Chapter 13: Fatal Attraction

Ps. A chapter of suspense, hope you like it. Bear with me for Sky and Syd. Hear from you soon. Cheers.

"Men always want to be a woman's first love - women like to be a man's last romance."
- Oscar Wilde

"The most eloquent silence; that of two mouths meeting in a kiss."

"Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could."
- Barbara De Angelis

A figure stood at a dark corner, well concealed from any passer-bys. A good portion of the face was hidden behind shades, baseball cap covering the eyes. The figure was clad in dark navy polo T-shirt and faded jeans. The shadow's body pitched forward slightly to gaze intently at her. Fiery and intense eyes followed her as she made her way along the edge of the stairway.

She just had the air surrounding her—her movements and her looks. She had those lovely blue eyes, blond wavy hair—the unmistakable left dimple on her cheek when she smiled. Her graceful way of doing things. And the color she wore, always pink. The figure chuckled; her wardrobe sure contained many shades of her pink clothes and perhaps, she even wore pink pajamas to bed.

Today, she wore her long and wavy blond hair down, the desirable amount of porcelain flesh glinting for eyes to see from her neck to the open collar of her pink shirt…

Jealous, hatred and several cusses quickly overtook the fiery and intense eyes. She was still at her seventh step from the foot of the stairs. She certainly took her own sweet time as she took her steps slowly each time. The golden girl is all by herself. The figure glanced at the watch and chided for taking too long a time. It was time to leave for time is of the essence. The figure resisted the urge to walk past her and quickly left in the other direction. There was always a next time…

XXX

She was going to crawl up the stairs, she thought sorrowfully. It was too bad the lift was under maintenance. She could manage she guessed. After all, she had overcome the mud course. Five levels of stairs shouldn't be too much. Besides the doctor had assured her that she was ready to walk, maybe jog even. And she would be able to join in the ranger battle in no time.

Finally, she was going back to school after six weeks of boredom and in bed. But, she had not spoken a word to Sky yet. Neither did he. Many a time, he had tried to converse with her, but Sydney turned her head away, refusing to talk. Right now, she was unsure what had led to their little cold war and it had seemed from bad to worse, six weeks was a long period. Something that had not happened before. Sighing, too late for anything. Nobody was going to help her. She even wondered if, hoped that maybe, just maybe that Sky would pop out from nowhere and say hello. She could hope, can she? Hope for what, miracle, she wondered aloud.

Her juniors looked at her as if she was crazy and walked past her with haste.

"Sorry," she said apologetically. Her heart felt cold, empty and bleak. As if something died inside her. It was ridiculous; she'd broken up with many before, why cry over spilt milk now.

Broken up, with Sky? Why, this had never occurred to her before. They were both acting like strangers now. Sydney glanced up. Great, she thought, a couple more flights and twenty more steps to her classroom.

She met Sky halfway from the opposite stairs. He was walking with a confidant stride with a couple of his teammates. They were well into conversation about the coming match and had not noticed her. Buy Sky did. Both Sydney and he stopped in their tracks.

Sky, was obviously surprised to see her in school. He hadn't known that she was able to come to school. She started forward. Sky tried to think of something to say but Sydney brushed past him without so much as glance at him.

Sky was heartbroken. How had things gotten so out-of-hand? He couldn't understand what caused her to act like this? He tried to think of reasons for her cold demeanor towards him.

"Sky? Hey, let's go." His team looked at him, curious but daren't asked.

Sky recovered quickly and followed them to class. It was going to be a long day, he thought. But he was lab partner with Sydney; maybe she would start talking to him then.

She was sitting at the end of the class. Sky felt immediate relief that no one was sitting beside her.

He joked when he reached her, "is this seat taken?" He settled down without hearing her on.

But when he turned to her, she spoke coldly, "no, but this one will be now." She packed up all her stuffs and stood up coolly, making her way to the seat in front.

The rest of the class looked at both of them, wondering what had happened. And before long, rumors were passing around, totally oblivious still to both Sky and Sydney. A few minutes later, Courtney stepped into the noisy room, with her group of ever so overdressed of groupie. She was smacking the bubble gum in her mouth loudly, darting her eyes around as if looking for a specific someone. Sydney rolled her eyes and asked her to get a life in silence.

Finally her eyes stopped darting, she strode up to the unoccupied seat beside Sky and sat down. Oblivion to her partner's glaring eyes, Courtney took out her things and placed on the table nicely, with feigned maiden's manners.

