Mike watched Emily run, tears running down her eyes and he began to feel like a giant jerk.
"Good going, Mike." Kevin said with a sigh and a shake of his head.
"You need to watch what you say." Mia offered.
"Yeah, yeah." Mike sighed, defeated. It was like he hurts people, and he doesn't even try! What was wrong with him? Mike was sure the was nothing wrong. On the contrary, as a Ranger, Mike felt strongly about his fellow Rangers and cared for them all. It was instinct to want to protect people. So hurting people, even by accident, made all the Ranger's repel in horror.
Or so Mike liked to think it. There was nothing that said otherwise.
"Let's go practice." Jayden said sternly. They had all lost to the Negatron, and Jayden wasn't too happy with that. It was all about focus, and he had lost it, for just that moment. It was a big blow to his ego. But he knew that it wasn't at all that bad, not yet anyway. As long as the others didn't know about his secret, Jayden was fine.
As every one went outside to practice, Mike went out to the front, where Emily was. He stopped when he heard her playing her flute and smiled. She was so good. When she paused and looked down at her hands, Mike feared that she was crying.
"Hey, you okay?" Mike asked, stepping forward.
Emily turned to him with a smile. "Oh, I'm fine."
"No, you're not." Mike sighed. This was proving harder than he had thought. The look of pure hurt before she ran off, it was clogging his mind. "I was a jerk."
Emily shook her head. "You could never be a jerk, Mike." She sighed and stood up. "It was probably true."
"It was?" Mike asked, remembering he had said something about Emily believing the mean things the Negatron had said. It was mean and he felt so ashamed for it.
"I learned to think that way." Emily said softly. "When I was little the kids were mean to me and I wasn't able to block their words out. I believed them. Serena tried to help, but I never really forgot what they told me."
Mike seriously felt like a jerk then. She was probably the sweetest girl he knew and there he was making it all worse. What kind of jerk was he, because he was now sure he was one.
"Don't feel bad, Mike. I know you didn't mean it." Emily offered, smiling slightly.
Mike smiled back. Even in his crummy mood, he couldn't help, but smile back at the youngest Ranger. She just had a way to bring out a smile from everyone.
"I really an sorry, Emily." Mike said, trying to make sure he apologized. It was cool of her to say it was okay, but Mike wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't apologize.
"It's okay. You want to go practice?" Emily asked. "I think we have to anyway."
"Sure." Mike said, smiling before he realized that he was probably going to be paired up with Emily.
Great, he had just injured her emotionally, but now he was giving the freedom to hurt her physically too.
"Damn it!" Mike cursed before running inside and doing some serious begging to get out of that practice session. For today at least.