Chapter 16: The Airport
Bulk blinked in bewilderment. Skull looked back at him, anxiously waiting for his friend to respond. They sat sharing a large pizza on the floor of Skull's bedroom. Bulk shook his head trying to process what Skull had just told him, as it was never something he expected to hear.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, "Think you could run that by me one more time, please?" Bulk asked, to ensure he hadn't misheard the unbelievable news Skull had just told him.
"Trini and I have been dating for awhile," Skull clarified slowly, "I'm really bummed out right now and don't want to be alone by obsessing about her leaving. That's why I asked you to come over…Well, that and to tell you about what's been going on." Skull said taking a bite of his pizza. Bulk was amazed.
"Wh-When did that happen? I mean, you and Trini?" Bulk asked. Skull chewed his bite of pizza and swallowed to answer.
"Well, see, we made this bet back in September." Skull answered, "She lost the bet and she agreed to go on a date with me. After that…I don't know, we just sorta clicked." He explained before taking another bite. Bulk looked at him with mild confusion as he still struggled fully comprehend what he was hearing.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Bulk wondered. "I mean, you and Trini Kwan, TRINI KWAN, a couple? That's…that's…" he laughed as the truth finally settled in. Skull swallowed his bite.
"I don't know. I thought maybe you'd just make fun of me for dating a member of the dweeb team, or that you'd tease her for going out with me." He confessed. Bulk's smile dropped, feeling hurt. The larger punk extended a hand to rest on his buddy's shoulder.
"I would never make fun of you for that, or Trini for dating you. But I'm sorry you thought I would." Bulk replied genuinely, "I'd be happy for you, I mean…I AM happy for you, man." Bulk assured him with a smile, "Trini is one of the hottest girls at our school." He said, "Sure, she's an eco-geek, but she's a really attractive geek." Skull's cheeks flushed thinking about her.
"YEAH," Skull replied without a second thought, "She really is." He agreed.
"And YOU, my best friend, dating the hottest, smartest, nicest girl in school?" he chuckled at the amazingness of the whole situation, "Unbelievable." Bulk smiled, "I'm just sorry she's leavin'." Bulk said turning to eat his own pizza, taking a huge bite out of his slice. Skull sighed.
"Yeah, me too." Skull said, looking down at the floor.
"But I mean," Bulk mumbled, his mouth still full, "You two were just dating, right? Like a casual thing. You weren't THAT serious of a couple, were ya?" Bulk asked, ready to help ease his friend's sadness, assuming that their relationship was more casual than Skull initially let on. It would be easy to convince Skull to just forget about her and move on. There were plenty of fish in the sea. Skull stammered embarrassedly, his face turning red.
"A-actually…" Skull paused. "We…may have slept together." He boldly confessed. Bulk's eyes widened and he nearly choked on his pizza. Bulk coughed, struggling for air, "Whoa, whoa, Bulky, you okay?" Skull asked and began slapping Bulk's back, trying to help. Bulk coughed hard and managed to swallow his food.
"You did WHAT?" He asked, "No way!" Bulk exclaimed. Skull nodded, a cheeky grin tugging at the sides of his mouth. Bulk gave him a playful shove. "I don't believe it."
"We did, yeah. She snuck over to my house a few nights ago, and well, one thing led to another…" Skull chuckled. Bulk laughed as he felt incredibly happy for his friend.
"Unbelievable." Bulk repeated, unable to repress another chuckle, "How was it I mean, tell me everything!" Bulk grinned. Skull leaned back with a laugh.
"Oh, it was the best, my friend. Thee best!" Skull emphasized, "She just, and I…and her, and HER..," he stammered playing the events from that night over and over in his mind. He let out a relieved, star struck moan, a wide grin on his face. Bulk laughed and rustled his friend's hair. Skull's smile faded.
"Thing is though, after that night, I realized…I love her, Bulky." The skinny punk confessed. He nodded to Bulk beside him, "I really love Trini." Touched, Bulk smiled and patted his friend on the back,
"Did you tell her you love her?" Bulk asked.
"No!" Skull admitted, upset at himself, "It stinks 'cause she's the first person I've ever felt this way about and now she's leavin' first thing in the morning…and I may never see her again." He said, heartbroken as his own words ripped his heart further into pieces.
