Special thanks to Esteban for encouraging me to continue with this, as well as to doctor-emily001 for the awesome review, for favoriting, and for subscribing! I would especially like to thank Sam for motivating me to continue this story. It means a lot to have a reader and friend who's that faithful to a story. :'3
Please check out xXSilverEyesXx and her story Second Chances, featuring Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver, and Dallas Winston of The Outsiders. I had no clue who Dallas was before the story but I fell in love with it nonetheless. It's just that good. And it has Jim. What more could one ask for?
Oh, and I apologize for any typos and inconsistencies present in this chapter. I was in kind of a rush. I'll probably come back and edit it later. :P

Chapter Twenty: Rematch

Pride and Prejudice in hand, Jim couldn't help but feel a surge of pride course through him from the tips of his toes to his fingertips. He knew Kayley would be the happiest girl in the world, and the thought of her beautiful smile spreading across her face at the sight of her long-desired gift warmed his heart.

"Pride and Prejudice doesn't exactly seem like your type of book, Jim. Then again, I would never have pegged Sarah as the kind who would enjoy…" The doctor looked once more at the book he was holding and knotted up his face in disgust. "The Women's Murder Club."

"It's not for me, it's for Kayley," Jim informed, smiling slightly.

"Ah. She seems like a bright girl. I would like to meet her sometime. I'm sure she and I could delve into great philosophical discussion."

"Just make sure you're up-to-date on all your British History. She's kind of a history nerd."

Doctor Doppler looked as if he had died and gone to heaven. Thrusting a finger in the air, he proclaimed, "We shall indulge in my favorite subject!"

"I thought that was astronomy?"

"Jim, my dear boy…you are right."

Shaking his head, Jim walked on, eyes riveted on the novel's cover. He ran his hand over it again before quickly halting, an uncanny feeling interrupting his unusually good mood. His blue eyes swung over his surroundings before landing on a man, his back turned to him, a few feet away. The man was examining the aisle devoted to factual accounts of wars and American history. Something about him struck Jim as odd, and after Jim stepped out of the door he turned to the doctor and asked, "Did you get the sense we were being watched?"

"We are always being watched. How would people avoid walking into us, otherwise?"

Jim narrowed his eyes but decided to say nothing more on the subject, despite the sudden realization that the man had been nearby the entire time he and Doppler had been browsing the store.

O~o~O

"I can't believe I finally get to see you skate!" Kayley exclaimed, grabbing onto Jim's arm as they strolled down the sidewalk, his skateboard in hand.

"It's nothing exciting," Jim lied, hoping to calm her down.

"Yes it is! I'm about to see you in your realm. It will be brilliant."

Willing himself not to smile, he led her to the skate park. Stepping through the gates, she cast her eyes all around, trying to observe everything. Jim noticed her scrunch her face at seeing the innertube. "How in the world does one skate in that?" she asked as they passed it.

"Uh…kinda hard to describe to someone. Good balance, speed, and angle."

"Obviously. But how does one know how to do it? That's what confounds me." She looked up expectantly at him, hoping he got her hint. Much to her disappointment he continued straight ahead, not intending to stop to demonstrate the pipe.

"That's the half-pipe," he said, pointing to a half-circular structure.

"Oh, so this is that infamous wooden ramp shaped like half a doughnut," she purred, examining it with wide eyes.

Jim cringed. He hated when people called it that. "Half-pipe," he said in a cough.

"You quite all right?"

"Yes. So, yeah, I'm going to go up there and skate around."

"Okay!"

Jim gave her a one-armed hug before heading for the half-pipe, leaving her standing there, wondering where would be best to stand for the most spectacular view. She didn't have to wait long. "Kayley? Kayley, over here!" The girl turned immediately, knowing perfectly well that Monique was in the vicinity and was very much wanting to find her. Finally her eyes landed on the blonde, who was sitting atop a concrete wall, tote bag hanging at her side. Kayley galloped over.

"Hi, Mo, what are you doing here?"

