Alive and Well

~Memories and Breaking Points~

Cold drops painted my neck as I felt my heart pump against my ribcage. Another fist was in the air five inches away from me. I raised my hand, blocked the punch, and while starring into the Midnight blue eyes I've seen everyday, I smirked. I pushed my open hand into his forearm, while I twisted his fist. His blue eyes snapped shut as I tossed him to the ground. I sighed a breath of relief for winning this sparring match. This wasn't the first time I sparred with him, and it wasn't the first time I won either.

"Wow Jackie, you're really got to train harder, unless you wish to be beaten up by your best friend," I paused letting him return my gaze, "because I'm most definitely okay with that!" as I smiled, the brunette groaned and fell back into the position he landed in, massaging his arm where I pressed on it. I smiled again and turned to leave.

White tile chilled my warm toes as I shuffled across the long stretch of room. The dark blue, almost seemingly black, walls stood just four and one half feet above me. As I walked to the center of the steamy room, I turned my head to my right seeing my reflection just, staring back.

"Sweet smell of victory." I chuckled and skipped happily. Approaching the mirror, my smile grew wider and wider. Suddenly, my feet became paralyzed and I studied my surroundings upon hearing a foreign noise. After image after image, I finally loosened up a little and casually reached an empty sink. As I stared at myself into the glass, I noticed something different, I had a shade of pink in my cheeks. Of course it would go away soon enough but, usually, I never see this. I was getting a little nervous not knowing what it was or, why I even care, but something told me I was about to find out. My smelly blue and green, Aeropostale, half length sweat pants and lose, lime green tank top were thrown into the dirty clothes pile which by the way, I might want to wash this week considering how enormous the pile really is. I pulled my long hair up into a high ponytail and even though it took ten minutes just to braid it, I finished it perfectly anyway. My blond braid extended almost to the backs of my knee caps. I smiled and walked out of my bathroom and into my connected bedroom.

The dark navy blue walls caged my whole world together in just 80 square feet. My black sheeted full sized bed stood against the longest wall with it's footboard facing my tallest wooden bookshelf that was just an inch shorter than I. My favorite pictures of all my best friends decorated the bookshelf including my favorite books, creative supply's and CD's, oh and yes, I do own CD's. I walked up to my desk and plopped into my office chair, spinning around wondering what to do. I looked up at the ceiling and see my favorite band's merchandise posters staring me down.

Ever since "that day" me and Jack have been living at the dojo. We used two spare rooms as our personal rooms. What happened to our homes and our parents you ask? Well, we'll answer that in a littler while.

I smiled grasping an idea. I pulled myself up to the mac sitting comfortable on the dark brown desk. I noticed a new msn message. I smirked at the words.

"Are you sure it's true?" Ember's voice rang through the mac's speakers.

"I'm positive Em! He's going to do it!" I exclaim.

"Fine." she sighed, leaning back in her chair. The skype screen became pixilated as she did creating a slow video. In hearing my name, I knew Jack was wanting a re-match.

"I've got to go Emmy, I'll see you at school." I exclaimed into the mic. She smiled as we both logged off. My chair spun as I dashed out the room and back into the training room. Then, I saw Jack's messy blond hair and his arms folded as he stood on the mats.

"Aaaand you want a re-match." I sighed. I shook my head as I walked past him folding my arms.

"Oh c'mon Kimmy," I turned around and he was on his knees, hands folded up towardsme, I'm despera-"

"Save it, we all know you are." I smirked as he glared at me. I began to walk away then caught myself. I whipped around,

"And don't all me Kimmy." he shrugged.

"And yes, I did catch you saying that." I smirked again and walked away to the equipment. I heard the phone start ringing and Jack stood up and walked towards the office. I pulled the old punching dummy up off the ground from where Jack supposedly kicked it, back to it's former state.

"Kim!" Jack yelled racing out of the office. I whipped around to him.

"That was Ty and he admitted that he was wrong and that he would take care of us now!" he exclaimed running up to me. I turned away.

"I know you won't say anything or even look at me- okay seriously look at me." I ignored him. He put a hand on my shoulder and turned me around. I looked up into his blue eyes.

