9The next day, Timmy returned to school. As he expected, his fifteen minutes of fame were over.
"Ah well. It was fun while it lasted."
"Hello, Turner."
"Francis? Don't you know when to quit?"
"I owe you payback for this!"
Francis pointed to his bandaged nose.
"If you'd quit picking on people, stuff like that wouldn't happen!"
Francis yanked Timmy from the ground.
"Who are you to tell me how to live my life, huh Turner!?"
"Someone who actually cares about happens to you!"
Francis' expression softened at this remark.
"What...?"
"You heard me! You keep bullying people, it'll only make them hate you more, and you'll do even worse stuff to lash out!"
"Shut up! You don't know anything!"
"How would you know if you don't listen to what I'm telling you!?"
"I can pick on anyone, anywhere, anytime, and you don't get to tell me what to do!"
"How about I challenge you, then!?"
"You wanna' fight me that bad, huh?"
Timmy shook his head.
"I already did that once. It didn't change anything, remember?"
"You only won on a technicality, Turner! If I hadn't hit that tree, you'd be dead meat right now!"
"There's still time to turn your life around, Francis. You can be anything you wanna' be and do anything you wanna' do. You don't have to be a bully forever."
"Tell me what your dumb challenge is, and I'll decide if I want to do it or not!"
"Don't bully anyone at least until after lunch. That's all I'm asking."
"That's it? Hah! I can do that no problem!"
"Then prove it!"
"You're on!"
It was tough, but Francis kept his word. He didn't shove anyone in their locker, punch anyone, or hang them by their underwear from the school flagpole the entire morning. When lunchtime came around, he sat alone as usual; that was, until Timmy entered the cafeteria. He got his food and approached Chester and A.J.
"Hey, guys."
"What's up," Chester greeted.
"Grab your stuff. We're switching tables."
"Where," A.J. inquired curiously.
"We're sitting with Francis today."
"FRANCIS," they both yelled.
"Just trust me, you guys. He's not as bad as he seems."
"Uh-uh," Chester protested, "No way, dude! That guy's a killer shark with legs!"
"I'm with him on this one," A.J. agreed, "Francis is nothing but trouble."
"Well, I don't have a choice. If I can't reach him, there's no way I'll be able to reach Vicky."
"Reach Vicky? What are you talking about?"
"Uh...Nothing! Gotta' go!"
Timmy left the table. Chester and A.J. shrugged at each other.
Timmy placed himself across from his former tormentor.
"What do you want, Turner? I did your stupid challenge."
"Exactly, Francis. You did it. Don't you see?"
"So? It doesn't mean anything..."
"Are you sure? 'cause it says something to me."
Francis' eyes met those of his previous victim.
"It tells me you can control your anger and learn from it."
Francis' features became disheartened in nature.
"What does it matter? When I get home, my parents are still gonna' fight, and it won't change getting picked on."
"You get picked on, too!?"
"I used to. Back when I was in first grade, I wanted to play sports at the park, but every time I went there, the bigger kids always laughed at me, pushed me around, and called me names."
"Those guys were jerks. People like them don't have any understanding of human decency. You're not that type of guy."
"You really think so?"
"If you wanted to, you could be a superhero. You might even be cooler than Crash or the Crimson Chin."
"I can?"
"If you decide you want to be a good guy."
"I do."
"Then let's shake on it. From now on, you're the school's bodyguard."
Timmy and Francis shook hands in an act of solidarity.
Francis and Timmy met up by the front doors after school.
"I normally wait for Chester and A.J. here, but they're still kind of worried, ya' know?"
"So we're just gonna' walk home?"
"I was gonna' see if you wanted to drop by my place for a bit."
"Not today. I'm kinda' wiped out."
"I gotcha'. Maybe next time."
"My house is close to here. We should get going."
"No problem."
Francis and Timmy parted ways a few blocks down. Timmy began traversing the rest of the way home.
"TIMMY," a distraught voiced cried out. He recognized it right away.
"Tootie. Oh man. I'm gonna' feel crummy after this..."
Vicky's younger sister dashed toward him frantically. Rather than try to run away or hide as he had done so many times before, he allowed her to cling to him. Her eyes drenched the shoulder of his coat in tears.
"Timmy, is it true!? Do you really have a girlfriend!?"
"I'm sorry, Tootie..."
"Why, Timmy!? Tell me why!"
"She needs my help. That's the only way I know how to put it."
"What about me!? I need you! You're the only person who really cares about me!"
"That's not true."
Tootie stepped back. She sniffled.
"It's not...?"
"Your mom and dad care, and so do Chester and A.J."
"Mom and dad are too afraid of Vicky to do anything, and your friends always pick on me!"
"I promise things will be different from now on, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that as your last act of love?"
"I can't! I don't want to say goodbye!"
Timmy chuckled weakly.
"Goodbye? I'm not going anywhere. You can see me anytime."
"Vicky will stop me!"
"Not after today she won't."
"How can you stop her?"
"Leave that part to me. I promise everything will be okay."
"Promise...?"
"Cross my heart and hope to die."
"Can I have one more kiss...?"
Timmy considered this request.
"Ah, what the heck. May as well go all out, right?"
Tootie pulled him close. When their lips met, something new overcame her. She had kissed him before, but he had always resisted her affection. This time, he returned it as fully as humanly possible. She felt like she was floating on air.
"Go home. I'll deal with Vicky."
"I love you, Timmy Turner, and I always will."
"I love you too."
The youngest Miller scampered off. The wind swept the autumn leaves across the earth, blowing them past Timmy. A sense of grief filled his heart for the love he had lost, and yet, something else emanated from his being as well - a small belief. A hope for the future...
"About time, twerp."
Timmy shut the door behind him. He was calm, but his posture was much more intimidating than many would believe possible for a boy of his stature.
"Vicky, we need to talk."
"Not this again," Vicky groaned, "Listen, twerp, you should know by now how this works. I'm the babysitter, and as such, I have the power here, so I suggest you bite your tongue."
"No. You really don't."
"Excuse me?"
"Look, I don't care what happens to me, but you need to lay off Tootie. She's got enough to deal with."
"And who exactly are you to tell me how to treat my family?"
"Someone who's tired of playing games. I'm only giving you one warning."
Timmy approached the sadist before him. His threat resonated clear as day.
"Mess with Tootie again, I'll leave you to rot."
Vicky began cackling like a hyena.
"May as well laugh now, 'cause you won't be laughing later."
The redhead fell to the floor in a fit of uncontrolled hysteria. Timmy's expression never changed. He trudged upstairs. If push came to shove, he would enact his vengeance with the aid of his friends and godparents alike, and mercy would be granted only when she understood the error of her ways.