Sky was obviously disturbed by her appearance and her forceful attitude. This wasn't the first time. It began since—since the day Sydney injured her leg. Annoyed by her, he packed up in a hurry, wanting to migrate.

Right on the terrific time, Ken Devlin stood beside Sydney.

"Mind if I take this seat—milady?

Sydney couldn't be bothered to answer Ken, which pleased Sky but pissed him all the same since he doesn't want anyone close to his girlfriend that is if Sydney still considered him as her boyfriend. He wouldn't believe that she would be capable of tearing the relationship apart.

Rumor had it that Courtney had broken up with Ken in order to win Sky's heart, and from the way she saw the treatment Sydney gave Sky, she knew she was succeeding in her plan.

Sky stared around his surroundings. It was apparent that all seats had been occupied. Again!

"Oh, hey, it's you, Sky. I didn't know you were sitting beside me," she offered him a gum, "here. Sky, I wanted to tell you…"

"Look here, I don't want anything to do with you. Can you mind your own goddamn business," Sky muttered irritably.

Courtney glanced at him, clearly mortified. Again and again, she tried and failed, tried and failed. She almost wanted to cry out. Was it wrong to love someone? No, she shook her head wildly and regained her self-belief immediately.

XXX

"Alright class, make sure to do your report. I want to see the preliminary of your report by the next lesson."

"Syd." Sky called out from afar and Sydney stopped but not turning.

Sky ran towards her.

"Syd, am I so glad to see you. You're looking good, as radiant than ever." Sky smiled. "Why didn't you tell me that you are coming today, I could come fetch you?"

"I'm meeting Kathy soon. Say what you want and hurry off." Sydney had overheard Courtney flirting with Sky throughout the entire lesson. No doubt her boyfriend, or was it her ex-boyfriend hadn't responded in any interest in her, the resent was there.

Sky was taken aback by her words. She totally cut him out, and was distressed to even see him around or call his name.

Sydney arched a brow, "nothing? Then, I'm making a move. Goodbye."

It sounded as if a clean breakup in Sky's ears. Goodbye meant what? An end to their short relationship. Clean and easy. No way, he wasn't going to give up that easily. Not a chance. He would make up to her. He would.

XXX

Up close she was everything the figure hoped she'd be and could barely wait to see her again. The figure had just witnessed the little confrontation of little Sydney and her boyfriend, Sky. That pathetic boy, the figure thought.

Little Sydney was a dear name. She would like her new endearment soon, when they meet. The figure followed her closely behind. Poor Sydney, she was all alone now and nope, she wasn't meeting her friend. She was heading to the driveway towards her corvette. The figure watched her drove out of the driveway in her pink corvette thinking that she didn't have a good taste of color for cars. But she looked perfect in it. We'll meet very soon, dear little Syd.

XXX

"Hey Syd, how's school?" Z asked Sydney when she entered their shared quarters.

"It was fine." Sydney put down her bag and sat down on her bed, propping her legs up. "Z, had your lunch?"

"Nope, I'm waiting for Bridge. Did you? Where's Sky, I didn't see him coming with you." Z said.

"He's not with me. Z, we broke up." Tears rolled down. She didn't bother to hide her tears. "At least I think we are through now."

"You did what?" Z yelled, startled.

"You heard me." Sydney sniffed. "Why do I need to always repeat myself when you guys had heard me the first time?"

"Did I? Syd, what happened? Why did you break up with—Sky? I mean, you two were so happy weeks ago." It was then that Z realized that Sydney had not spoken to Sky for some time.

Sydney started pulling Kleenex. "Can we… can we not go through the details now? Please! I—I'm going nuts about it."

Bridge barged into the room at the same time. "Z, I'm back. Time for lunch." He rubbed his tummy, "I'm famished. Syd, you're here." He made it sound more like a question than a statement. Z made an eye to Bridge, preventing from saying anything destructive.

"Syd, do you want to join us for lunch? I know you hadn't. Come with us. Bridge wouldn't mind."

"Yes, I mean no, I mean…"

Z ignored him and pulled Sydney's soulless body from the bed. "C'mon. Bridge, will you come over and help rather than standing there and look."

XXX

Right in the middle of lunch, "rangers, report to zord base immediately."

"Damn, Grumm's perfect timing. Doesn't he take lunch?" Z grumbled.

Bridge giggled and scooted an apple from his plate before joining them. Actually, they were having a late lunch. But it's good to at least see Sydney responding to emergencies.

All four rangers morphed.

"Broodwing, just what is it you want this time?" Sydney stepped forward.

