Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie by Heather Ray (free books to read TXT) 📕

said, touching his shoulder.

"Hey," Billy responded, standing up and walking alongside her, "Any luck?"

"He's really in bad shape," Kat sighed.

"This calls for drastic measures," Billy decided, "We're going to have to do something to cheer him up."

"What?" asked Kat curiously, "Do you have something in mind?"

"I think I just might," Billy said with a smile, "Come on."
Chapter Five

Thursday, February 13, 1997

In their small apartment in Miami, across the street from the gym they spend half the day in, Kimberly Hart and Renee Ryan are both watching ER, one of Renee's favorite television programs. Renee is completely enthralled by the plot of the drama, but Kimberly's mind is somewhere else. She continues to glance at the clock impatiently, and then turn her attention back to the television. She followed this pattern from the moment ER began at ten o'clock, to the ten-thirty commerical break. Renee put the television on mute, and looked at Kimberly in frustration.

"Kim, could you please stop doing that?" she sighed, "You're making me nervous!"

"Sorry, 'Ne," said Kim, "but Tommy always calls me at ten o'clock sharp! He's half an hour late!"

"I thought you said your boyfriend would be late to his own funeral."

"Yeah," Kim sighed, "but he's usually on time when he calls me."

"You also said he's very forgetful," Renee continued.

"True, but he doesn't forget me !"

"I understand that, but maybe something important came up, and he was distracted."

That's possible,

Kim thought, the Machine Empire could have attacked. This isn't the first time Tommy was late calling me, but the Machines usually attack during the school day, or right after. Their routine is mechanical. But, I guess its possible. After all, its only seven thirty in California...

"Or," continued Renee, "maybe he wanted to call you on your birthday, instead of today. Tomorrow's your birthday, and Valentine's Day. He'd almost have to spend it with you."

"You're probably right, 'Ne," said Kim with a smile, "He'll call tomorrow. Turn up the volume! I want to see if Doctor Green can save that boy from the gunshot wound!"

"You got it, Girlfriend," said Renee with a snicker.

Chapter Six

Friday, February 14, 1997

"Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday dear Kimmie...
Happy Birthday to You!!"

sang the entire squad of gymnasts.

"And many more..."

added Trevor with a charming smile. The entire group screamed and shouted, and Kimberly couldn't help but laugh hysterically. She had stepped into the gym for evening practice at six, as usual, and was surprised by her friends singing a capella.

"Surprise!" cried Renee in excitement. "Happy Eighteenth, Girl!"

"You guys shouldn't have..."

"Nonsense," said Trevor, kissing her cheek, "How could we not celebrate the birthday of one of our favorite gymnasts?"

"Come on, now," said Coach Schmidt, "let the Birthday Girl through! She has to cut the cake!"

Trevor gave Kim his arm, and escorted her to the table, where a gallon of milk and a large sheet cake, with white frosting, small pink flowers on the sides, and a little balance beam in icing, were waiting. Renee handed Kimberly the knife, and she started cutting the first piece.

Chapter Seven

Meanwhile, at the ski resort, Tommy was standing with Heather Thompson, a beautiful, cheerful champion skier, atop a snow covered cliff. They had met not long after Tommy, Katherine, and Billy arrived at the ski resort, and the two immediately hit it off. And now, after he heroically saved her life, Heather can't help but find this mysterious young man intriguing. And attractive.

"Man," said Tommy, taking off his helmet and gazing down the cliff, "this place is amazing."

"Yeah," Heather agreed with a smile.

"Look how far it is to the bottom," Tommy commented.

"I come up here to get excited before I compete. Its like there's no one else in the world when you're up here. No pressures."

"Yeah," Tommy agreed, a faraway look in his deep hazel eyes.

"No one expecting anything from you," Heather continued, gazing intently at Tommy. Tommy turned to her, and looked deeply into her warm golden brown eyes. He smiled.

