Author's Note: Thanks to rewatching the Christmas episode of Full House from season 6 on DVD this morning, and paying attention especially to the part of the episode that was a conflict between D.J. and Steve, I was inspired with an idea for this upcoming chapter of the story. I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 16, The Fight
It was now everybody's senior year in high school, except for Dil, who was a junior, though he was having thoughts of taking his GED's at the end of the year, being able to graduate with everybody else. However, because of this fact, it made everyone a little bit melancholy this holiday season, because with the idea of everybody splitting off and going to different colleges around the country next year, they were worried they might not be together for Christmas anymore. And for Zack and Kimi, they were no acception. Two days before Christmas, Zack stopped by Kimi's house, with some really exciting news. The doorbell rang, and Kimi answered it, to see Zack standing there, a huge smile on his face.
"Hey Kimi, I have really exciting news that I had to share with you in person." Said Zack.
"What is it Zachary?" Kimi asked.
"Remember a couple of months ago when I applied to M.I.T.?" Zack asked, jogging Kimi's memory.
Kimi nodded.
"Well, I got in, and I'm going to be majoring in robotics!" Said Zack excitedly.
"Oh Zachary, how wonderful!" Said Kimi excitedly, as she reached through the threshold, and gave Zack a huge hug.
However, when she stood back, she looked away, her smile fading to a frown.
"What's the matter?" Zack asked.
"What's going to happen to us?" Kimi asked.
"Nothing. I'll just, be in Boston out in Massachusetts, instead of here." Said Zack.
"Oh." Said Kimi disappointingly.
"Look, I wish I could stay, but I need to get home and help my aunt finish decorating the Christmas tree. She has off today while tomorrow, she's working, just as she always seems to do on Christmas eve." Zack replied, as he turned to walk down the sidewalk to his car and head for home.
"Don't forget Zack, the party this year is at Tommy and Dil's, and it's on Christmas day, because Dil has to work at Radioshack tomorrow." Yelled Kimi from the doorway, as Zack disappeared to his car and drove off.
Kimi closed the door and ran up to her room where she got dressed into some warm clothes. Then, noticing that everybody was still gone, as Chaz was busy at the Java Lava, Chuckie was helping out there, and Kira was off doing some volunteer work at a homeless shelter, Kimi used this opportunity to escape to the mall, and get that really nice pair of black boots that Zack was admiring in the shoe store's window. Luckily when she got to the mall, she found a pair in Zack's size, and paid for them with all of the money she had earned working at the Java Lava that Christmas season.
"Zack's gonna love these! And maybe, just maybe, he'll see that I don't want him to leave town again, as being apart from him for five years was too much. I don't think I can do it again." Kimi thought to herself, as she got into the car and headed for home, where she arrived to find it was still deserted, so she got to work on wrapping Zack's present, and stashing it in the corner of her room, ready to give to him the following day on Christmas eve, when they agreed to exchange their gifts with one another.
The following day, it was Christmas eve, and while Chuckie was off spending a day at the ice skating rink with Nicole, Kimi had Zack come over, where they enjoyed some quality time together, and exchanged their Christmas gifts.
"Open mine first." Said Kimi, as she handed Zack a rather large box wrapped in shiny blue paper.
Zack opened the present and pulled out the pair of shiny black boots.
"Oh wow! It's that pair of boots I saw at the mall! Gosh Kimi, you really didn't have to do this. I mean, I know you don't have a lot of money to begin with, and I thought we had an agreement to not spend a lot of money on one another for Christmas." Said Zack.
"Oh Zachary, I don't care about money. I care about us. And I care if you're happy. So what if you didn't spend that much money on me. It's the thought that counts." Said Kimi, as Zack handed her a red gift bag.
"Oh, great." Said Zack with a smile, as Kimi pulled a wod of white tissue paper out of the bag, and unwrapped it to find a yellow M.I.T. sweat shirt.
"It's an M.I.T. sweat shirt, you like it? It truthfully, was all I could afford this Christmas." Said Zack.
"Yeah, it's really great." Said Kimi sarcastically, as she stormed off to her room.
A minute later, Zack followed Kimi up the stairs and knocked on her door.
"Kimi? Can we talk?" Zack asked from the other side of the door.
Kimi came up to the other side of the door, but didn't open it.
"Talk I'm listening." Kimi snapped from the opposite side of the door.
"Look, Kimi, I'm sorry, but again, it's all I could afford." Said Zack.
"Oh come on Zack, so you're going to some brainy school. I mean, you read for fun!" Said Kimi angrily from the other side of the door.
"Oh, and I suppose you're gonna spend your life working at your parents, dinky old coffee shop?" Zack asked sarcastically.
"Hey! My dad does a good job running that shop. And it's not like I haven't thought about going to college." Said Kimi.
"Sure. You only applied to Berkly, Stanfard, and the University of California. You're such a coward Kimi. I mean, there's like, forty-nine other states, and a gazillion other colleges you could apply to. Why stay so close to home?" Zack argued.
"Oh, and I suppose you've been investing in the stock market or something? And you didn't even think about me when you applied there! Did you forget that we were apart for five years when you and your aunt moved to Wheeling? Can you honestly say you can do that again?" Kimi argued.
