Author's Notes: Hey everybody. Sorry for the lond time since an update. I am still sick with a raging sinus infection.I'll admit I was a little discouraged by the lack of reviews for the last chapter. If the story no longer interests you, please let me know. I will continue as long as I have readers. Otherwise, why would I bother? Things are about to pick up. Enjoy.
Chapter 16: Breaking News
When the alarm clock went off at six the following morning, Tommy didn't bound out of bed like usual. Instead, he hit the snooze button, then rolled over and spooned himself against Kimberly, shutting his eyes against the rising sun. Seven minutes later, the return of the obnoxious beeping noise reminded him that the start of the day was inevitable whether he liked it or not. Monday mornings were difficult under the best of circumstances, but this one would test him to the limit. Yesterday, for the first time since he could remember, he didn't work out. Not formally, at least. Lots of vigorous sex definitely counted for something, but it still wasn't the same as his usual routine. This morning, more than any other, he knew he needed the endorphin rush that only a strenuous, disciplined workout would provide. Groaning, he slid out of bed, careful not to disturb Kim. Pausing for a moment to take in the sight of beautiful her face relaxed in sleep, he shook his head to clear any residual grogginess before retreating to the bathroom.
After brushing his teeth, he dug around in a laundry basket of clothes he was pretty sure were clean until he found a black tank top and a wrinkled pair of red karate pants. Socks and running shoes completed the outfit. Just as he was about to sneak out the door, Kim began to stir, her naked body still wrapped in the soft sheets.
"Good morning," she moaned sleepily. "You deserting me already?"
He walked over to the bed, sat down on the edge, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "No way. Just going for a run."
"Want company?"
"Sure, if you really want to get up. You don't have to, though. I thought the interview wasn't until three."
"It isn't, but I'm usually up early. It would be nice to go running together like we used to. Help me up." Kimberly extended her arms, expecting him to hoist her to a vertical position, but instead, he leaned into her, descending on her mouth for a deep 'good morning' kiss. She responded enthusiastically, her tongue darting past his lips to entwine with his. For a split second, she became self-conscious of her morning breath after tasting his minty-freshness, but soon forgot about it when she realized that he didn't seem to mind at all.
Just as things were threatening to get out of control, Kim removed her hands from the warm skin they found under his shirt and gently pushed Tommy away. "Not now, Handsome. It's time to run. We've been in bed for almost two days straight. As much as I'd love to ravish you again, we need to do something productive."
Tommy groaned, forcing himself to stand up before the urge to rip the sheet off and trace every curve of her body with his tongue took over him. "You're right. I guess I'm just doing all I can to avoid reality today. That, and I find you absolutely irresistible. OK, let's go, Beautiful," he conceded, returning the affectionate nickname she used on him. He pulled her up, his eyes wandering over her figure as she seductively walked into the bathroom. She was deliberately trying to arouse him, and it was working.
Five minutes later, she was back in the bedroom rummaging through her luggage for some clothes suitable for working out. A pink sports bra and the grey sweatpants that she originally brought to sleep in fit the bill. After donning them, she slipped on her shoes and followed him downstairs and out the door.
Kimberly and Tommy jogged through the woods on the path that he had inadvertently cleared through many months of trampling down it every morning. Several miles later, they returned to the house to do a little stretching and weight lifting. Finally, Tommy practiced a few complicated katas while Kim performed some gymnastic routines. The hour passed by too quickly for his taste, and he knew that he had better get in the shower soon if he wanted to be at school by eight-thirty.
As tempting as it was to invite Kim into the steaming, hot water, Tommy exercised a little self-control and climbed in alone. He was only marginally surprised, however, when he heard the curtain open and she stepped in. They silently washed one another, soapy hands gliding over slick, wet skin until the mounting passion became too much to resist. There was always time for a quickie. Their mouths fused together as Tommy lifted Kim up and braced her against the tiled wall to facilitate his entry. A few minutes later, she slid down his body to the floor, both of them sated and refreshed. They got out and dried off, and then she left him alone in the bathroom so he could shave and dry his hair.
A quick glance at his watch told Tommy that it was already eight o'clock and he wasn't even dressed yet. To his delight, when he went back to the bedroom, Kim had ironed a grey shirt and set out a black pair of slacks and a black and white tie. She sat on the bed dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt, proud as could be that she could help him since it was her fault that he was running behind.
"Thank you. I need to keep you around." This was the first taste of the domestic life that he had been longing for and would finally have when she moved in.
"You're welcome. Now get dressed. I'm going downstairs because when you take that towel off, it might coax me into something naughty and you'll never get to school."
