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*Italics indicates thought
Chapter Fifty-Five: The Plot Thickens
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"The difference between school and life? In school you're taught a lesson then given a test, in life you're given a test that teaches a lesson. -Tom Bodett
"Mia!" Seth said, running up to her. "Hey sweetie." He wrapped his arms around her kissed the top of her head. "What's up?"
"Oh! Nothing! Why do you ask?"
"Ok, then," he said. "Is everything ok?"
"Um-not really."
"Oh," he asked, sitting on the ground. Mia say across from him. "What's up?"
"It's just- I heard something while you were away and-"
Seth's face fell and he rubbed his hand over his face. "Oh god."
Mia stopped for a second. "Seth?"
Seth sighed and pressed his hands together, putting them in front of his mouth. "Damn. I was hoping it wouldn't be like this. Not this time."
"What's you mean?" Mia asked, unconsciously become tense and ready to run or fight.
"Let me guess. Someone told you that I raped a girl. Right?"
"Yeah," Mia admitted quietly.
"Alright, look. It's not true. I never, ever, forced myself on anyone."
"You didn't?"
"No. I promise, I would never do anything like this."
"Then, why did-"
"Why would someone say I did? It all goes back to when I was 15. I was dating this girl who was a real piece of work. I found put she was kissing a bunch of other guys, so I dumped her. But, she didn't like that. So she, and her low-life-scum-bag, cousin, spread a rumor about things I had reportedly done to her."
"Oh."
"Yeah. When I transferred schools a couple years ago, I hoped that I could get away from all of that. But the cousin followed me here. Now no girl in school will go out with me. They'd rather believe the rumor than actually get all their facts straight."
"I know how that feels," Mia said, twirling a piece of grass.
"I can tell you do."
"Oh?"
"You're looking down when you said that. Almost like you're embarrassed to admit it. You know what it feels like to have your reputation ruined by a lie."
"What're you a cop?"
"No. My dad's a psychologist."
"I see. Well, I'm sorry that I, kind of made assumptions without consulting you first."
"I understand. What makes me happy is you admitted that you did wrong. You asked for the truth."
"The truth is always the best policy."
"Touché."
"So, I'm dying to know, who's this infamous cousin that helped frame you?"
"He's probably the same guy who told you. Jaxon Hewitt."
"Jaxon?!"
"Yeah. You know him?"
"He's in my early childhood education class."
"They let that jerk near kids? Talk about a bad influence."
"Are you sure it's him?"
"Yeah. Without a doubt. Why?"
"He's just...he seemed like a nice guy."
"Well sociopath's can come off that way. Just look at Ted Bundy."
"I highly doubt he's in the same class as serial killers."
"No, but he's a sociopath all the same. Him, Brett, Alex, all of those guys."
"You don't mean they're all in the same group?"
"Yeah. Brett is pretty much the ring leader, but Alex is just as bad. He gets a kick out of beating people up you know. He likes knowing that they're weaker than him and they can't fight back. Jaxon likes knowing that he's making it impossible for me to have a relationship with anyone."
"I wouldn't say that," Mia said. As reached out and took his hand. "What would that make us?"
"I don't know. Maybe you'd like to give me a few suggestions."
"Maybe I would." Seth smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her.
-Samurai Ranger High-
Emily frowned when she saw Belle crying in gym class. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"M-m n-n-necklace is g-gone."
"You necklace?"
"Y-y-yeah. I-it's ma-ade o-fff g-gold. M-my m-mom g-gave it t-to m-m-me."
"It's ok," Emily said. "Where did you last see it?"
"I-in m-my l-locker."
"Your looker? Did you lock it?"
Belle nodded. "I-I al-ways d-do."
Emily thought for a minute. "Belle, how easy is it to break into a locker?"
"D-depends. I-if y-you h-h-have th-the m-m-master c-comb-combination th-then y-you c-can d-do i-it ea-easily."
"Master combination?"
"I-it's a-a sp-special ov-override c-code th-that o-opens all th-the l-lockers in th-the sc-school."
"Who has this?"
"A-administrators."
"Administrators. Come on," Emily said giving her a hug. "We're going to see if anyone saw anything, and then we'll go to the lost and found."
"O-ok."