"Well why did you buy those boots for me anyway? Were you bribing me to stay?" Zack asked.
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you said that." Said Kimi, as she opened the door, and stared angrily at Zack.
"Fine! If the boots fit, wear them." Shouted Zack, as he tossed his new boots in Kimi's face, and stormed down the stairs, slamming the front door behind him.
As soon as Kimi heard the door slam, she thrust herself down on her bed, and had a good cry, knowing this might be the end for her and Zack, all because of a stupid argument over going off to college at the end of the school year.
The following day on Christmas, everybody gathered together at Stu and Didi's for the annual Christmas party, and Peter came dressed up as Santa Clause. Everybody was having a great time, except for Kimi, who kept ignoring the vibrations from her pocket, which were Zack texting and calling her, as he felt bad about yelling at Kimi the previous day, and wanted to make up with her. Everybody was dancing to Christmas music, or enjoying one another's company, chatting and filling up on holiday treats. Dil and Phil were sitting on the couch, sharing a plate of Christmas cookies, Chuckie and Nicole were off on one side of the room, slow dancing to an instrumental version of Silent Night that was playing on the stereo, Jesse and Lil were sharing a kiss under the mitheltoe and dancing along with Chuckie and Nicole, and even Tommy had a girlfriend this Christmas. A pretty brounette girl named Vanessa, who started dating him last February, after Tommy returned to school post getting over Monno. They were curled up on one end of the couch, with Vanessa resting her head on Tommy's shoulder. Soon after, Dil's best friend since seventh grade, Lance showed up, with his girlfriend Chelsea, who was up from Florida for the holidays, paying him a visit. Seeing everybody together with their significant others, really made Kimi feel lonely, so she excused herself from the party in the living room, and went into the kitchen, where she found Kira and Didi chatting with one another at the table. She sat down in an empty chair and buried her face in her hands.
"Is everything ok my little Kimi Chan?" Kira asked.
Kimi looked up at her mother.
"Yeah, it's great, I'm having a wonderful Christmas." Kimi replied sarcastically.
"Are you sure? That's the same look your father had when they canceled his nature documentaries last year, and the same look your brother had a few years ago when his favorite comic book character, Armadillo Dave was discontinued." Said Kira.
"Why does Zack have to go off to M.I.T. I mean, we were apart for five years when he and his aunt moved to Wheeling. I don't think I can do it again." Said Kimi, as a tear started to roll down her cheek.
"Oh sweetie, it's going to be ok. Where's M.I.T. anyway?" Kira asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Mom, you don't know? M.I.T. stands for Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and it's located in Boston." Kimi replied.
"Well, have you explored other options? I mean, last I recall, you only applied to colleges in California. There's lots of other options you haven't considered yet. You know how important this is to Zack, why not apply to some colleges out in Massachusetts." Suggested Kira.
"That's what Tommy did. He's tired of being in California, and after writing that review for the movie Ray for the school paper a couple of years ago after losing his eyesight, and having to give up his dream career of being a director, he's applied to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, majoring in journalism." Said Didi.
"Funny you mention that Didi, as back in middle school, when we all took that aptitude test, my score came back claiming I'd be a good movie critic, while Tommy's came back, claiming he'd be a good business man. And does everyone remember Lightning Chuck?" Kimi asked, as she burst out laughing, just as Chuckie walked into the room to refil his drink, overhearing their conversation.
"I heard that." Said Chuckie, his cheeks turning red.
"Oh Chuckie, you are such a cluch." Said Kimi.
"Don't remind me." Said Chuckie, still looking embarrassed.
"I remember when you were learning to drive, you drove so slow, that you got a ticket for doing so." Said Kimi.
"Enough!" Yelled Chuckie, as he grabbed himself some more ginger ale, and left the kitchen to return to the Christmas party.
Once Kimi's laughter died down, Kira turned her attention back to her daughter.
"So Kimi, why don't you think about what I said, hmmm?" Said Kira.
"I don't know mom. I mean, Zack did argue that I gave him that gift to buy his love." Said Kimi.
"Well sweetie, did you spend all of your Java Lava money on those boots, so he'd change his mind about leaving?" Kira asked.
"Of course not! Why would I do that? I bought him those boots, to show him how much I loved him, so he wouldn't leave." Kimi said, as she turned away and frowned, realizing that it's exactly what she did.
"Ok ok, so I did do that, but I had a good reason for doing so." Said Kimi.
"Look, your cell phone bill might be a monster, but you and Zack made it work for five years while he was away in Wheeling, what makes you think you can't do it again." Said Kira.
"You know what mom, you're right. But maybe I haven't considered all of my options. I'm gonna prove to Zack that I really care about him, and that I'm not a coward. Didi, is there a computer around here I can borrow?" Kimi asked, as she stood up from the table.
"I believe Dil left his computer on, I'm always shutting it off late at night after he falls asleep, when I check on the kids before going off to bed." Didi replied, as she took another sip of her coffee.
