Driving Disaster
Summary: Zack moves back to Yucaipa, California in the middle of his tenth grade year to venture on a road trip with his buddies, Tommy and Chuckie, but an accident occurs, that will change Tommy's life forever. My first story to officially kick off AGU, The High School Years.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters from Rugrats + AGU, they're the property of their original creaters. I only own any OC's you don't recognize, unless otherwise stated in future author's notes, as since we're entering territory unexplored by the original Rugrats and AGU creaters, chances are there'll be several OC's created by yours truly and others. I should also point out, that there's one thing different from the original AGU series. In my version of the story, Charlotte, Angelica's mom never quit her job at the corperation she's been working at for years, but rather, during Angelica's senior year, her assistant Jonathan is planning on retiring, so Charlotte is busy looking for a new assistant to replace him.
Chapter 1: Prologue
Zack POV
It was Wednesday, January 23, 2027. I was riding in the passenger seat of my aunt's driverless van, as we continued to drive in the direction of Yucaipa, California. It had been nearly five years since my friends and I had buried prized posessions of ours and pledged to be soul brothers and sisters forever, and I disappeared to Wheeling, West Virginia when my aunt got a job at the local radio station there, Fly 95.5. For me though, Wheeling was nothing but dull ville, and a torturous 5 years of middle school and the beginning of high school that I wouldn't wish upon anybody. If I wasn't being beaten up by the school bully, I was home sick in bed, and I could only recall two times when I got the opportunity to see my best friends in the whole wide world, better known to all of you out there as the adorable Rugrats, of course, now all grown up, or, that's what we thought of ourselves anyway.
During my early middle school years, I'd peak at Tommy's youtube channel, to see if he put up any new videos. I saw how Chuckie thought Z was a trouble maker when he was only collecting stuff for a fund raiser, and the cops brought better stuff than he did. Tommy recorded the whole thing so Chuckie could prove a point to Kimi, only to learn he was mistaken for what he thought of Z, and thanks to uploading it to his youtube channel, well, I saw the whole thing. I also knew that Tommy was in Hebrew school, as he sent me a picture of his girlfriend Rachel at the time, who sadly, moved away, but it didn't bother Tommy, even if the rest of the gang felt he should be more upset about it, I was too far away to do anything, so I just shrugged it off when they kept contacting me about the whole thing over instant messenger. I tried to tell them to let Tommy deal with Rachel's moving away in his own way, but that's all I could do. But seeing that Tommy was in Hebrew school, I knew what would be coming around the corner. Sure enough, at sometime in early 2025, I received two invitations in the mail. One was inviting me and my aunt to Tommy's barmitsfa, which would be happening in May, and the other was from Kimi, inviting me to her eighth grade graduation on June 18, 2025.
Now you should all know that Kimi and I had been secretly talking to one another late at night, and I say secretly, as sometime after Rachel left, Tommy and Kimi started dating, and Kimi even sent me a picture of the carving, TPKF, which made my heart sink, as I truly had feelings for Kimi, but I would find out when I went to Tommy's barmitsfa the truth. I had to prepare myself for the worst, after all, my original intensions was to tell Kimi how I felt about her when we attended that Emmica concert back in April of 2022, but then I moved, ruining that plan before it even got underway. I decided then and there, to just call the whole thing off when I went to visit everybody for Tommy's barmitsfa, but fait had other plans for me.
Flashback to May of 2025
My aunt and I flew out to California on the weekend of Tommy's barmitsfa. So as to not interfere with plans, my aunt and I stayed at the Finster's over the weekend, me staying in Chuckie's room, and the two of us had quite the blast, at our weekend long sleepover. The first night I was there, we lay awake in bed for a while, catching up.
"So, how goes the adventures of Tom and Chuck?" I asked Chuckie jokingly.
"It's more like the adventures of… and Chuck." Chuckie replied.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well ever since Tommy started vigorously studying after school with the rabbi at his sinnagog for his barmitsfa, it's as if I, Phil, Lil, and even his girlfriend Kimi and his brother Dil have become invisible to him." Chuckie replied with a sigh, turning over on his bed to face me.
"Awe, I'm sorry to hear that, but that would explain why I hadn't received a phone call, I M, or seen any new youtube videos posted on Tommy's channel lately." I said.
"Yeah, I'm just thankful I have Nicole to keep me in line. Don't know what I'd do without her." Said Chuckie, as he got out of bed, reached into his nightstand drawer, and pulled out a picture of a brunette girl with long hair, green eyes, and wearing the most beautiful pink dress. Standing next to her was Chuckie, dressed in a lovely tuxedo.
