Chapter Eleven-Triangle, Kimberly, again, plus One More
I did not realize what I was missing until Kira, Trent and Conner came to me. The three had developed a love triangle.
Trent was in love with Kira, Conner was in love with Kira, and Kira had feelings for them both.
Conner came to me first.
"I don't know what to do," he said as he helped me clean up what remained of our Command Center.
"About what," I asked confused.
"Kira," Conner said as if I should have known the answer. "I'm totally in to her. At first, I wasn't but after everything that's happened and we got to know each other-"
"You fell for her," I finished.
"Hard," he said. "What am I to do?"
"Talk to her," I answered.
"But I can't, she's with Trent."
"And don't you have a girlfriend?" I asked remembering the girl he met not too long ago.
"Yeah." Conner answered.
"And don't you like her?"
"Yeah."
"And aren't you two dating, getting along, and having a good time?"
"Yes," Conner sighed.
"Then don't ruin a good thing," I said. "I've been the one that gets hurt when the one you care about finds someone else."
"Really?"
"Yes. Don't do it to your girl."
Conner nodded in agreement.
"I think I won't."
"Good."
We continued to clean in silence.
Trent came to me next. I was grading papers when he knocked on my door.
"Hi, Trent," I said as I allowed him to enter my home.
"Hi, Dr. O," Trent said using the nickname my students gave me.
"Let me guess, Kira?"
"Yeah," Trent answered. "How did you know?"
"I've talked to Conner about her."
"Really?"
"Yes and you have nothing to worry about. Just talk to Kira and found out where you stand in your relationship."
Trent nodded.
"Alright," he said. "Thank you."
"You're welcomed."
Kira came by the next night. Trent had talked to her and she was upset.
"Kira," I said shocked to see her at my door so early in the morning.
"I need to talk to you," she said and I knew that what she really meant was I needed to listen.
"Okay, so I like Trent and I like Conner and for a while I was confused. Trent was keeping secrets and Conner was there. I mean I've liked Trent from the moment I met him, but Conner grew on me. He used to be this jerk jock and now he's this nice, sweet guy. But after talking to them both. I care for them both. I don't want to hurt either." She sighed. "You know what, I don't need your help. I'll figure this out on my own."
She stormed out my house leaving me confused.
In the end, Kira chose Trent. They live together in New York. Kira does music and Trent does art.
Conner broke up with his girlfriend a year later. He focused on his soccer career for another year, then he met Rachel. A sweet girl who made pottery for a living.
It was after Kira left and I thought about my life. I was happy. I was successful. But there was something missing and listening to my former students talk about their love lives made me remember that I really didn't have a love life of my own.
The Summer after Mesogog's defeat, I dated Elsa Randall, the principal of Reefside High and Mesogog's former henchwoman. It was a brief fling. We realized that we weren't what the other wanted and we broke apart peaceful. More for our careers than friendship.
I was beginning to give up on love and just be happy with my life when I ran into a former flame in the grocery store.
"I'm sorry," we apologized at the same time as our carts bumped.
"Oh my gosh," I heard a familiar gasp.
I looked up to see Kimberly Hart. Looking as she had in high school.
"Kimberly," I gasped back. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here," she answered. "I mean, I live here in Reefside."
"Me too."
We laughed. It was hard to believe that we were laughing. So many years ago, we parted on such bad terms.
"So." we said in unison and laughed again.
"Mommy," said a little voice beside her. "What's so funny?"
It was a little blond boy tugging on Kim's pant leg.
"Is he your son?" I asked her.
"Um… yeah," she answered. "This is Jonny. My son."
"Hi," Jonny said to me. "I'm five."
He held up his hand, his figures spread out to show me how old he was.
"Wow, that's a good age," I said smiling down at him.
Jonny smiled up at me.
"So, where's your husband?"
"There is no husband," Kimberly answered.
"Yeah, my daddy died in a boating accident when I was two," Jonny informed.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Kim said a bit choked up. "Paul was a good man and he gave me an amazing gift."
She glanced down at Jonny.
"So, are you married?" Kim asked me after taking a deep breath.
"No, never been married either," I answered.
"Neither have I. Not that Paul and I didn't want to, it just never seemed to be the right time," she said. "And I don't know why I'm telling you all of this."
I watched as she blushed.
We both did not know what to say after that. I mean, we had not spoken in years and suddenly everything comes out like a flood. It was odd and comfortable at the same time.
"Are you going to ask my Mommy out?" Jonny asked me.
He was a very observant five year old.
"No," I answered honestly.
Kim studied me for a moment. I knew she was wondering if I still hated her or not.
"I'm just talking to an old friend." I said.
"Yeah," Kim said to Jonny. "Tommy and I went to high school together."
"You're old," he said to me with a scrunched up face.
Kim and I laughed.
"Well, I've gotta go," Kim said. "I have to make this little one dinner."
"Mommy, I'm not little," Jonny pouted.
I laughed.
"Okay," I said. "Goodbye."
I knelt down to Jonny's level and held out my hand. He took it and gave it a jerking shake.
"Goodbye," he exclaimed.
When he released my hand, he went to his mother to walk at her side. I watched the little family walk to the check out line.
END OF CH. 11