Tommy laughed and dropped the piece of terrycloth with a dramatic flourish. Kim made a show of copping a peek before she left the room, giving him a wink that suggested a promise of things to come. He quickly put the clothes on, still fixing his tie as he ran down the steps. Kim was in the kitchen making coffee, but he knew he didn't have time to wait for a cup. Kissing her on the cheek, he grabbed his briefcase and keys, slipped on his loafers, and made for the door. Just before stepping out, he realized that he didn't wish Kim luck in her interview, so he quickly dashed back to the kitchen. "Hey!" he called to her. "Good luck today. See you tonight. Love you."
The sweet gesture warmed Kim's heart and reminded her again what a wonderful, thoughtful man Tommy was. She was so lucky to have found him once more. "Thanks. Love you, too. Good luck to you today, too."
He rolled his eyes at the thought of the deed ahead of him, nodding to her with a grin as he sprinted to his Jeep.
It was an otherwise typical Monday morning at Reefside High. Everyone seemed to move a little slower that usual, subconsciously trying to put off the end of the weekend. It was eight twenty-eight when Tommy passed through the double doors and rushed through the hallways crowded with teenagers to the science wing. Just as the bell rang, he entered his classroom lab to find most of his students already assembled and ready for class. He had gotten over his chronic tardiness years ago, but it had been some time since he had something, or in this case, someone making him want to be late.
"Good morning," he greeted his students briefly. The mad rush to get to school on time had temporarily distracted him from thinking about the Sunday morning incident, but now that he was there in class, one look in the direction of his Rangers brought it all back and he knew that it was going to be a very long day. The last thing he wanted to do was become paranoid, but the smirk on Conner McKnight's face already had his stomach turning. Ignore it, Tommy. It's all in your head.
"Everyone have a good weekend?" There were various nods and affirmative responses from the kids, but one in particular made him wonder how he could be so stupid as to mention the weekend with the Rangers in the room.
"Did you, Dr. Oliver?" Ethan James was probably just being polite when he asked the simple question, but a muffled snort from the Red Ranger changed the whole dynamic of the inquisition. Despite Ethan's fairly dark African-American skin tone, Tommy could swear the kid blushed a deep pink.
"Uh, yeah, I guess," Tommy answered, clearing his throat self-consciously while averting his eyes. He could feel the tips of his ears burning and his forehead breaking out in a light sweat. "Let's get started."
A deep breath helped him work up the guts to look at the class, but he deliberately avoided eye-contact with the Rangers. Immediately, the two empty seats that were usually occupied by Cassidy Cornell and Devin DelValle caught his attention. "Does anyone know where Cassidy and Devin are this morning?"
"They said they had to get ready for their Monday broadcast. It sounded like a big deal," replied Michelle Martin, a plain girl and one of the brainier students in the school.
"Thank you, Michelle." Tommy tried his best not to react negatively to the information, but he didn't think he was very successful at keeping his irritated expression at bay. He understood what a privilege it was for Reefside to have their own TV station, and that Cassidy took her position as a reporter very seriously, but it often interfered with schoolwork. There needed to be a limit. "OK, let's start where we left off Friday. We were talking about the Big Bang Theory. In a nutshell, the Big Bang, or as cosmologists sometimes call it, 'the Standard Model of Cosmology', goes something like this. About fifteen billion years ago, the universe erupted from an enormous and still largely unexplained event, referred to as a 'singularity'. It was from this event that all matter and space was created. But that's where the name 'Big Bang' becomes a contradiction or misnomer, because if before the 'Big Bang', there was nothing, how could it have exploded? Nothing can't explode. It also didn't happen anywhere. There was no space before it, so couldn't have happened at a particular location, since basically there was no there, there. Doesn't seem very logical, does it? For human beings, who are used to seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling their surroundings, it is a difficult concept to wrap our minds around. Something from nothing. Everywhere from nowhere. Any thoughts or questions on that?"
Tommy paused to allow the abstract notion to sink in. The confused faces in front of him told him very clearly that more explanation was required. "Alright, I realize it's a hard..."
Just as he was about to explain the theory again, the television monitor mounted on the wall in the corner came to life. "Good morning, this is Cassidy Cornell bringing you all the up-to-the-minute news at Reefside High."
Tommy stopped his lesson and glared at the TV, annoyed at being interrupted at such an inopportune moment. The subject matter was very complex, and the students didn't need any unnecessary distractions. He couldn't understand why Principal Randall allowed these unannounced broadcasts several times a week. Taking a seat on the edge of his desk, he turned his full attention to the blonde girl on the screen, setting an example for the kids to do the same. He had no control over the monitor, so he figured if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
"First up, I'm happy to report that the Reefside Falcons varsity football team beat the St. Michael's Panthers 31 to 14 Friday night. We're only three games away from the championship playoffs. Go Falcons! In other sports news, the girl's basketball team was defeated by Beaumont on Saturday, 76 to 68. Despite the loss, the team is still in second place in the district. Good luck, ladies!
