Note: This is only part of the next chapter, but before several someones who will remain unnamed (but whose names sound like Gamine and Rachel, among others) do grievous bodily harm to me for not posting anything sooner, here's a little something to tide everybody over … disclaimers can be found in #1 of the story, btw. I hope I'm at least wetting everybody's appetite for the rest!! *evil grin*
Perfectly Good Reasons
Part 4a
By Dagmar Buse
"Hey, are those the earrings you bought Saturday?" Kimberly asked brightly as she met Trini at school on Tuesday. "They look way cool!"
"Thank you," the slim Asian girl smiled, pleased. She briefly touched the small golden tiger head clipped to her left earlobe. "And I see you were right; that scarf does go perfectly with your shirt."
"It's also the exact shade of that nail polish I told you about," Kim chattered. "Pity I can't wear it at school. Yet," she glowered, remembering what had sent her into detention. But she brightened up again almost immediately; if she hadn't, she most likely would never have met Trini, who was so much fun to be with. Both girls had discovered that they liked to shop, but as they were quite different types, the rivalry about clothes and accessories Kim usually found herself in with her fellow cheerleaders was absent … and in contrast to them, Trini was someone she could be serious with if they both felt like it. Plus, she had taken an interest in Kim's hobbies, too, instead of being completely self-centered. *Like half the squad!* The thought seemed almost treacherous to Kimberly, who had worked hard to make cheerleader, but to her surprise it was true nonetheless. Vaguely uncomfortable about having her previous conceptions questioned, she took refuge behind her mallrat persona.
"Can we do it again soon?" To emphasize her apparent eagerness, she bounced on her feet.
"What, go to the mall? Kim, I like being there as much as anyone, but my allowance just won't last if I buy too much …"
The petite brunette airily waved the objection aside. "Who said anything about buying? We can just browse for stuff, try out the makeup counters, get free perfume samples … you know."
Trini considered that for a moment. She'd never gone to the mall just to hang out before, thinking it rather shallow and pretty pointless – what was the sense in wandering through shops for hours if one didn't have money to spend? – but Saturday had been fun, Kim was good to be around, and they'd discovered that for all their differences, they shared a lot of the same values. So why was she hesitating?
"I'd like that," Trini finally said, her smile as radiant as Kimberly's expression. Before the girls could make more plans, though, Trini was called away by Brenda, who had a problem with scheduling the volleyball players.
"Go on, I'll wait for you," Kim shooed her new friend off. With a grateful look, Trini moved down the hallway to confer with Brenda. Left to herself, Kimberly opened her locker and readied her books for the next class. Just as she picked up a brush to run through her already glossy hair, she suddenly found herself nearly pinned to the wall by two long arms.
"Look who we have here," a wheedling voice stage-whispered in her ear. "My favorite cheerleader!"
Barely suppressing a disgusted groan, Kimberly turned around with some effort.
"Brad," she sighed. "What do you want now?" The boy had been pestering her for a date almost from her first day in Junior High, and just wouldn't take no for an answer. Oh well, she'd just keep on sending him away until he got the message.
The tall, goodlooking 9th-grader smiled down on her, trying for a lost-puppy expression. It didn't work too well, and Kim had to hide a tiny grin. If Brad only knew how silly he looked! "How about you and me hitting the movies tomorrow night?" he wheedled. Kimberly rolled her eyes. She'd turned him down at least half a dozen times already.
"Brad, first of all it's a school night; I'm not allowed to go out then. And I've told you my mom won't let me date yet …" *And I certainly wouldn't want to date YOU in the first place!* she thought privately. It seemed as if it would take yet another steady stream of "NO!s" to get rid of Brad. Again.
"Then I'll just have to come by your house and convince your mom to let you date me," the blond started, but found himself unexpectedly interrupted by a deep voice.
"What's going on here?"
Brad looked over his shoulder and met the dark eyes of a younger boy. Usually he'd have shrugged off the intrusion, but the cold expression on the tanned face was such that he took a second look. The other was shorter than he, but his shoulders were already broad, the arms muscular, and the whole stocky frame radiated a strength to be reckoned with.
"That guy harassing you, Kim?" Jason asked curtly, taking a step closer. He only saw a bigger boy looming over the tiny girl, and all his protective instincts rushed to the fore. Without thinking, he intervened, not caring a whit about possible danger or consequences. Someone he considered a friend was in trouble; he had to do something! He balled his fists.
"No, he …" But Kim didn't get a chance to explain. With mounting astonishment, she watched as her classmate challenged the older student.
"Listen you jerk, Kim's my friend, and if you don't stop hassling her, you'll be sorry," Jason hissed, his eyes sparking a warning, his whole stance just one step short of threatening. "Leave her alone NOW!"
Brad wasn't quite foolish, or brave, enough to get into a fight at school. No girl, no matter how pretty, was worth getting detention for. And besides, this guy might be younger than him, but he looked as if he meant business … and knew how to go about it.
"Okay, okay, I'm going," he muttered. "Keep your pants on, man!" The fourteen-year-old backed off, releasing a rather bemused Kimberly.
Jason scowled at the retreating boy until he'd disappeared around a corner, then turned towards Kim with a smile, all traces of menace gone from his bearing as if a switch had been thrown. "That'll teach him," he cheerfully announced. "If that creep gives you any more trouble, Kim, just tell me, and I'll take care of him for you. Okay?"
