Certainties
an All Grown Up fan fiction story
by Lord Akiyama
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All Grown Up and its characters copyright © Klasky-Csupo, Nickelodeon and Viacom. This story has been produced for sheer fun and enjoyment. Please don't sue.
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Chapter Six
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They set their first day for Friday night, almost immediately after school. They were really excited about finally putting this whole going out together as a couple thing to the test. But at the same time, they had concerns about the others. Sure they were accepting of their having a relationship. But know who some of these guys are, they were worried that they'll do things to make the date less enjoyment. Especially when both brothers are more than willing to spy on them.
"I want you to promise me that you won't follow or spy on us, Dil," Tommy said firmly, turning away from the mirror so that he could look his brother in the eyes.
"Okay, okay, I won't follow or spy on you two," Dil said.
"Swear it, Dil," Tommy demanded. "Both hands raised so you won't cross your fingers."
"Alright, alight," Dil groaned a bit as he raised both hands as though he was getting arrested. "Geez, you don't have to be uptight about it, bro. I swear that I won't follow or spy on you and Kimi's first date. Happy?"
"For now," Tommy sighed, turning back to the mirror to adjust his collar. "Nervous enough about mom making too big of a deal out of this and wanting me to dress like I'm getting married." Satisfied that he looked ready, he took another deep breath and turned away from the mirror. "I just don't want anything to happen that'll make us feel uncomfortable."
"And me spying on you would do that," Dil deduced.
"Because I know you, Dil," Tommy said. "You follow us, you spy on us, you do things that end up making the evening go sour even if you didn't intend on doing it. It may not be as big of a deal as mom wants to make it out to be, but it's still really important to me and Kimi that you guys just let us be. We want this to go down on our own accord. Believe me, when you have a girlfriend of your own and you start dating, you'll see what I'm trying to say."
"Guess I'll have to take your word for it, T," Dil shrugged. "Well, I guess the rest of us can figure out what to do with you and Kimi wanting some alone time. Got any suggestions?"
"Outside of staying away from us?" Tommy replied. Oddly enough, Dil caught the joke and chuckled. "Well, the school's football team is hosting a game tonight."
"I dunno, T," Dil said. "High school football games are really weird to be a part of."
"Then I guess that's something you guys have to figure out on your own," Tommy sighed. "I can't think of any other suggestions since Kimi and I have a date tonight. If you guys plan on going out, just steer clear of Bento and the movie theater. That's where we're pretty much gonna be."
"You want us to avoid the movie theater?" Dil repeated. "You mean we can't go to the mall because of your date?"
"Not that movie theater, Dil," Tommy assured. "There's another one on the other side of town we're going to. We won't be hitting the mall tonight. Besides, that theater is not playing the movie we're seeing."
"Whatcha gonna watch?" Dil asked.
"I'm not telling you," Tommy said. "I will when I get back, but just please stay away from us tonight. I really mean it."
"Okay, okay, you don't have to worry so much about me following you guys," Dil said. "I think I can talk the twins into going with me elsewhere." He then had a thought running through his head. "You think Kimi's fairing any better with her brother than you did with me?"
"We'll consider the date a success if she can convince Chuckie to not even come within fifty feet of us," Tommy sighed.
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"Are you sure?" Chuckie asked sheepishly. "I mean, maybe something could happen, you know. And you guys could need me or something. I dunno, I just wanna make sure you're okay."
"Chuckie, I am going out on a limb in begging you to not tail us tonight," Kimi groaned, her attention on the mirror as she made sure the shirt and skirt went with her precious red jacket. "If I have to, I will tie you up just so you won't follow."
"A-Are you serious?" Chuckie asked in shock and terror.
"Yes, Chuckie!" Kimi yelled, turning away from the mirror to face him with a stern look. "I will do great harm to you if I catch you within fifty feet of us. I am that serious about how much I want to be alone with Tommy tonight."
"Oh, um... o-okay..." Chuckie quietly muttered.
She sighed, knowing that losing her cool would end up scaring him. She held his arms and gave him her best reassuring smile. "Listen to me, big brother," Kimi said. "I know how much you care for me. Being the older brother, you're just looking out for the well being of your younger sister. But you're taking this way beyond the limit of being overprotective of me, alright? I love you a lot, but you have to understand that we can't be together forever. You could be on the east coast and I could be on the west. You can't just fly or drive over just because you're worried about me. You have to trust that I will be able to take care of myself. You have to see that you can't always be there for me. You understand?"