"This photo was taken on our first date, the seventh grade Valentine's Day dance last year." Said Chuckie, showing me the picture.
He then went on to tell me about how he met Nicole, back in the sixth grade. Feeling too embarrassed and nervous to approach her, he disguised himself to be some foreign exchange student named Chongo, but later on, when trying to switch between the two characters at the Java Lava, he got caught in the act, making Nicole very angry that Chuckie would lie to her like that. It took a lot of smoothies and quality friendly time spent together as the real Chuckie for her to finally gain his trust, and finally, things were going good for them when she asked him to the Valentine's Day dance in February of 2024, their seventh grade year.
"So, can I meet your lovely queen of the universe?" I asked with a cheepish grin.
"Sure! I've invited her to accompany me to Tommy's barmitsfa tomorrow, so you'll get to meet her then." Chuckie replied, as we rolled over and went to sleep.
Well I met her the next day alright, she was very sweet! I also went inside the sinnagog to see it packed! Several people were there, aunts, uncles, cousins, tons of family had come up to see Tommy's barmitsfa. I met Tommy's uncle Ben and aunt Elaine, as well as several relatives of his who came up from Iowa. A rather large, obese boy walked up to me and took my hand.
"I'm Emmit." The boy said.
"Hi, I'm Zack, I'm a good friend of Tommy's and I'm visiting from out of town for his barmitsfa." I replied.
"Ah, so you know Pickles eh?" Said Emmit.
I nodded.
"Listen kid, I'm hungry. Got anything good to eat?" Emmit asked.
"No, but I'm sure there'll be lots of yummy stuff to eat after the ceremony." I replied.
Emmit went on to tell me how he first met Pickles, I mean, Tommy a long time ago at some family reunion. Angelica had given them all the impression that they'd be going home with different mommies and daddies, so they went through the farm to look for their parents, and discovered that Angelica was wrong in the end. It was no surprise, I had known Angelica a lot more closely than this cousin of Tommy's did, but I wasn't going to say anything.
A little while later, we all took our seats. By this time, I had found Chuckie, Kimi, Phil and Lil, and we had all caught up on our lives. A few minutes later, the rabbi quieted us down, and Tommy approached the torah at the front of the sinnagog. He looked so handsome, standing proud, pointing his stick at the text in the torah, as due to the sacredness of the scrolls, it couldn't be touched by human hands. He stood tall, wearing a black tuxedo, and a top his purple hair, which looked no different from the last time I saw him in person in April of 2022, he wore a white yommica.
Tommy spoke the words of the tora in such fluent Hebrew you'd think he was from Israel or something. He said the blessings and well, that's all I really remember of the actual ceremony.
"Movvotosh." We all said in unison as the ceremony endede, and we got up from our seats to head into another room, where lots of yummy food was had, and a party began.
At some point during the party, Tommy approached me, still wearing his tuxedo, but the yommica was gone.
"Hey Zack, glad to see you made it!" Tommy said, smiling at me.
"Great to see you too! And, congratulations pal." I said, giving Tommy a hug.
"Hey, sorry I haven't gotten to hang out, I've just been really busy preparing for this. Why don't we go hang out tomorrow, just like we use to." Said Tommy.
"That would be great, except, I'm leaving to head back to Wheeling tomorrow. My plane takes off at 2." I said with a froun.
"That's ok, how about breakfast at the Java Lava before you head out of town." Replied Tommy.
"Sounds good to me." I said, smiling at him.
Later, everyone was in a circle, dancing and singing some Hebrew song I didn't recognize. I ended up next to Kimi at this point, and we were holding hands.
"Hey Zack, come with me." Kimi whispered in my ear.
"But Kimi, we'll miss the party." I whispered back.
"But this party is so boring!" She whispered to me.
"Oh ok, let's go then." I said, breaking away from the circle, as Kimi and I ran out of the sinnagog and headed off to some allie I didn't recognize somewhere down the street.
We got there, the allie was deserted. It was a bright sunny afternoon, the sun shown overhead, as Kimi and I embraced, and gazed for a long while into one another's eyes. After several minutes of silence, Kimi finally spoke up.
"Listen, Zack, I have something to tell you." Kimi said.
"Really? What is it?" I asked.
"Now you can't tell Tommy this, he'll be very upset, but, but…" Kimi trailed off.
"Come on Kimi, we go way back, you can tell me anything." I said encouragingly.
"The truth is, I love you." Kimi said.
"What!" I said shockingly.
