In the summer after school ended Tommy was going over to Hayley's Cyber Café to help her clean the place up a bit. He had been spending more time with Hayley since the rangers defeated Mesagog.
He had to admit it was nice to be able to relax for once. Since school was over and his four ranger students Conner, Ethan, Kira, and Trent had all left to pressure their dreams it was much quieter around Reefside, and since he knew that would all change when school started back he decided to take it easy.
So when Hayley asked him to help her the first time he had hesitated to do so, but he was bored from having nothing to do, so he decided to help out anyway. Ever since that day he had been going to the Café regularly, not just to just help clean up, or for a good drink….well maybe for a few. Mostly though he went to hang out and talk with Hayley.
Speaking of the computer whiz, she had just walked out of the front Café door when he saw her. She was covered in some blend of pinkish liquid that had chunks in it all over her head and looked ticked off.
"That's the last time I let one of my customers fix their own smoothie." She said trying to get the smoothie off her head the best she could.
"I thought you were supposed to put the lid on when you used a blender, or did I miss some news report about how smoothie can be used as shampoo." Tommy said jokingly as he tried hard to suppress his laughter.
"Ha ha, very funny Tommy, now help me get this stuff out of my hair before you get some of it put in yours." Hayley threatened.
"Hey don't touch the hair." Tommy said serious now. "It may not be long anymore, but it's still important to me." He said.
"Well then I suggest that you go get me a towel from inside, and tell those kids in there it is closing time, unless you want me to personally rip it out myself." She told Tommy giving him a deadly glare.
"Yes maim." Tommy replied hurrying into the Café to get the towel and everyone else out.
After everyone had cleared out and Hayley had gotten all of the smoothie out of her hair the two friends sat down and talked for a bit.
"Thanks for coming Tommy, and thanks for helping me out, but I don't think that the Café is going to get much cleaning today after that incident." Hayley said as she looked around. The place was a mess tables that had food on them, drinks spilled on the floor, not to mention a counter that had the rest of the smoothie that hadn't ended up in her hair. "The bad thing is after today it really needs it." She said as she put her head down on Tommy's shoulder, just wanting to rest.
"Tell you what Hayley, how about I clean up for you, and then we go back to my place so you can get yourself clean ok." Tommy suggested looking down at his friend with a smile.
"Thanks for the offer Tommy, but you don't have to do that." Hayley told him as she lifted herself up.
"Hayley I think the Cyber Café says otherwise." Tommy said as he and Hayley both looked over the big mess the place was in.
"Fine you win, you go clean, but I'm going to lay on this couch until you're done." Hayley said as Tommy got up and she laid down. "Don't bother me until you're finished." She added.
"No problem." Tommy said as he headed off to get the cleaning supplies. Since he knew where everything was, it wasn't hard to get everything and get started.
Meanwhile Hayley stayed still on the couch thinking about everything that had gone on that day.
"Why do teenagers have to make the biggest messes?" She thought to herself thinking about how dirty the Cyber Café got each day from all the kids that came in. Speaking of kids she wondered what where her and Tommy's favorite "kids" where up to. She knew that they had all moved onto college and where doing what they each loved, but she hadn't heard from them in a while. "Sometimes I wish those kids where still here." She thought to herself. "Trent may have worked for me, but Conner, Ethan, and Kira helped out when they could." She continued in thought. "When they could was hardly ever though because they were out saving the world as Rangers." She told herself in her head. "Well at least Tommy's still around." She said this time out loud.
"Yeah I'm still around, what are you talking about?" Tommy asked leaning over the top of the couch with a confused look on his face.
"Oh I was just thinking about how the kids helped out so much, you know when they actually had the time." Hayley answered him. When she saw him she smiled back and for a moment they stayed like that looking into each other's eyes. Each thinking about how much they enjoyed having the kids around.
"They were so great, even if they didn't know what to do at first, at least they learned." Tommy said as Hayley sat up and moved over so he could sit with her.
"Yeah they were, but they did have a pretty awesome teacher." Hayley told him.
"Oh so now I'm awesome huh?" Tommy asked. Hayley nodded. "Well that's good to hear because as I recall you called me totally insane when you saw the idea for the Dino Morphers." He reminded her.
"Guilty as charged." Hayley admitted. "Remember though, I'm the one who was crazy enough to not only believe you, but also help you." She retaliated.
"True, and that's why you're the one who's awesome." Tommy said as they both broke out laughing.
"Look at us, both acting like little kids, trying to one up each other." Hayley said noting their behavior.
"I'd say we're a bit better than kids, I'd say we're at least teenagers." Tommy replied as they continued laughing.
"Oh and what makes you say that?" Hayley asked him.
"Well think about it, we've been around four teenagers for months because some evil guy wanted to take over the Earth." Tommy said. "I think our minds may have regressed back to that stage do to overexposer to their teenage antics." He theorized.
"You make it sound like one of you lectures on prehistoric history." Hayley commented laughing at Tommy's theory.
"Hey I'm not the one who turned down every good job offer just to open a café for teenagers." Tommy replied causing Hayley to hit him with a pillow.
"I did it off your suggestion after you told me how you and your old friends always hung out at the Juice Bar." Hayley reminded him hitting him with the pillow again.
"Hey stop it!" Tommy mock yelled at Hayley who did so.
The two college friends now adults with good paying jobs looked at each other for having the play fight, and for once in what seemed like a long time, laughed as if they were little kids all over again.
"Man we really haven't matured since we meet." Hayley commented looking a Tommy directly in his face only to see his trademark smile.
"Oh I wouldn't say we haven't matured at all." Tommy replied. "I happen to see a beautiful women sitting next to me." He said.
"Really where is she?" Hayley asked looking to the other side of Tommy even though she knew no one was there. "Is she invisible?" She asked him trying to play this off, even though she was trying to hide the fact that she was blushing.
"Nah she's right here." Tommy said before turning Hayley's head towards his and kissing her on her lips.
The two stayed like that for less than a minute, but for both it was the best few moments they had experienced. Tommy who for years had been dealing with relationship problems was finally able to put all that aside in that one moment. Hayley meanwhile was getting something she had only secretly dreamed of over the years that she had known Tommy. They were both in a state of pure happiness and bliss, until they remembered that they needed to breath.
They pulled away from each other and for a while both where speechless, unable to think of what to say to the person they had just kissed, until Hayley finally spoke up.
"So I guess this means I don't have to worry about your old ex-girlfriend stopping by the Cyber Café anytime soon." She said trying to overcome her immense embarrassment.
"No, you won't. Tommy answered honestly. "I think I finally found someone who I can really be with." He said before Hayley gave him a knowing stare. "Without messing anything up." He added.
"Good, now come here." Hayley told him as she grabbed into another kiss, even more passionate and emotion filled with then the last one. The two college friends where together for now and forever.