Chapter 23: Painful Words

Hannah bit her lip as she tried to get her history homework finished. She rubbed the back of her neck and stared at the report in front of her that she had to do. The tears threatening to fall down her face. She was exhausted, she had just come home from gymnastics practice. She had a competition to go to in a couple of weeks. She felt like she was read physically, but mentally, she was tired. She looked up when there was a knock on the door. "Knock, knock," Kimberly greeted. Hannah smiled and sat back in her seat. "How's the homework coming?" She asked.

"Would be better if the history essay you assigned wasn't so hard," Hannah replied.

Kimberly sighed. "Well, I guess that'll make me the most unpopular teacher in the school," she commented. They both laughed at the comment.

"That was different," Hannah commented.

"What's that?" Kimberly asked.

Hannah pushed her hair out of her face. "For the first time…in a long time…you seem to be very, very happy," Hannah commented. Kimberly walked over, sat next to Hannah, and leaned against her hand staring at her.

"What do you mean? I've always been happy," she answered.

"Not like this mom," Hannah told her.

"Well, little missy dating the Red Ranger."

Hannah laughed slightly and her face was turning red. "This is the first Ranger crush you were actually able to date," Kimberly teased. Hannah smiled and Kimberly pushed the hair out of Hannah's face.

"We've been through a lot haven't we kid?" She asked.

Hannah nodded her head slowly. "More than any other family," Hannah agreed. Kimberly smiled and she kissed her forehead.

"I tell you what. I'll give you an extension on that paper. I'll give the entire class an extension," she informed.

"Seriously?"

"You bet."

"Thanks mom."

Kimberly nodded and kissed Hannah's forehead again. "Get some sleep kiddo," she told her. Hannah nodded her head slowly and watched as Kimberly left.

The next day, Hannah was walking home when she heard an evil laugh behind her. "Well if it isn't Miss Hannah Leonardo," she sneered. Hannah dropped her bag and looked over to see Kat standing there.

"You stay away from my family," Hannah ordered.

"I don't want your brother. I just want Kimberly," Kat sneered.

"She's my mother and you stay away."

"Your mother? Ha! That's a laugh. She didn't even want you."

Hannah stared at Kat. "You don't know my mother," Hannah snapped. Kat circled Hannah with a cackle.

"Your mother was Nora Leonardo. She killed herself, why should I care about a dead woman?" Kat answered.

"Kimberly's my mother."

Kat laughed. "She tried to get rid of you before she adopted you," she sneered. Hannah stared at Kat.

"Liar," she hissed.

"It's true. She tried to get the adoption agency to put you somewhere else."

Hannah went to attack Kat when she realized she couldn't move. "Your precious mother tried to get rid of you. She only wanted that brat she calls her true daughter," she taunted. Hannah covered her ears.

"Shut up!" Hannah hissed.

"You know it's true."

Hannah shook her head. "No it's not, no it's not," Hannah insisted, she was starting to break.

"Your mother doesn't know what you're going through, poor Hannah. Having to go through all the torture of school, being a Power Ranger, and being a gymnast. Your mother could never compare to that," she laughed.

Hannah let out a sob and collapsed to her knees. "Why should you have to put up with anymore?" Kat asked. Hannah looked up at Kat with a glare.

"Stay away from me," she hissed.

She got up and ran home. Kat laughed and disappeared.

Hannah came storming home. Kimberly jumped when the front door slammed. "Hannah, what happened?" She asked. Hannah dropped her things and went upstairs. "HANNAH!" Kimberly shouted. She went after Hannah, leaving Kylie there with Tommy.

Hannah came in and threw a picture across the room. Kimberly came in with a gasp. "Hannah! What are you doing?" She asked. Hannah didn't answer.

"What do you care?" She asked.

Kimberly was stunned by her words. "What happened out there, Hannah?" She asked. Kimberly went to grab her shoulder when Hannah spun around.

"Don't touch me," she hissed.

"Were you attacked again?" Kimberly asked.

"No, someone told me the truth about you."

Kimberly looked at Hannah with a quizzical look on her face. "Hannah, what are you talking about?" She asked.

"YOU NEVER WANTED ME!" Hannah shouted.

"Of course I wanted you."

Hannah shook her head. "You tried to get rid of me…after my mother abandoned me you tried to get rid of me," she insisted. The tears falling down her face.

"Sweetheart, whoever told you this, I swear to you it isn't true," Kimberly insisted.

"It is true. You only wanted it to be you and Kylie. You never wanted Hunter, Blake, or me."

"Hannah…"

"I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Don't talk to me like that I'm your mother."

"You have never been my mother!"

Kimberly suddenly felt like she was stabbed in the heart. "You don't care about anybody but Kylie. You don't know what it's like to try to be the most perfect person in school. You don't know," Hannah snapped. Kimberly shook her head slowly.

"You're wrong, Hannah," she insisted weakly.

Hannah glared at her. "I hate you," she hissed. Hannah grabbed her duffle bag. She then stormed out of the room after throwing her morpher on the floor.

(The Gym)

Hannah walked into the gym after changing in the locker room. She walked over to the parallel bars and started her routine. Forgetting never to do gymnastics while you are upset. Just as Hannah went to get down to the bottom bar after a spin, she missed and everyone watched in horror as she hit the floor hard. "HANNAH!" Another gymnast shouted. She ran over to Hannah and rolled her onto her back. "CALL AN AMBULANCE!" She shouted. They tried to get Hannah to respond, but the girl was out cold and it worried them all.

(Kat's Lair)

Kat laughed evilly. "My plan worked out perfectly. One Ranger down…six to go," she laughed.