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She was staring.
She was trying her best not to, however, the cherry syrup dripping from his mouth was just enough to short circuit her brain. He licked it away with his tongue, just as he wiped his bottom lip with his napkin.
God what she wouldn't do to be that napkin right now.
He pushed his plate forward, as he commented casually. "Great pie, Mom."
Mrs. Neutron smiled as she picked up his plate, ever the 'Mom' to her son that she was. She spoke in a voice just as sweet as her pie. "Oh, thank you dear. There's a reason it's your Dad's favorite."
"Oh, come now, Sugar-Booger! You know every pie you make is my favorite!" Hugh Neutron gushed as he stood up to bring her his plate eagerly as ever.
"Like your Cherry, and your Apple, oh! And don't forget the Blueberry," he trailed off as he followed his wife into the kitchen, just as she could hear Judy Neutron giggle with ease.
Needless to say, dinner with the Neutrons' never ceased to make her feel sick to her stomach with sweetness.
Mostly because it was the polar opposite at her house.
Jimmy cracked a blushing smile. "Sorry, they can get a little out of hand sometimes."
"Yeah," she nodded simply. "I know." Her sad smile intrigued him. But he didn't push it. Instead he cleared his throat and threw a thumb to the kitchen behind him. "Do you... wanna assist me in doing the dishes?" He cracked a nervous grin as he sheepishly admitted. "It's my night to do them anyway," his chortle made her heart warm.
"Uh," she shook her head of precarious thoughts, as she nodded. "Sure, lead the way." As she got up to follow him through the kitchen, her insides were burning with apprehension. It was only their third "official" date (despite their on and off fling for years) and Mrs. Neutron offered to let Jimmy bring his girlfriend over for dinner.
Needless to say she was a wreck when she accepted.
Just being around his picture perfect family did something to her that made her feel more than guilty about her own. Because deep down she knew she could never let him come over for family dinners, or game nights or any of the other frivolous activities Mr. Neutron talked her ear off at dinner about.
Because at the end of the day, the Vortexes were not the Neutrons.
They weren't warm, and inviting.
They didn't offer warm homemade pie for dessert.
And they certainly didn't steal longing looks of affection at each other when they thought the kids weren't looking.
Even at sixteen, one would think Cindy Vortex would be used to their cold greetings towards one another and her father's late nights at the office, and her mother's berating about her boyfriend across the street and how she could do so much better.
And she hated that feeling.
She hated feeling guilty about not being able to bring said boyfriend over to her house.
Because at the end of the day, she knew that he deserved better.
And being here, surrounded by laughter and pie and corny Dad Jokes... it just made that feeling worse.
When they reached the sink, Jimmy began to wash, as she immediately began to dry behind him. His sleeves were rolled, as his red collared shirt was pressed and his hair was slicked back just right, he looked like he could have stepped out of Teen Magazine.
"Sorry if my Dad talked your ear off," he offered her a warm smile. "Once he gets an idea, he just kinda runs with it."
Cindy smiled weakly as she agreed. "Oh yeah, no worries, I'm used to it."
Her distracted tone was so off putting he could barely take it anymore. But he didn't want to impose.
He nervously coughed. "I, uh," he nodded to her outfit. "I like your dress." His smile tugged. "It's nice."
Her jade green sundress matched her eyes, a feat that she did on purpose, no doubt. But instead of feeling like a million bucks when she bought it, tonight she felt penniless. Strapped for emotions and none to offer the handsome boy across the street. The same handsome brilliant boy whom she loved with everything but was made to feel as if she weren't allowed.
Looking down she nodded curtly. "Thanks, Jimmy."
He paused. That got his attention.
"Okay," he turned to her with a serious stare. "You've been fluctuating on and off my radar all night." His eyes softened. "What gives?"
Her smile fell and she turned away, trying to hide behind the mask she attempted to keep on all night.
Curse him for being the genius he was. Even if it didn't take a genius to figure her out.
"Nothing, it's nothing, I'm just tired-"
"Like hell, you are." He tried gently. "C'mon, what's wrong?" He wiped his hands on the towel.
She turned suddenly as she tried not to let her anger show. "No, I'm serious, everything's-"
But when she looked up into his sparkling blue crystals, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
Shaking her head she turned away, ashamed of her own guilty betrayal. "It's not fair," she pouted childishly.
"I..." He scrunched his brow in confusion as he shook his head. "Cindy, I don't follow."
"You," she gestured to him. "You and your," she closed her eyes. "Perfect family."
His eyebrows shot up in concern. "Wait, what?"
"You heard me," she sneered in his face suddenly. Her anger rose once more and she continued. "Between a mom who bakes like freaking Betty Crocker and a dad who just worships the ground his son walks on, you must be pretty proud of yourself, huh, Neutron?" She poked him hard in the chest.
He battered her away gently with a frown of his own. "Hold on just a second there, Vortex-"
"Oh, yeah, here we go, come to your parents' rescue." She snarked. "I'm sure they're just used to-"
"Hey, my parents are far from perfection." He retorted shortly. His tone wasn't dark, but it was enough to silence her for the moment.