Principal Randall asks that I remind the student body to respect the school dress code. That means no exceptionally baggy pants, no undergarments visible and no obscene or drug and alcohol related messages on clothing. According to the student handbook, violations of the dress code can invoke suspension, or even expulsion, so remember to follow the guidelines. Express your individuality, but do it cleanly, please.
Next up, in the Monday morning gossip report, we discovered that one of Reefside High's most eligible faculty members may not be eligible for long. Friday evening, Science teacher Dr. Thomas Oliver was seen having a romantic dinner for two with a pretty redhead at BellaRosa's in Little Italy. They followed their meal with a stroll around the historic neighborhood before retiring to the Reefside Marriott. Have a look at the exclusive footage."
Cassidy signaled to Devin in the control booth to play the tape. Seconds later, every classroom in Reefside high got a look at Tommy and Kimberly leaving the restaurant holding hands, walking through the neighborhood, window shopping, and finally retreating through the side door of the hotel. Together. Of course, there was no footage or mention of the fact that Tommy emerged from the Marriott only five minutes later. Alone.
Tommy was grateful that he was leaning against his desk, because he was sure he would have fallen over when Cassidy began her report. As it was he could do little more than stare at the monitor. The moment felt surreal, unbelievable, as if he were in the middle of some sort of awful dream. There he was on the screen with Kim, the implication that they spent the night together at the hotel made very clear. Again, his ears started to burn and he knew his face had to be bright red. He stood there trying to decide how to react, but his mind was such a jumble of images: of dinner with Kim, the wedding, the incredible sex, the fight with Haley, the talk he knew he had to have with the Rangers. Now this. The whole school would think he was some sort of playboy, too.
Moments later, the nosy reporter had moved on to some other news, but Tommy didn't hear a word of it. His head was spinning, thoughts moving in every different direction. Before he embarrassed himself any further with a rash show of temper like he did at the cybercafé, he cleared the distance to the door in three long strides and stepped out into the hallway without a word to his class. He couldn't even look at them.
Tommy's first inclination was to storm into the principal's office and demand that Cassidy and Devin be suspended. He found himself holding his head as if to keep it from exploding while pacing up and down the hall, his heart racing. Calm down, Tommy. Be the adult. There's probably some sort of law against killing students in California, no matter how much they might deserve it. They're just kids. Just nosy, obnoxious, snooping, irritating, interfering, prying, meddlesome, tactless kids. That sounded real grown-up of me. You did nothing wrong, no matter what was implied. You're allowed to date.
Pulling himself together with a few deep breathing exercises and a quick meditation, he decided that the best course of action was to be responsible and go back to class. There was still a half an hour left, and then he was free until third period. He would go talk to Randall then, not that he thought it would do much good. Oh, God! Randall. You were going to avoid her as much as possible. She asks you out, you decline the invitation, then are seen with someone else. You think she was a bitch to you before, just wait until she gets a load of this ammunition.
Tommy stared at the classroom door that he had shut just a little too hard when he walked out. He had to go back in, and he knew he wasn't prepared. The students would naturally be curious. After all, he would have been if when he was in high school he had heard that Ms. Applebee had a romantic tryst at a hotel. EEEwwww, gross thought, Tommy. The truth was, his students didn't see him any differently than he saw her, as much as he didn't want to admit it. He was sure he would get some interesting looks and hear a few off-color comments, but the key to getting through this was not to let his feathers get ruffled. Acting like he committed a crime would only encourage more ragging. Intellectually, he knew all of this, but on an emotional level, the humiliation of having his personal life splattered all over every classroom at Reefside was more than he felt he could tolerate. The contradiction of it all was that none of this would have occurred if he hadn't reunited with Kim. Her landing back in his life was the greatest thing to happen to him in a very long time. How something so wonderful could get so tainted so fast was a real mystery. Why did it seem like he was being made to pay for his happiness? He hoped it wasn't a sign.
Even the doorknob seemed to require too much effort to turn as Tommy finally gathered the courage to return to class. Walking with his head held high in an artificial show of composure, he ignored the whistle that came from the back of the room and came to a stop in front of the desk, his usual teaching position. For the first time ever, he had the students' rapt attention from the moment he entered. Usually it took a few seconds to settle everyone down, especially with this first period class. Looking out into the curious faces of the teens, he made no specific eye contact with anyone, but just briefly glanced around to get a feel for the 'audience'. Although it was possible that pretending nothing happened would draw even more attention to it, he decided that low-key would be the best approach.
