[See Part 1 for Disclaimer!]
Adam finished parking his car next to Tommy's jeep and they all climbed out. "Gosh ," Kim exclaimed, "It's great to be back at this park . I really missed all the times we just hung out here. It looks like nothing has changed to!"
"Except Bulk and Skull now patrol the grounds annoying everyone," Tanya said.
"Yeah, but that is sort of normal because Bulk and Skull have always annoyed people and they will f-o-r-e-v-e-r," Kim said like the kid from The Sandlot.
"Honey that is so true," Tanya replied and they gave each other a high-five while laughing.
As they casually strolled through the park, Rocky noticed that the sun was unusually bright that day which made him remember a certain episode of "The Brady Bunch" and break into song, "I think I'll go for a walk outside now, the summer sun's calling my name."
Hey, I know that song Tommy thought and joined in singing, "I hear you now, I just can't stay inside all day, I gotta get out gotta get me some rays."
"I have never seen Tommy act this way," Kimberly and Katherine both said out loud at the same time and then turned at looked at each other awkwardly.
Oh boy! Katherine thought, This is such an uncomfortable position we are both in. Poor Kimberly, we both know Tommy so well but now I am with him. Here I am with her powers and her old boyfriend. Oh! What am I supposed to do or say? Wait a minute, didn't you see the way they both looked at each ? a little voice inside her head said, she is probably going to try to steal your boyfriend. Nonsense! I trust Tommy and I know deep in my heart that he loves me. I'll just keep my mouth shut, there's no point in me trying to talk when frankly, I don't know what to say, Katherine thought.
All three girls stared in disbelief at the boys as a crowd gathered around them. Then all of a suddenly Adam joined in and all three girl sucked in a breath of fresh air while Tanya whispered, "My Adam is going to sing ?"
"Can't you feel the sunshine? Can't you feel the rays? Can't you hear it calling your name?" Adam belted out as he tiptoed backwards to form a line with the guys as they went into a Temptations routine.
"Well I don't know about you two, but I really don't want to stay around and watch this spectacle as the boys make fools out of themselves" Katherine said, "Personally, I don't want people to even know we are associated with them. I suggest we slowly back away from this crowd and run!"
"I have to agree with you Kat. I have never seen the boys act like this and to be blunt it's really scaring me," Kim said.
"I know. I mean Rocky never shuts up, but Tommy and Adam of all people . . ." Tanya said.
"All right then girls, on the count of three, one . . . two . . . three," Kat said as they slowly backed away from the crowd and then ran away with Kat in the lead. The three of them ran like lightning throughout the park, dodging trees and jumping over hedges. Kat finally saw the lake and they ran to some sort of rock-like ledge surrounded by some bushes. Kimberly set down the stereo and CD's, Katherine the picnic basket, and Tanya laid down the blanket when Kim realized something.
Great! This is just swell! Katherine would have to pick the exact place where Tommy and I shared our first kiss Kim thought remembering that day. She had seen the pain in his eyes that day, and he had almost started to cry but Kimberly hadn't been that upset because somehow deep down inside her heart she had known that Tommy would one day become a Power Ranger again. That day Tommy had finally kissed her, and as he had she had felt something deep inside her so strong that Kimberly couldn't even begin to describe. His kisses had always made her week in the knees, and now Kim once again realized she would never feel his tender lips upon hers again.
"Earth to Kim," Kat said.
"Oh . . . yeah Kat," Kim looked up.
"Why don't you put one of the CD's on," she said.
"Sure," Kim replied and put in the new Collective Soul CD. As Kim glanced around she noticed the strange look on Tanya's face, gently nudged the girl, and asked, "Tanya, what's the matter?"
"Oh, it's just that I still can't believe that Adam got up and sang with Tommy and Rocky. I mean after our first date I had to kiss Adam because he kept mumbling umm . . . ugh with this huge blush on his face," Tanya said.
