I dashed into the house, dropping the shovel into a snow bank along the way.
“Tara! The new neighbors are moving in!” I yelled from my spot in the entry way. I knew that my house-mate would throw a fit if I tracked snow in the house. I heard a thumping noise, and I smiled when Tara came bolting off of the stairs and began to pull on snow boots and her coat.
“Oh, so you wouldn’t come outside to help me shovel, but you’ll come running at the prospect of gawking at the newbies, huh?”
Tara managed to pull on her second boot and flip me off at the same time. It was quite an amusing feat.
“Lets go!” Tara exclaimed, and she hustled out the front door.
We stood on the sidewalk and watched as movers hauled boxes into the cold, empty looking stucco house. I flipped long strawberry blond hair impatiently over my shoulder.
“Where are the new neighbors..?” I wondered aloud. Tara chuckled.
“Perhaps they aren’t here yet.” She pointed out.
As if on cue, a black mustang car pulled up next to the moving truck. A tall, no, very tall woman stepped out of the car. She was wearing dark sunglasses despite the fact that it was overcast, and a black leather jacket. She had long raven hair, and seemed to radiate a very intimidating energy.
“Wow...” Tara breathed. I couldn’t say anything, I was so transfixed. I didn’t know why, but a very strange feeling came over me. My vision became fuzzy until I couldn't see anymore. In the place of my quiet neighborhood, I saw what looked like the same woman, but she was wearing a considerable amount less. She was also holding the reins of a golden horse, and was looking right at me.
“Gabrielle...” she spoke so softly that I could barely understand what she had said at first.
Zoe!” Tara exclaimed. Just as quickly as my vision had blurred, it cleared, and I saw the woman down the street looking at me. I couldn't tear my gaze away, and then Tara gave me a good shake.
“Zoe, where did you go?”
“S-sorry.” I said gently.
Tara laughed. “She’s quite a looker, isn’t she?” she said, still sounding quite awed.
“I’m going inside. Maybe I’ll cook something that we can take to our attractive new neighbor.” I nodded, and deftly picked the shovel back up, and continued to lift the snow off of the walkway.
”Calm down, Zoe! Your going to drop the pie!”
I hadn’t dared to tell Tara about my vision. I didn’t know how she would react, and the last thing I wanted was my best friend to think I was insane.
Tara reached out, and rang the door bell. It had been an hour or so since we had watched our new neighbor get out of her black car, and we had long since saw her retreat inside and the movers drive away.
We waited outside for a minute or two and then the door opened to reveal the woman up close-and without her sunglasses on. She had beautiful light blue eyes, and I felt my knees start to buckle.
“We brought you a pie.” Tara supplied after she noticed my condition. The woman smiled.
“Thanks. bring it in here.” She said.
I gasped, and nearly dropped the pie. Tara grabbed it out of my hands, and looked at me. My face was chalk white, and I was trembling.
”What?!” Tara asked, looking concerned.
The woman turned around and her gaze landed on me.
”It’s her.” Was all I whispered before I fainted.
“My name is Tara.”
I heard as I came to.
I’m Tori...” the woman stated.
“Oh, you’re awake!” Tara said. I nodded.
“What happened?” I asked.
Tara giggled. “You fainted.”
“Whaa..?” Then I remembered, and I gasped again. The woman-Tori’s voice was exactly the same as my dream-woman’s.
“What?!?” Tara asked.
”Nothing.” I said quickly. The last thing I wanted was to make a fool of myself any more than I already had.
“Wait a minute... where am I?”
Tori smiled broadly.
“You’re in my bedroom, on my bed.”
I choked, and cleared my throat.
”Oh.” I said in a small voice.
Tori’s beautiful eyes opened at least five times wider, and she she stumbled back a few steps.
”How... how is that... possible...?!?” Tori breathed in shock.
”What?!” Tara and I both asked.
Tori was silent a moment before she spoke.
“Nothing...” Tori said gently, and she smiled at me. “I guess we should get you home. Are you feeling okay to walk?”
I nodded, and she escorted Tara and I back home. We told her that we would come and visit again after she had had a chance to unpack and get settled in. Tara gave her our phone number, and then decided to embarrass me a bit more by telling Tori that I’d try not to faint in the doorway again. Tori had laughed at that, and patted my shoulder. I felt electricity burn through me starting where her hand had touched.
