Here's the new chapter! Enjoy!
Trini, Aisha, Amy, Kim, and Tommy cheered as they watched Jason and Rocky's students in their competition. It was May, about five months since the entire group had been together for Christmas and New Year's.
Kira had released her debut CD in April, selling thousands of copies in her first week. It's been a whirlwind five months for her, traveling to and from different appearances for publicity. She and Adam were now touring small venues around the United States. Kira also spoke to Kim multiple times a day, getting advice on how to deal with everything since Kim had been through it before. Kim tried to give as much as she could to Kira over the phone, letting her know which restaurants and stores to visit, although Adam was there to also offer his knowledge. Adam would also call Kim as much as possible, especially whenever they would visit a place that held many memories and jokes for Adam and Kim.
Zack's television show about the Power Rangers also kicked off to a great start. The first episode debuted in January, two weeks after he left Florida with Billy and Hayley, and received great reviews. It was approaching the end of its first season and has already been contracted by the network for another season. The show was into its seventeenth week and continued to grow in its ratings, with two more episodes left in its first season. Everyone had a ball watching the show since it brought back amusing memories from their early beginnings as Power Rangers. Rocky especially loved the episode when the characters who were based on Billy and Kim switched bodies and never hesitated to tease Kim about it. Zack wanted to end the season with the coming of the evil green ranger, so the last couple of episodes will start with Tommy's character moving to Angel Grove and the finale will have Jason's character trapped in Rita's dark dimension, fighting Goldar.
The school year was coming to a close and Tommy found that he barely had any spare time left. In between grading papers and listening to his students whine about extra credit, he barely had time to come up with the final for his classes, which would be held during the third week of May, a short two weeks away. He couldn't wait for the summer to come, feeling very much like a high school student again, wanting to spend every day with his girlfriend at the beach. He still couldn't get the conversation he had with Jason from December out of his mind. Since then, he's committed himself to finding out everything there was to know about Kimberly Ann Hart. Although, he has found it easier to resume his number one place in Kim's life after Adam went off on tour with Kira.
Hayley and Billy still lived in Reefside, going about their own daily lives. Hayley continued to run her cafe, although she also kept in frequent contact with Ethan at MIT, giving him help and advice for his schoolwork. She also helped Billy out quite a lot, who was still in contact with Aquitar, using their technology to aid him in his different projects. He was trying to find out where the latest Power Rangers were located, to see if there were any rangers at the present time. He had not succeeded, although he did find peculiar energies coming from the skies. He concluded that it was from KO-35 or Aquitar since he could not tell where it was coming from nor did he have the technology to completely do a sweep on the universe.
Kim was still continuing to record her upcoming CD. She preferred to go as slow as she wanted since she was also busy producing music for other artists and enjoyed her time off. She especially loved sitting by the pool with nothing but her guitar and a pen and paper to write more songs. Zack would always call her to get her opinion on things that were going on with the show. She was still very involved with the music for the show, sending Zack songs that would fit in some of the episodes. But she was planning to release a single at the end of the summer, closer to the end of Kira's current tour.
Kim excused herself from the room as she felt her phone vibrating, signaling a phone call. She tapped Tommy on his arm as he was still clapping and nodded toward her phone and the door. He nodded in return and watched as she slipped away from the room, pressing the green button to accept the phone call.
"What's up, Frog Boy?"
"I loved seeing you and Billy bulllying everybody around last week." Adam laughed into the phone. "Great clothes. I should call Billy and tell him he should've always dressed like that during high school."
Kim laughed. "That was so the weirdest thing when it happened. But I still liked that episode better than when me and Billy switched bodies." She paused. "It was so not awesome."
Adam laughed again. "I thought that was hilarious. So how are the kids doing?"
"They're doing great! We've already won the first two and there's one going on right now and then I think either one or two more after this. Right now, Jay and Rock are up 2-1, but that was when I was still in there. You know how fast these things could go."