"Yeah, it was so totally unlike him," Kim said and smiled as she remembered the time when they had gone to the planet Phaedos and been receiving their new Ninjetti powers. After Dulcia had given Adam his,he had replied, "I'm a frog."
"Really, I mean Adam singing can you feel the sunshine," Kim said and then got up to the girls delight and started imitating the way the guys had danced and Adam's singing when all of a sudden . . .
"Kim, are you making fun of me," Adam asked. Kim froze in her tracks and mouthed to Kat and Tanya, "Are they behind me?"
Tanya and Kat about slowly nodded yes. Kim spun around and said, "No, I wasn't . . . but . . . oh yes I was. Adam how could you have done that? You guys looked so stupid!"
"I don't know. When I saw Tommy join in, I didn't want to be left out," Adam replied with a blush.
"Well what's your excuse mister," Kat said with her eyebrows raised looking at Tommy.
"I don't know. When Rocky started singing, I realized that I remembered that song so I just started singing," as Tommy said that he looked around and realized where they were. Good one Kat! You would have to pick this spot Tommy thought. As he did he remembered that day he had been practicing outside, so hurt, trying to cope with the pain, and not ready to face his friends. All that had changed though when Kim walked up because just looking at her had made him feel better. When she had talked to him that day, she had made all the pain go away. And then Tommy remembered that kiss which had been the first of many more to come. The kiss that he had made on impulse and that had sent shivers down his spine. The kiss that had made him realize that he wanted to be with that girl for the rest of his life. The very thought brought tears to Tommy's eyes but he pushed his feelings aside and asked Rocky, "So what's your excuse?"
"Do I even need to give you guys an excuse? You know how I act! Actually everyone was being so quiet and serious, I just had to lighten up the mood. But you two . . ." Rocky said pointing to Tommy and Adam while making a tsk, tsk motion with his hand, "There's no excuse for you two. Tommy so serious and so thoughtful, how could you have acted so stupid?" Rocky said and then burst out laughing. Tommy threw a playful punch at Rocky which he ducked.
"We may have looked stupid," Adam said, "But we made twenty dollars," he finished holding up the money.
"Well come on boys and sit down," Katherine said and patted the ground at her side which was supposed to let Tommy know that she wanted him to sit down beside her. Tommy walked over and sat down next to her but he didn't look up at anyone, he couldn't.
Adam walked over and sat down next to Tanya and then asked, "Tanya, did I really look stupid?"
"Of course you didn't sweetie," she said giving Adam a tender kiss on the lips. Afterwards she looked over at Kim and smiled. Kim knew exactly what she was thinking. Tanya had only said that to Adam so that she wouldn't bruise the boy's ego. The poor boy took everything to heart, and Tanya didn't want to hurt him.
They spent the next couple of hours eating, reminiscing, and listening to good music. Tanya started to talk about her date last night with Adam which prompted Kat to start talking about Tommy and herself for like the hundredth time that day.
"That reminds me of the time that I set up a date for Tommy after . . . Kat said without realizing it and then looked up at Kim who looked like she'd just been shot. Good one Katherine, just make her feel worse! I can't believe I just said that, I don't want to hurt Kim. "Well, ugh . . . I had made dinner for Tommy and set up a date for him and then another monster attacked . . ." Katherine droned on.
God, doesn't she even know I am here Kim thought. I mean the first time she mentioned a date she had had with Tommy I felt like I had been stabbed, and that was bad enough. But Kat just keeps on mentioning more and more times she had spent with Tommy, and each time she does I feel like she's shoving the knife in a little further. I know she is just talking about Tommy and herself because she is so happy Kim thought, I was like that too. Yeah, but you have to consider yourself Kim realized, you know you can't take much more of this . . .