The last thing I thought before I fell asleep that night was that if I hadn’t nodded, Tori could have carried me home.
----------------------------------------------
Chapter Two: Yes, Schoolmistress!
“Good morning, class.”
“Good morning, Miss Winters.” Said twenty-two smiling kindergarten children. I smiled at them, and then began class.
“Today we’re going to talk about love.” The children all assumed grins, and a few giggled.
I braced myself for some answers that were going to be a bit out there. I knew I had to be nice about wrong answers, because I didn’t want the children to feel bad.
A small hand raised, and I gave a surprised smile.
“Mari, what is love?”
The shy little redhead lowered her eyes to her hands and said softly “It’s a feeling.”
I grinned. “Yes… what else?”
“It’s something you feel for your mommy.”
“Good! Everyone, who else would you feel love for?”
Excited voices began to shout out various people and animals. I picked out ‘pet iguana’ from the mess of clamoring six-year-old voices, and chuckled. That would be David. He was always on the ball and ready to make me laugh. I winked at him and he giggled.
“Okay, all right. That’s good! Now, lets talk about respect. What does respect mean?”
The children all were silent. I knew this was a rather difficult question, especially for six-year-olds, but I felt that it was very important that they knew what words like this meant.
When no hands were raised, I smiled.
“Respect is also a feeling. To respect someone, you have to be nice to them, and you have to treat them right. For example, if David put a frog in Sarah’s hair, would that be respecting Sarah?”
The class erupted into fits of laughter and small voices making frog noises. I allowed this for a moment, and then called out ‘inside voices!’ The class was quickly silent.
“Would that be respecting Sarah?” I repeated. The class collectively called ‘No!’ I smiled.
“Good. Now, if David was very friendly to Sarah, and helped her tie her shoe, would that be respecting Sarah?” This time, there was a collective ‘Yes’ from the children. I beamed. This was one of the best classed I’d had in years.
“Good! Now, give me some people you respect.” This time children called out ‘mommy’, ‘daddy’, and I heard Mari’s soft voice say ‘the cops.’ I silenced the rest of the children, and asked Mari to repeat herself. She blushed, and did so. I had been hoping that someone would say that so that I could have a proper introduction to the next discussion.
“Mari is absolutely correct. Now, tell me, why do you respect the cops? Remember, raise your hand.”
Small hands raised, and kindergarten students said such things as: “they keep us safe” and “they kill bad guys for us.” I chuckled.
“Okay, I have a surprise for you all. Tomorrow a real cop is going to come and see us.” The class began to talk excitedly.
“Inside voices!” I called over the children.
“The cop will be telling you what to do in certain situations, and will also be telling you a bit about what it is like to be a cop. I will expect you all to be on your best behaviors. I also want you all to try to think of a question or two to ask the cop, okay?”
The class nodded and made enthusiastic sounds. I laughed. Having such a great class was very encouraging for me.
I looked to the clock, and was that it was five minutes until the children were to go outside for recess.
“Okay children, why don’t we all go into the cloak room and put on our snow stuff, and then it’s time for recess.”
The class cheered and dashed off to the cloak room. I followed after and helped a few children don their snow pants, coats, hats and gloves. David came up to me, tears in his eyes.
“What’s the matter, D-Man?”
He giggled, like he always did when I called him that.
“I forgot my mittens, and I want to play in the snow.”
I smiled reassuringly at him.
“C’mon, D-Man. We’ll find a spare pair.”
I took the little boy’s hand and led him to a storage room. After digging through the lost and found for a few minutes, I found a pair of red mittens. I helped David put them on, and then I led the children to the other kindergarten class room. The other teacher, Mr. Frost, and I took turns taking the children outside for recess.
“Okay everyone, it’s Mr. Frost’s turn to take you outside today. Behave yourselves, or you’ll get a time out.” I smiled at Mr. Frost, mouthed ‘it’s cold outside’ and then returned to the now-empty class room.
“Miss Winters, please come to the office. You have a phone call. Miss Winters, please come to the office. Thank you.”
I sighed, and hurried to the office. Once inside, one of the secretaries waved me over to her. She handed me a phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Why are you calling me, Tara?! I’m at work!” Tara laughed.
“Tori called. She wants us to come over for supper tonight.”
“Why isn’t she at work?”
“I don’t know, maybe she’s still a student, like me.”
