Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie by Heather Ray (beach read book .TXT) 📕

an ounce of fat on you!"

Kim smiled at that, stepping back and pivoting full-circle. "One hundred twelve pounds of pure muscle," she announced proudly. "There's no room on the beam for flab!"

After the eighteen months since he last saw her, before he moved to Geneva for the World Peace Conference, she'd done a great deal of growing up. She was lean and compact, fit arms and legs creating the illusion of additional height. Her hair hung past her shoulders, even when styled in a high ponytail. He noticed she had forgone the red highlights she'd become enamoured with once she started dating Tommy, leaving her hair its natural array of deeper browns.

All in all, Kimberly looked fantastic.

However, Jason was quick to notice one exception. When he met her gaze, he found himself startled at her eyes. They were the exact shade of golden brown, with sparks of gray scattered in the iris, but for some reason, they didn't shine like they used to.

"My God…what are you doing

here?" she gushed. "So what's the Conference like? Jeesh, I haven't even spoken to you since Christmas! There just aren't enough holidays, you know?"

Jason smiled as Kimberly went on and on without stopping for a single breath. She asked every question in the book… about his family, his plans, any girlfriends (demanding details)

, and the collective she called "the guys."

When she broached that particular topic the river of words ebbed. Her brow creased with a touch of worry, and she looked behind him. "Did the others come?"

Jason examined her expression. "Nah, the Machine Empire has kept the Rangers pretty busy, and Trini and Zack are on a good-will trip to South Africa until September."

Her face was perplexing. At once, she seemed mildly disappointed and greatly relieved.

Why was that?

"Maybe we can get Billy to drop in," Jason commented, "I'm not sure how long the flight is, but with all that trans-warp technology they have on Aquitar, I'm sure it can't be too long."

"Aquitar? Is that in the Middle East or something?"

Jason chuckled at her joke…until he noticed her questioning gaze.

"You're kidding, right?"

Kim shrugged.

Jason's jaw hung open. "You've gotta be! You mean you didn't hear about the wedding?"

Now it was Kimberly's turn to gawk. "Billy's getting married

?"

Jason shook his head to align his thoughts. How could the erstwhile Pink Ranger be that

out of touch with her friends?

Kim sighed, as if reading his mind. "I've lost touch," she admitted, with another shrug, "The Coach's had me practicing night and day. I really needed to lock my balance beam routine, or we would've been sunk."

Jason nodded, but in truth he didn't believe that for a moment. Kimberly always put loved ones first- before school, before work, before herself. How could she let a diversion like gymnastics interfere with friendships?

That wasn't like Kim at all…

"Well, I'd love to catch you up," Jason offered, his wide smile returning as he slid his arm over her shoulder, "Where's the nearest Friendly's."

Kim grimaced. "Uh…hell-o

! Remember, 'one hundred twelve pounds of muscle'? I can't eat ice cream!"

Jason answered with a toothy grin. "Then you can have a water as I down a sundae that'd put Zack Taylor to shame!"

Kim fell into peals of laughter at the mental image. Despite everything that had happened, and how she'd hardened herself over the months since her nightmarish birthday, she truly did miss her friends. All of them…except Kat and Tommy, of course. She wanted absolutely nothing

to do with them, but that seemed impossible if she kept in contact with their closest companions.

Desperate for peace of mind, she'd amputated everything that was Angel Grove like a leg infected with gangrene. Anything to salvage what remained of her spirit.

Now, she was desperate for something else. For the easy companionship that came with lifelong friends.

And now…she had a chance.

So, without a second thought to the practice she was about to forego, she smiled at the invitation. "Let me get cleaned up first. It's probably not a good idea to go struttin' around Miami in shiny spandex."

Jason laughed again. "I thought that was your favorite part of being a Ranger!"

Kim smirked as she elbowed her oldest friend in the kidney.

Chapter Seventeen

Kim frowned her disgust, watching Jason slowly drag his spoon across warm, thick chocolate fudge, gooey marshmallow sauce, glazed chopped walnuts, and rich Vienna Mocha Chunk ice cream. He heaped as much as the spoon could hold, and then slowly savored the sinfully sweet concoction, a wide, stupid grin on his face.

Kim glanced down at her tiny cup of nearly translucent plain vanilla soft serve frozen yogurt, and glared death at her friend. "I hate you."

Jason tried to laugh, disregarding the mouthful of ice cream. He began coughing, gagging as he reached for his ice water. Kim fell into giggles, glancing around at the dozen or so patrons in the small ice cream shop that stared worriedly at the stricken young man.

"He's fine," she assured them, reaching across the small table to pound his back. The gagging shifted into deep, raw breaths, and Jason nodded, signaling his recovery.

"Well, you deserve it," Kim huffed, folding her arms. "No need to have a freakin' orgasm over ice cream."

