A/N: I've been having this story idea for a while. Basically Kim leaves, disappears, skedaddled (enter whatever words you know that basically means she left) just months a way from her high school graduation. Five years later, she comes back to town to town to face it all with a secret in tow. I know I cannot summarize to save my life, but technically that is the main plot line.

Anyways tell me what you think. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it just plain awful? Read and Review but most importantly enjoy...

Not Since You

Chapter 1: Coming back

Let me tell you a story about the ultimate girl next door.

She had a huge list of extracurricular activities; she was the cheer leading captain, she is the leader of the school's news team and she is student body president. Not to mention she took dance lessons, can sing, is an A+ student, and had a black belt.

That's right a black belt.

She has blonde hair, brown eyes and fair skin and she was nice to everyone so much that her word was law in high school. Everyone loved her; the teachers, the parents, the various student body groups. Of course there were people who hated her too, jealous or conceited but those people would give it all just to have her talk to them for a minute.

She had a way of connecting to people and she saw the best in everyone. To everyone she was perfect. But I knew she wasn't. She could be messy, she could be lazy, and she could procrastinate like every other teenager. There were times she was weak and there were times she didn't see pass her prejudice. But hey she's human too.

This is not the story of how we fell in love, it is more like the story of how we fell apart. There will be times when you will laugh your heart out, and then there will be times you'll sympathize her and mad at me. I will admit; I'm not perfect, I have made many mistakes concerning her. But in my defense I was young and way over my head.

...

Kimberly Crawford took a deep breath. She tried to gather herself. She was Kimberly Anne Crawford. Calm, cool, collected. Always have, always will. Right now she was in her convertible waiting. Waiting for herself to be brave enough to march into the mall she fled five years ago without any notice or goodbyes.

She didn't know what to expect. Open arms, rude gestures, hostility, hospitality. She did not even know if all of them would be here today. All she knew from her mom was that they still came here. They being Jerry, Milton, Eddie and Jack. Here being the dojo.

It was stupid to just stay here in the car, gathering courage, but one of the lessons she had learn in the past five years was that bravery builds up, step by step, inch by inch. She looked into the mirror of her car. In many ways she had changed and yet she was still the same. Her blonde hair was now cut to shoulder length, with various brown highlights. She still had the same brown eyes. Her figure was more or less the same.

"You can do this," She told herself before walking out of her convertible. It was afternoon. The mall was crowded. Kim should not be surprised at how much the mall change. It had been years after all. There was a brand new music store and coffee place. There were also stores and food places that seemed to pass the test of time. There was the reptile shop, Circus Burger and Falafel Phil's.

And then there it was.

The dojo.

Bobby Wasabi Dojo.

Her dojo, or her used to be dojo seemed to be more popular. She could see children inside with several instructors, all of them oblivious to the fact she was standing outside the door. And to make matters worse, she spotted three guys walking out of the office with her old sensei.

All of them changed. Taller, muscular, smarter, more confident and yet they all still had the same mischievous spark in their eyes. She felt like she could not stop looking at them and yet her eyes only focused on the brown haired guy. He looked even better than she remembered. He still had his shaggy brown hair. He looked taller, more muscular and yet he was still quite lean. And then there were other small things she noticed that were the same; his nose, mouth, brown eyes.

Kim suddenly felt small. She wanted to run away but she reprimanded herself. She had enough time running away, five years of it and now she had to face her demons. Unconsciously, she tugged her dress. She had paid attention to what she dressed today. Gone were the over sized t-shirts and jeans. She was wearing a sophisticated looking blue dress that not only looked gorgeous but flaunted her figure. On top of that she was wearing a cardigan and killer shoes. She knew she looked good but she didn't feel anything of that. She wanted to come back feeling powerful and victorious as if she had it all and was flaunting it, no matter how conceited it may seem. She wanted to show them she was no longer the wreck and mess they had suspected her to be.

Taking one more deep breath and squaring her shoulders, the twenty three year old opened the door of the dojo. The familiar bell rang and memories seemed to flood in her mind. Sparring, kicking butt, the sweet victory after winning competitions. A few kids stopped practicing to see who came in but soon got back to training. Kim watched as her sensei along with the three other guys did a double take at her.

"Kim?" Milton finally said, not believing his eyes.

"Hey guys. I'm back," Kim said watching their reactions.

They were all shock, no doubt about that, but what happens after they get over it. Jerry seemed to be the first one to recover. Kim watched as he walked up to her, tensing up for what he was going to do. But soon relaxed when he gave her a big hug.