"Great. Let me know when Zack and Celeste arrive." Said Kimi, as she headed upstairs to Dil's room, where she thankfully discovered he had left his computer on, as she was presented with the desktop screen.
She clicked on the Internet Explorer icon, did a Google search for colleges in Boston, and came to the first college on the list, the website for Boston College. She went on to the website, and started filling out the online application, as she's taken up an interest in going to medical school, and she saw that they had an excellent nursing program. Meanwhile, when Zack hadn't heard from Kimi all day, and he saw that his aunt had dressed up as Misses Clause for a Christmas party at her work, Zack went and rented a Santa costume to wear to Stu and Didi's Christmas party, hoping he'd get Kimi to talk to him again. Once he and his aunt were all set, they showed up at the Pickles residence, where Dil let them in.
"Wow! Santa and Misses Clause? I had no idea you two were showing up." Said Dil, as he let Celeste and Zack inside.
"Well who else would we be?" Celeste asked, removing her hat.
"Oh wow, so you're really getting into the Christmas spirit Celeste, eh? Cool!" Said Dil, as he popped a star shaped Christmas cookie in his mouth, and went and joined his friend Lance, at a game of Ches that was set up on the coffee table.
Celeste made her way into the kitchen, just as Zack went to the bottom of the stairs, as he looked around the living room, and didn't see Kimi anywhere in sight, but he saw her mother in the kitchen, and Chaz and Chuckie in the living room, so figured she had to have come to the party too, as unless she was sick, it wasn't like her to miss any Christmas parties. So he went to the bottom of the stairs, cleared his throat, and disguising his voice, he called up the stairs.
"Ho ho ho!" Called Zack in a disguised voice, making him sound like Santa Clause.
Kimi was wrapping up the application for Boston College, and was about to print it out, when she overheard the mysterious ho ho ho from the bottom of the stairs. Something told her, she'd better get it printed out, if Santa was indeed, there watching her. Once it was printed, Kimi headed down the stairs, to find Santa Clause before her.
"Wow! Santa Clause! It's really you!" Exclaimed Kimi.
Santa nodded and smiled.
"I wish you were really Santa Clause, then I'd have you bring Zack to me to apologize. I mean, I really was selfish. I didn't care about him and how he got to go to the college of his dreams. All I cared about was myself, and not wanting him to leave. I'm really sorry, and if you can make Zack forgive me, that would be great. And to prove how much I love him, and I don't wish for us to be apart, honestly, I'm not a coward. Look." Said Kimi, as she held out the application for Boston College and presented it to Santa Clause, who looked it over.
"If I get into this college, Zack and I can get an apartment together in the city, go to our respective schools during the day, and be together every night. This plan will work out in our favor, and I'm sure I can apply for Financial Aid and afford this school." Said Kimi, just as Peter dressed as Santa Clause passed through the entry hallway at that moment.
He turned and noticed the other Santa Clause at the bottom of the stairs.
"Well well well, it seems there's been an imposture between us." Said Peter in his Santa voice.
"Wait a minute. If you're Peter, then who's the Santa Clause that's looking over my college application?" Kimi asked.
Just then, Zack removed the fake beard he was wearing and his hat, to reveal his hair and face.
"Oh my gosh! Zachary! It's really you!" Kimi exclaimed, as she bolted down the stairs and squeezed Zack into a tight hug.
"Well, Santa never interrupts an apology." Said Zack.
"Really Zack, I am very sorry. I'm happy you got into M.I.T. and I'm gonna do whatever it takes, for us to be together." Said Kimi.
"I know you will. All my life, I've seen you as a strong person." Said Zack.
"But yesterday, you called me a coward for not applying to any colleges outside of California." Said Kimi.
"I did? Well, I guess, I didn't mean it. I guess I was just, mad. I'm really sorry." Said Zack apologetically.
"I'm sorry too. Merry Christmas." Said Kimi, as she tenderly kissed Zack on the lips.
After they finished kissing, Zack looked into Kimi's eyes and smiled.
"Merry Christmas Kimi." Zack said, as he took her hand, leading her off the bottom two steps, and the two of them went into the living room, and enjoyed the rest of the Christmas party together.
And this, ends chapter 16. So, will they be together in Boston the following Christmas, once they're high school graduates and in between their first two semesters of college? Find out tomorrow, when I return with another chapter.
Author's Note: I own the OC's of Vanessa, Lance and Chelsea, as this was one of the Christmases that took place during my story, A Blind Teen's Gotta Do, what a Blind Teen's Gotta Do, and a small reference was made to that story towards the beginning of this chapter. Also, I made reference to two episodes of All Grown Up later on in the chapter, when Kira and Kimi were talking. The episode entitled, Bad Aptitude, from season 2, and the episode entitled, Super Hero Worship, from season 5. And I'd better stop typing, because I keep getting clumsy with the keyboard, nearly forgetting words in my author's note here, having to correct myself constantly. So with that, hope you all enjoyed the chapter, which, I put my own twist on the ending. In the original Full House episode, Steve decided to stay in California, not going to college in Florida, while in this case, Kimi decided to branch out and apply to a college in Boston, since she realized how much going to M.I.T. meant to Zack. With that, hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and, more will be coming soon.