"Well, that's good. Let them know I said good luck. Or congrats. Or better luck next time."
"How about I just don't say anything?"
"How about you wait until after the competition is over to know what to say?"
"How about you call Jason and Rocky yourself and tell them?"
"How about maybe later?"
"How about no?"
"Yeah, whatever. Anyways, is Amy there?"
"Yeah. You want me to go run and get her?"
"Nah, it's okay. I'll give her a call later."
"Oo-kay." Kim looked out the window. "So, what's up? How's Kira doing?"
"She's doing great. I haven't seen her burnt out or pass out or anything. Nothing like you," he said, teasing.
"Hey, she at least has got some warning. We told her what she was getting into."
Adam laughed. "And I think she's running on pure adrenaline. I don't think she's stopped talking since the beginning of April, except for when she's asleep."
Kim laughed.
"Although sometimes she does go on while she's sleeping," Adam added.
"So where are you guys now?"
"We are...somewhere between Boston and Belmar."
"Boston, Massachusetts and Belmar, New Jersey?"
"That's the one!" Adam laughed. "We're on the tour bus, in the middle of driving right now."
"Where are you headed to, again? Belmar, right?"
"Yup. Kira rocked Boston."
"Remember when we went to that Red Sox game a few years back?"
"Yeah. They had the best fries."
"No, the best fries were in San Francisco. Garlic fries."
"Ooh, yeah," agreed Adam. "Your breath was wonderful afterwards."
"So was yours."
"So, do you want to meet up with us soon? We've got Belmar this weekend, New York City after that and then we're headed to Detroit. I know you love coming to New York, so what about then?"
"How long are you guys gonna be hanging out in New York?"
"Probably about a week. Trent's meeting up with Kira while we're up there, so she wanted to spend a bit more time up there. We're probably gonna be a while in LA, too, so she could meet up with Conner and Ethan."
"Isn't Ethan at school?"
"Yeah, but by the time we get to LA, he should be out for the summer."
"Oh yeah. Well, New York sounds cool. Let me know when you guys should be getting there so you could pick me up at the airport."
"Of course. What do you want to watch?"
"I don't know. What's playing right now?"
"The usuals, I guess. I'll have to check."
"Yeah, I'll look too. And get back to you on that."
"Cool." Adam exhaled a bit. "Well, you should probably get going. Just called to say--"
"You love me? Thanks Adam, that's really sweet."
"T'uh. Whatever."
Kim laughed. "I thought you were taking a page out of Stevie's book."
"You wish I were," Adam laughed.
"Okay, well, I guess I'll see you soon. Love you. And miss you."
"I love you and miss you too. Tell everyone else I said hello."
"Sure thing, bud."
"Bye."
"Buh-bye."
Kim pressed the red button on her phone and wiped it against her shirt. She returned to the competition, just as Rocky and Jason's last student delivered the final blow to his opponent, leaving the score at 5-3. "Yeah!" she cheered, although she didn't watch the entire match. She returned to her friends with a big smile on her face.
"Who was that?" Tommy asked.
"That was Adam," she answered.
Everyone looked at her, interested.
"How's he doing?" Aisha asked.
"Good. They're on their way to Belmar, New Jersey. He said that Kira's barely been able to shut up." Kim looked at Amy. "Adam said he'll be calling you soon. So make sure you have your phone on you."
Amy nodded and rummaged through the purse that Kim had given her for Christmas. She located her phone and immediately turned it on, waiting for the lights to flash.
"Congratulations!" Trini exclaimed as Jason gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks," he replied. "We'll meet up with you guys at the house, all right? We're gonna talk to some of the parents real quick."
Trini nodded and pulled out her keys. She looked at Kim and Tommy. "You guys riding with me, right?"
Tommy nodded. He turned to Jason. "Hey man, congrats. That was a great match."
"Thanks, man," Jason replied. He bumped his hand against Tommy's chest and nodded to him as he kissed Kim, Aisha, and Amy on the cheek before walking away.