"No, really Zack, I love you, but I also love Tommy too. This is so complicated, but I love both of you, and I can't choose." Said Kimi.
I took a deep breath before responding.
"Wow, I never realized you felt this way about me. Well, I have to be honest, I've been in love with you since before I moved away. I was going to tell you at that Emmica concert, and then, well, I moved, and it ruined the whole plan." I said.
"Well, who says it has to be ruined. Why don't we kiss and find out if we're meant for one another." Said Kimi.
"But won't this upset Tommy? He is after all, one of my best friends." I asked.
"Look, you have to promise me that anything that goes on between us remains top secret. Nobody besides our families can find out. Got it?" Kimi said.
"Only if you promise to do the same." I said.
We shook on it, and a few minutes later, I had my first kiss, as Kimi and I kissed one another, the kiss lasted several minutes, and well, it was incredible!
The next morning though, we were all hanging out at the Java Lava like it was old times. Me sitting next to Tommy and Chuckie, with Kimi, Phil and Lil across the way, and Dil at one end of the table, and Susie at the other. We chit chatted about several things, like nothing had changed, joking around, and it was as if to the rest of the gang, nothing extraordinary had happened to anyone of us the previous day. As we sat there, eating our begals and doughnuts and sipping our smoothies, Kimi reached for my hand beneath the table, and handed me a small piece of paper. She reached across and whispered in my ear.
"Don't read this till you get on the plane to head home." Kimi said in my ear.
So I placed the piece of paper into my pants pocket, saving it for later.
Glancing at my watch, I saw it was nearly 11:30 AM, my aunt was probably about ready for us to leave, as Kira would be dropping us off at the airport.
"Well guys, I've gotta go, but it was great seeing you all again, and Tommy, congratulations again on your barmitsfa." I said, as we all gave one another a group hug before heading out of the Java Lava in our separate directions towards home.
Later, once in the air on the airplane, I read the note that Kimi had given me earlier that day. It read KF plus ZW equals love. I read it over several times, as a smile broke out across my face, but at the same time, a bit of concern was in the back of my mind. This had obviously, created a secret love triangle, and I only hoped at that very moment, that this wouldn't effect mine and Tommy's friendship down the road.
End of barmitsfa flashback
So then, to prove just how special Kimi was to me, I kept talking to her after that, we'd talk late at night when chances were that Tommy wouldn't find out. Eventually, I invited her to come spend the summer with me between our eighth and ninth grade year of school, as I would be heading up for their eighth grade graduation, something I sadly didn't have the pleasure of experiencing, since in Wheeling, middle school and high school were entertwined, overruled by the worst principal known to man, Principal Greenhorn. Nonetheless, school let out for me at Memorial Day weekend of 2025, which gave me plenty of time to prepare for Kimi's visit. It would only be a couple of more weeks before I left to see her, and her brothers and friends graduate from middle school, and move on to high school.
Flashback to June 18, 2025
"I now present, the class, of 2025." Said Principal Pangborn, as he stepped aside from a podium, and the graduates dressed in yellow caps and gowns crossed the stage.
"I nearly fell asleep in my chair. So thankful that long speech was over." I thought to myself, as the audience in the middle school auditorium clapped and the eighth graders, walked across the stage to get their deplomas. I could only imagine what principal Greenhorn would have to say in a few years when I finally graduated as a senior in high school, but I'd worry about that then. I was too busy, keeping my focus on one particular girl in the front row, waiting to have her name called, and go up on stage.
"Kimi Finster." Boomed Principal Pangborn from the microphone, as the beautiful goddess of Kimi, walked up on stage to get her deploma. My how beautiful she looked in her yellow cap and gown, it was like the princess of whales was just inches away from me.
Of course, while in my mind, I was drooling for Kimi, I had to keep a straight face, especially since for this particular visit, I was sleeping at Tommy and Dil's house for that particular weekend. Dil almost blew it when he suggested that the three of us play Spin the Bottle one night, and I put a stop to that immediately by explaining to him that this game might be a bit dangerous, and seeing that he was only going into the eighth grade, maybe we should wait to play that until we were all in high school together. Tommy agreed, and we moved on to something else.
Sometime later, after Tommy's graduation party the following day, Kimi and I were in the allie where we had kissed over a month ago, looking at the stars and discussing our plans for how we would get her to Wheeling secretly. Of course, her parents and Chuckie knew of the plan, but she told them that they were all sworn to secrecy, unless some dier medical emergency with her were to come up. We were all in agreement, and so, the following day when I left to go back home with my aunt, Kimi joined us on the plane, and on the entire plane ride back, Kimi slept, resting her head on my shoulder.
