A/N: It's been awhile since I last updated and I apologize for keeping you waiting. I've been real busy. But anyway...the lastest chapter is finally here, so enjoy!
Chapter 11
"Blind Sight"
"What?" Kira splutters out in disbelief as Conner slowly shifts his shy eyes away from her. "It was you all along?"
He looks down timidly and nods. "Yup...it was me."
Cold, awkward silence filled in the spaces between them despite the rattling the customers were making as Kira searches his serious eyes carefully. It was as though they were the only two people in the room, which wasn't the case. "Ugh." She scoffs out of nowhere. "Typical Conner." The musician grunted while rolling her eyes. "I should have known."
He raised an eyebrow in utter confusion. "Huh?"
"Conner McKnight, the jock, who has his way of pulling pranks on everyone. Typical."
"But, Kira"
"You know, you haven't changed a bit."
"It's not a prank, Kira!" He argues back defensively. "I did it because I like you, okay? I really like you."
Her lips slightly parted. "Is this some sick joke?"
"Why would I lie to you?" She tilted her head to the side. "Oh, right...typical me." He adds in sarcasm.
"Well, you're the smart one."
"Kira."
"What?" She shots back irritably.
"You have no idea how uneasy I feel right now." His voice changed into a deep, and more serious tone. "Here I am unraveling my feelings to you, and you're giving me all this...crap!" Kira's mouth fell open. "Well, you know what? I've changed since I became a ranger, Kira and somehow I developed these feelings for you, and I can't explain why because I don't know why." She looks down to avert from his gaze. He sighs. "Listen, I don't want to put you on the spot and make you feel uncomfortable around me because that's the last thing I want. I just want to know if there's a little part of you that feels the same way for me."
Kira jolted up from her seat, suddenly angry with him. "Why are you doing this?" She exclaims. "I really like Trent, and I'm going to the dance with him. You can't make me be the bad guy here, Conner."
"That's not what I asked." He argues. "And I'm not intentionally trying to make you look like the bad guy."
"Then why tell me now? Why wait half the school year to tell me?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Of what?" She questioned.
"Hey." Kira turns around, only to be interrupted by Trent. Conner looks away as Trent stares at the two weirdly. "Uh...is this a bad time." Trent asks in bewilderment. 'Well, duh.' Conner thought, rolling his eyes from behind.
"No." The musician forces a weak smile as she gives Conner the evil glare. "We were just talking."
He cringed his forehead and nods. "Okay. I'm on my break and I thought you would want to go and grab a bite to eat with me."
"Sure!" Kira exaggerated her excitement while looking his way and making sure Conner has heard it as well. "I would love to!"
"Cool." Trent turns to the guy in red. "Want to come along, man?"
Conner scratches the back of his head. "Actually..."
"What!" Kira exclaims surprisingly with Trent's offer. "Why?"
Trent stares at her suspiciously due to her abrupt tone, which was unlike Kira. "Uhh...why not?" He questioned worriedly.
"Because!" She pauses and crosses her arms. "Conner is busy! Besides, he has some studying to do."
"No, I don't."
Kira shot him a glance. "Yes, you do."
He slightly chuckles. "This is killing you, isn't it? You can't handle the truth."
Trent eyes them curiously, drawn to the tension boiling up between Conner and Kira. Something wasn't right as he tries to find out. "What truth?"
"Forget it." The jock sighed deeply. "You guys go ahead. I'm obviously unwanted in the group." He excuses himself and left their table to join Ethan at the laptops. Kira looks down guiltily as Trent waits for answers.
"Mind telling me what's going on?"
She looks up at him. "Conner and I just don't see eye to eye that's all."
The following day...
"Thanks for coming." Dr. Oliver invited Shane, Tori, and Dustin inside his home as they followed Hayley down the basement. Once they made themselves comfortable on the stair steps, Tommy Oliver begins with Hayley standing by his side. "Alright, I brought you guys here so that we could discuss some rules about chaperoning, and what you're supposed to do basically on school campus."
"No offense, Dr. Oliver." Tori suddenly broke in to their discussion. "But we were once high school students not too long ago, and we know that chaperones just stand around and watch to babysit kids who can't seem get their hands off each other and our job is to make sure that doesn't happen."
Dustin scoffs in disgust. "Dude, I so didn't need to know that."
"Oh yeah right." Tori chuckles and faces him. "I see the way you dance and it's definitely not clean."
