Chapter 3: The Problem
The next day at school, Trini was chatting with her friends about this and that, mostly about their plans for Zack's surprise birthday party coming up.
"We should start heading to homeroom." Billy suggested.
"You guys go ahead, Trini and I will be there in a minute." Kimberly told them. Billy and Jason headed toward Mrs. Appleby's classroom just up the hall. Kimberly whipped around to face Trini, "So? SPILL! How'd the date go?" she pressed, "Was it just awful?" she asked ready to hear the worse.
"Actually, it wasn't that bad." Trini said withholding the full truth. In truth, it was a great date and she had grown rather fond of the boy. The problem was that she wasn't sure what it was she was truly feeling for him. It was just then that she started wondering, was she really feeling something romantic for Skull?
"Not that bad? You went on a date with SKULL and it 'wasn't that bad?" Kimberly asked trying to wrap her mind around such an outlandish concept. "Well, tell me everything! Where did you go? What did you do?" she hounded. Trini understood that her friend was curious, but the last thing she wanted was for her best friend to carry on about a single date, just because she had said date with Eugene Skullovitch of all people.
"Look, it was nothing. We got pizza and he took me home." Trini said. "It really was no big deal." She assured the spunky brunette.
"No big deal?" Kimberly pressed further. "Come on! Did he make a scene? Did he embarrass you?"
"No. Surprisingly, he was actually very polite." Trini informed. She grabbed her textbook from her locker and began walking to homeroom.
"Morning, ladies!" Bulk proclaimed from behind them, Skull at his side.
"Ladies." Skull chimed in smacking his gum as usual. He and Trini briefly locked eyes before Bulk pushed past them, his best friend following suit, looking Kimberly and Trini up and down almost hungrily. Trini cringed back. She knew this attitude was an act, but she did not like it one bit, for her or for Kimberly's sake.
"Ugh, I can't believe you actually went out with him." Kimberly said, going in the classroom after them.
"Neither can I." Trini replied meekly. How was she going to explain to Kimberly or her friends about this second date? She could tell them she had to meet with someone downtown. She didn't necessarily need to tell them who or why, so it wasn't really a lie. These thoughts ran through her head all day, she could hardly stay focused in class. It didn't help that she shared most of her classes with Bulk and Skull who always caused some sort of disruption. This was something she figured they'd need to discuss when she met with him later after the prep rally.
As the dismissal for the assembly rang,
BEEP BEEP BEE-DEE BEEP BEEP, a small beeping emitted from Trini's wrist.
'Zordon. Oh no. Skull.' Trini realized feeling painfully guilty as she and her friends gathered in an isolated corner.
"Go ahead Zordon." Jason quietly hailed through his communicator.
"Rangers," the deep voice of their mentor relayed through the com-link, "Rita Repulsa has released a new monster in downtown Angel Grove." He reported.
"We're on it." The red ranger assured. He looked amongst the rest of the team and shared a nod. Trini's heart wrenched. She had no way to tell Skull that she may not able to meet with him for their date. She just had to hope he wouldn't be too disappointed. She would simply have to come up with an excuse for him later. Right now, the city was in danger and as the yellow ranger, protecting the people of earth was top priority. "Let's go guys! It's MORPHIN' TIME!"
~~~
The pep rally was nothing spectacular. It was just the principal going on about how Angel Grove High's football team was going to have a victorious win Saturday night. Skull's leg bounced impatiently as he sat counting the minutes until this thing was over. He adjusted his red beret and looked down to make sure his grey camo pants were free of any unsightly food stains or the like. Fortunately he was clean. Bulk felt his seat vibrating and looked around for the cause. He saw Skull's leg bouncing rapidly and slapped hand hard down on his knee to stop his irritating movement.
"Stop it." His larger friend hissed.
"Sorry." Skull apologized, but before long, his leg was back at it as he stared desperately at the slowly ticking clock. 'Just another minute or two-' "OW!" Bulk slammed his hand down on Skull's knee even harder.
"I said, stop it Skull!" Bull said angrily.
"Ah," Skull winced in pain, grabbing his leg. With a final cheer from the students, they were finally released. Like a shot, Skull took off for the door, leaving Bulk calling after him from somewhere in the sea of students. Skull convinced his dad to let him drive himself to school so he could have the car for the afternoon for his date. He stood anxiously waiting by his car for Trini to meet him. One by one the students filed out of the gym. A good handful headed toward the bus pick up, others flagged down their parent's cars along the curb, and the rest, mostly seniors climbed into their own cars and drove out of the lot.