Later, she and I were strolling through the streets of Wheeling, when I just happened to ask her this question.
"So, what does the gang back home think you're up to?" I asked.
"Don't worry Zack, Tommy, Phil, Lil, Dil, Angelica, Susie, and even my brother Chuckie has agreed to go along with the whole plan that I'm off in Japan, visiting my maternal grandparents and doing a summer internship at a sushi bar." Replied Kimi, gazing into my eyes.
"Well, they're not going to believe a word of this plan if you come back empty handed of dough." I replied.
"Woops? Hadn't thought about that." Kimi said.
"No worries, I've got an idea." I said with a grin, as Kimi and I ran down the street till we got to a small frozen yogurt place called What's the Scoop. Outside, there was a sign stating that they were hiring, so Kimi and I walked in, and spoke with the manager.
He normally wouldn't hire either one of us until we had completed our freshman year of high school, but since Kimi was an out of town guest looking to make a little bit of extra cash, he hired her, and Kimi did an excellent job that summer, rolling in a ton of dough, which she saved every penny of. She just agreed she would wait a few days to show her friends the money she made, to make it look like she made it to a bank to get her currency transferred from Japanese money to American money, and I thought that was a good plan.
Well the rest of our summer together was lovely. We attended my family's annual fourth of July reunion and picnic, as well as my maternal grandmother's birthday party at the end of July, and Kimi and I did have several romantic nights together in bed, sleeping together. Yes people, we did it, but we made sure to be protected, cuz you know, we didn't want anybody back home, especially anybody with purple hair who constantly had a love for filming, right along with the girl of my dreams, to start suspecting anything. Also Kimi kept her cell phone turned off, and would only turn it on and check in with her parents once a day, so her dad Chaz in particular, wouldn't worry about her. But then, on the last night of Kimi's visit in late August, well, that's when it happened.
No worries, no baby boomers here, but it was our last night together. We were lying in bed together, completely naked, and I was on top of Kimi, kissing every part of her body. You know, her brests, her neck, the whole anchilotta. You know how it is when you're madly in love with a woman, you've gotta taste all of her sweet spots. Oh I tasted and kissed them all right, only to give her a love bite on the neck, better known by the common folks as, a hicky.
I looked at the mark I had made on Kimi's neck, and my face turned a deep red. I was dead, super dead. I knew as soon as Tommy saw this, he'd get suspicious and start asking questions. So I snapped out of it, and started to form a plan with Kimi.
"Ok Kimi, you'd better think up something right now." I snapped, shaking her by the shoulders.
"Zack, would you relax? I'll just tell everybody I fell on a rusty nail. If I sound convincing enough, Tommy and the rest of the gang won't suspect a thing." Kimi replied.
I felt relieved, knowing that I could send my secret lover back to her other lover, knowing the love triangle would remain a secret for now.
End of eighth grade and summer visit Flashback
So now, as I ride along in my aunt's van, on what felt like the longest day of my life, as we approached the exit to get off for Yucaipa, California, I pulled out my iPhone and updated my Facebook status. I wrote the following. Returning to my stomping grounds for good after being away for five years. I just hope the adventures of Tom, Chuck, and Zack can pick up where they left off, as if nothing has ever changed.
Of course, deep down in my mind, I was hoping that my secret love with Kimi wasn't going to ruin things between me and Tom, and that eventually, Kimi would finally make up her mind of who to be with, as I knew once I was back there for good, the love triangle would not remain a secret for too much longer. Just then, I was interrupted from my thoughts when my aunt spoke up.
"Isn't it wonderful Zack? You don't have to be in miserable Wheeling, West Virginia anymore, and you'll get to graduate from high school with your life long friends, like you've always wanted." Said aunt Celeste.
"Yeah." I replied.
"And since I've got my job back at Radio Disney, after the manager having to fire the person who took my place, and not being able to find a suitable replacement, well, I can pretty much promise you we'll be back in Yucaipa, for a very long time." Continued my aunt Celeste with a smile, as she stroked my short blond hair.
"Approaching exit 49, Yucaipa, California." Said the talking GPS system on my aunt's driverless van.
I felt happy to be home, as I glanced down at my phone to see it had grown rather late at night, as it was nearly 9:30 at night by the time we got off the highway and turned off into Yucaipa, but I didn't care. I was just, happy to be home, and couldn't wait til the following day, when I'd be starting at Yucaipa high school, for the exciting adventures to come.
End of Zack POV
And, this concludes the prologue. Our actual story will begin, in the next chapter.