God Katherine shut up! Don't you realize what you are doing to her? Can't you see that she is on the verge of tears and that it's tearing her apart? Look , her upper lip is quivering and she only does that when she is really upset! Oh Kim, I am so sorry, I want to go up to you and hold you and kiss you and make all of the pain go away Tommy thought as he watched Kimberly who had tears in her eyes and was looking every which way except in the direction of Tommy and Kat, but I can't. Tommy felt sick to his stomach because he knew Kim was on the verge of crying. Whenever she felt pain, he felt pain. Stop it! Are you even listening to Katherine? Don't you remember that when Kim broke up you, Kat put aside her feelings for you and instead only cared for your feelings. She put YOU above HERSELF! I know, I know, but Kim, Kim is all I care about now . . .
" . . . and then he kissed me for the first time," Kat said.
Kimberly's eyes almost popped out of her head.
"You've always been so sweet to me Tommy," Kat said and then gave Tommy a kiss on the lips.
"HELLO! Single people here! Geez, I feel like I could lose my lunch!" Rocky said.
That's it, I can't take it anymore. God you bitch, you just had to kiss him right in front of me, Kim thought trying to breath for she felt like she was having an asthma attack. I just can't deal with right now, I don't need it, Kim thought.
"Listen guys, I have to go. I just remembered that I've got to go meet Billy's dad. Uhh . . . thanks for lunch, I'll see you guys later . . . bye," she said and ran off.
"Kim wait!" Katherine yelled. "Well I guess we'll have to call her later to see if she wants to go to the club with us tonight."
"Yeah, I hope she's all right though, that was really weird the way she just ran off like that," Tanya said.
Crap, Adam thought, I know what's the matter now. He got up and ran off calling, "Kim . . . wait up!"
"Adam," Tanya yelled running after him, "What are you doing?"
He stopped and faced Tanya and said, "Can't talk now, gotta go, explain later," and gave her a big kiss before bolting off.
"Now does somebody want to tell me what that was all about?" Tanya said with her hands on her hips.
"Beats me," Kat said.
"Don't ask me, I never know about those kinds of things," Rocky said.
"Uhh . . . I have no idea. Listen I am going to the Youth Center to work out. I'll see you tonight though okay'?" Tommy said giving Kat a peck on the cheek.
"Okay," Kat said.
Tommy ran off until he was far enough away from the others and then collapsed under a tree and burst in to tears. Why is this happening to me? Kim you've totally screwed up my life! Yeah, but it's a good kind of screwed up life huh? Yeah it is, it's what I have wished for so long, Kim being back in my life. Kim, I love you so much, you are the only person that makes my life complete, the only one who always brings a smile to my face. You know what to do man, to get what you want and for yourself to be happy, you know what you have to do. But how am I going to do it without . . .
All of a sudden Bulk and Skull walked up to Tommy and he then immediately wiped his eyes. "What do you guys want?" he asked.
"Tommy are you all right," Bulk asked.
"YOU are concerned about ME," he said.
"Yeah we are concerned," Skull said.
"Well listen guys, I'm fine so don't worry about me," Tommy said.
"Okie Dokie, we're just doing our job you know," Skull said.
"Yeah," Tommy said, "I know. You guys are doing a really great job at it to," he finished with a smile and then jogged off to the Youth Center.
"Wow, our first compliment," Bulk said in amazement.
"No Adam, just leave me alone!" Kimberly said pushing herself even harder as she ran.
Fine, you asked for it Kim. You are just so stubborn, Adam thought then leapt forward and knocked Kim down to the ground.
"Adam," Kim whined, "Why did you do that?"
"Look I am sorry, but I had to stop you," Adam said giving her a hand and pulling her up. "I know why you are upset, and I know why you ran away," he said.
"Oh yeah," Kim said wiping away the tears from her eyes, "Then tell me Mr. Know-It-All."
"You still have feelings for Tommy and seeing him made it clear to you that you still love him," Adam said.
"Oh no! How did you know? Did I make it that obvious? Do you think everyone knows? What . . ." Kim spat out.
"Kim slow down," Adam said.
"Adam . . . I still love Tommy, but he loves Kat and I can't . . . can't . . . oh Adam what am I supposed to do?"
Adam gathered Kim in his arms as she began to cry, "I don't know Kim . . . I just don't know . . ."