Skull scanned around, but there was still no sign of Trini. There was no sign of any of his own friends either.
"Skull!" Bulk bellowed from across the parking lot making his way toward him. "Why'd you run ahead like that?" he demanded.
"Sorry, Bulk, I was supposed to meet someone immediately after the assembly, but—"
"Who?" Bulk asked.
"Uh, uh," Skull stammered. He wanted to brag that he was dating Trini, but decided against it. He knew how Bulk would react. If he knew, he would tease and pester Trini, and Skull wasn't going to have that. Instead, Skull scoffed and played it off, "Eh, you know just some girl." He lied. Bulk gave him a skeptical look.
"Really?" he asked. Skull nodded.
"Yeah. Why is that so hard to believe?" Skull asked, somewhat offended by his friend's skepticism.
"Well, no offense buddy," Bulk said clasping a firm grip on Skull's shoulder, "but you're…you." He stated plainly. Skull scowled. He wasn't completely wrong though. The boy had a hard time believing a girl like Trini seemed genuinely interested in him, let alone ask him out on a date.
"Yeah, well, I am meeting up with a girl, so you better go ahead to Ernie's without me." Skull said firmly. Bulk let go of his shoulder.
"Alright then. Enjoy your 'date'." Bulk said in air quotes before heading down the block in the direction of the Youth Center alone. Skull rolled his eyes and continued to search around for Trini.
~~~
Meanwhile, the Rangers were in an intense battle. They had fought off the monster on the ground in their usual ranger fashion before Rita used her magic staff to make the monster giant. The giant creature would be no match however for the strength of the ranger's zords.
"Let's show this monster some Megazord power!" Jason ordered, pressing the activation button. The rest of the team followed suit activating mega mode within their respective zords. The mastodon, pterodactyl, triceratops, sabre tooth tiger, and the tyrannosaurus morphed together to form the all mighty Megazord.
"Power it up! Activating Megazord Attack Mode!" the red ranger commanded, placing his hands firmly on the controls of the equipped blasters.
"Megazord attack mode initiated." The system relayed as the Megazord stood in its full attack position ready to strike down the ranger's foe once and for all. "Megazord activated." The system confirmed.
"Alright, Rangers! Full Power! Let's blast this creep!" the leader commanded. The team took to their controls, powering up for a super charged ultimate attack. The charge sent a blinding flash at the monster and in a deafening explosion and shower of sparks, the monster was no more.
~~~
Skull checked the time on the clock in his car. It had been over an hour since the assembly. The students were all gone, leaving him one of the few cars still in the parking lot. He gave once last look around with a sigh. With a grunt, he smacked the hood of the Buick in hurt frustration. He opened the driver side door and got into the car, slamming his door shut. He gripped the wheel and took a breath.
"I knew it." Skull said to himself, shaking his head. He started the car as he tried to reason with himself that he shouldn't be so surprised. The whole situation was too good to be true. But the truth was there. She was nowhere to be found. She stood him up. He was just about to pull away from his parking spot when, tap, tap, tap! Skull looked to his left. Trini?
"Skull, I'm sorry!" she apologized. He rolled down the window with a frown.
"I didn't think you were going to show. What took you?" he asked, his frustration slowly subsiding.
"I uh, I had to take care of something after the assembly." She vaguely answered, "I promise, I would never stand you up. Is it too late to join you for our date?" she asked. He paused a moment, looking into her pleading eyes. He sighed. He couldn't stay mad when she gave him that desperate look. Who was he to turn away a pretty girl who ACTUALLY wanted to go out with him?
"Well, I suppose I could pencil you in." he joked, "I DO have a pretty booked schedule..." He smirked. She smiled and ran around to the other side of the car.
"Thanks, Skull. I really am sorry." She said climbing in and buckling her seatbelt.
"Eh, forget it." Skull dismissed, heading toward downtown. "I myself have been known to show up to things fashionably late." He confessed. Trini giggled. "So long as you try not to make a habit it of it." He requested with the utmost sincerity. As they headed toward downtown, still being cleaned up of debris from the earlier monster battle, Trini wondered, would she be able to make this work?
This time she just barely managed to make their date. If she continued dating Skull, it would be incredibly difficult to get away for ranger missions and keep him from knowing the truth behind her frequent disappearances. Would it be worth it? She glanced over at him, he was all smiles. She couldn't help but give her own soft smile.
Would it be worth it? She sure hoped so.