"Hey Dr. O! A redhead? You did have a good weekend! Don't hold out on us, now. Who is she?" It was no surprise that the first kid to speak up was his very own Red Ranger, Conner McKnight.
The lightening in the teacher's eyes could have set Conner on fire. "My personal life is not part of the state-mandated curriculum. I would appreciate it if you'd all remember that. Now let's move on. Does anyone have any questions about what we were discussing before we were interrupted?" Rudely interrupted.
One hand shot up, attached to a wrist adorned with a silver, yellow-gem-encrusted bracelet. "Dr. Oliver? So what was before the Big Bang?"
Tommy hoped the tiny nod in her direction adequately conveyed his gratefulness for Kira's sensitivity. He knew she was trying to divert the classes' attention away from the breaking 'news'. "Good question, but I don't have an answer for you. This is the point where we as humans are limited by our finite perception of the universe. Scientists have no idea what, if anything came before the Big Bang. According to the theory, all matter, space, and time was created at the moment of this singularity. By that definition, there was no 'before'. Essentially, the theory explains everything we have been able to observe and deduct about the universe, but it doesn't explain itself. The actual cause of the event crosses the fine line between science and theology. We have no clue, so whatever you believe is as valid as anything the finest minds in the world have deduced. The one thing that most scientists agree on, though, is that this is the most probable explanation for the creation of everything. Few experts dispute the theory anymore, although that's just about where their consensus ends. Within the theory, there are almost as many variations as there are stars in the sky."
Tommy felt fairly relaxed for the time being. He didn't think anyone else would have the nerve to ask him about Kim. The complex subject matter gave both his and the student's minds something to keep them occupied. "Any more questions?"
"You said that few scientists disagree with the Big Bang anymore. What do those few believe started everything?" The intelligent question came from Ethan, who had one of the most vivid imaginations Tommy had ever seen. This topic was right up his alley.
"Well, there are actually several other creation theories out there…"
The rest of the class passed, status quo. By a couple minutes before the bell would ring, Tommy had almost forgotten the rude invasion of his privacy, even though it happened only twenty minutes ago. Sometimes his short memory was a blessing.
Ms. Randall pictured steam coming out of her ears like in a cartoon. The sudden flash of anger she was struck with when she saw Dr. Thomas Oliver with that woman was unexplainable, not to mention unsettling. She tried to convince herself that her fury stemmed from her failure to complete her mission. Her master expected her to gain his trust, and now the route she planned to take to accomplish that hit a roadblock. He may have declined her invitation on Friday, but eventually she was sure she would have worn him down. She could be very persuasive. Elsa didn't like competition, and she didn't play fair in its elimination.
The deeper motivation for her rage was something she chose to ignore for the moment. Hopefully forever. She didn't recognize the strange emotion that was bubbling beneath the surface of her subconscious. All she knew was that it felt almost like jealousy. That couldn't be it, however, because for her to be jealous was to imply that she had 'other' feelings for the Science teacher. Romantic feelings. The desire to have been the one disappearing into the hotel with him. That just can't be possible! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!
Elsa repeated the phrase over and over in her mind in order to convince herself it was true. Just the use of the word 'hate' renewed the evil power Mesogog bestowed upon her, and the stirring of those unfamiliar emotions that Dr. Oliver evoked left her, replaced by all the wickedness and spite that she would need to defeat the Black Ranger.
The method by which she received the news didn't even register until a few minutes later, but when it did, Randall was almost tickled pink. The humiliation he must be feeling was icing on the cake. Ruining his reputation just might be the ticket to success. How lucky she was to have such nosy and tactless students in her school. Class was over in less than a minute. It was time to put a plan into action.
Tommy noticed that the bell would be ringing in just seconds, so he wrapped up the last of their discussion. Now the fun would begin. He was rethinking his decision to go to Randall about Cassidy and Devin. The events of Friday morning kept playing in his mind. Avoidance was probably still the best idea. Avoidance of Randall, of the students' questions and innuendos. Avoidance of the whole thing. He still had Haley and the Rangers to deal with, but that was later.
The shrill sound of the bell cut through the noise of Tommy's students packing up their books, causing them to move even faster. Seconds later, the telltale crackling of the P.A. speaker caught everyone's attention.
"Dr. Oliver, please report to the principal's office immediately!" came Ms. Randall's stern voice from overhead. All eyes left in the room, including those of all four Rangers, descended on Tommy.
So much for avoidance.