"Guys?" They look up at the irritated Tommy Oliver. "Can we just get right to the point here?" Tori and Dustin nodded their heads. "Alright, thank you. As I was saying, the reason why we ask you to chaperone tomorrow night is because we strongly believe Mesogog could attack at any moment, and this would be the perfect opportunity for him."
"At a school dance?" Tori thought. "Well, that's sucks."
"We're willing to help Dr. O, but without our ranger powers?"
"Yeah." Dustin agrees with Shane's reasoning. "How are we supposed to stop Mesogog without our ranger powers? I mean, are our ninja powers even enough to destroy him?"
He smiles. "You guys are highly trained, experienced ninjas. Your skills go beyond what Conner, Kira, Ethan, and Trent could even do. I wouldn't have asked you to do us this favor if we didn't believe in you."
They nodded when suddenly their thoughts were interrupted by footsteps coming from above. Tommy and Hayley were drawn to the attention as all eyes turn to the opening door.
"We heard that." Conner, Ethan, and Kira appeared with Hunter struggling as captive.
"Dude, let go." The thunder ninja grunted as he tries to loosen their grip around his wrist.
Tori's lips slightly parted. "Hey!" She walks up the stair steps and pulls Hunter away from their grasp. "What's the deal?"
She turns to the dirty blonde for answers. "They think I was spying when I was only trying to find a way to get in." He stated angrily while glaring at the Dino Rangers. "Thanks to them, I'm late."
"How can you do this to us, Dr. O?" Conner questioned after overhearing his conversation with the Wind Ninjas. "Why hand them the responsibility to take down Mesogog? Are we not good enough is that it?
"Yeah." Ethan agrees with him for once. "Just because we're not exactly trained doesn't mean we're completely useless."
Tori rolls her eyes. "What's with the attitude? We're only trying to help."
"Well, we don't need your help." Conner shot back coldly. "You've done your part as power rangers, and now it's our turn."
"You guys are getting the wrong idea here." Hayley stated in their defense. "It's gonna take all of us to defeat Mesogog."
Kira nods. "Yeah. Not to mention the fact that we do need help. Stop trying to be a one man army, Conner."
"Why won't you stay out of this?"
Shane, Tori, Dustin, and Hunter exchange awkward glances. "Uh...I think we'll just leave."
"Yeah. I think that's a good idea." Conner blurted out.
Tommy Oliver looks his way. "No. This is my house and you don't make the decisions around here, Conner. What is up with you today? I don't like the tone you're using on me and your friends."
"Yeah, man." Ethan nudges his shoulder. "Lighten up. It's Valentine's Day."
"It is?"
All eyes turn to Dustin. "I guess someone lost track of time eh?" Tori smirks for her amusement.
"Yeah, well so what if it's Valentine's Day?" Conner grunted out of annoyance. "I don't see the point in celebrating it. It makes us single people with no dates for the dance look bad."
The blonde surfer places a hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel." Kira bit her buttom lip and looks down.
"You do?"
"Uh huh. I don't like the idea of celebrating Valentine's Day either. I, myself, haven't been dating as much."
"Wait a minute. How is that even possible? You're hot." Ethan inquires as he, then turns to Conner. "And I thought you have a date for the dance."
"Well, it turns out she's not interested."
"Ouch." Hunter made a hurt face.
"That explains why you're being a complete jerk then." Tori adds on.
"No!" Kira snaps. "He's always been a jerk!" Everyone turns to her. "You see...this is what I was afraid of. You're doing it again. I mean, what is a girl supposed to do when you tell her how you feel the day before the Valentine's Day Dance and she's already interested in someone else? You can't do this to me, Conner! I like Trent and that's it." The room fell silent.
Conner rolled his eyes. "You told me that so many times. I don't need you rubbing it in my face. You like Trent I get it. But what I want to know is if you feel the same way for me. Even if it's that tiny part of you."
"No! I told you no!" She screamed, suddenly losing it.
"You know what? I think you do."
"What?"
"If you didn't feel the same way for me, Kira...then you wouldn't make such a big deal about it." He pauses. "But look, you're yelling at me in front of these people and trying so hard to avoid me down the hallways. Well I have news for you, Kira. You can't hide from the truth forever."