Tara was still taking her collage classes. She had taken two years off between high school and collage, so she was behind me. She wouldn’t be graduating for another year yet.
“Somehow I don’t think that’s the case.” I deadpanned. Tara laughed.
“So, are you free?”
“When am I not, Tara? I have no life.” Tar chuckled.
“Good, I have to call her back quick and get to school. Have a nice day!”
“You too, Tara. Study hard!” I snickered and she huffed and hung up. She hated it when I said that. It reminded her too much of her mother.
I hung up the phone, and hurried back to the classroom. Perhaps I’d still have time to write before the students came in from recess.
That evening, I tried on several different outfits before I decided on a pair of black slacks and a white blouse that was slightly unbuttoned. I combed my strawberry blond hair back and put it into a comfortable, yet stylish ponytail. Tara wore her favorite sun dress, with a cute sweater over it to keep warm. We were bringing with a pie that Tara made, and some of my famous chicken soup.
At 5:30 pm, we walked to Tori's house. I hadn’t saw her in a few weeks, and I felt excitement welling up in me.
What I didn’t know was that Tori was just as nervous as me.
< Why did I invite them here..? > She thought to herself. < And how does Zoe’s voice sound just like my dream girl’s? > The answer was plain to Tori, but she kept forcing it back. The last thing she wanted was to get her hopes up again. < If she’s my soulmate she’ll wait for me, so I can wait until I’m ready. > Tori thought to herself. Then, the doorbell rang.
------------------------------------------
Chapter Three: Hello, officer. Is there a problem?
Tara and I followed Tori into the house, which was now fully furnished, and looked quite nice, even though it was still a little bare.
I yawned, and Tori turned to me.
“You know... you’re pretty cute when you’re tired.” She said playfully. I blushed, and was about to retort, but she spoke again too soon.
”Here, you two can sit on the couch. I’m going to go get us something to drink. What do you want?”
I frowned.
Um... I don’t really like to drink...” I said, sounding embarrassed.
Tori chuckled.
”Okay, how would you like some pop?”
”Sure.”
“Tara, what would you like?”
“I think that I'll have some pop too, actually.”
Tori grinned. “I guess I’ll just have pop with you two, also then.”
When Tori returned with the beverages, she smiled. ”The rest of the supper is still cooking. It should be done soon.”
I was very pleased with how well the evening was going so far. I didn’t know what I had expected, but I knew that it wasn’t this way that we behaved like we were all best friends, even though we had just met.
Soon the buzzer went off in the kitchen, and we all went to eat. The food was wonderful, and Tori really liked my soup.
Since it was Thursday, I had to work the next morning. Sadly, at 9:00pm Tara and I had to head home. Tori seemed disappointed, but we agreed that we had to get together again very soon.
I felt sad, because Tori lived all alone.
”Okay class, the cop should be here any minute now. Remember, be on your best behavior.”
My class looked like they could barely contain excitement. I had them all seated at the long tables facing the front of the room.
I heard a knock on the classroom door, and I hurried and opened it. What I saw shocked me.
It was Tori.
“What?!”
“How... wow! I didn’t know you were a kindergarten teacher!”
“Well, I had no idea you were a cop! Nice badge...”
Tori laughed.
Well... come in and see my students.”
I walked in with Tori, and introduced her.
“Class, this is Officer Slinger. Please say hello.”
The children all called various greetings to my friend, and she smiled.
”I’m pleased to meet you all. As your teacher said, I am Officer Tori Slinger. I suppose I’ll just start out by telling you all a bit about myself.
I have been a police officer for five years. I do mainly patrol, although I have done some detective work too.
Mari raised her hand, and Tori pointed to her. “You have a question?”
Marii nodded.
“What exactly does ‘patrol work’ mean?”
I looked at Tori and we both smiled at each other.
”That means that I drive around and watch for bad people, and then I make them stop.”
Another hand raised. It was Steve. his father was one of those muscle-heads who thought that violence, hunting and football were the only things important in life.
”How many people have you shot?” He asked, an excited look in his eyes. Tori sighed.
”It isn’t important how many people I’ve shot, as long as I;m keeping you safe, right?” She addressed the question to everyone, and they all nodded. I decided that I may have to have a little talk with Steve.
”Now, when someone is attacking you, who knows what to do?”
No one raised their hands, so Tori explained.
