This chapter was originally written to be two seperate chapters, but I decided since the chapters were so short, I would put them together. We're FINALLY getting to the plot of the story, but don't worry, it will still be humorous.. although I'm not sure, but I think I may add A LITTLE BIT of sadness/angst in it.. but I don't know. I'm in a grouchy mood, so that may be why I want to do that. But any suggestions are extremely appreciated and will be listened to/read.
Here ya go, for the longest chapter in Amberized history :
The others still looked at me expantantly.
"Um, right, well.. Ranger-is-known-to-me-and-all-the-others-as-Batman-because-he's-scary-and-mysterious-and-has-cool-cars-and-yeah."
I breathed while the others tried to figure out what I said.
"Okay, so Ricky is Batman," Diego grinned. "Who am I?"
"Superman," I muttered. I'm sure my cheeks were red as an apple.
"What was that?" Diego smirked, propping his legs on the coffee table in front of him.
"Erm.. Superman."
Tia, Carla, and Diego roared with laughter. I avoided looking at Tony, but I knew he was probably doing that Manoso-half-smile thing.
Kinda gets annoyin' sometimes, really.
Ranger, however, had his eyebrows raised.
"What about Tony?" Ranger asked, his voice calm. They quieted down, like they knew a secret that I wasn't supposed to hear.
I hate it when people do that.
"Um.." I trailed off. I didn't exactly think they would appreciate me calling their brother the spawn of the dark side, but..
"Well?"
It was the first time I had heard Tony speak. His voice sounded similiar to Ranger's, although his tone was harsh.
Ranger did not say anything to defend me, and both Tia and Carla were silent. Diego, who was sitting beside me, was watching me carefully.
"Uh.."
Again, Superman saved the day.
"Aww, lighten up on the poor girl," Diego said, wrapping an arm around me. I noticed something flash over Ranger's face -- jealousy? -- but it was instantly squashed.
The awkwardness was instantly gone, as well. Craig chose that moment to come in from the kitchen with the others and ask if Carla was ready to leave. After she answered yes, everyone else rushed to get out of there as well.
"Thanks," I whispered to Diego, who still had his arm dangling on my shoulder.
"No prob," he muttered back, giving my shoulder a squeeze, and then, like the smoke/wind/whatever, he was gone. In his place was Tony.
I think I shit my pants.
"Um.." I said. I wasn't sure what to say to him -- he seemed..
well..
weird.
"What's my nickname?" he asked, his face a mask of boredom.
I bit my lip. "Uh.."
"Steph, come on," called out Ranger. I turned back to say goodbye to Tony, but like his brothers, he had dissapeared.
We said goodbye to all of Ranger's family, promised to visit soon, and were soon on our way.
"So." I kept my voice light, knowing I was not on Ranger's good side.
"So," he replied.
I searched for a good topic to speak of. "Um, your sisters, they're friendly."
He looked at me for a moment, seeming to forget about the road. "And my brothers?"
Uh, shit.
"Um.. Diego is nice, I like him." I did not fail to notice the fact that, when I made this comment, Ranger's knuckles had gripped the steering wheel.
"And Tony?" He kept his voice calm, but I wasn't fooled.
"Tony.. um.. he didn't talk much."
Ranger stared at me a moment, nodded, and turned his attention back to the road. After a few minutes of silence, I figured he was in his zone, so I turned my head to the window.
"Diego isn't always like that," Ranger said suddenly, making me jump about three feet into the air.
"Like what?"
Diego had not been a person I was worrying about; it was Tony who scared the shit out of me.
"Superman. Don't let him become that image in your head."
We rode along in silence for a little longer.
"Where are Chris and Lissie's father?" I asked suddenly, not thinking about my question.
Shit.
Ranger did not seem offended, however. "Gone," he said simply.
I waited for more answers, but he did not give me any.
But, of course, I had one more question, the most important of all.
"Why was Tony so.. hostile?"
"Tony is Tony," he said, and we rode home in silence the rest of the way.
"That ointment is working," I commented later that night. "I barely feel a thing now."
"Mhm." Obviously, Ranger was still mad at me for the photos and home videos.
I rolled my eyes and groaned. Then, I stood up, pushed the table away from his chair, and sat in his lap.
I wanted to say, "Look, Ranger, get over yourself. Everyone gets embarrassed, it's about damn time you join the club."
Instead, I leaned my head against his shoulder. His arms went around my waist. "Mad at me?" I muttered, moving my lips against his neck.
"Not if you keep doing that," he said gruffily.
I felt like I was about to melt.
I opened my mouth to reply, when a loud "bang" and a huge burst of fire erupted from about ten feet away from us.
"Shit." He grabbed my hand and pulled me out into the hallway. After he pulled out his handy dandy remote and hit a red button on the top, sirens started wailing.
"Come on," he said, pushing open the doors for the stairs and taking two at a time, dragging me the whole way. We did not stop until we were in the Control Room, where all the RangeMan guys were scrambling around. Sirens wailed from outside, and in no time at all, the fire was put out and I was sitting on the ground outside of the building, waiting for Ranger to get back from giving his statement.
Well, shit.
I can't go a FRICKING month without SOMETHING blowing up. What the FRICK.
I stood up, stomped my foot on the ground, and gave God the Finger.
"Take that," I muttered, then retreated back into my land of fabulous denial.
Of course, God would not let me get away with that, because as soon as I sat back down, I felt a sharp pain in my back, almost like I had stabbed myself with a sewing needle.
I was reaching around to investigate when I heard someone calling my name.
"Bombshell," called out Lester.
If he were anyone else, I would've kissed him.
"Thanks," I murmered, but made no attempt to get them from him.
For some reason, I just felt.. tired.
And dizzy.
And all-out sick.
"God really does hate me," was the last thing I muttered before passing out.