"Can't you go over there tonight? Call her? Something to talk to her before she leaves?" Bulk suggested, "W-what time is her flight maybe you two could meet-"
"It's nearly midnight, Bulky. She's probably asleep. I don't want to wake her before that long flight." Skull rationalized, "If I call her it'll wake up her parents and then we'll REALLY be in trouble." He let out a defeated sigh. "And I heard her flight takes off at 8am out of LAX. We can't meet before her flight, there's just no time..." Bulk gave a nod, disappointed for Skull's sake. But it was then that Skull's dad's words crossed the heartbroken teen's mind.
Suddenly, Bulk smiled as an idea came to his mind.
"But what if…you did meet her before her flight?" Bulk wondered aloud. He and Skull shared a smile and they each took another bite out of their pizza slices. They had a plan to devise.
~~~
Trini's alarm blared for her to wake up. She sat up in the darkness and silenced the clock before rolling out of bed to change from her pajamas into her airport clothes she'd set aside the night before. Her blinds slightly cracked, she could see it was still dark out. It felt like she had never slept at all. As she changed into a warm pair of thick jeans and a long sleeve white flannel, she looked at her large black suitcase and her medium sized silver suitcase. All of her clothes, toiletries, a couple of books, and a few other keepsakes were all packed between the two bags.
There was knock at her bedroom door.
"Trini, are you awake?" her mom asked her before pushing open the door gently.
"I'm awake. Tired, but awake." Trini answered, putting on her long wool yellow coat and a matching beret. Her mom smiled, holding back tears.
"I'll bet you're excited for this whole new chapter of your life." Her mom said, proudly.
"I am, though…I am a little nervous." Trini confessed.
"It'll all be alright. You'll have your friends with you, too." She reminded her daughter. That's right. At least she didn't have to undertake this life changing journey alone. She would have Jason and Zack with her. Trini gave a nod. Her mom opened her arms for a hug and began to softly sob.
"Oh, mom, please don't cry. It'll only be for a year." Trini comforted.
"I know." Trini's mom said, choking back a sob, "I know, it's just, your father and I are so proud of you, and it's just hard knowing that you're leaving."
"Hey," Trini's dad interjected, getting his own hug from his daughter, "We're going to miss you."
"I'm going to miss you guys, too!" Trini said trying to hold back her own tears.
"Did you want anything to eat before you have to leave?" her dad offered. Trini shook her head and went for the handles of her bags.
"No, I think I'll just get something to eat at the airport, or maybe buy something to eat on the plane." Trini answered. On que, the doorbell rang. "Oh! That's probably Jason and Zack." Trini headed to the door, her dad taking one of her bags for her as he and Mrs. Kwan walked to the front hallway. Her mom opened the door and there standing on the front step was Jason.
"Hello, Jason." Mrs. Kwan greeted.
"Hi, Mrs. Kwan." Jason replied with a friendly smile. Before he had a chance to ask if Trini was ready, the girl in yellow rolled out the front door and pulled him in a hug. "Hey." He said, patting her on the back. "Ready to go? Zack's waiting in the taxi." He explained.
"Yeah, give me just one second." Trini requested.
"Sure. Here, I'll get your bags in the car." Jason said, taking the silver suitcase from Trini and the other from Mr. Kwan.
"Thank you, Jason." Mr. Kwan thanked pleasantly. Jason gave him a nod and rolled them down to the car as Zack got out to help load them into the remaining space in the trunk. Trini turned to her parents and gave them one last hug.
"You're going to have a wonderful time." Her father blessed, "And here," he said reaching into his wallet and pulling out a twenty dollar bill and putting it in her hand, "Buy yourself something to eat when you get to the airport." He instructed.
"Thanks, I will." Trini thanked, tucking the bill into her front pocket with her drivers' license.
"Be sure to call us when you land, and write to us every chance you can." Her mom added, still trying not to cry.
"I will." Trini promised, "I love you, guys."
"We love you too." Her father replied.
"We love you so much." Her mom added. Trini pulled from the hug and looked back to the awaiting taxi and began to head over.
"Bye!" she waved back to her parents as she jogged toward the vehicle. Her parents wished her goodbye and waved back as she climbed into the back seat with Jason, as Zack sat in the front passenger seat. As the taxi pulled away, Trini watched as the figures of her parents began to shrink as they pulled further and further away.
The ride to the airport was uneventful and the taxi pulled up outside the baggage check area for the International terminal of LAX. The three students climbed out of the vehicle and pulled out their bags. Jason paid the driver with money his parents gave him, they thanked the driver and headed inside.
"Well," Zack sighed, "Goodbye, California." He said, looking to his other friends.
"Hey, at least we're in this together." Jason reminded as they walked in through the automatic doors toward the airline counter to check their luggage. They checked in their bags and headed toward the security checkpoint.
