Thomas walked into the Juice Bar, like he had every afternoon since prom, and settled at the counter. He felt hollow after yesterday and he couldn't stay in his dorm room today. He also couldn't stand being around the other future Power Rangers. He needed to get away from it all for a bit and just be. He didn't know what he would say if he saw Kimberly right now, but he'd risk it.
With this semester coming to a close, he was steeling himself for what summer would be like. Theo had lobbied to get him back in the summer intensive, but he was concerned that his father would find a way to keep them apart. They may have pulled Mitchell from anything that dealt with him, but he doubted that it would stick. And that left him concerned, concerned that he was going to break her heart and it not be because of something he had control over.
"Hey Thomas, you okay?" Ernie asked as he placed his favorite drink in front of him and Thomas shrugged. This was normally his favorite part of his day, but all he felt was dread right now. "Not looking forward to summer break?"
"Something like that," Thomas muttered as he stirred the straw around in the glass. He still wasn't sure how things were going to work out for him. Theo and Robert had promised a lot, but they had promised in the past and not been able to deliver. He didn't know if he could deal with that disappointment again. "How am I supposed to do this, Ernie? How am I supposed to grow up to not be my dad?"
"I think the fact that you don't want to be him is a good start," Ernie stated as he smiled at someone behind him and Thomas kept facing forward. He knew who it was and he wasn't sure what to even say to her right now. He felt a hand settle on his shoulder and he closed his eyes. Why did her touch set his soul on fire? Why was she the only one that made him feel like this? "Come with me."
Thomas and Kimberly followed him as he led them to a back room. He opened the door and then motioned for them to go in. Thomas looked back at him as he recognized the kind of room that this was and then he looked at Kimberly. She didn't know what she was yet. How did Ernie know what she was?
"You both deserve friends that aren't at the Academy or part of the gymnastics team. I don't know what happened yesterday, but this is a place where you can talk it out," Ernie said as Thomas glared at him. He did not want to be forced to have this conversation. As much as he wanted to talk with Kimberly, he also wanted to have a bit to figure out what he could promise her, if he could promise her anything.
"You're okay," Kimberly breathed out as she threw her arms around him and he slowly hugged her back. He heard Ernie walk away and was grateful to be left alone with her. He had had a lot of thoughts of what she might say to him, but this was not it. The relief in her voice let him know how truly scared she had been for him. "Tommy…I…"
"They stopped him," Thomas whispered as she pulled back from him and stared into his eyes. She saw the relief, the pain, and something new, something that she couldn't place. "The other mentors…they…but now I'm sure that he's going to find a way to keep me from coming here, from doing anything outside of the Academy. They're letting me back in the summer intensive since…well…"
"No…oh Tommy, we'll figure it out," Kim said as he just shook his head. She did not understand how much his father had it out for him. While things had changed drastically, he felt sure that his father was going to restrict his movements. He was going to restrict his time with her and for some reason, he felt that time with her should actually be most important.
"It's my last summer, Kim- I'll be fine," Thomas said as she shook her head. She could not shake this feeling that him accepting what his father said was going to hurt him, really hurt him. That was the one thing that she did not want to see. "Summer sessions are different- it's a lot of outdoor training. We go down to Angel Grove High School track in the mornings. The evenings are over at the collegiate pool."
"And anyone can just show up?" Kimberly asked as Thomas nodded and she then nodded, like she had decided something. "So I show up."
"Kim…you just got done with Nationals- you need a break," Thomas said as she crossed her arms and he let out a sigh. He was not going to convince her otherwise and he knew that this was the only time that he was going to guarantee that he would see her. "Yesterday…I…I hope you understand that…"
"I do now," Kimberly whispered as she nestled closer to him and he continued to hold her. He promised himself that as soon as he was out of his father's house for good he would ask her out. He had to protect her and he couldn't think of any better way than being with her every day for the rest of his life.
AN: It's another holiday weekend in the U.S.- so two chapters will be dropping for my stories this weekend. Posting schedule will be: Friday- Time of the Yogen-sha and I'm Gonna Cry; Saturday- In Another World and Time of the Yogen-sha; Sunday- I'm Gonna Cry and In Another World. Hope you enjoy!