Soon Eddie, Milton and Rudy started to move towards her welcoming her back. There was much hugging. Kim felt herself relax a little more. Maybe it would not be that bad. After finally hugging Rudy, she looked to where Jack was. She could feel the eyes of all them. They all, like her, wanted to know how he would react.

He was still rooted but his eyes seemed to be warring with emotions.

"You're back," he finally said.

"Yeah," Kim replied.

It felt wrong, like they were strangers or acquaintances not best friends. They used to be able to talk about anything but now, they were all proper and polite. Kim did not know why it made her feel so uncomfortable.

"Okay," Jack said before turning to Rudy, "I've got to go pick Stella up. I'll see you later."

And with that Kim watched as her former best friend walk out of the dojo.

What in the world was she thinking coming back?

...

Kim was at the coffee place with Jerry. Eddie had followed Jack out. Milton and Rudy wanted to catch up but they were busy in the dojo. Kim found herself with Jerry at the new coffee place.

"Here are your orders," the waitress said as she placed both Jerry and Kim's drink on the booth they were sitting on.

The coffee place it turns out was not that bad. It had a cheery and relaxed vibe about it.

"Thanks," Kim smiled. The waitress left.

Kim took a sip of her drink before looking at Jerry. He was not the same. Of course five years would change a person. The last time she saw Jerry was when he was eighteen. Back then he was still having fun and carefree, now he looked somehow refined and yet he was still the same. Still good old Jerry.

"So how's your family?" Kim asked, beginning the conversation.

"Good. My sister just bought a new house. My parents are still the same," Jerry replied.

"That's great," Kim smiled, "What about you?"

"I'm doing good," Jerry said before adding, "Great actually. Got a job, a place to live and a girlfriend."

"A girlfriend?" Kim's eyebrows rose. Jerry had, at eighteen, announced that he was never going to settle down.

"Yeah, We've been going out for almost a year," Jerry informed with a smile.

"Wow. That is unexpected," Kim said still shock, "Congratulations."

"Yeah who knew right," Jerry said as he took a sip of his drink.

Kim knew exactly what Jerry meant. At eighteen they had never expected who they were going to be five years later. Kim herself could not imagine how her life turned out. She had always thought that she would still be friends with Jack, Milton, Eddie, Jerry and Rudy. So far she had not seen them until five years later which was today. She had often in those five years wished to come back but always chickened out, telling herself she was not ready. Kim was back now, but she was never ready.

"So how have you been?" Jerry asked breaking Kim's train of thought.

"Fine, good, okay," Kim responded.

One of Jerry's eyebrows rose questioningly, "That is not really an assuring answer."

"I've been great actually," Kim confessed, "The best I've been in years."

And maybe that was wrong. She should be feeling guilty about what she did and part of her did and yet she never regretted her decision. It should be wrong if you laid it all down but she didn't see it that way. The best thing happened to her in those five years and that was the reason she had to go back.

"That's good," Jerry offered with a smile.

"Yeah," Kim said smiling back.

There was a moment of silence. Neither knew what to say. Kim knew Jerry had a burning question for her, one that she did not know if she was ready to answer and somehow Jerry knew that too. Jerry had been like a brother to her throughout high school which was strange considering she was star student and he was the school's rebel.

"Look, I know it is none of my business, but where were you the past five years?" Jerry spoke up. It wasn't the question that Kim had expected him to ask first but nevertheless expected him to ask.

"Honestly, with my aunt Charlotte," Kim shrugged, " I went to college there and everything."

"Okay," Jerry said simply.

"Aren't you going to ask me why?" Kim asked.

"Why what?"

"Why I left," Kim responded.

"And let you have the opportunity to say; 'Drop it, okay. Let's talk about something else' while staring at me mysteriously. I don't think so," Jerry snickered.

"I always wanted to say that," Kim played along. They both laughed softly before Jerry grew serious.

"We are all entitled to our secrets and I know you're not ready to tell," Jerry said.

It was like he still knew her and that raised a lump in her throat. Maybe she still did have a friend in him.

"Thanks."

"Can I ask you something though," Jerry asked leaning in.

"Sure," Kim replied.

"Why did you come back?" he asked.

That was not a question she had expected. It threw her off a bit and yet the answer rose to her lips without any effort.

"To make things right."

Well what do you think? What do you think is Kim's secret? Why do you think she left five years ago? What do you think would be Jack's reaction? Chapter 2 will be up sooner or later (I prefer sooner) so till then :)