"Sure," Kim mumbled, nonplussed, then watched Jason saunter off to his next class, clearly very pleased with himself. She shook her head in wonder. How different he'd been from the friendly, easygoing boy she'd gotten to know over the past few weeks! And while it gave her a small, pleasant thrill that Jason would be ready to fight for her, she was also mildly annoyed at his interference. What, did he believe her to be so weak or stupid that she couldn't take care of herself? If he did, Jason Scott had another think coming for sure! Her train of thought was interrupted by Trini, who had watched the whole scene from afar.
"What was that all about?" Trini wondered as she rejoined Kimberly. "Jason looked as if he was going to deck that guy!"
Deciding it wasn't worth obsessing about, Kim shrugged. "Oh, nothing, really. I guess Jason just had an attack of big brother-hood. He seemed to think I couldn't handle Brad by myself. As if!"
Trini grinned. "Was he getting all protective on you? He did the same with me yesterday, when one of the baseball team nearly ran me over in the parking lot. He actually made the guy apologize to me!"
Kim groaned comically. "I tell you, if he starts checking out my dates – if I ever get to have one, that is – he's gonna get in BIG trouble! Having one older brother at home is WAY more than enough; I don't need another one at school!" Trini had to smile. She might have no brothers herself, but her cousin Michael was just the same whenever he visited. A delicate eyebrow arched.
"I suppose he means well …"
"Yeah. Maybe. Okay. But the day I can't get rid of a pest like Brad alone hasn't come yet. I don't need Jason to do that for me, and if he tries it again, I'll … I'll deck him!"
"Can I help?" Trini blurted. She'd felt much the same about the boy's attempt to be helpful the day before.
The girls shared a look of perfect understanding, then had to giggle at the image of petite Kimberly and slender Trini taking on the burly, solidly-built Jason who was every bit as strong as he looked. Still laughing, they skipped off to their next class. Kim looked sideways at Trini, her doe eyes gleaming impishly.
"You think Jason's ticklish, maybe?"
~*~
During the week, Zack, Trini, Kim, Jason and Billy met at lunch whenever they could; it was as if the impending end of their detention period was drawing them together somehow. If at all possible, they went to school together, left school in pairs or as a group and made frequent phonecalls to each others' houses. Just as if they'd been friends for ages already, instead of only having known each other for little over a month. None of them questioned the phenomenon; despite their relatively short acquaintance, they had found congenial spirits in each other, and while they didn't think of it consciously, all of them privately resolved not to let the association end once the weekend was over.
In fact, the five children already were making plans about meeting after school the next week – Zack and Jason to practise karate together, now that Zack had enrolled in Jason's dojo, Kim and Trini to watch a matinee together … Billy and Trini made a study appointment, and the whole group resolved to go look for their Halloween costumes together. After all, the holiday was only ten days away.
Throughout all these preparations, Jason's overprotectiveness was never mentioned by the girls, and soon forgotten. Which was hardly surprising, given the fact that by unspoken agreement they had never talked about the reasons why they'd been sent to detention outside of their Saturday breakfast breaks. It was as if the children didn't want to mar their growing friendship with unpleasant reminders of how wary they'd all been of each other in the beginning. This way, it was easier to pretend that they'd have gravitated towards each other regardless of the ugly suspicions each had held – and now was very eager to forget.
~*~
On Friday, Jason was just leaving the gym when he came upon a scene that made him go cold all over. Right at the door leading to the Chem lab was Billy, being cornered by two boys who literally towered over the slight blond; he was clutching his books to his chest in a veritable death grip, and the greenish eyes looked harried behind the metal-framed glasses. Flinging his gym bag away from him, Jason ran towards the small group.
Two big, strong hands landed on a shoulder each in a firm grip. The two students, both unknown to Jason, found themselves jerked unceremoniously away from Billy.
"Stop that!" Jason shouted, his sudden anger mounting as he thought he saw an expression of relief cross Billy's flushed face. "You leave Billy here alone, or else!"
The fatter of the duo tried to sneer. "Or else what?" But his wavering voice betrayed his fear as he took in the fury in the dark eyes.
Jason shook both boys once, not caring that the lanky dark-haired one winced as his fingers tightened on the bony arm. "Or else you'll have to deal with me," he threatened. NOBODY messed with his friends!
"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do, beat me up?"
Jason's eyes narrowed. "Do you really want to find out?" he rumbled, thrusting his face into the other's. The fat boy gulped, his blue eyes widening warily.
"Er … "
The lanky one was trembling by now, but couldn't get away, his arm still caught in that vise-like grip. He was sure there'd be bruises the next day. But he didn't dare complain; who knew what this guy would do if he did?
Contemptuously, Jason released both his opponents. "I didn't think so. Go away, before I get really mad," he ordered them, watching with satisfaction as the two beat a hasty retreat. He turned towards Billy, who only now was starting to relax. "You okay?"
"Yes, thank you," Billy murmured automatically. Violence of any kind disturbed him deeply, and while the situation had been diffused without anything really happening, the potential for escalation had been there. He knew he hadn't been in any real danger, though; despite his steadfast refusals Eugene and Farkas often attempted to make him let them copy his homework, but they weren't truly going to harm him. They humiliated him sometimes, yes, or ridiculed him, but they weren't quite mean enough to take their harassment beyond a certain point.
However, he'd seen a side of Jason he hadn't been aware of before, and he didn't quite know how to deal with it. While Billy found himself surprised and somewhat grateful that Jason would intercede on his behalf at all, it wasn't exactly nice to be considered so helpless that he needed the assistance. But it was not worth arguing with Jason about, so Billy held his peace, walking away determined never to provoke Jason's wrath if he could avoid it. He had a feeling it would not be pleasant to see the bigger boy lose his generally even temper.
To Be Continued …