Jason stared at her, absolutely dumfounded that such a crude comment could come from Sugar Sweet Kim's mouth.

"You've changed," he noted.

Her wry grin faded slightly, expressive eyes falling away from his searching gaze. "I've grown up," she answered, swirling her own spoon along the edge of the glass dish. "You can't be soft in professional sports, Jase. There's a lot of focus and dedication involved. Gunther doesn't run a gym…he runs a militia!"

Jason smiled at the jibe, clearly intended to lighten the mood. But he couldn't set his curiosity…or worry…aside so easily.

"Kim, you've been in a militia before," Jason said, his voice low to keep his comments confidential, "Saving the world takes more dedication than gymnastics, but you never lost your cheer."

Kim pursed her lips, her appetite and mirth suddenly dead. He'd spent less than an hour with her, and he'd already sensed that something drastic happened. I thought I hid it so well…

"What makes you think I lost my cheer?" she retorted, "Don't forget, the competition I've trained for almost a year starts Friday. There's a lot of pressure on me right now."

That was possible…but why was Jason unable to believe it?

He watched her carefully pile the melting frozen yogurt in the center of her bowl. She's hiding something…he realized, thoughtfully chewing on a mouthful of candied nuts and fudge. It's never been hard to see what Kim's really feeling.

"Don't worry about it," was what he said, "A few days in the California sun, sipping on Ernie's shakes and shopping at your favorite old haunts will brighten you right back up!"

He frowned as she cringed. "Kim?"

"I'm not going back to Angel Grove," she said quietly. She almost sounded guilty as she said it.

"Why? You told me you applied to AGU!"

"I…did," she revealed, resting her elbow on the edge of the table, "but things are different now. Angel Grove isn't home anymore. All my friends are gone-"

Jason dropped his spoon, dramatically clutching his chest. "Kim! You stab me with your words…"

Kim giggled faintly at his reaction, waving her hand. "Sorry… I forgot you moved back." Her mirth quickly died. "But you have to know where I'm coming from. Angel Grove isn't… home."

"Kim, I know the Angel Grove I came back to isn't the one I left. Without you, Trini, or Zack, it felt like a whole new city. But it's still home. I know your mother's gone, and Aisha and Billy have since moved on, but there's still Rocky, Adam, and Tom-"

Jason bit his tongue, eyes wide with shock as he watched a scowl tighten Kim's beautiful face. He blinked several times, disbelieving his own eyes as her delicate fingers tightened their hold on a napkin, clenching it mercilessly within her shaking fist.

Then, just as suddenly as it started, Kim collected herself. Her hand loosened, and the fury flowed off her face, leaving behind a passive, though saddened, expression.

Jason stared at Kimberly as if she were a total stranger.

Kim flinched under his piercing gaze, biting her lip to counteract her discomfort. "What?"

"Kim, what the hell

was that?"

Kimberly's nervous fingers began wringing the mangled napkin, long hair sweeping over her shoulders as she bowed her head.

"It's no big deal," she responded, "I guess I'm still a little bitter about the breakup."

She courageously lifted her gaze. Jason's blank expression surprised her.

"You didn't know Tommy and I aren't together any longer?"

"Well, no one's really talked

about it," Jason confessed, "I gathered that much when Tommy took Kat to…."

Another disturbing expression- a cross between a baleful frown and an ironic smirk- rendered the former Gold Ranger speechless once again.

"It's nice to hear they're so happy

together," she grumbled.

A deep frown on his face, Jason shoved his half-eaten sundae to the side. Boldly, he pushed Kim's dish away as well, and tugged the napkin from her hands.

Now, there was nothing for her to hide behind.

Steadily, his strong hands grabbed hold of her fists, silently coaxing her to meet his gaze.

Stunned, she lifted her head.

"Kimberly Ann Hart," he stated, his voice adopting the Leader Tone Kim had wordlessly obeyed just two scant years ago, "you're going to tell me exactly

what happened between you and Tommy."

She heaved an unsteady breath, pursing her lips to keep them from trembling as she maintained Jason's gaze. While his tone demanded her response, his eyes were pleading with her.

He was, after all, her oldest friend. One of the few friends she still considered trustworthy, since all the Zeo Rangers let their loyalties lie with their leader.

Despite her struggles, her eyes stung as she silently unlocked the mental closet where she'd stuffed the horrors of her breakup.

"I can't believe Tommy never told you," she breathed, closing her eyes to combat the tears that threatened to fall. She then scoffed. "Well, maybe it's not so

hard to believe…I mean hell, it's not like he ever had the balls to tell me

he'd found someone else!"

Her fingers shifted, suddenly clutching Jason's, begging him to listen to what she was about to relate.

"I'll give you the Cliff Notes version," she decided. "And please

Jase, for my sake… don't say anything until I'm done. And I swear, I'm telling you exactly what happened."

And so she did. She related