"Well, we've got some more work to do," Aisha said, gesturing to herself and Amy. "We'll see you guys later, too." She looked at Amy. "I'll be back. I'm going to say bye to Rocky, first." Amy nodded.
"We'll see you later, Amy," Kim said before giving her a hug.
"Now, everybody is sure that they don't want to come with me," Kim said, looking at each of her friends as they gathered in the kitchen of her house. "I've still got a few hours before my flight, so...if anyone has a change of heart..."
A chorus of "yes's" filled the room.
"Finals week," Tommy grimaced. "I've got to listen to these kids come up with excuses about why they didn't ask for help when I first taught all the material. And then I've got to grade it."
"Well, at least you already made it up," Trini said, helpfully.
Tommy nodded in her direction, his eyes still focused on Kim. "Yeah, I did get that done already."
"And we're still trying to work everything out," Trini said. "Everyone's working overtime trying to make sure we'll be ready for opening during Independence Day weekend. That's expected to be one of the biggest."
"I thought it was supposed to be open for Memorial Day," said Rocky.
Trini nodded. "Yeah, it was supposed to be. It was projected to be, but...things happen and now we've pushed it back to July. Which looks a lot more realistic, now that I think about it. At least in the long run. If we can't open in July, we may even push it back to November, for the holiday rush."
"I hope not," Rocky said.
"Me too," agreed Aisha. "I've been wanting to go since you told us about it." She turned her attention to Kim. "So, when are you getting back? A week, right?"
Kim nodded slowly. "Ten days, actually."
"They're in New York for that long?"
"No...I'm not sure, actually. Adam said probably a week, but Kira said three or four days when I last talked to her. Trent's just had his finals, so he'll be hanging out with Kira on the road after she passes through New York. But I'm planning on being gone for at least ten days." She nodded in Tommy's direction. "That should give him enough time to go grade finals, put in all the extra credit and stuff, and get all the grades together and stuff." She winked at Tommy. "Right, Handsome?"
Tommy nodded in response to her question and continued talking to Jason.
Kim looked at Aisha again. "Are you really sure you don't want to come up?"
Aisha laughed and nodded. "Yeah. We've been really busy lately. You know how summer is. Everyone's outdoors with their pets and the minute something happens, they rush them into the clinic. Amy's got a surgery to do later this week, so she can't even go either."
"And I know she wanted to."
"Well, you've just got to watch The Phantom for me," said Rocky.
Kim laughed. "I think we're gonna see Hairspray again, since Kira wants to see it. She hasn't seen it yet, only the movie. And you know Adam's gonna wanna watch The Lion King."
Jason cocked his head at Kim when he heard this. "Wait, you guys are gonna see The Lion King?" Kim nodded slowly. "Hmm..I might just have to go with you after all. The kids should be fine at the competition on their own. I haven't seen The Lion King in a while."
"We haven't seen it in a while," Aisha said. "We haven't seen anything in a while."
"The Lion King?" Tommy asked, smirking, looking at Jason.
Jason shrugged, nodded, and grinned. "The Lion King's mine and Adam's favorite. We always have to see it every time there's a show around."
Rocky raised his hand. "The Phantom's mine."
Tommy looked confused.
"The Phantom of the Opera," Rocky clarified, covering the left side of his face with his hand.
"I love Mamma Mia," added Aisha.
"And mine's is Chicago," Trini said.
Tommy looked at Kim. "You all have a favorite show?"
Kim nodded. "Rent. And Amy's favorite is Wicked."
"I don't think I've ever seen a show. Only some of the movies."
Everyone looked at Tommy in surprise.
"Really?" Rocky asked. "Well, that's gonna have to change."
"Yeah," added Trini. "We usually try to see a show whenever we're in New York. But if there's a show playing in one of the cities that Kim's on tour in, we'll usually try to catch it."
Aisha nodded vigorously. "We saw Mamma Mia for the first time in Vegas, remember? That trip was fun."