Monique leaned down, offering a hand to help pull up the brunette. Straddling the wall, Kayley took a second to get into a more comfortable position. "I'm waiting for my brother," Monique informed, pointing to the top, left platform of the ramp. "And you're here to watch Jim?"

"Yeah, I…" Kayley's smile fell. "Oh no, Zach is here?" she squealed in terror, gaze locked on the tall, sandy-haired figure atop the platform.

Monique nodded weakly.

"Drat! Perhaps I should warn Jim…"

"Too late," Monique said lazily, swinging her Conversed feet, kicking her heels against the wall. "He's already up there by now—on the other end, darling—and if you call out to him you'll only draw attention to yourself."

"You're right," Kayley groaned, grinding her teeth. "My poor boy."

"Oh!"

Kayley's neck snapped as she whipped her head around to look at Monique, who was shifting through items in her red, gold, and black tote bag, the word Gryffindor embroidered on it. "Here we go!" the blonde announced, pulling a stack of books from the bag. "I carry these around in case I ever get bored." She handed them over to her friend. "The first three Harry Potter novels—my personal favorites. They're enrapturing is what they are, as well as the epitome of awesomeness."

Kayley arched an eyebrow. "You're lending me these?"

"Yep."

With a nod Kayley answered, "I guess I could do a bit of light reading this weekend."

Monique squeed and glomped Kayley, inadvertently almost causing her to fall from the wall. "You're going to make me so happy! Finally someone to discuss Harry Potter with!"

The smile on Kayley's face hid the fact she was having bothersome thoughts of wondering what she had just gotten herself into. Monique's sudden squeak drew Kayley back into the real world. Jim had just taken off down the ramp and was speeding up the opposite curved side. Her hazel eyes locked on him as he performed numerous flips and twirls in the air. She was afraid he was going to land on his head, and she bit down hard on her lip as he came close to landing. He landed it perfectly and she let out her breath—something she didn't even realize she had been containing. Jim was a flash as he sped across the tube, his speed having been increased from his unbelievable landing. Yet the fact he had nailed his first attempt didn't quench Kayley's fear of him cracking his skull wide open. She covered her eyes with her hands as he went flipping through the air once again.

"He's fine," Monique said as Jim landed and jumped off his board atop the half-pipe. "And forgive me but…your boyfriend's hot."

Kayley peeled her fingers apart and squinted through them. Seeing him safely on his feet was everything she could have hoped for at that moment…well, almost everything. The only thing to make it better was if he got off that cursed wooden ramp. To her dismay, just as quickly as he had jumped off his board he was back on, urged by the apparent challenge of Zachary, who crossly stood with his arms folded across his broad chest. "What? No! Get out of there, you bloody bastard!" Kayley cried in agony, flailing an arm in the air and nearly falling from the wall as a result. She had no time to panic for her own life, for she was already glaring murderous daggers at Zachary Mason. "Forgive me but…your brother's a dead man." A hand flew over her eyes. "Tell me when it's over!"

Monique watched intently as Jim performed the first air, and then sped for his second. He landed smoothly and raced for the third. Her blue eyes tore away from him long enough to focus on Zach's smug grin—and she gasped.

"What? What?"

"Nothing…uh, Jim landed really good. But he's not done yet."

Kayley groaned and Monique bit down on her tongue. She had seen that expression once before when Zach had challenged one of his friends to perform a very difficult—and dangerous—flip. It was one he had yet to master himself. For some reason he got joy out of watching others fail at it as well. "Oh please, God," Monique silently prayed as Jim crouched low just as his board was about to lift from the wooden platform. Jim was up and spinning sideways. It had taken Tony Hawk 12 tries at the 1999 X-Games to nail the 900. And here was Jim trying to do it in one—with no helmet. Monique cringed. He landed, wobbled, and then victoriously thrust his arms in the air. Zach's grin fell. "Oh my God, HE DID IT!" Monique cheered, jumping from the wall and bouncing up and down. Kayley's eyes flew open. Monique had celebrated too soon. Zach, in a fit of rage, kicked his skateboard down the ramp as soon as Jim hit wood. Jim's victory was short-lived. He saw the oncoming skateboard and attempted to lift his own over it, but by that time it was too late. The boards collided and Jim flew off his skateboard. All he had time to do was throw his arms over his face. The boy landed on his knees, flipped, and skidded on his side to a stop near the edge of the ramp. There was a collective silence as everyone waited for him to move, but the boy remained motionless.