He shook a little, finding himself in a tough place. He knew that she was right. "Y-Yeah..." Chuckie muttered.
She sighed again. "You shouldn't have to worry too much any way," Kimi continued. "I'm with your best friend and he knows how precious I am to you and to mom and dad. He will be able to take care of me when I can't, so you can stop being so concerned, alright? I'll be with Tommy the whole time. So don't sweat it."
He gave a sigh after taking in all of that. "Okay..." Chuckie managed to say. "As long as you'll be alright..."
"I will be," Kimi said, widening her smile. "I promise." She gave her brother a hug and then turned her attention back to the mirror for another peek at how she looked and then gave a sigh. "Hope he likes how they go with the jacket."
"You look really nice, Kimi," Chuckie said, giving off a smile.
She glance over to him and made a light giggle. "Why thank you, Chuckie," Kimi said. "Makes me feel a lot better." Moments later, they heard the door bell ring. "Oh my God, he's here!" She began to panic a little, making sure she had everything ready. Soon enough, her attention was back onto brother and began to wave a stern finger at him. "Swear to me, Chuckie. Swear that you won't follow us."
"Okay, okay, I swear," Chuckie immediately said, throwing his hands in the air. Watching his sister in the state that she was, wanting to have everything perfect, intimidated him. "Well... I hope you have fun."
She took a deep breath and smile. "I think I will," Kimi said. "Well... I'll see you when I get back." The two siblings took a look at one another before she turned and stepped out.
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"Wow..." Tommy quietly said, shaking himself from the trance he was in after watching her appear in her clothing for the night. "You look... very pretty..."
"Why thank you, Tommy," Kimi sheepishly replied, not sure if she was blushing or not. "You look pretty handsome yourself. Guess we're getting this thing off on the right foot."
"Yeah," Tommy chuckled along to her giggle. He took a deep breath as he looked around to see that they were the only ones in the room. Seemed like her parents disappeared just before she came down the stares. So it was just the two of them. At least, in his visual sight. "Well, that's one down. How about we get going?"
"But of course," Kimi continued to giggle. "Lead the way, Tommy Pickles."
They smiled before he opened the door for her and they stepped out of her house. He once again borrowed the Maxima, which he parked in the driveway this time around. She tried to keep from blushing a lot whenever he snuck a look at her the appeared as though he was looking at her in a dream-like state or when he went out of his way to be a gentleman, like opening the passenger side door of the car just for her. Probably a piece of advice he got from his dad.
"So, where to first?" Kimi asked when he started the car.
"I figured we'd eat dinner first before catching a movie," Tommy replied as he began to pull out of the driveway.
"Sounds good to me," Kimi said with a light giggle. "Did you have any place in mind, or were you gonna leave that to me?" She remembered Susie's advice of just being herself. It made going through the whole thing more relaxing.
"Well, I thought we could hit the local Bento," Tommy chuckled a little as he set the car out of reverse and drove onward down the road. "Figured we keep it simple, but a little fancy at the same time."
"And something I'd be quite at ease with, eh?" Kimi giggled. "A Japanese restaurant. Now you're being too kind."
"It was either that or Olive Garden," Tommy said. "And we both know that while we love the food, it's a bit expensive and it sure does take a while for the food to arrive. Not to mention there's a lot more people there than at Bento."
"You sure do have thought this through," Kimi said. "How long ago did you actually start planning our date?"
"I had an idea when I asked you out," Tommy replied. "But I spent most of the day Wednesday figuring out where we could go that would be something you would like. I mean, the mall isn't quite the appropriate setting for a first date."
"That's for sure," Kimi agreed. "We'd be doing our own individual thing more than spending time together. Plus, I'd be spending a lot of money both in my account and from your pockets." They shared a laugh over the last statement. "Well, since we established what we are having for dinner, what are we gonna see?"
"That one, I'm thinking of saving as a surprise," Tommy said with a bit of a grin.
"A secret, eh?" Kimi responded with a grin of her own. "Sounds like you're looking to give this first date some added value and leave quite a lasting impression."
"Well, I kinda figured I needed to push myself if I wanted to get back to that moment where I made you happy," Tommy said, his grin becoming a simple smile. "Like I needed to do something that feels like or turns out better than when I got you that jacket for your birthday."
