Chapter 2
Aisha and Kim got the breakfast that morning but didn't run into any of the guys, not that either of them minded.
"It is so nice to have the morning for just the two of us," Aisha commented as they say down.
Kim nodded, "It is. Don't get me wrong, I love the guys, but I need some coffee in my system before they get here."
"Girl, yes. Plus, I always could use some more one on one time with you!" Aisha smiled. They both were so busy these last few years that they didn't get to see each other as much as either wanted, so any time they could at least talk was not put to waste. "I've wanted to ask you! How is your gym going?"
Kim took a moment to finish chewing and swallowing her bite before answering, "It's good. We are getting more boys becoming interested and that's really exciting."
"Any cute single dads?" Aisha asked with a wink. Kim looked down as she smiled. Her romantic issues ever since she left Angel Grove had been discussed with Trini and Aisha ad nauseum; the boy she left Tommy for was not The One or anything even close. She realized that she only agreed to date him because she was missing the companionship she had with the original White Ranger. She had dated on and off in the following years, but nothing serious.
Kim wrinkled her nose, "I don't think any of them are single; not to mention, it'd be awkward if there was a messy break-up."
"True," Aisha conceded. Her eyes lit up in a mischievous way, "What about Skull? You two looked all cozy at the bar last night." Kim's only response was to make a face at her. Aisha continued, "People change, Kim. You know you and I both have. Yeah, he and Bulk were bullies at first, but the junior police did them a lot of good."
"That is true," she concurred. "I think he was just being nice. Besides, there is no way that he's held onto a crush after all these years."
Aisha gave her a look to convey that she was definitely not believing the brunette. "Come on, let's finish our breakfasts so we can change and meet the guys."
The duo changed into their bathing suits and took a ride up to the designated starting point for the tubing for the resort. Kim was wearing a bright pink bikini that may have pushed up her cleavage a little more than she was used to. Aisha was wearing a purple bikini that had an adorable flower pattern, though it also seemed to amplify her cleavage. Jason, wearing (go figure) bright red trunks, and Zack, wearing trunks with a beach scene complete with palm trees, were already there, chatting with Adam, who wore a pair of patriotic swim trunks.
Aisha looked around, "Where's Rocky and Skull?"
"They are getting a cooler; apparently there's some kind of deal where the resort packs a cooler full of food and drinks for a fee," Jason shrugged. "Skull mentioned it and it sounded like a good idea."
Adam agreed, "It did sound like a pretty good deal. The tubing trip takes about four hours. We should definitely work up an appetite before it ends."
Aisha looked around, "Are we just waiting for the cooler?" Adam nodded as Kim noted the seven innertubes were all linked up to a center tube that was clearly meant for the cooler and whatever else they didn't mind getting wet.
"Anyone need sunblock?" She asked, pulling a bottle out of her waterproof bag. Jason reached out for the bottle and started to put lotion over his broad chest and shoulders.
"Need some help getting your back?" Aisha offered, extending a helping hand.
Jason flirtatiously smiled at her, "I'd never say no to that." Zack, Adam, and Kim exchanged amused looks. Aisha ignored them as she rubbed lotion over Jase's muscular back before handing the bottle back to Kim as they heard the distinct sound of footsteps crunching on gravel were heard from behind her.
"Need any help with that?" Zack asked, jerking his chin the direction of Rocky and Skull. Kim turned to discover that Skull was surprisingly fit. Though he wasn't super muscular like Jason or well-defined like Zack, Adam, or Rocky, he wasn't nearly as scrawny as he was in high school. She had to remind herself not to stare at his arms, his biceps bulging slightly as he helped carry the heavy cooler.
Rocky shook his head, "We're good. Just gotta get this loaded into the tube and we can get going." As Jason and Zack helped maneuver the cooler into the tube, Kim shimmied off her shorts and started to apply her sunblock. She glanced up and notice that Skull was trying very hard not to stare, making her smile to herself.
Zack must've noticed, too, as he called out. "Hey Kim, lemme get your back."