"Whatever delusion you think you've crafted about my parents, is highly inaccurate, I can assure you." He gave her a warning look.
"My Mom, while yes, being the great cook that she is, smothers me sometimes to no end with emotion so overwhelming it's unbearable."
He stepped closer, slightly taller than her as of last summer (a feat that she still wasn't over) as he went on. "And my Dad, while yes, is one of my biggest advocates for my inventions when my mother is not, has the IQ of a child and oftentimes just gets in the way." He sheepishly admitted, shaking his head. "In fact, my Dads aloofness has been the spawn of many angry arguments over the years, some of which were truly toxic to be around."
Her eyes softened slightly as his small outburst.
"So no, my parents aren't perfect..." he looked away, almost ashamed. Until he retorted. "But they're my parents. And they're the only ones I have." A sad smile started to form before realization took over. "And... I realize this isn't about me... is it, Cindy?"
She gulped at his nail on the head theory. "I don't know what you're talking about." She glanced away, when she felt her chin raise to meet his empathetic gaze.
"Hey," he softly extended. "There is nothing to be concerned about."
She looked up at him with pleading eyes, finally giving in. "How can you say that?" She half whispered. "Your Mom is... she's... just so nice, and my..." she shook her head, unable to finish. But Jimmy understood her unspoken words.
With a strong determination he nodded slightly. "Because I don't care if your mother approves of me or not." He added thoughtfully, "To be fair, I've kind of figured that she didn't for years anyway," he mused with a shifted eyebrow. "Not like I haven't given her a reason not to... or anyone else in this town."
Cindy shook her head. "But you're not that little boy anymore that puts the town in treacherous danger everyday."
He deadpanned. "I wouldn't say everyday."
Her eyes fell as she quipped, "You know what I mean." Her expression relaxed as she approached gently. "You've toned down," she half shrugged. "Kinda, but you're better than you were," she thoughtfully replied. "I know I don't say this often, Jimmy, but I'm actually... I'm proud of you," her eyes waned as she chirped sadly. "I just wish my Mom could see that too." She gestured to the living room where his parents sat lovingly against each other on the couch engaged in their evening program. "See what they see in you."
His smile grew, as leaned forward to kiss her lips. But just as she felt him lean in, his mother came in just time for them to quickly separate.
He coughed nervously, as he smiled at his mother. "H-hey, Mom," he gestured to the half finished dishes. "We're almost done."
His mother offered him a small knowing smirk, as she grabbed her teacup from the kitchen and quipped. "So, I see."
This earned a blush from Cindy who stood quietly as Jimmy responded quickly. "W-we'll wrap it up soon." Embarrassed as ever, he turned back to the dishes, immediately rushing to clean them up.
Mrs. Neutron gently patted Cindy on the shoulder as she said in a very motherly tone. "Goodnight, dear. And thanks for having dinner with us." Her smile was as infectious as her stupid pie.
But she'd be lying if she said she still wasn't envious.
"G-goodnight, Mrs. Neutron." Her tone was apprehensive, as she tried to sound grateful. "And thanks for having me."
She knew it sounded fake but to Judy, it must have sounded genuine by the way she beamed at the two of them proudly, as if she had a handle in them coming together.
He waited until his mother was gone, before he let out a long breath. "Sorry about that," he slightly turned. "Like I said, sometimes she can be-"
But his words were cut off by her lips suddenly, as he was met by her instant kiss. Her smell was intoxicating as he breathed her in, distracted from all rational thought.
She could taste the hint of cherry on his lips from dessert and drank in his delicious scent. The smell of his clean soap and the metallic copper scent from his Lab drove her absolutely wild.
When she parted from the kiss, she finished his thoughts.
"-A Mom." Her smile half quirked as he watched the shock look on his face turn tender from her kiss.
He gulped in agreement. "Yeah," he nodded dumbly. "She is."
She shook her head, feeling a little lightheaded herself from her own bravery as she nodded to her big headed boyfriend, "Just hurry up so we can finish." She thoughtfully quipped. "I'd rather kiss you on your front porch than getting caught in the kitchen."
He quickly began to run through the dishes once more, as he leaned in slightly for just her ear to hear. "Or... play your cards and timing right and we can continue this conversation... say in the Lab when they go to bed." He offered her a bold smoldering smile.
Her heart melted at the thought, when she responded. "You wash, I'll dry."
He smiled back. "It's a date."
As she continued to flirt with him in the kitchen over dishes, as they splashed each other with the water, her feeling of guilt still lingered but wasn't nearly as strong as before. Because thanks to him, she found comfort in his words of genius wisdom.
So her mom wasn't anything like Mrs. Neutron. But she didn't have to be.
She was just silently grateful Mrs. Neutron wasn't anything like her own.
She had given her son so much love and affection over the years. He might have claimed his mother was overbearing.
But to Cindy, she was just bearing enough.
Because when she saw the love in her boyfriend's eyes, she knew he had to have inherited it from somewhere.
And that was a factor Cindy was beyond grateful for.
Because he loved her.
And his love beat the hell out of her guilt any day.