"Kim, five minutes until we leave to the club," Katherine Hillard's voice fluttered up from downstairs.
"'Kay Kat, be right there," Kimberly called back. Kimberly willed herself not to cry. She couldn't, not when she'd be with her friends in five minutes.
Since she had returned to Angel Grove, she'd been living with Kat. What had been attended to only be a vacation, had turned into a move. Kat's parents had agreed she could live with them, until she went to her college dorm, at Angel Grove's university. And now, she had to pretend to be happy for Tommy and Kat. Tommy Oliver, her ex, the one she had dumped for no one. Well, they thought it had been another man, but there never really was anyone else. Who would she go out with, that could compare to Tommy?
"Kim?"
"I'm coming," Kimberly said jumping up and walking down the stairs. She saw Kat waiting in a short mini skirt and a tiny top waiting for her. Didn't she used to wear those kinds of clothes, when she first new Tommy? They had not attracted his attention. More, they had turned him off, even though she had seen his reaction he had once in a while. He'd always tried to hide it, but she had caught him once or twice staring at her chest.
"Let's go," Kat said her accent stronger than before.
"Sure," they walked outside to her pink sports car and hopped in. "Which club are we headin to?"
"Dance Fever," Kat said smiling softly. "That's where Tommy kissed me for the first time."
Kimberly reddened and looked away. Kat didn't notice, and she started to tell her about the date.
"Kat, would you kindly shut up?" Kimberly asked a minute later.
Kat blinked and looked at her. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"It's okay. I gave him up. He's off limits to me. I'm happy for the two of you," Kimberly assured her. "I knew what I was doing when I sent my letter."
"Can I ask you something personal?"
"Ask away," Kimberly said shrugging.
"There never was a new love interest, was there?"
Kimberly's eyes filled with tears. "No, never. But I knew what I was doing."
"Did you really?" Kat asked softly.
Kimberly thought a minute. She did understand fully of what she had done at the time. Now she regretted it, but when she remembered the ways Tommy and Kat had been looking before she left, she was glad she did what she did. "It's fine Kat. I did what I had to do."
"Kim, would you want to date other guys?" Kat asked suddenly aspired.
"Huh?"
"I have a friend who has been dying to go out with you. He's been wanting to ask you out since you left the first time."
"Oh, really?" Kimberly asked dryly. "I'm sorry, but I don't do blind dates."
"But it wouldn't be a blind date. You already know the person," Kat assured her.
"Who is it?"
"Rocky."
"ROCKY?" Kimberly asked surprised. "Rocky's a great friend and all, but go on a date with America's most unsensitive male?"
"Oh come on Kim, just dance with him. He's always had a secret crush on you."
"Yeah, and so has Adam, Jason, Zack, and Billy, but I don't go out on dates with them every time I'm lonely."
"Who said anything about dates, I said just dance with him."
"Kat I can't lead him on," Kimberly said simply.
"I didn't say lead him on. Just dance, and maybe go out to a movie tomorrow night."
Kimberly sighed. If she didn't say yes, Kat could make her world a living hell. "Fine. Dancing and a movie, but nothing else."
"Great," Kat said happily as they pulled into the parking lot. They both got out of the car and headed into the night club. "He'll be so happy!"
"Great," Kimberly muttered. "But will I?"
"Oh be nice, he's coming this way," Kat hissed good naturedly. Sure enough, Rocky was jogging over to them.
"Kat, care to dance?" he asked hopefully.
"Sorry Rocko, but Kim'll love to dance with you, won't ya Kim?" Kat asked shoving her over to him.
"Hi Rocky. Want to dance with little oh me?" Kimberly asked smiling sweetly. Kimberly almost swore Rocky looked crushed, but quickly put on a goofy grin and took Kimberly's outstretched hand.
"I'd be delighted little lady," Rocky said with a serious face.
"Rocky! No wise cracks about my height, got it?"
"Got it," Rocky said solemnly. He led her to the dance floor and waltzed her past Adam and Tanya who were dancing slowly to the music.
"Nice work Rocko!" Adam said smiling.
"Yeah, go me!" Rocky agreed.
Kimberly rolled her eyes at Tanya and Tanya grinned, she knew exactly how she felt. The guys could be so unsensitive sometimes.
"See ya later," Adam called as he twirled Tanya away.
"So Rocky, what have you been up to since you gave Justin the Powers?"
Kimberly asked remembering when Divatox had captured her and Jason Lee Scott, a month ago.
"Working on my school. It should be up and running by graduation. You're so lucky," Rocky said wistfully. "You got to graduate early."
"Oh yeah fun, we had five extra hours of school every day just so we could make the Olympic tryout deadlines," Kimberly said laughing.
"At least you wont be stuck in school for the next month," Rocky pointed out.
"Oh, it should be fun. Have you guys heard anything from Divatox lately?"
"No. That's the weird thing. We're kinda wondering what it means. And Zedd and Mondo haven't attacked."
Kimberly shrugged. She looked around the disco. She noticed with a pang that Kat and Tommy were dancing really, really close. Tanya and Adam were waltzing around the dance floor, and Jason was dancing with a girl Kimberly had just met, named Emily.
"Tommy and Kat seem awfully close," Kimberly murmured.
"Yeah, I know," Rocky agreed sadly.
Kimberly suddenly understood. Rocky was in love with Kat. It all made sense. For the past month he'd been dropping by the house, and every time when she told him Kat was out with Tommy or Tanya, he'd get so sad and quiet.
"You like Kat, don't you?" Kimberly asked.
Rocky blushed and nodded. "Yeah. I like Kat an awful lot. She's so pretty, and so, so sophisticated. And she's smart, and funny and-"
"I get your point Rocky," Kimberly interrupted. She didn't want to listen to him go on and on about her good qualities, since she already knew them. "We need to get the two of you together."
Rocky stared at her. "You want me to date Kat? Why?" Then it dawned on him. "You're still in love with Tommy, aren't you?"
Kimberly nodded. "We need to get a plan worked out. Are you in?"
Rocky nodded. "I'm in."