"Sure," she chirped as she tossed him the bottle.
He leaned in slightly as he rubbed the lotion onto her neck. He muttered, "Don't tease the poor guy."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, her tone lowered.
Zack shook his head as he finished up with the sunblock, "Skull is all but drooling over you. Have you not noticed?"
Before Kimberly could respond, the guys were putting the tubes into the water.
"Alright, gang, let's hit the river," Jason called out.
Two hours into the trip, Kim was utterly relaxed. With a fruity, light beer in one hand and the other resting on the tube, she had closed her eyes and let her body relax and her mind quiet. That was, until, one of the guys thought it was funny to start a water gun fight. Out of nowhere, cold river water squirted out from her right, hitting her square on her shoulder and making her gasp. Judging by the matching shout Aisha let out, it was a planned attack by Rocky and Adam. Jason, Zack, and even Skull were roaring with laughter at the sight.
"Not fair!" Aisha huffed, splashing Adam, who was floating to her right.
"Oh yeah?" Adam smirked before splashing back harder. Aisha screamed with delight as the two got into a major splash battle. During the splash flight, Rocky, who was to the right of Adam, had slipped off his tube using the excuse that if he was going to get soaked, he might as well be swimming. Jason, who was between Aisha and Kim, agreed and decided that floating on his back was more relaxing.
Adam cried 'uncle'. "Alright! Alright! You win!"
"Dang right!" Aisha smiled victoriously. She and Kim toasted and took sips of their drinks as Rocky and Jason splashed around in the water somewhere in their vicinity. Skull, on the innertube to Kimberly's left, glanced over at Kim (possibly over her shoulder? She wondered briefly) before asking, "Hey Kim, mind if I try a sip? Bulkie's new girl loves those types of drinks. They come around often enough that I might wanna keep some in my fridge."
Kim shrugged, "Sure." As soon as she had passed the can to Skull, she found herself momentarily in the air followed quickly by splashing into the temperate water. She quickly resurfaced and found that Rocky treading water near her with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. "You jerk!" she squealed, causing Skull to burst into laughter again.
Rocky teasingly replied, "What are you gonna do about it, Kimmy?"
"I'll show you what I'm gonna do about it," she shot back before going under water. Rocky tried to track her movements under the water, but it was too murky to really be able to see, even in her bright pink bikini. She used this to her advantage and managed to knock him under before popping up further down the river where she could stand. Rocky surfaced where tubes were when he went under, still treading water; Zack, Adam, and Skull were laughing over the 'fight'. Aisha had managed to get herself back onto her tube and Jason took it upon himself to guide their makeshift flotilla to get the group to where Kim was.
"If you can get a tube over that branch, we can park it here and eat if everyone is hungry," Kim motioned to a sturdy branch that was sticking out of the water. "The sandbank is nice and squishy here."
After Jason and Rocky got an innertube looped over the branch, Kim climbed back into her innertube and got herself situated.
"Saved your beer," Skull teased as he handed the can back.
She rolled her eyes in a playful manner, "Gee, thanks."
"It's the least I could do," he grinned at her. In response she splashed water at him, making him laugh.
Adam grabbed a sandwich and passed the container around, "As convenient as this is, I wish they didn't use so much plastic. We got turkey on white with lettuce and American cheese."
"There should be chips in there too," Skull mentioned, grabbing a wrapped sandwich out of the bag. "With some water if anyone wants some."
Kim pulled herself to the middle tube, "I'm grabbing chips and a drink. Anyone want anything?" Jason requested a bag of chips, which she tossed to him. Adam and Rocky were satisfied munching on their sandwiches; Aisha needed another drink, but she also pulled herself close enough to grab it out of the cooler.
"Toss me a beer," Zack said; Kim grabbed a cold can out of the bottom and tossed it underhand. He easily caught it with his free hand and cracked it open.
"Skull?" She called out.
He replied, "A water would be great." She nodded, grabbed the bottle, and shoved herself backwards. As she was passing the bottle to him, it slipped out of her hand and fell into the water. They both in the river to grab the bottle, but it had floated out of Kim's reach.
