. I don't know what to think or what you think or..." She paused, tightening her grip briefly in a comforting hug. "It's not that I don't like it or I think it's going in the wrong direction, but it seems... odd. You know, halfway between right and forbidden, though I pray the former."

That's what he had wanted, wasn't it? It seemed strange, telling Jimmy Neutron of all people of her doubts and worries. But now things were different between them. Now it felt almost good to tell him these things, the only drawback being that a few short days ago, they had been enemies. But relationships change, though she hoped that it wouldn't change much from here.

{ o o c : LOL, maybe, though I doubt it, as I have to wake up rather early tomorrow. We're taking the kids to the local theme park tomorrow (as in my sister, lol, I don't have kids), so we're going to have to go to bed. If you find I haven't posted yet in the morning, you may go ahead and post pour moi, if you wish! }

[Jimmy Neutron]

Jimmy sighed contentedly as Cindy nuzzled herself under his chin and clasped her arms around his waist. He savored the moment of silence, relishing Cindy's comfortable warmth, repelling the inquiring looks people threw their way. Let them whisper and point; Jimmy didn't care, so long as Cindy would be there for him to hold.

Cindy cut into his thoughts when she said "Everything." Everything? he thought, worried. But he smiled when she finished her thought. He pulled his chest away from her, not breaking their embrace, and tilted his head to look down at her. "Is that all?" he asked incredulously.

He brought his mouth down on hers, (earning plenty more stares, he presumed,) hoping to leave no questions about exactly how he felt. "'Forbidden', hmm?" Jimmy said when he broke away, once again grinning like he had slept with a coat hanger in his mouth. "By whom, might I ask?"

Jimmy pulled them closer together in another embrace, muttering, "I'd thought you had run into Betty or something; she's usually the only thing to bring about profanity strung together like that..."

{o.o.c. Ooh, have fun with that! I'm the eldest in my family, but my aunt is only 8 years older than me. She only has a little baby of her own, but she nannies four little kids, ages 18 months to 9 years, and they are a handful! I can't imagine taking them to a theme park... Muahaha, good thing I don't have to! I'd be more than willing to wait for a post from you, though. Technically I'm grounded from any and all computer use; I never know when my mom is going to remember, so I don't like to risk it too much.}

[Cindy Vortex]

Had Jimmy not then kissed her, Cindy most likely would have gone off on him a bit. Is that all... honestly! Sometimes she wondered about the amount of true logic in that head of his. But her own head seemed to flush itself completely of all thought processes as he kissed her, and her heart felt as if it was executing many complicated trapeeze moves inside her chest. She honestly believed that this was the best feeling the world could ever offer her. Cindy knew one thing; she'd never get enough of it. Her fingers progressed in small circles upon his back as she eased into the kiss, her eyes closed, blocking out the rest of the world. She found she no longer cared what everyone else that cast them a look thought. Damn them all, anyway.

As he pulled away from her, her eyes remained closed and a smile crept its way onto her face. She could see where this was headed; all he'd have to do from now on was kiss her and she would forget whatever had angered her. This in itself pissed her off, but she was willing to forget it because of the fact that her lips were still tingling pleasantly.

She sighed gently as he eased her back into his arms, swaying contentedly back and forth as she hummed absently. "The world," she replied blissfully. "But I don't care." Her voice was almost distant as she snuggled herself against him further, clutching his waist and chuckling gently.

"I did run into Betty the other day, but I don't give a damn about that either." Her voice was quite happy and uncaring as she inhaled his scent, keeping it in the bowels of her memory as she kept herself close to him. "Besides, I was cursing at you, Neu-troid." She laughed buoyantly, quite an uncharacteristic sound for her, but pleasant all the same. She kissed the base of his neck gently, the only place she could reach without getting up on tip-toe, and looked up at him, grinning.