~~~
DINGADINGADINGADINGADING
Skull sat up in bed with a panicked start as his brass alarm clock clanged on his nightstand. It was time to put his plan into action.
"Bulk! Bulky wake up!" he yelled at Bulk sleeping on the floor as the small punk catapulted out of bed already fully dressed save for his boots. Bulk sat up sleepily with a startled snort, glanced around, laid right back down and felt back asleep. Skull quickly pulled on his shoes and tied the laces. "BULKY!" he shouted sharply making the larger boy shoot up.
"What? What? I'm awake!" he replied.
"Good!" Skull replied, tossing Bulk's shoes to him, "We gotta get to the airport!" Skull said anxiously. Bulk's eyes went wide and he leaped onto his feet.
"Oh that's right! What are we waiting for, let's get your girl back!" Bulk exclaimed. The boys raced out of the room and down the stairs to the front door. Skull snatched the car keys as they bolted out the door and down the front drive.
"Dad's gonna kill me for stealing the car-" Skull worried, tossing the keys to Bulk to drive while he climbed into the passenger seat and popped in a stick of gum.
"Hey, this is in the name of love! He can't get mad at you for that." Bulk argued starting the car.
"Pretty sure he can…" Skull muttered buckling his seatbelt. The tires screamed as the car peeled out of the gravel drive and sped out onto the main road. Bulk drove fast and erratically on the highway, it was astounding the boys weren't pulled over. Finally, the sign for their exit was coming up fast.
"LAX, Bulk that's the exit!" Skull shouted as the exit approached them quickly, "That's the exit!"
"What?"
"BULK TURN RIGHT RIGHT NOW!" he screamed, grabbing the wheel and forcing the car through the gore lane and narrowly escaping hitting another car. The other car blasted their horn as the Buick's tires screamed turning back on course.
"You don't need to shout, Skull. I know how to get to the airport." Bulk protested, shaking his head. Skull's heart was racing as he clutched the seat, thanking god he was alive. "You know what to do once we pull up right?" Bulk asked wanting to run over the plan before they made it to the International drop-off and pick up zone.
"Yup." Skull said with a determined nod.
"You run in there, find her, and pour your guts out. Nothing can stop you from displaying your fiery unyielding passion!" Bulk said clenching a fist in emphasis. Skull mimicked his action, smacking his chewing gum. His eyes were ablaze, ready to confess to her his true feelings. "You say, 'BABY, I love you more than life itself, stay, MARRY ME." Bulk instructed. Skull grimaced.
"That may be taking it a bit too far there, pally." He replied, "I think I'll just stick to just telling her that I love her." Skull explained. Bulk shrugged.
"I suppose that works too." He admitted as he pulled the Buick quickly against the curb. "Go time, buddy! You got this!" Bulk shouted as Skull launched himself out of the car and sprinted through the automatic doors. He looked around until he saw the sign directing patrons to the security checkpoint and took off in a run in that direction. A desk clerk yelled to him not to run, but their order fell on deaf ears. Skull was on a mission.
As he ran, he spotted a shop selling flowers out front. He knew he was short on time, but…
~~~
Jason, Zack, and Trini finally made it to the front of the security line. One at a time, they showed the security officer their IDs, passports, and boarding passes. After the officer stamped their boarding passes and passports, they were waved through. The three teens placed their carry-on bags onto the belt one at a time along with their metal items and coins from their pockets. All three went to take off their wrist communicators instinctually, but remembered, they were gone. Simultaneously the friends shared disappointed glances, each knowing what the other was thinking.
They carried on silently, walking through the portals and gathering their things, ready to head to their gate to buy breakfast and wait from their plane.
~~~
Skull huffed and puffed and felt like his heart was about to give out from the running, but he didn't stop. He made it to the roped opening of the security line, where he spotted Trini's bright yellow coat. His eyes widened. Moving on pure adrenaline, he jumped over the plastic divider between the regular passenger security line and into the express line for employees. He shoved his way past a few uniformed people and up to the security officer podium.
"Sir, I need to see your passport and boarding pass-" the aggravated female officer ordered.
"I don't have one, I just need to talk to someone-" Skull explained desperately starting to move pass her, still out of breath.
"Sir, to get through security, you'll need to have your passport and a boarding pass to get past this point." She repeated, now growing more agitated and on alert. Skull groaned.
"No, you're not listening!" He yelled, his heart was pounding hard and his breath was still catching up as he argued with the officer, "I'm, I'm not flying, I just need to talk to that girl for just one second, please!" Skull argued. Trini was beginning to walk away. "Trini!" he shouted, "Trini, wait!" he screamed. Trini looked around.