"Sorry!" Kim was quick to apologize as he pulled it out.
"Don't worry about it," he said with a wink. Adam glanced between Zack and Jason, "We never got to spar in high school. What do you guys say? Up for a challenge?"
Jason glanced at Zack with raised eyebrows, "Whatcha say Zack?"
Zack shook his head, "I dunno, man. OG's against the newbies? I don't think that's much of a matchup."
"You talk a big talk there, Zack," Rocky replied.
Adam turned to Rocky, "I think they're just scared."
"Scared?" Zack asked as he hopped out of his tube. "You ain't seen nothin' till you've seen the Zack-Man's patented moves!"
"Let's go then!" Adam laughed in return as the four men moved to a more open area of the sand bar. Aisha took the open tube on the other side of Skull and Kim flipped herself so she could watch the sparring better.
"LET'S GO ZACK AND JASON!" Kim cheered.
Aisha shouted, "GO ADAM AND ROCKY! YOU GOT THIS!"
Skull relaxed in his tube, sipping his beer, and not taking sides. Adam and Jason sparred while Rocky and Zack fought. The ripples they were making in the water made the innertubes float closer together. After a few minutes, they switched so Adam and Zack were sparring while Jason took on Rocky. The trio could tell the guys were tiring out but none of them were going to admit it.
"Should we break it up?" Skull asked Kim. She pondered it for a second or two. "Maybe. Aisha?"
"Nah," She joked. "They'll realize they aren't teenagers anymore soon enough."
As if on cue, Zack tried to do his breakdance-into-high-kick move and fell into the water. Everyone burst into laughter as Adam helped him back up.
Aisha teased, "You might wanna come back before you hurt yourself!"
"We'll call it a draw?" Rocky offered, clearly out of breath.
Reluctantly, the other three agreed and they trudged back to the innertubes. Aisha got back into her tube and Jason unhitched them from the tree, setting off again.
Another hour and a half later, the group reached the resort. Adam and Rocky, being the closet to the shore, hopped out first to pull the tubes closer. As they got closer to shore, Jason hopped out and helped Aisha get out of her tube. Kim and Zack exchanged covert smirks as Jason and Aisha held hands longer than necessary. Skull offered a helping hand to Kim as she got out of the innertube. As he pulled her up, he leaned in and muttered, "Do Jason and Aisha realize they aren't being as secretive as they think they are?"
Kim snorted and shook her head, "I don't think they're trying that hard though."
The employees at the resort came over to assist in the removal of the tubes from the water and informed the group that they'd take care of everything. They thanked the employees as they made their way back up to the hotel.
"I cannot wait for a shower," Kim stated. "It was fun, but I really wanna get this sunblock off." Skull and Jason nodded in agreement.
"Jason and I were gonna check out this diner we saw on the drive in," Zack mentioned. "Anyone wanna join us?"
Aisha shook her head. "It's gonna take Kim and I a while to shower and change."
"Adam and I are down," Rocky replied. He glanced over at Skull. "What do ya say, Skull? Wanna make it a guy's only dinner?"
He shrugged and nodded his head, "Sure, meet you guys in 15 minutes at reception?"
The male Rangers all agreed and the group parted ways. As the girls walked back to their room, Aisha asked, "Would you be mad if I spent some one-on-one time with Jason? I'm just really digging his vibe."
"Why would I be mad?" Kim laughed. "It was, like, totally obvious."
"Everybody knows?" Aisha asked, sounding embarrassed.
Kim shook her head as she pulled out her key. "No," she lied. "I just know how you are. Plus, Jase is super into you."
"Yeah?" Her friend beamed as they walked in.
Kim smiled, "Yeah."
Author Notes:
Thanks for reading! I was planning on the tubing trip and post dinner be one chapter, but I think it works better as two. I'm working out the kinks of posting on so bare with me. I'll be posting chapter 3 after I get the 4th chapter more flushed out. Please don't forget to leave a review!