JONEZEEEE: Hey Shirley, missed you at school yesterday. Are you feeling okay? Pepper filled me in about what happened at the after-party... sounds like it got pretty wild. Just checking in to see how you're doing.
12/29/3781 - 4:03 PM
shirleysparkles: Hey Jonesey. Sorry I missed school. Told my mom I was sick, but really I just couldn't face everyone. Especially not Timmy. Or Zenon. Or Maniac.
I'm not okay.
12/29/3781 - 4:30 PM
JONEZEEEE: I figured as much. Do you want to talk about it? No pressure, but sometimes it helps. And I wasn't there, so I don't have any of my own awkward memories of the event to make things worse.
12/29/3781 - 4:32 PM
shirleysparkles: I don't even know where to start. It's all so embarrassing.
The whole night was a disaster. First Maniac kept introducing me as his girlfriend to everyone, which was MORTIFYING because we're not dating! I tried to get him to stop but he just kept doing it, like it was some big joke.
Then when Timmy stepped in, I thought he was just being a good friend. But then I saw him with Zenon and... I just couldn't handle it.
12/29/3781 - 4:40 PM
JONEZEEEE: That sounds absolutely awful. Maniac was way out of line.
About Timmy and Zenon though... Pepper said it looked like she ambushed him with that kiss. He didn't exactly seem into it from what I heard.
12/29/3781 - 4:46 PM
shirleysparkles: Maybe. I don't know. I just saw them together and something inside me just broke.
I've never told anyone this, but... I've liked Timmy since literally the first day of 5th grade. He was my first crush. My ONLY crush, really. Four years of having feelings for someone who barely notices you is just... exhausting.
I've been crushing so hard for so long that it's absolutely killing me. After everything we've been through together, all the adventures and time travel and saving each other's lives - and he still doesn't see me that way.
12/29/3781 - 4:53 PM
JONEZEEEE: Oh Shirley... I had no idea it was that serious. Four years is a long time to keep those feelings to yourself.
For what it's worth, I don't think Timmy and Zenon are a thing. From what Pepper said, Timmy looked completely shocked when she kissed him. Like, deer-in-headlights frozen.
12/29/3781 - 5:00 PM
shirleysparkles: It doesn't matter anymore. I'm trying to get over him now. I need to. This whole situation is just proof that it's never going to happen, and I can't keep doing this to myself.
The worst part is I can't even talk to my mom about it. How do I explain that I'm heartbroken over a boy I've time traveled with? That we fought time monsters together but he doesn't like me "that way"?
Sometimes I wish we were just normal kids with normal problems.
12/29/3781 - 5:08 PM
JONEZEEEE: And this is exactly why I'm not dating anyone until I'm out of college. high school relationships are a special kind of nightmare, and that's WITHOUT the time travel complications!
But seriously, I'm really sorry you're going through this. Unrequited feelings are the worst, especially when it's someone you see all the time.
Do you want me to try talking to Timmy? Not about your feelings, obviously, but just to get a sense of what's actually going on with him?
12/29/3781 - 5:06 PM
shirleysparkles: No! Please don't say anything to him. I would literally die of embarrassment.
Besides, I've tried talking to him so many times over the past year, and he just keeps pushing everyone away. He's still obsessed with the Max thing and convinced there's nothing he can do to change his future.
It's like he's determined to be miserable, and I can't fix that. I've tried.
12/29/3781 - 5:22 PM
JONEZEEEE: I understand. I won't say anything.
But for what it's worth, I don't think he has feelings for Zenon. He barely even acknowledges her existence most of the time. And if he's still obsessing over the Max timeline stuff, that's probably taking up all his emotional bandwidth anyway.
Some people have to figure things out for themselves, no matter how much their friends try to help.
12/29/3781 - 5:30 PM
shirleysparkles: Yeah, maybe. I just need some space from all of it right now.
Did you hear he was talking about going after Cranky again? Pepper mentioned something about Timmy being convinced Cranky's involved with some void conspiracy. It's like he's looking for problems to distract himself from real life.
12/29/3781 - 5:38 PM
JONEZEEEE: Yeah, he's been posting about it in the group chat. Something about void coordinates and "the beings" again. Dr. Cyber keeps telling him it's just routine maintenance, but he won't let it go.
Maybe focusing on Time Cruiser stuff is easier for him than dealing with actual feelings and relationships. Can't exactly blame him after the Power Rangers incident...
12/29/3781 - 5:45 PM
shirleysparkles: Oh no, I missed the Power Rangers part. What happened?
12/29/3781 - 5:51 PM
JONEZEEEE: When he tried to run after you, he tripped in his Swatbot costume and his pants came off. Apparently he was wearing Power Rangers boxers underneath. The entire cast saw.
Kids are already calling him "Ranger Rick" in the class chat. highschool is brutal.
12/29/3781 - 5:55 PM
shirleysparkles: Oh gosh, that's awful. Poor Timmy. No wonder he's retreating into Time Cruiser conspiracy theories again.
Look, I should go. Mom's calling for dinner. Thanks for checking in on me. I think I'll stay home for the rest of the week, but I'll see you when break is over. Hopefully by then I'll feel less like crawling into a temporal vortex and disappearing forever.
12/29/3781 - 5:01 PM
JONEZEEEE: Take all the time you need. The good thing about winter break is it gives everyone three weeks to forget about drama and embarrassing moments.
Message me anytime if you want to talk. And remember - we've faced down temporal plagues and corrupted Voidbots. highschool drama can't destroy us!
Take care of yourself, Shirley.
12/29/3781 - 5:05 PM
shirleysparkles: Thanks, Jonesey. You're the best.
12/29/3781 - 5:08 PM