"Sir!" The officer yelled. At this point, a few police officers were making their way over as Skull started attempting to push his way through to the portal area. "Sir! I'm going to have to ask you to leave, provide proper identification, or you WILL be taken into custody!" she threatened. Skull was now genuinely getting scared of her threats, but he was so desperate to get to Trini whatever it took.
"I just need to talk to that girl for, like two seconds, PLEASE!" Skull pleaded as he pointed to Trini across the room.
"Sir!" the security officer shouted, still keeping Skull back.
"TRINI!" Skull called to her. Finally, she spotted him.
"Skull?" she wondered and headed quickly up the exit ramp to get to him as she saw police officers approaching him. "I'll be right back, guys," Trini assured a very confused Jason and Zack as she took off in a run, "Skull!" she called back, waving to him. Skull ran from the officers to meet her. The officers however, were on his tail.
"Sir, you need to-" one of the officers taking a strong grip on Skull's shoulder.
"Wait! Wait, stop. It's okay, officers, I just need to talk with him and then he won't cause you any trouble." Trini promised. "My friends and I are the Teen Youth Peace Ambassadors and we're leaving for Switzerland…" she began to explain. This seemed to win the officers over.
"Very well." They complied, giving Skull a stern look before they returned to their post. Skull let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, Trini." He breathed hard with a chuckle.
"Skull, what are you doing here?" she asked. Though she was happy to see him before she had to leave, he caused such a scene that she knew Jason and Zack were watching. The punk was still trying to catch his breath and responded by pulling out a pair of pale yellow roses he had tucked into the waistband of his camo pants. "Oh, Skull…" Trini said carefully taking them.
"I…didn't want you to leave with getting to say goodbye and that I'm gonna miss you." Skull explained.
"I'll miss you, too." She replied. Trini looked as if she was about ready to cry and pulled him into a long hug.
Skull swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew that it was now or never, "I guess now is the best time to tell you..." He whispered.
"Tell me what?" she asked. Skull gave a long pause before taking a deep breath.
"The real reason I had to see you this morning…Trini, I love you." He confessed. Trini's face turned red and she pulled back in surprise.
"Skull…" Trini stammered, unsure of how to respond, "This…this is definitely not the best time to tell me that. This is the worst possible time." She scolded, "I'm about to fly halfway around the world-"
"Look, I know, I should've told you that night you came over to my house." Skull admitted, "That was one of the single greatest nights of my entire life. I should've told you long before that, but I couldn't let you go without telling you or I would never forgive myself." He explained, "You don't have to say it back and I'm not expecting you to stay and throw away the ambassadorship for me, in fact, I don't want you to." He assured. "This is an amazing opportunity for you and," he continued, taking her hands in his, "I know you're going to save the world, Trini Kwan…I just wanted to tell you before you go."
They held one another's hands for a moment until tears stung Trini's eyes. Her heart ached heavily in her chest. If he had only told her sooner, she wouldn't have applied for the ambassadorship. She could've stayed in Angel Grove. This ambassadorship, she couldn't reject it, abandon her friends. Long distance…Trini didn't even think she would return to live in Angel Grove. She didn't want to leave Skull hanging, just waiting for her when it wasn't clear if she would even come back. She knew what she had to do. She kissed him on the cheek and squeezed his hands.
"Goodbye, Eugene." She said. And with that she turned and left, roses in hand, and leaving Skull there to helplessly watch her leave.
Trini walked briskly to Zack and Jason, who had been waiting, worried and very confused. Trini took her bag handle from Jason and continued walking toward their gate without another word, trying her hardest not to cry.
"Goodbye." Skull replied softly despite Trini being far out of earshot. His heart shattered. Defeated, he walked back to the entrance of the airport. He walked out the doors and into the bitter December air. The tan Buick was parked by the curb waiting for him. Skull climbed in, head hung low.
"Hey! So, how'd it go?" Bulk asked ecstatically, "Did you confess your love in, UNYIELDING FIERY PASSION?" Bulk asked, again raising a triumphant fist in emphasis.
"Yeah, 'unyielding fiery passion' nearly got me arrested, too." Skull replied harshly as he buckled his seatbelt.
"But did you find her? Did you tell her? What did she say?" Bulk clamored. Skull shook his head. "Aw, man, I'm sorry," he said resting a hand on his friend's upper back. "Did she give you the whole, 'we can still be friends, let's keep in touch,' thing?" Bulk questioned.