"Alright then." They got up and started looking around the locker room. "Hey," Emily said to someone. "Have you seen a necklace anywhere?"
"No," the girl replied, snidely.
Emily sighed and looked under shelves where people could keep their bags. She got on her hands and knees and checked the floor. Nothing. She got up and looked under the small crease under the lockers. Nada. She looked over at Belle who shook her head. Emily got up and rejoined her. "I don't see it. Are you sure you lost it in here?"
"Y-yeah."
"Ok then." Emily out her hands on her hips and looked around, thinking. "Maybe someone stole it."
Belle nodded. "Th-that's wh-what I w-was th-thinking."
"We should go tell Mrs. Martin."
Belle nodded. "G-good id-ea."
The two girls went to the office and found their teacher at her desk. "What can I do for you girls?"
"M-my n-neck-necklace is g-gone."
"Oh? Did you lock it up?"
Belle nodded. "I-I al-always d-do."
"Hm. I'll keep an eye out for it. How about you two go to the lost and found in the office and see if someone turned it in."
"O-ok."
Emily and Bell left the locker room and the gym. They walked across the school grounds towards the main building. "Don't worry, Belle. We'll find your necklace."
"Th-thanks Emily," Belle said, smiling a little.
-Samurai Ranger High-
Mia reminded herself not to punch any of the boys sitting near her. She knew that they all deserved to be taught a lesson. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed that it could've easily been Brett, and/or his cronies that set up Kevin and Mike. She tried to focus on her work, but thought of revenge kept on creeping back.
No, she reminded herself, thinking back to the conversation she'd had with Seth earlier. I can't make assumptions without all the facts. She got up and approached the teacher's desk. "Can I go get a drink?"
"Yes." He wrote a pass and handed it to her.
"Thanks." Mia left the classroom and headed for the water fountain. She was about to get a drink when she heard someone screech. She looked arpund, baffled. "What-"
"Stop!"
"Emily?"
"Stop it! Stop it now!"
"Emily!" Mia said worriedly. She turned the corner and found an empty classroom. She walked in and saw Emily was pinned beneath another girl. "Oh geez." She ran over and grabbed the girl by her neck. She dragged her off the yellow ranger and punched her in the face.
"Oh, hey Mia, thanks,"
"No problem. What-" Mia was cut off when the girl grabbed her from behind, pulling her hair. Emily got up quickly and kicked the girl in the face. She fell back again, and Mia punched her again. "What's going on?"
"I don't know. This girl just came out of nowhere. She dragged me in here and started to beat me up. I tried to fight back but she bit me. See!" Emily pulled down her shirt to reveal a bite mark on her collar bone.
"Well then."
"Crazy," the girl said. "You're both insane."
"We're insane? You're the one who attacked me for no reason."
"Why did you do it?" Mia asked.
"Someone paid me."
"Who?" Emily asked.
"I won't say. If I do, Brett will kill me."
"Brett?! He's involved!"
"I thought he just hated Antonio," Mia said.
"Not him specifically. His sister."
"He has a sister?!" Mia asked shocked.
"Yeah. Ashley."
"Ashley?!" Emily asked. "That does not surprise me."
"What did she tell you to do?" Mia asked.
"I won't say."
"Please," Mia asked. "We need to know."
"No."
"We won't tell a soul that you told us," Emily said. "We promise."
The girl sighed and looked at the ground. "Ashley told me to find you, and hurt you. She said to tell you I was the retreaded-girl's sister, and to stay away from her."
"Don't call Belle retarded. Why did she tell you that?"
"I don't know. I didn't ask. She said if I didn't she'd tell Brett to come after me."
"It's ok," Mia said comfortingly. "We won't hurt you. And we won't tell anyone."
"You won't? Really?"
"Yeah."
"We should probably get back to class," Emily said. "If I were you, I'd just tell Ashley you didn't get the chance to corner me."
"Ok. Thanks, for not being mad at me."
"It's ok," Emily said, "I was just a bit weirded out by the biting."
"Sorry about that."
"It's ok."
"Come on," Mia said. She and Emily left. They shared a knowing look that they'd share their new information with the others at home, later. The yellow ranger went one way, the pink ranger went the other way. Both of them were wondering how they could end this reign of terror.