"And whenever we're in New York," Trini continued. "We try to take turns picking shows."
"And we don't let Rocky choose," added Kim.
"Cuz then it'll be all Phantom, all the time," said Aisha.
Everyone started cracking up while Rocky merely smiled, taking everything in.
"Remember when the movie first came out?" Jason said excitedly, looking and pointing at Rocky. "You were always at the movie theater, watching it! And when the girls stopped going with you, you made me and Adam go with you!"
"And then it came out on DVD!" added Trini. She looked at Tommy. "He used to always make us watch it on DVD all the time, too. Even if it were just on in the background, we still had to have it on somehow."
"And it couldn't be the soundtrack," Aisha said. "It had to be the movie."
Kim continued laughing, holding her stomach. "Cuz he always said it wasn't the same!" Everyone resumed laughing.
Rocky shrugged again. "It wasn't the same. And you guys just reminded me of something." He stood up and left out of the kitchen.
"Where's he headed off to?" Tommy asked.
Jason shrugged. "Probably gonna put the movie in again."
And, right on cue, the opening chords of The Phantom of the Opera played over the sound system that ran through the house. Rocky re-entered the kitchen to the beat of the music, covering the left side of his face. Everyone started laughing again.
"You guys know you missed it," he said, laughing as well.
"Anyways," Kim said. "Adam and I want to see something different, too. I don't know something like Grease or South Pacific or whatever else we could find playing. We're not specific."
"Let me know what you guys see," Trini said. "And I'll let you know if you have to save me a spot."
"You know...we could always save you a spot if you come," Kim said.
Trini looked at her. "Man, you know I can't go! I wish I could, though."
"Speaking of which," said Aisha, looking at her watch. "You better start heading to the airport or you'll be late. Then you have to hear from Adam."
Jason laughed. " 'Do you know how long I've been waiting for you here?' " Jason said, imitating Adam's voice and gesture.
" 'I could've spent my time doing a whole bunch of other things,' "Rocky continued, in Adam's voice and gesture.
Kim shook her head and laughed. "You guys are wrong."
She stood and walked out to the front door, where her suitcase was waiting for her. Tommy opened the door, took the suitcase, and headed for his jeep.
Kim turned to her friends, who followed and gave them each a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Make sure you call us when you get to the airport," Aisha said.
"And when you take off and land," Trini added.
"And when you get to the gate," Jason said, giving her an extra hug.
"And...you know, when you meet up with Adam," Rocky said. "That way we can bug the both of you. It'll be just like old times! You know, old times like from just last year!"
Kim laughed and waved to her friends as she headed down the driveway. She climbed into the passenger's side of Tommy's jeep while he jumped into the driver's side.
"Jeez, Kim," said Adam, "Could you be any later?" Kim looked at him, annoyed before throwing her bag at him. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?"
Kim shook her head and rolled her eyes as she grabbed the Blackberry in Adam's hand. "Who is this?" she asked, looking at Adam before putting the phone to her ear.
"Jason," Adam answered.
"Hey, Jay," Kim said into the phone. "I'm here with Adam. Flight was horrible, I'm really tired right now. Tell everyone I said hi and tell Tommy I'll give him a call later." She looked at Adam. "I just want to take a shower. I feel all gross and stuff."
"Uh, okay, Kim," Jason said through the phone. "I'll give you a call later. Tell Kira I said hi."
"Will do. Love you, Jase. Bye."
"Love you too. Bye."
Kim pressed the green button and handed it to Adam.
"Was the flight really that bad?" Adam asked Kim, smirking a bit.
Kim shook her head. "It wasn't that bad, but I mean...you know how I am after flying. The air pressure gets to me, and..." Kim shook her hands around her head.
"Well, good thing I've got this then, right?" Adam said. He handed her a bottle of water and some ibuprofen.
Kim smiled before taking it from Adam. "Thanks."