"That's the thing," Skull said frustrated, "She didn't say she loved me, she didn't even say she just wanted to be friends. She just said…'Goodbye, Eugene,'" he recounted, "And then she left." Bulk shook his head, "Let's just…let's just get home before my dad kills me for stealing his car." Skull instructed turning to face out the window. Bulk gave a nod.
"Okay." He replied, driving away from the curb and heading back to the house. Skull watched the scenery change as they drove from the bustling city of Los Angeles and further out into the less busy roads of Angel Grove.
'So that's it.' Skull thought to himself watching the trees and powerlines go by, 'Nothing but a goodbye. Did she ever love me? She had to have to some degree at one point, right?' he let out a quiet sigh, 'You waited too long, Skullovitch. Time to move on, like she has…' he internally lamented. It was one of the most painful car rides of his entire life until he finally made it home, his dad waiting angrily for him for taking off with the car.
~~~
Once the trio made it closer to their gate, they spotted a bagel vendor, and headed towards the counter to order some breakfast. With their orders paid for, the teens sat at the waiting area of their gate. Zack and Jason began digging into their breakfast sandwich bagels and juice. Trini wasn't feeling hungry just yet and set her breakfast to-go bag beside her. She clutched the roses in her hand, staring at the soft yellow petals of the freshly opened blossoms.
The boys looked to one another silently communicating that they were worried about Trini.
"Hey, Trini." Zack piped up looking at her with concern. She tilted her head in reply, "You okay?" he asked.
"I'll be okay." Trini said. She looked away from the flowers and gave her friends a weak smile, "I'll be fine, I promise." She assured them, hoping to ease their concern. Her attitude and her pain-filled eyes did anything but ease them.
"What did Skull want?" Jason asked, suspecting something going on that she wasn't telling them.
"Yeah, and why did he give you roses?" Zack added.
"He," she gave a brief pause, "he just wanted to say goodbye." She answered. Jason raised his eyebrow.
"He fought through security just so he could say goodbye?" Jason interrogated.
"Seems pretty crazy, even for Skull to pull somethin' like that." Zack commented. Trini shook her head.
"Look, guys, I really don't want to talk about it right now." She snapped. The boys went back to eating in silence. Trini shook her head and stood up. She placed the flowers in her seat and began to walk away, "I'm heading to the restroom." She told them, "I'll be right back." With Trini out of sight, Jason and Zack immediately leaned close.
"So, what was all that about?" Zack asked Jason.
"I don't know." He answered, watching Trini disappear behind the door to the womens' restroom.
"I mean, running through security, roses, that hug they shared?" Zack asked. Zack hadn't noticed Trini plant a kiss on Skull's cheek, but Jason did. The former red ranger didn't want to bother mentioning it, but it certainly raised some flags in his mind.
"Do think…they had feelings for each other?" Jason suggested.
"Trini? Have feelings for Skull?" Zack asked skeptically, "Gimme a break. I thought Trini had a thing for Richie for awhile." The former black ranger mentioned. Jason shook his head.
"Trini always insisted that she and Richie were just friends." Jason reminded him, "I mean, Skull could've had sincere feelings toward Trini." He said suggesting the possibility, "He did give her roses and go through all that trouble…" Jason looked to the two pale yellow roses sitting in Trini's seat. Zack shook his head and went back to finishing the last few bites of his food.
"It's too weird." Zack said.
"I think we should leave it be." Jason replied, "She'll talk about it with us when she's ready. And if she doesn't, we'll still be there for her." He concluded. Zack nodded.
"Right. We gotta stick together." Zack said. The boys were in agreement. They wouldn't talk about the exchange they witnessed between her and Skull until she was ready. A moment or two later, Trini returned, and the boys struck up a conversation about all the things they were excited to experience in Switzerland, getting settled in, and beginning to explore the beautiful mountainous country. They were determined to get Trini's mind on something else.
Trini allowed herself to express her own excitement for what was to come. This was an incredible adventure they would be experiencing together for the next year and they wanted to get the most out of it. She couldn't let herself feel down about Skull. What was done was done. It was time to let him go, let go of the past, move forward, and embrace whatever was awaiting her in the year to come.
'I'll miss my time with Skull and the good times we shared.' Trini thought, and she smiled and laughed with her friends as they sat in their seats on the airplane, 'He was my first, and I'll never regret that, but we have our whole lives ahead of us. I'm sure that after some time, my relationship with Skull will be nothing but a happy memory.' Trini assured herself, buckling her seatbelt and anticipating the possibilities that lay just waiting beyond the horizon.