DISCLAIMER: I own nothing
This story is set after Dino Thunder, although ages and details may be a bit off because I really didn't watch the show after AJJ left (disown me if you like but I couldn't bare to see them force Tommy and Katherine together.
This chapter just came to me and although I do this as a creative outlet and not for the glory of good reviews it is always nice to know with a new story if it's worth continuing.
CHAPTER 1
'First I have to save the earth now I have to save a bunch of high school students from failing science… a knights work is never done!'
I chuckle to my self whilst inwardly scowling at the pile of essays I have in front of me. It's Saturday night, I should be out somewhere. I'm not sure where, since socialising has never really been my strong point but I know at 27 I should be somewhere that's not here!
…Then I look across at the tall blond woman lying asleep on my black leather couch and think maybe here isn't such a bad place to be after all.
Katherine Hillard, my second high school romance. The way her body stretches out whilst she's sleeping reminds me of the white kitty-cat that she was the first time I met her.
I smile slightly as my mind travels back to my high school years. I was a normal high school student by day, whilst by night I was an ass kicking super hero… well I say 'night' but I actually mean 'by late afternoon' or 'by free period' I chuckle again as I think about how considerate Zedd, Rita and everyone else were to never attack during classes. Then a frown forces my brows down as I consider how unfortunate I was that they did always attack when I was out with my friends or on a date…. The scent of vanilla fills my memory and I look over at my sleeping house guest and feel a twang of guilt at the knowledge that she never wore vanilla.
My relationship with Katherine is a complex one. It was never love at first sight or anything as romantic as that but she was there for me at a time when I needed her and my feelings grew from those of friendship into something more. Of course it didn't last, very few high school romances do- that I learned the heartbreakingly hard way long before Kat and I took our relationship in that direction, but a reunion of our closest friends just 2 months ago had brought us back to each other.
Love at first sight…. I waft away that damn vanilla scent and return to my marking
Hmmm… I wiggle the toe that is making a break for freedom through the end of my black cotton sock
'Hello toe' I think and then I realise that I'm just stalling so I reach for my red biro, safe in the knowledge that there will be plenty of big red crosses to keep me amused.
Seriously though, I do have to get out more. Since taking up my position as high school science teacher I kind of feel like I've become one of those stuffy teachers that used to teach us- back in the day. I always swore I would never turn out like them, but here I am, 27 years old, sitting in on a Saturday night whilst my gorgeous girlfriend sleeps on my couch.
My mind thinks of waking her up for a bit of a naughty interlude but then decides against. It's not that I don't find Katherine attractive- as I said she's gorgeous, tall…blonde…curvy but our relationship has never been like that. Sure we 'go there' but it's very rarely spontaneous or anywhere other than my bed.
A sigh escapes me but I focus on the essays in front of me rather than the meaning of life.
My bed… in my house… God I really am an adult now!
When exactly did that happen?
I massage the spot between my eyes and then try to focus on 'The Extinction Of The Dinosaurs' by Kevin Campbell
My God it looks like something that I wrote when I was 3!
I smile again as a very soggy vanilla smell invades my brain, I breath deeply hoping that I'll be able to capture the scent better, unfortunately all I smell is the lasagne that I burned earlier in the evening.
Putting my biro down I close my eyes and broach the subject that's been playing games with my mind since before-mentioned-reunion.
Two words for you- Kimberly Hart.
I inwardly growl… How could someone that is so tiny make such a massive crater in my life?
Our story is much different to mine and Kats though no less complex. This time though it was love at first sight, it was fireworks and roses…the whole nine yards. During the entire 3 years we were together I don't think I ever saw another girl but her, but in the age old tale of teenage romances it ended nastily, she met someone else I got my heart broken, yadda, yadda,yadda…
We successfully avoided one another for the 10 years that followed but two months ago we ran out excuses and found ourselves amongst our best friends with nowhere to run. We found a quiet place and had the not-so-quiet conversation we should have had 10 years ago, Kim cried, I pretended not to cry but at the end of it I found that 10 years really had helped to heal the wounds she had inflicted on me and we ended the night with a hug and a promise that we would keep in touch.
…She hasn't called.
…I'm bitter as hell!
I didn't think it would bother me but it has, I feel an anger that I thought I had moved past, I feel abandoned and passed over all over again, its ridiculous and makes no sense at all since two days later I hooked up with Katherine again but that's just how it is with me and Kim… nothing about it makes sense that's why 10 years on she's still imprinted in my brain and why I'm again thinking about her when I should be doing adult things…like my job.
Picking up my biro I place a big red cross next to the first part of Kevins essay before I even read it, I know it's childish but it gives me a happy…and a happy is all you can ask for from life.
2 HOURS LATER
Placing my biro down for the final time I consider whether I chose this career path as some kind of sick punishment to my self. I'm a good teacher, I know that and I love my chosen subject but sometimes I really feel like my words are silent to anyone under the age of 18. Unsure if I have ever read so much crap in my life I push myself up from my seat and head into the kitchen where I know there are ice cold beers that have 'Property Of Tommy Oliver' imprinted on the side.
I place one foot into my immaculate kitchen… Katherine's something of a 'neat-freak' when the sound of the phone ringing stops me in my tracks.
Hmmm… Beer or phone? Beer or phone? I weigh it up in my mind- the sensible, science teacher side of me wins out though and I pad back through the living room to pick it up before it wakes Katherine.
Reaching down and lifting the receiver from it's cradle on my small wrought-iron framed coffee table I check that Kat hasn't been woken from her nap…yes I did that on purpose! Before answering
"This is Tommy Oliver" sounds professional enough in case it's somebody from work but the silence that haunts the other end of the line tells me it's either Rocky or Jason looking to play games. Determined to beat them at it I say "I have Kat and a tub of whipped cream waiting so you better state your name and your purpose"
I hear an intake of air and I grin at the knowledge that I got them before they got me.
Point one goes to the spiky-haired science teacher!
"Name… Kimberly Hart…"
Ice water runs through my veins
"Purpose…Apology number two?"
I drop onto the armchair, sure that my knees are about to buckle
A small giggle escapes her lips but I can tell that it's forced
"…Hi Tommy, I said I'd call and… here I am… calling"
And here I am… wishing I could kill myself
*My 'Project number 1' The Breaking Point is quite dark so I thought I'd try something a little different here x