{ o o c : Yeah, it's going to be a pain. I'm the eldest as well, and we're going to have my sister and whatever friend(s) she wants to bring, though my cousin who's close to my age (two years my junior, though she doesn't act it) is going to be there, so that'll make it more bearable. }

[Jimmy Neutron]

Jimmy felt absolutely giddy as he and Cindy swayed on the spot to their own silent waltz, oblivious to the world around them. He had buried his face in her hair, holding her tightly as though she would suddenly be torn from his grasp.

There was a soaring feeling in his chest when Cindy hummed into it her sudden indifference to the world and its opinions. He would never understand girls and their sporadic mood changes, but he could handle it if the vast majority were in close relation to this one. Even when she informed Jimmy it had been he she was cursing over, it was followed up by a pleasant laugh that caused Jimmy to just bubble up in happiness.

His internal bubble was punctured by a loud, persistent beeping from his watch. He groaned and prised himself slowly away from Cindy, saying, "Alright, so maybe I did deserve the verbal obscenity," he admitted, pressing a button on the offending watch and shutting it off, still somehow managing to keep his arms somewhat around Cindy. "I've been extremely stupid lately... but what else is new?" He linked his left elbow through her right one and began to walk towards the front entrance to the school. "You were coming up with plenty of excellent synonyms just now."

{o.o.c. What fun, eh? I so dearly wish I could come with you... with a camera... bah, too bad I'll be stuck in school. Starts Wednesday and I'm not too excited. You can clearly see how the stress is affecting my writing.}

[Cindy Vortex]

Cindy, too, groaned when Jimmy pulled apart courtesy of the beeping noise emitting from the band around his wrist. "I hate that watch." she concluded, allowing her elbow to be linked and walking in time with him as they headed toward the exit. "It seems to go off at all the wrong times." Perhaps it had been all for the better that something had broken them up, she thought, or they most likely would have stayed there all day, something best suited to remain in the solace of... well... somewhere they could be alone. The school was not the best place, especially considering the PDA rule (that Cindy now despised greatly; she was only glad they didn't get caught, though she wouldn't have cared if they had been). But she was sure, or she hoped, that they would soon see each other other than in parking lots and school hallways, just a couple of awkward places for a pair of awkward teens in love.

His next words made her smile and she snorted with laughter when he finished. "Lately?" She glanced at him skeptically with a grin as she jammed her elbow softly into his ribs. "I admit, perhaps I was a bit harsh with a few of the names I referred to you as, but honestly, you should hear what I call my mother sometimes, when she's not listening of course." She winked at him genially, wanting so badly to just swing herself into his arms and kiss him until she died of suffocation (if the rumors were in any way true that one could not breathe while kissing, which, she found, most of the time were not). It was not that this was any less odd to Cindy, but she was becoming more comfortable in settling in with it. She didn't want anything to change or anyone to think differently. She didn't want to be one of those rumor items. She just wanted to be Jimmy and Cindy. She didn't want the entire world to know what went on between them. They could look, but she wished they wouldn't gossip about what wasn't their concern. But it didn't matter. She didn't care. Let them look, let them whisper. They weren't going to change anything.


{ o o c : Wednesday, are you kidding me?? Mine doesn't start until after Labor Day weekend! I'm sorry! I still have a million things to do before summer's over. California, Mom's wedding, new horse (old one... well... yeah... )... I'm sorry you have to go back so early. As for the camera thing... how evil, lol. It's like the lamest theme park ever. At least it has a log ride. I wanted to go to the water park, but nooo... Anyway I don't see any stress affecting your writing, honestly! Still as great as ever! BTW, you probably noticed, but I put up a dance post! }

[Jimmy Neutron]

{o.o.c. Are you kidding me?! That far away?! GAH! I feel ripped off... I'm over it, I guess. Have fun at park lame-o; eat lots of junk!}

[Cindy Vortex]

{ o o c : Yeah, I'm pretty happy about it. You should feel ripped off; that sucks. Park Lame-o wasn't quite as bad as I would have thought it could be, but that's only because we went on the log ride about fifty million times (a ride the kids refused to go on because of the drops). Anyway, yes. }