The Voices Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, it's characters are owned by Saban Entertainment.
"Okay, things here are becoming rather hectic as of late. It's been a week since we departed for Miami. Jessie is still in the nut house from all I know, and Coach is driving us down to a nub. Needlesstosay, she may be the luckiest of us all. Yesterday, we departed for the gym at around 7 o'clock, and we did not get back until three in the morning, dang, everyone passed out in their doorways or onto their beds without changing or showering. I stink. Sohpie, Valerie, Karla are my best friends here, they are sweet and not judgmental. Even though attempting suicide, they don't hold it against me. It was a mistake, now that is the past, still...it's hard to let go of the fact that all of this could have ended on the hood of a Buick. Many years from now, my daughter will read this and begin to wonder whom her mother was growing up far from home. Honey, if you read this, don't make the same mistakes I did. Don't let the judgment of others persuaded you to conduct drastic measures to ease the pain, or make it all go away. There are people out there that do care for you, they are family, friends, and your angels"
"Kimberly! Hurry up, they are serving punch and cake at the lunch bar!" Sophie shouted going out the door, tucking in a T-shirt into her jeans, watching others go darting by for the same prize. "Hurry!"
"All right, im coming" replying back, dotting the last period in the journal before stuffing it in a secret location, then rushing outside. Pausing on the sidewalk was just as dangerous as standing in the middle of a busy freeway, back and forth, there was no pause in the amount of people. We looked at each other and laughed, we wouldn't have missed a minute of it.
Sophie shouted going out the door, tucking in a T-shirt into her jeans, watching others go darting by for the same prize. Replying back, dotting the last period in the journal before stuffing it in a secret location, then rushing outside. Pausing on the sidewalk was just as dangerous as standing in the middle of a busy freeway, back and forth, there was no pause in the amount of people. We looked at each other and laughed, we wouldn't have missed a minute of it.
Hard pressed, worn out, exhausted, however you want to call it, the entire team was physically and emotionally drained after only a week after arriving in Miami. Moral was low, we missed our families and friends, Coach had grounded us down to a mulch, we detested his very presence, yet, his job was have us be prepared to win. However, I wonder, deep down, if he does not have a control issue. Karla, from North Carolina, was a real quiet, yet sweet and innocent girl. Remind you of anyone? Anyway, just two days ago, after performing an exhaustive maneuver on the parallel bars, Coach pulled her aside for a, "Conference" which is little more than a string of put downs, insults, and assorted verbal admonishments. At the time, I was taking a drink from a fountain when Valerie came from behind and gave me a nudge. Looking up, she pointed this out with her head and we watched she broke down to tears and had to be prodded back onto the matt to resume her exercises.
We looked at each other in anger and confusion. This was not the way we were supposed to be trained. Something had to be down, yet, withheld ourselves for fear of retaliation. Regardless of what Coach had done, he still managed to push us this far, it was too late to replace him now. Perhaps he suffered from mood swings, because the very next day, he gathered us up, telling us to take the day off. Something is really wrong with that guy.
Inside the breakfast bar, me, Sophie, Karla, and Valerie sat together at a table to discuss some...girls stuff. As we "discussed," some really tall, long brown hair girl from the "Snot Club" stood up from her table far from us, casually approached and threw a full glass of milk and threw it at us, I believe aiming more at me, still, the glass hit the table, cartwheel, broke and splattered it's contents on all of us, like a sweet hand grenade. All of our tops were soaked, hair, face, every thing from the waist up was covered. Shock turned to anger, our blood boiled. The girl simply walked outside and to her room, all of us followed in hot pursuit. I had my sights on this...this...this thing as she waddled to her room, shutting the door, thus denying us any chance of revenge. Countless banging and verbal threats fell on deaf ears.
"God," I screeched into the air, "I hate these people!"
