My Funny Valentine

Gum was heading down the sidewalk of the city, her hands folded behind her head as she stepped down the sidewalk, enjoying the cool evening air as she strode through the city. She enjoyed the sights of the city at night. It was relaxing. Peaceful, even.

She bobbed her head from side to side as she headed through the streets, a pair of oversized headphones on her head. It was nights like this she liked the best. Peaceful, nothing major going on. Just a nice, calm evening.

She was heading towards one of her favorite convenience stores, wanting to grab a bottle of water for the rest of her walk. As she approached the store though, she slowed to a stop, looking at the two figures standing in front of it. One of them, the guy, didn't catch her attention too much. It was the other one, the girl, that drew her eye. There was something familiar about her, something bugging Gum about the girl that she knew she needed to remember, something important.

She tugged her headphones down around her neck, trying to think, trying to remember what it was about her, when it finally hit her. Gum's eyes grew wide as memories of her first encounter with the girl came flooding back to her, their brief, short encounter many months ago. With a loud yell, she began to head towards her, pointing her finger at the girl as she approached her.

"HEY! Dork! Don't think I forgot about you!!"

Johnny was relieved to see Jamie had not stolen anything and followed her out of the store only to see that she'd duped the shop clerk.

"Awww, c'mon dude." He said frowning. It was just a pack of cards, not worth all the trouble. But before he could reprimanded her, he heard shouting. In English. He turned to see Gum approaching, coming right at them. 

Johnny stepped in front of Jamie. "Whoa, dude!" He said, holding out his hands. "Just chill for a sec, man!"

Jamie nearly jumped out of her skin. After a moment of treadmilling on her rollerblades, she regained her balance and quickly hid behind Johnny as the girl with the dumb headphones and no rollerblades approached. Jamie may have stolen one of her rollerblades months earlier, but she totally deserved it.

Gum had taken a turn and demolished Jamie's Three-Card Monte table one day while rollerblading around the city. Jamie gave chase, and the girl acted like a total jerk, so Jamie had to take additional measures to teach her a lesson. She was probably still pretty sore about it.

"Help! Keep her away! She killed my table and now she probably wants to kill me! Protect me... wait, what's your name?" She thought for a moment. "Wait, you're a wrestler? Beat her up! Get her!" She pointed at Gum while shuffling back slowly.

Gum glared at Johnny, advancing forward until she was only a few steps away from him. She stole a glance at Jamie, then back at Johnny, trying to keep an eye on both of them. She was furious, but she was excited too! She finally had a chance at payback against the brat who had stolen her rollerblade!

"Don't tell me to chill out, dweeb!" she snapped at Johnny, suddenly lunging forward, trying to break past him. She threw her arms out, trying to grab at Jamie, trying to get a hand on the girl. "That dork behind you stole one of my 'blades! She's a little thief and needs to be taught a lesson!"

Johnny's eyes widened as Jamie commanded him from behind while Gum seemed to have no issue slipping past his bulky frame to get at her target.

The two had a history, it seemed. Johnny was beginning to suspect a little more than just precociousness involved. However, as much as he might like the idea of two cuties going at it in front of him, he couldn't just let them fight.

He reached out to wrap his strong arms around Gum and hold her away from Jamie. "Hold on, dudes! Just chill for a sec!"

Jamie rolled away from Gum, just out of her reach, and stuck her tongue out as Johnny stopped the girl from chasing after her.

"I..." She said, with as much offendedness as she could muster. "Have never stolen anything in my life! I am NOT a thief!" She slipped the deck of cards into her satchel and traded it for a yo-yo. "SHE'S the one who attacked me!"

She slipped the yo-yo string over her finger like she was cocking a pistol and drew her hand back, poised to unleash whirling purple fury. "You better watch it, though, one more step and I'll clean your clock!"

Gum kicked her legs angrily, hissing at Jamie as Johnny's arms looped around her, hugging her against himself and keeping her restrained. "You dork!" she yelled again, struggling against Johnny to get free of his hold, keeping a careful eye on Jamie's yo-yo. "I dare you to do it! I'll make you eat that thing once I get free!"

She whipped her head around to glare at Johnny. Just who did this dweeb think he was anyway, interfering in something that didn't involve him like this?! It was silly, and Gum was going to give him a piece of her mind! Or at least, that was her plan, until she tilted her head backwards towards him, getting a solid look at him for the first time.

Oh my. He was cute.

Gum stopped her struggling, staring at Johnny for a second before suddenly shifting her attitude, changing up her tactics. She gave him a smile, staring right into his eyes as she leaned back against him.

"Hey handsome...why don't you let me go? Me and the dork here have some things to settle, and I'd hate for someone like you to have to get too involved..."

Johnny turned his body, holding onto Gum as Jamie brought her yo-yo out and began to threaten the newcomer. Now he was certain he was going to have to keep the two separated for sure, as it looked like they would soon come to blows. Jamie said she was tough but neither girl looked particularly strong. He was reasonably sure he could hold them back but he didn't want to have to do that.

Suddenly, however, as Jamie became more aggressive, Gum seemed to relax entirely. Instead of holding her back, he was now just holding her. His strong arms were slipped around her waist and she was leaning against him, coyly searching his eyes.

Johnny blushed deeply. Gum was a cutie too! "Err, uh!" Johnny stuttered. He immediately released Gum and stepped fully between them and outstretched his arms to keep them at length. "C'mon, dudes!" he said. "Whatever's goin on, I'm sure ya ain't gotta fight about it!"

Johnny turned and looked at Gum. "Besides, even if she didn't have a weapon, she says she's beaten the champ! You don't wanna get hurt and junk." He said to Gum, hoping the girl just made a mistake in regards to Jamie and the situation. "It ain't worth even considerin messin up that face of yours! Can't you chicks work somethin out without killin each other?" He pleaded.

When Jamie saw Gum making eyes at Johnny, she gasped so loudly she nearly fell over.

Quick as lightning, her yo-yo flashed out past Johnny and whacked Gum in the boob. "HEY!" She barked. "Get lost! No one wants your skanky skankness here!" She zipped the yo-yo back to her palm and pointed a finger at Gum.

"Take that, stupid! How are you gonna make me eat it, huh? You can't because it wouldn't fit and you'd choke to death and then you'd never eat it! And you know what? YOU'RE the dork!"

Boom.

Well, that was easy, Gum decided, as Johnny let her go and slipped between her and Jamie. She tilted her head to the side, looking around Johnny as Jamie yelled at her, just in time to receive a yo-yo to her boob for her efforts.

"H-hey!" she growled, clutching at her chest with one hand, staring daggers at the shorter girl. "I'll make it fit! And who the hell are you calling a skank, you thief?!"

She looked back at Johnny, and rolled her eyes. "Beaten the champ? What champ? The champ of...dorkiness, or something? Pft!" She clasped her hands together, stretching her arms out and cracking her knuckles, looking back at Jamie. "I'm not scared of her. I can handle my own in a fight pretty damn well, thank you very much. Now get out of my way!"