"No problem." He grabbed her bag and her suitcase before putting his arm around her. "Kira's show is tomorrow night and she's all finished with rehearsal for the day. Her sound check's at 11 tomorrow. So what do you want to do tonight?"
Kim and Adam looked at each other. "I don't know. What do you want?" they both said at the same time. They grinned at each other.
"Way too predictable, Kim," Adam said. "So, how about we stop by the hotel, you could drop your stuff off, get cleaned up. Rest a bit. Let's head out to eat and catch--"
"The Lion King?" Adam nodded and raised his eyebrows. "You're predictable, too, Adam."
'Well," he said, "Just as long as we're consistent."
Kim laughed as he led her from the airport to the car.
x
"Dr. Oliver?" One of Tommy's students raised his hand. Tommy nodded. "I don't understand question number 42."
Tommy motioned for the student to come to his desk. He looked at the question and tried to explain, in a whisper, it in a way his student would understand.
"Understand it now?" Tommy asked.
DJ, his student, looked warily at the test. "I think so." DJ nodded as he headed back to his desk, still looking at his teset.
Tommy's thoughts wandered to Kim as he counted down the minutes to the end of the class period. It's already been two days since Kim flew to New York. From what Kim's said, they already watched The Lion King and enjoyed some good old-fashioned sight-seeing with Kira and Trent and a few others from the stage crew. They were watching Rent that evening. Kim had said that Kira's show was great and even went out for a couple of songs.
He glanced at the clock again and couldn't help but wish finals week were over. He knew that everyone else in his class were probably wishing the same thing, but he just wanted the summer to start, so he could hang out as much as he wanted to with Kim. He knew Kim was gonna be with Adam and Kira for about a week more and he couldn't wait. He thought about flying to New York to surprise them, but he wasn't too sure about that idea, yet.
Again, he thought back to meeting up with Kim at her show the year before. Sometimes, he still couldn't believe that Kim was back in his life. That his other friends were back in life. He felt good knowing that Jason, Rocky, Adam, Trini, Aisha, and especially Kim, were just a phone call away, and he could see them pretty much anytime he wanted.
He thought back to one of his shopping trips Jason, just a couple of days ago. It was right after he dropped Kim off at the airport. He wanted to go look at engagement rings and he brought Jason along. He sensed that Jason came out of duty as a best friend to him more than anything. He knew that Jason was probably one of their biggest supporters, but had felt that Jason still didn't think that he and Kim should marry each other.
When Tommy confronted him about this in front of the jewelry shop, Jason said that there were still some things about Kim that he needed to know. He again reassured Tommy that he wanted them to get married, but said that Tommy needed to find out some more things about Kim. When Tommy asked him what they were, Jason got a bit defensive and said that it was up to Kim to tell him. Tommy had no idea what Jason was talking about and wondered whether he should ask Kim about whatever Jason was talking about on the phone or wait until she got back. After talking to Rocky, he opted to wait.
Tommy looked around his class, at all the heads bent over the desks. He listened to the occasional eraser and a lot of pencil markings. He looked out the window and got lost in his thoughts once again.
After Tommy talked to Jason, he asked Rocky about it. Tommy knew something was up because immediately, Rocky's entire demeanor changed. Rocky gave him an indistinct answer and Tommy didn't even want to ask Aisha or Trini. He knew how overprotective Aisha was and doubted that Trini would say anything to him. Tommy even thought about calling Adam and asking him also, but quickly shot that down, knowing how close he and Kim were.
Tommy jumped in his seat a bit, after seeing something shoot across the sky. He looked for a bit longer, but decided that it must have been a flash of light reflecting from the sun.
Tommy stood up after he heard the bell ring. "All right, class. You know what that means. Pencils down and turn everything in up here. Now, go enjoy the day. And don't worry! You guys are almost done!"
The class cheered as they filed out of the room. Tommy looked after his students, straightening the stack of papers they created on his desk.
Hope you enjoyed that one as well. Please review! Thank you for reading!