"Ah—I see the pink princess is back for battle." He provoked her, "you've been cowering under blue ranger's arms? Hahaha. Am I glad to see you again."

"Keep your comments to yourself. It's show time. Pink ranger style. Hie-yak."

"Syd, be careful. He's a tricky one." Jack yelled to Sydney, "use S.W.A.T mode."

"You got it. Rangers, let's rocked him down. S.W.A.T."

Broodwing waved his hand and a bunch of krybots appeared. In addition to their little gathering, Drakel, another of Mora's newly created monster joined them.

The four rangers crowded to the center, outnumbered by the villains.

Jack asked Sydney, "where's Sky? We are as good as toast without him."

Sydney hit one of the orange head with her deltamax striker. "We are doing fine without him." She continued killing, attacking the krybots with vengeance and vehemence in every move.

"She's lethal." Jack said.

"She's gone berserk." Bridge offered.

"She's madly in love." Z mused out loud.

"NO WAY," yelled Jack and Bridge in unison.

Sydney continued fighting as if there's no tomorrow. She's practically un-cool about everything that got in her way now.

"Sorry guys, I'm late. I was tied down by my football." Sky finally arrived in his patrol cycle.

"Uh-uh. You're not late. Look at our cover girl. She's good. I have never seen such one-man-combat before." Jack smacked his back. "You certainly helped her moves, huh?"

Sky watched as Sydney took down the krybots one by one and stood arms akimbo facing Drakel.

I have to give her that, she's good. Sky stood proudly as she tried to take that monster down, herself.

"That's my girl you're watching now."

Bridge and Z looked at Sky in wonder and in question.

"Quit looking at me like that and give her a hand."

"Send the zords, Kat." Sydney barked into her morpher.

"Hey, this one's yours, Syd." Jack told her.

"Thanks—Judgment."

Drakel growled, "No, I'm innocent. It's Broodwing. He's responsible. No…"

"Well, but I think it isn't a trivial matter either." Sydney said.

"Guilty." All five rangers said together.

"Prepare for containment. Fire!"

XXX

"You're sure you're alright there, Syd?" Jack asked Sydney.

"You bet. The best in fact. I'll see you around, Jack."

Sydney went to the S.P.D lounge and rest. She dreaded going back to her room, although she really needed a bubble bath and a good sleep. But all of a sudden, she just wanted to space out from them, from Z and inquisitive Bridge. She loved them, all of them, but right now, it's not the time to talk.

"What would you like, miss?"

"Water, with a twist of lemon, please."

"Anything else?" The waiter asked.

"That would be all, thanks."

Nothing would be better than sitting here, peaceful and melodious with music. She closed her eyes as she waited for her drink.

Twenty minutes later, Sky found Sydney sitting comfortably alone by the window. He joined and took his place opposite her quietly.

Sydney wasn't dozing. She knew someone had joined her and she knew without opening her eyes who, that someone was. But she continued to close her eyelids.

Then she spoke, her eyes still closed.

"It's been a long while."

"I agree." Sky waited for her to continue. It didn't matter how long she took, so long she spoke to him finally. And the wait was well deserved.

Sydney finally blinked her eyes open and found herself staring into Sky's cobalt blue eyes. The unmistakable flame in his eyes. And then she knew. She knew all along that Sky loved her.

"Sky, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened to me the past few weeks. I really am. I—I just can't do without you by my side. Gosh… I'm so sorr…"

"Not another word of sorry. I wont hear of it. I apologize too for not being understanding enough." Sky held his hand to her, "let's go."

"Where to, Sky?" She loved calling him, calling his name. Having him as her boyfriend is the best miracle she had ever asked for.

"The beach, well, you promised to watch the sunset with me everyday. Are you backing out now?" Sky asked, pretending to make a face.

"No, of course I would not. I'm coming with you."

XXX

"Sky—I want to spend everyday, every moment and every minute with you."

"Will do."

Sydney gazed at him, waiting for him to say something more. When he didn't, she asked, "is that all?"

"I'm not very good with words. You know that. But I am very good with this." He bent his head, his arm slid around her waist and pulled her against him and finally sealed her with a fierce and hard kiss.

It was the longest six weeks of his life.
It was the longest six weeks of her life.

Ps. By the way, this is part I. Coming up, part II, fatal attraction and a birthday party is on its way. Thanks readers for all your reviews, and I hope you'll write in more, as it will encourage me to update the chapters more rapidly. Once again, I thank you. You guys rock : )