She nods her head in dismay, in the verge of crying from the humilation. "That's something you shouldn't worry about because I already know the truth, Conner and there's no way I'm hiding." Kira stares carefully at him. "The only person that's hiding here is you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you! You've been hiding this secret of yours for months now and you weren't brave enough to tell me till now! Great timing on your part, Conner." Kira adds sarcastically. "I mean really."
"Would it even make a difference if I have told you then?" He asks.
"Yes. I mean no." Kira was suddenly confused. "Maybe? I don't know." She shook her head. "Oh God, what am I saying? Stop confusing me, Conner!"
His eyes widen. "Oh my God, it would've made a difference."
"It doesn't matter now. Even if you have told me then, it wouldn't change the way I feel for Trent."
There was a moment of awkward silence as everyone in the room wait patiently for Conner's response. He turns to Kira and nodded his head. "Alright. I understand." Defeated, he gave up.
She wrinkles her forehead, surprised with his change of tone. "You do?"
"Yeah, go to the dance with him. Have fun."
"That's it?"
"What more do you want from me, Kira? You want Trent and you obviously have strong feelings for him. I'm just gonna have to accept that." She nods her head. "Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day." Conner hands her a cassette tape from his red jacket. "Listen to it." Kira looks at him quizzically. "I'll be at home playing video games."
"Oh, can I go?" Dustin asks.
Shane nudges his shoulder. "You're chaperoning remember?"
"Aww, dude."
"You should go to the dance, Conner." Tommy Oliver tells him. "Date or not, it's all about having fun. Why won't you grab a few friends with no dates and party or something?"
"That's because they all have dates. I don't." Conner's voice was filled with frustration. "It's only a stupid dance. Stop pushing me to go!" The jock yelled as he promptly leaves the room.
"Conner!"
Hayley stops Tommy from going after him. "Leave him. He needs some time." They all nodded as Kira turned away and sighs. 'Man oh man.' She thought sadly. 'What am I gonna do?'
Moments later...
"Can you believe what just happened back there?" The blonde questioned in disbelief.
"Oh yeah." Hunter chuckles as he and Tori separated themselves from the group to get away from the drama. The others went back home as they drited deep into the forest with another of their long conversations before getting ready to chaperone that night. "And I thought I had problems in high school."
"No kidding."
"I remember my freshmen year." Hunter smirks. "It was the first day of high school in Biology class and I get to sit next to his really cute chick. She was so damn cute, I swear I couldn't stop looking at her." Tori smiles in awe. "So we got to know each other and I immediately became interested. She's smart, bubbly, athletic..." He trails off. "Now that I think about it, she reminds me of you."
Tori chuckles. "Yeah right."
"No, I'm serious."
She smiles. "Go on."
Hunter pursed his lips. "Then I found out that she was into my best friend."
"Ouch." Tori frowned on his behalf. "That hurts."
He shrugged. "So what about you and your experiences in high school? Huh?"
"Oh no." She nods her head in refusal. "I don't even want to talk about it."
"Oh come on!" He exclaims anxiously. "It can't be that bad."
"No. Seriously, Hunter. Trust me on this. I've had my heart broken so many times, I just don't want to have to live through it again." She looks down and sighs at the thought.
"I'm sorry." He apologizes sincerely. "But if it's any consolation, I would've stuck up longer...and maybe even forever."
Tori stops and looks at him. "Are you flirting with me, Hunter Bradley?" She smiles. "Or are you just trying to be cute?"
Hunter raises an eyebrow. "No...I was just being honest. Tori, all the guys that you've went out with have no idea what they're missing. They turned down a great opportunity of a lifetime and that is to be with you."
"Yeah? Then how come so many felt the same way and decided to leave? Even Blake."
"They're idiots, Tori. Well, except for my brother of course." He thought. "Long distance relationships don't work. Maybe for some people, but from what I've experience in the past, it's really hard to live by. But anyway, you need someone who will look after you, take care of you, and will always be there for you. Someone who understands you...well, may not with agree with you in certain things but still respect your decisions, someone that will never give up on you despite the hardships in life, someone like...
"You?"
Hunter looks her way and stood quiet. "I wasn't trying to describe myself if that's what you think I'm doing." Tori flashes him a smile as she went up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Once her lips touched his skin, he blushed. "What was that for?"
She smiles. "For everything you've done for me."
He grins, pleased with his unexpected reward for his kind soul. "Do I get another one on the lips?" Hunter asks playfully.
Tori shot him an evil, nasty glare. "Don't push it."
A/N: Final chapter coming soon! Review please.