"Jim?" Kayley whispered. She jumped off the wall and dashed to the half-pipe, trying to call out his name but her voice failing her. The pumping off her arms hurt her shoulders, and it was a wonder her legs didn't go out on her or that she didn't trip over her feet. The girl pulled herself up onto the half-pipe and frantically grabbed his arm. "Jim! Jim! Are you okay?" she sobbed, her words hardly legible. The boy groaned in response and she threw herself over him.

"Ow!" he moaned.

She sat up and he gingerly moved his arm away from his face.

"Are you okay?" she asked as he studied her with a rather dazed cast in his eyes.

"I dunno. What happened?" he asked hoarsely.

"Uh…I don't know. All of a sudden you went flipping through the air."

"I can tell you what happened," Monique said, climbing up to join them. She pointed at a skateboard lying upside down in the middle of the ramp, and then at another one that had flipped off the ramp and was sitting on the pavement. "Zach kicked his board down to get in your way."

Jim let off a string of curse words and tried to push himself up, only to fall onto his back.

"What's wrong?" Kayley asked shakily, tears still flowing forth from her eyes.

"I think I broke my arm. Or something."

Sharing a worried glance with Monique, the girls pushed back his jacket sleeve. His entire arm was already bruising, and his hands were caked in blood. His girlfriend sighed. "I'm so sorry, Jim."

"It could have been worse," came his surprising reply. "At least I got to open my eyes to the most beautiful angel in the world." He smiled weakly.

"Oh, Jim." Kayley couldn't help but blush. "Mo, can you help me see if we can get him up?" After trying and failing to lift the boy, one of the skaters approached. His greasy hair was pulled back in a black ponytail, and his arms were covered in tattoos. The girls' expressions turned fearful.

"Let me help," the skater said, bending down and putting one of Jim's arms over his shoulder. Kayley clambered over Jim to his other side and helped support his weight while Monique gathered up his skateboard.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Zach cried, sliding down the ramp on the heels of his tennis shoes.

"What does it look like I'm doin'?" the skater answered gruffly.

"But…Enzo, you're my brotherman. This guy's trash."

"No, this guy's got heart," Enzo said. "You went against the code, dude."

Zach's face turned scarlet. "He's filth! The sonofabitch should be rotting in jail with the rest of his kind."

Kayley huffed.

"It's ok, forget him," Jim whispered.

"The only thing he's got is an airhead girlfriend who thinks she can make him a better person. Let me tell you something, sweetheart, Jim's a no-good, low-down greaser and always will be. You might think he'll turn his world upside-down for you but he won't. No feminine charms can change a man. He only wants you for one thing."

Kayley stopped in her tracks and turned to Monique, who was mouthing an uh-oh. "Mo, take Jim." Mo did so obligingly and watched in terror as Kayley marched up toward Zach. She passed him and approached the ramp. Alongside it still resided the boy's skateboard. She picked it up, examined it, and then with a loud crack smashed it against the edge of the ramp. It splintered. She did it again in an attempt to snap it in half. Zachary stood there, speechless, as Kayley succeeded and then handed him the two jagged pieces of his board. She put her fists to her hips, glared him in the eyes, and then slapped him across the face. "You ever bother either of us again, I will file a criminal case against you. I got everything on camera. Don't be that guy." And with that, she tossed her auburn ponytail and returned to her hobbling group.

Now having a stinging, bright red mark across his cheekbone and a permanent souvenir of the girl's super strength, Zach's eyes watered at the sight of the two boards in his hands. He wasn't used to losing, especially to a girl, Monique and Mrs. Mason being the exceptions. He didn't like it. And he never wanted to experience it again.