She blushed a little more. Looking at him, she could tell that he sure did want this relationship to work. "Well, I don't think you have to worry about whether or not I'm happy tonight," Kimi said. "Because I already am." They shared a silent look at one another, smiling along, before he quickly turned his attention back to the road.
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"We don't have to head back this very minute," Tommy suggested as they walked out of the movie theater. "Wanna walk about for a bit and get some fresh air?" He had his right arm wrapped around her from behind with a smile on his face.
"Sounds good to me," Kimi replied with a light giggle to match her smile. "I think we've had our share of sitting from being in the car, in Bento, and in the movie theater. Moving our legs would be a nice idea for a change."
After giving each other a gentle look, they continued onward in the opposite direction of where he parked the car. Soon enough, they were walking away from the neighborhood area and down a sidewalk leading them to a small pond. Only the moon was about to cast light upon them as they began to repeatedly circle the body of water. Moments later, she began to hum along to one of the songs from the movie.
"You think you know some of the lyrics?" Tommy asked.
"Maybe," Kimi replied. "How about this? We never said our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea. But if you can still remember, stop and think of me. I only remember a couple after that, though. That song was all the way back at the beginning of the film.
"Hey, it's better than my memory," Tommy chuckled. "You certainly have a knack for picking up line easily."
"Well, just most," Kimi responded with a little blush. "If it's something I like, I try to pick up as much as I can."
"And you sing them pretty well," Tommy added, encouraging her to keep blushing and giggling. "Sing the rest you know."
"Well," Kimi said, sheepishly looking away. "Only if you sing one of the other ones."
"Like I said, yours is better than mine," Tommy chuckled. "But I'll give it a shot."
"Alright then," Kimi said. "If you insist. Recall those days, look back on all those times, think of the things we'll never do. There will never be a day, when I won't think of you. Any better than before?"
"I don't think it should matter," Tommy said with a smile. "Because you sang them so well. Better than I will, no doubt."
"Oh, come on," Kimi giggled, playfully pushing his side while staying in his arm's embrace. "I know you're pretty good a singing. Now sing the one you can remember the most."
"Well, okay," Tommy responded, trying to make his tone sound as sheepish as he was nervous. He sang in front of her before, but there was definitely something different about this one that made him feel embarrassed. "Here goes nothing. Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor. Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender. Turn your face away, from the garish light of day. Turn your thoughts away, from cold, unfeeling light. And listen to the music of the night. Well, that's as much as I'm gonna remember. Whatcha think?"
He looked at her, watching her smile and her eyes being placed upon him. He was even more nervous by her lack of an immediate response. Did he sing it badly? Did he remember the words correctly? Too many variables that made his heart pound that much faster with each passing second. It was after this moment of uncertainty that she finally gave him a response. A sweet and gentle kiss on his cheek.
"I told you were good," Kimi giggled. "And you're not that bad at remembering lyrics yourself, Mr. Self-Doubter."
"Ah, that's the most you'll get tonight," Tommy chuckled, feeling himself blush. "I'd have to have the lyrics in my hand if I'm gonna be knowing the rest, that's for sure."
"I know, I know," Kimi responded, retaining her gentle smile. "Don't one of our parents have CD or something? Not from the movie, of course, but from one of the stage shows."
"Maybe Uncle Drew and Aunt Charlotte," Tommy replied with a shrug. "I think they saw Phantom of the Opera before. I dunno, I'll have to ask them."
"Either way, I think I'll buy the soundtrack," Kimi said. "I like the music a lot. And oh I'm gonna enjoy getting the DVD when it comes out. That was a very beautiful movie."
"It is pretty good," Tommy said. "Although I kinda think the guy playing The Phantom was too young."
"I agree it wasn't perfect," Kimi giggled. "It's still a good one." She stepped ahead a little so that they could come to a stop and she could look at him. "Thank you for this great night, Tommy."
"The least I could do on a first date, Kimi," Tommy said. "Just to see you as happy as you were when I got you that jacket would've been successful enough for me."
"Well, I think you did more than that," Kimi giggled.
Silence once again came over them as they did nothing more than stare into each other's eyes and smile. It seemed as though every concern or worry they had about things that could've went wrong disappeared in an instant. Soon enough, they slowly inched forward toward one another before they closed their eyes when their lips gently came together.
It definitely was a successful first date.
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October 14, 2005