"Me to" Sophie agreed, giving up pounding. "Let's get out of these clothes"
Mumbling in agreement, all of us departed down the hall. Half way, Coach came charging up. Before us, he stopped, out of breath. It took him a minute to gain his composure, we were waiting in anticipation for what news he had.
"Miami is shutting down the gym for three days for repairs"
"Repairs?" we asked in unison. "Why?"
"Well," he continued, "it seems that a water pipe had burst during the night and flooded to the arena floor. It's going to take that long to mop it all up and clean the water damage"
"What are we going to do until then?" a worried Karla asked, grabbing hold of my shoulders and holding me close.
"No other gyms are able to allow us to train, so...we are going to have to wait until the gym reopens" he confessed.
"Oh poo" I smirked.
"I know. But until then we are still going to train" Coach added before turning and walking away.
"How?" Karla tried to ask, but that man was long gone. Us girls looked at one another for the elusive answer.
"This place is getting weirder everyday" I said. Everyone agreed quietly before going to their rooms to change.
Sitting on the warm bed, undoing my bounded hair, Sophie went to the sink to clean her face, having already changed. "What are you going to do now with this time off?" she asked looking at me through the mirror.
"Oh, I'm probably going to call home and let them know how everything is going" I turned and laid down on the bed, "Then call Tommy" to myself.
"What was that?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing" taking a pillow and hugging it tightly.
"Well, you lazy bum" she said heading for the door, "Im going to go back and raid the food stand one more time. You need anything?"
"No thanks"
"OK, see you later"
With her gone, all that was left was the phone, and it sat just a few feet away, yet I seemed reluctant to pick it up. Whom to call? Mom? She is always longing to hear from me. Dad? Humpf. Tommy? That seemed like the most likely of courses. Picking up the receiver, I dialed his number, collect, and waited. Ringing tones seemed to go on for several seconds when someone finally picked it up.
"Tommy?" enthusiastically
"No" Said a young women's voice.
"Who is this?"
"This is Catharine. Kimberly? Is that you?" she asked.
An eerie hush fell over the line, my mouth hung at the hinges. That hand holding the receiver trembled. I wanted to say something, but nothing came out. On the other end, a voice, "Who is it, Cat?"
"I'm not sure, I think it's Kimberly" she replied.
Immediately, there was a rustle followed by Tommy's voice, "Kim?" In a relieved voice.
"Tommy?"
"Yea, it's me. What are you doing?"
Wondering why Catharine is at your house whilst IM not is what I wanted to asked, instead I confessed the truth about Coach. He too was baffled by the sudden change, yet enjoyed hearing my voice. Only a week had passed, yet it felt like forever. I wanted to be in his arms again, hearing his voice is very soothing, I know he wanted to do the same with me. He asked how my training was going, my new friends, and Miami. I told him everything, about Sohpie, Valerie, yet neglected Jessie. After only fifteen minutes, he had to go. I reluctantly hung up the phone and hugged the pillow tightly, biting on the edge. There was a constant, unending thought, hovering in my mind. Why was Catharine there at the house? It seemed rather harmless, yet that dirty thought never left.
Pondering this, Sophie darted through the door wildly, jumping up and down. "He's here! He's here!"
"Who is here?" I asked
"My boyfriend. He gave me a surprise visit" with that, she grabbed he and I was literally dragged out of the room by my hands to meet him. It was growing dark out now, the outsides likes illuminated the landscape of the courtyard next to the pool where girls were already swimming. It seems there was a party going on without my knowledge.
"Kimberly, I like you to meet my boyfriend" Sophie introduced after standing me up on the grass.
"Hi" I choked out, looking at him, rubbing my sore hands from the manhandling. This boy was very handsome, charming, offering a hand in which to shake. It was much bigger than mine, and I feared he would crush it with one simple squeeze. He said nothing, just smiled then looked back at Sohpie, "She doesn't say much, does she?" he asked.
"She does, right now she's just really exhausted," she cooed, "I'll you us some drinks" darting off to the bar, not realizing that he already had a drink in his hand. Oh well...