Under the Microscope

Chapter 2

Kimberly POV

beep beep beep Were the first sounds Kimberly Adams heard as she rose from sleep. Kimberly raised an arm from deep beneath her covers and slammed the snooze button on her 'Hello Kitty®' alarm clock. Kimberly attempted to fall back to sleep until her eight year old brother, Timmy, dashed into her room holding the house phone.

"'Kay! 'Kay! It's Kevin!" Timmy sang out, "He says it's real important!"

With an overtired groan, Kimberly got out from under her covers and reached out her hand to receive the telephone.

"Give it here, buddy." Kimberly said. She was struggling to get her wits about her.

"Hello?" Kimberly said to Kevin on the other line.

"Hey, Kim," Kevin said, "sorry if I woke you up, but your cell was going straight to voice-mail." Kimberly glanced up at the clock. It was only 10 am; it's too early for this she thought to herself.

"What's up?" asked Kimberly.

"'What's up?'?" Kevin repeated, "Don't you remember? Today's your last day of freedom before you get shipped off to the Meadowlark School for Gifted Children in Canada. We were supposed to meet with the guys at Starbucks for breakfast, I have an awesome day planned out for you and it will end with a very special evening."

Kimberly let out a sigh of frustration, "I didn't get home until real late, Kev."

Kimberly had intentionally left her cell phone off. She knew perfectly well what Kevin meant when he said 'special evening'. It meant 'going all the way' with him, something Kevin's been bugging her about for weeks. As much as she wanted to, Kimberly was too tired to protest at that moment. Kimberly knew that she's way too young for it; being only fourteen, but she also knew why Kevin was so desperate to do it so soon. To Kevin, this is his last chance to be with her before she goes away. To Kimberly, Kevin believes that her going away means the end of their relationship.

"I bet you did get home late." Kevin said, "That was a crazy party last night, huh?"

"If you say do." Kimberly replied.

"Don't be like that, Kim." Kevin said, "Watching Roger and Finch getting wasted and barfing all over the carpet at Tyler's house was hilarious. Man, was Mr. Kennedy pissed."

"Yes, Kev, you're right. It was absolutely hysterical" Kimberly said with sarcastic enthusiasm.

"So get dressed, babe." Kevin said, "We're coming by in about an hour and then we're going to the diamond, alright?"

"Yeah, sure, wouldn't miss it." Kimberly answered dully and they both hung up.

Kimberly felt annoyed. It was this kind of self-absorbed attitude that Kevin's been displaying, that made Kimberly want to avoid spending another day with him. Kimberly knew that Kevin's 'perfect day' was watching him play baseball and laugh at the antics of some of his obnoxious friends.

"Hey, Timmy? Where's Mom?" Kimberly asked her brother, who was leafing through an issue of Sports Illustrated that Kevin had once given Kimberly for to read.

"She's at her school to meet some new kids for next year." Timmy answered.

Kimberly and Timmy's parents, Scott and Margaret Adams, had been divorced since Timmy was a baby. However, they are still significantly cordial to each other, especially since they have both worked together at Ronald Reagan High School long before they were married. Scott was the principal, while Margaret, the guidance counselor. Scott lived on the other side of Fleming with his remarried wife, Wanda, whom Kimberly believed was a gold-digging bitch. On the other hand, Margaret lives by herself, in the same neighborhood as the Thornton's'.