"Listen Tommy," Heather said quietly, "I hope you don't mind, but Kat and Billy told me a little bit about Kimberly--"

Tommy's smile fell, and he turned away, gazing down the high cliff again. Heather swallowed, and continued.

"Uh, I'm sorry. It sounded like you guys has something really special."

"Yeah, we did," he said in a bitter tone, "but I guess nothing lasts forever, huh?"

Heather touched his shoulder and smiled up at him. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No," said Tommy with an uncomfortable laugh, "Thanks anyway."

"Okay," said Heather, once again losing herself in his endearing hazel eyes. Tommy gazed into her eyes, and for a moment, a familiar feeling came over him. Their faces inched closer together, until Tommy blinked, and his eyes widened. He quickly turned away from Heather, and put on his helmet.

"Hey, uh, we'd better go," he said, walking towards the snowmobile that brought them to the cliff, "Ready?"

"Yeah," Heather sighed disappointedly, following him.

Chapter Eight

After a few hours of partying, Kimberly excused herself at a quarter of nine. At five minutes to ten, she plopped onto her bed, utterly exhausted.

I feel bad about not helping with the clean-up, but Renee and Trevor insisted, since the party was technically for me. They didn't have to throw me a party... not that I didn't enjoy it.

Kim smiled to herself as she remembered dancing the night away. She then realized that she spent most of the night with Trevor Monroe. She blushed slightly, and then a wave of guilt hit her. She brushed it aside and glanced at the telephone.

"We only danced," she reasoned, "and it was a party. I wasn't going to just stand there. Besides, I didn't dance to any of the slow songs. So I guess I didn't do anything wrong. Still, I'll tell Tommy all about it when he calls me. I don't want to keep anything from him. He should be calling any minute now..."

But he didn't call. Kim spent over an hour waiting by the telephone, flipping through television stations or fashion magazines, and constantly glancing at the clock, or the telephone. She sighed deeply, and picked up the romance novel she was reading. But she couldn't concentrate. By eleven o'clock, Kimberly had resorted to staring intently at the phone, as if it would ring at any moment. She remained like that until fifteen after eleven, when Renee stepped into the room. Renee glanced at Kim, and smiled to herself.

"What on Earth are you doing?" she asked. Kim frowned, and looked up at her roommate.

"Waiting for Tommy to call," she said simply.

"He didn't call yet?" said Renee, surprise evident in her voice, "Well, maybe you should call him. Just to check up on him."

"You're right," Kim said, picking up the phone, "Maybe he didn't think I'd be home, since its Friday night."

Kim dialed the Oliver house phone number, and let it ring. After the third ring, a young boy answered the phone.

^Hello, Oliver residence,^

he said.

"Jesse? Is that you? Its Kimberly."

^Oh, hey Kim, how are you?^

"Fine. Listen, is your brother there?"

^No, he went away for the weekend.^

Kimberly was surprised by this. "Really? Where did he go?"

^He went skiing with Kat.^

"Excuse me?"

^He went skiing with Kat. For the weekend. He should be back Sunday afternoon. Want me to tell him you called?^

"No!" Kim said quickly, "Nevermind. I... I'll try again Sunday. Take care, Jesse."

^G'bye, Kim.^

Kimberly hung up the phone slowly, and stood there, staring at it in a daze.

"What happened?" asked Renee.

"Uh, that was Tommy's little brother Jesse," Kim said quietly, "Tommy's not home."

"Oh?" said Renee, "Well, that's not such a big deal, Kim. Its still early in California. He'll probably be back in an hour or so."

"No, he won't," Kim choked, tears starting to form in her eyes, "He... he went skiing for the weekend. He went skiing with Kat

on my birthday!! On Valentine's Day

!!!"

Kimberly sank onto her bed, and began to cry. Renee was stunned by the news, but she remained cool and sat down on Kim's bed beside her.

"Maybe its only a misunderstanding," Renee said, "Jesse could've gotten the facts wrong. Maybe a whole group of them went. Why don't you call one of