“If someone is attacking you, the first thing you want to do is run away, and yell very loud. That way someone may hear you and come to you.”
Mari’s hand raised again.
“What if they won’t let you run away?”
Tori was beginning to like this child.
“Then, you want to kick them... or hit them, actually. You’ll want to do so here-” She pointed to her knee, “or here-” she pointed to her groin, “or here” she then pointed to her stomach. “Those are the most sensitive body parts you can get to with your feet. Actually, you’re all short, so you could punch in those places too.”
The class all looked pretty excited by the idea.
“Now, once you’ve hit them, you should be able to run away, and remember to scream really loud. Once you get away, you have to tell a grown up right away, and you’ll have to tell them what the bad person looked like.”
I interjected at that point.
“Now, perhaps you should tell them how to hit properly so they don’t hurt themselves.”
Tori grinned. “Okay, come here.”
I blanched. “What”
”I said come here. Class, allow me to demonstrate how to hit properly. On your teacher.”
The class began to laugh and cheer
”Oh, a big lot of help you all are!” I stated, rolling my eyes. I then stepped up to Tori, and stood in a ready position.
”You have no idea what you’re messing with.” I whispered. “I’m a black belt, and a kick- boxer.”
Tori hid her surprise well.
“Now, you want to make a fist like this.” She demonstrated a proper fist and the students all mimed it.
”Good. Now, say your attacker has a hold on you.” She motioned to me, and I grabbed her wrists. She smiled, and then looked to the students. “All you do is move your arms like this-” She twisted her arms and broke the hold “and then when you’re free, you make the fist, and hit as hard as you can here.” She mock-punched my stomach.
“Also, if you can’t break away, you can kick here-” She mock-kicked my knee “or you can shove your knee here-” She shoved her knee into my groin. “That move is especially effective on boys.”
The girls in the class all giggled, and I tried to remember to breathe.
< Relax, Zoe... it isn’t anything sexual... she’s just teaching the students... > Still, I couldn’t help but think that I saw a glint in her eyes which said different than my over-rational mind was telling me.
“Now, up to speed your attack would look like this:” She tried to punch me, but I decided to show what meant by being a black belt and kick boxer. I pulled her arm, twisted it, and flipped her to her back. She stared up at me in disbelief as the children howled with laughter.
“Hey! That’s not what’s supposed to happen!” She complained. I chuckled and helped her up.
“Now, let’s try that again.” She rushed me, and I sighed dramatically. “Oh fine...” I relented as she attacked me.
“See? It takes some practice, but after a while you’ll become very good at self-defense.”
Tori had the students pair off and try the hold breaks. They all did quite a good job.
Then, it was time for the students to go out to recess, and for Tori to leave. The students all thanked her (due to my prompting), and then I had to take them outside. While the children were in the cloak room, I stood in the doorway with Tori.
“Thanks for coming in.” I said gently. “The children really liked it.”
”No problem. They’re sweet kids.” She said. She put her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll see you again?”
I felt my body tremble from her touch. I got such a charge out of her energy. It was so confusing. It seemed like more than just attraction to me.
”Yeah, you’ll see me again.” I took a deep breath. < It’s now or never, Zoe. Go for it! > I thought to myself. “We should go out sometime. You know, just you and me...”
Tori’s eyes brightened, and she grinned.
“Yeah! That would be great!!”
The students were filing out of the cloak room, and I sighed.
“You’d better go... I’ve gotta get these kids outside.
”Okay. I’ll call you all right? I work 9:30pm to 9:30am, so...”
“Wow! That means you should be sleeping!!”
”Nah... I sleep from 9:30 until 2:30pm, and I’m good to go.”
“Wow.. that’s not a lot of sleep.”
”I don’t need too much sleep. Never have.”
I smiled. “All right. Whatever you say...” Tori laughed.
”See you later, Zoe.”
”Right back at ‘ya, Tori.”
I watched Tori as she walked away, and I couldn’t help but think that part of me was walking away with her. I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to be with her. Hopefully we would have our ‘date’ soon. I really wanted to talk to her about this strange feeling that seemed more than attraction or even love. < It almost seems like it could defy life itself. > I thought to myself in wonder.
I pulled myself back to reality, and led the children out into the wildly falling snow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stupid Geocities won't let me have any more on this page, so the rest of the fic can be found here. Sorry!