"Kim, he's not lying." in one swift moment, I pulled away form his grasp, spun away from him and starred at him from the center of the mats.

"Kim, we can trust him."

"NO WE CAN'T!" I yelled. "Remember all the other times? Whenever Rudy sold the dojo and moved? Then how Carson messed everything up and you switched dojo's? How Jerry would would always mess with Frank? How Eddie always threw his food at him?"

"No Kim

"How Rudy would always fight with Ty like little kids and it always amused us."

"KIM! You're beating yourself up!"

"And how we would always step in and save the day?!" I was screaming and crying at the same time. Jack came over and hugged me.

"WHY COULDN'T WE DO IT THAT DAY?! WHY JACK?!" I yelled again. He hugged me tighter and I fell to my knees and he followed.

:..:..Next Day At School..:..:

"KIM!" I whip around from my locker and see Ember racing down the hallway, running into people just to see me. I chuckle a bit and just close my locker door and lean against it.

Laughter and chaos noises filled the air with the treacherous bliss of the high school's hallways. Sweet aromas found their ways to my nose as she noticed candy being passed from friend to friend. Lockers closed, feet trampled, yells were sung, and papers fluttered against the wind. At the corner of my eyes, I saw each person behind me, beside me, and in front of me. Ever since that day, I've been on alert 24/7.

"Kim, Kim," she gasped finally stopping in front of me.

"Okay, I guess you have something important to tell me." I muttered with a laugh.

"He did it." my eyes widened.

"I was just being sarcastic! He didn't have to do that for us! We're okay as it is-"

"Kimberly, it's okay, besides you guys will love it." she smiled and turned away as she saw Jack walking up to me.

"Hey Kim." he muttered as he opened the locker that was next to mine.

"Hey what's wrong?" I asked opening my locker again.

"Nothing." he said flatly, never looking at me. I looked down to the floor of my locker waiting for the awkwardness to leave.

"Jack I know there's something wrong."

"Kim I'm okay just stop."

"But Jack I want to help." I shouldn't have pressed on. Jack dropped whatever he had in his hands in his locker and slammed the door. He turned to me and passed me by without even looking. When he was right by me, he grabbed my hand and yanked me with him. Pain shocked my arm and it made me gasp as my body was pulled towards his.

"Jack stop." he wouldn't listen he just kept walking.

"Jack please." he still wouldn't. I felt my vision blur with tears.

"JACKSON!" I screamed and yanked out of his hand using the force that was not allowed in school. It pushed him away from me and he almost fell. I snapped my eyes tightly and my fists clenched as I felt steamy tears paint my face. I was so glad he had already dragged me outside, in the alleys because if he hadn't people would have noticed and it would have been one step closer to someone finding us out.

Jack took a step towards me and I open my eyes taking a few back. He did again to see what I did and I took three more back. I stared into his midnight blue eyes and the anger that lived there before died long ago, and something new came to life there, hurt.

"Kim-" he wanted to finish but couldn't because it must have hurt to see me flinch and turn away from his voice.

"Kim." he muttered again. His voice was shaken and sounded raspy. He started to walk towards me and I froze our stare off. My chin trembled as I moved away from him and finally, was pinned against the wall.

"Jack." I muttered drifting slowly away from him.

"Kim please don't do this." he said. I looked up to his eyes in hearing of the regret in his voice. His left hand was lifted and he brought it to elbow. His other hand made way to my other elbow.

"Kim I'm sorry." he said. I looked back up to him.

"Jack, I've been trying to hide it too all day, it just hurts to notice that no one even cares anything's different." I replied, lip cold and trembling. He looked into my eyes with sorrow.

"Kim, it's okay. We are going to be okay."

"But it's only been seven months!" I said louder.

"Trust me. I won't let anything happen to you. Just for the rest of the day, let's just remember the happy moments with them." I stared into Jack's eyes for a few more seconds and finally, his smile brightened mine. I smiled a real smile for the first time since that day.

"Alive and well forever?" Jack muttered. I smiled.

"Alive and well forever." I replied. He smiled and kissed my nose.

"Let's go, we're already late." I smiled as I grabbed my books and as I stood up, grasped his hand.

R&R

~Lee:]