Cassidy Cornell watched with great suspicion as Conner McKnight, Kira
Ford and Ethan James gathered with their trays at a lunch table. Despite
Devin's protests, there was definitely something weird about the
combination of those three. Mr. "I'm-such-a-jock hanging" out with the
"Captain of the Computer Club"? And Kira was definitely not Conner's type.
Cassidy unconsciously primped as she watched the three students.
Conner looked as cool and confident as ever. He was wearing his favorite red soccer jersey over black jeans. Cassidy loved those jeans. Kira was doing her grunge musician look – twin pigtails cascaded over her yellow tank top worn over a long sleeved black shirt. Her jeans were ripped and there was some crazy black and yellow pattern on the piping. Cassidy's nose crinkled in distaste. That girl's got no fashion sense. And Ethan, he was a completely lost cause. Blue shirt, blue pants, blue cap – the boy was a monotone blueberry. What did Conner see in those two?
Cassidy looked up as Devin arrived with her lunch, then turned her attention back to the trio at the other table. She gave a determined sniff. She was going to get to the unravel this mystery. Mystery...yes, that's what it was. And what sort of investigative reporter would she be if she couldn't get to the bottom of it?
~
"She's watching us again."
Kira kicked Ethan under the table as he swiveled around to look. "Don't let her know we know!"
"What's the big deal?" Ethan groused. "She watches everybody. And she always gets everything wrong. Nobody listens to her."
"Well," Conner injected, "I about had a heart attack when she came out with that "special report" about a superhero at Reefside."
Kira nodded her agreement. "Me too."
"But that was wrong too," Ethan argued. "I mean seriously...Principal Randell? A superhero?"
Ethan, focused on getting exactly the right amount of ketchup on his fries, did not catch the warning glances Conner and Kira were trying to give him. He continued. "Now if she was doing a report on a love connection..."
A strong hand clamped down on Ethan's shoulder. He yelped in surprise. Kira and Conner both pretended to look elsewhere. "I thought we'd finished with that topic of conversation."
Ethan laughed weakly. "Oh you know Dr. O. Just speculating on what ridiculous, crazy story Cassidy might come up with next.
"Ridiculous." Kira repeated.
"Crazy." Conner added seriously.
Tommy smiled as he looked at his team. "I just wanted to let you guys know that Haley's doing some upgrades this weekend, so aside from some light training, I'm giving you the weekend off." He was thrilled by the enthusiastic response of his young friends. "That is of course, barring any unforeseen circumstances." They all nodded in understanding.
"That's great, Dr. O.! There's a new game I've been dying to get my hands on."
"No way," Conner interrupted. "If we've got some free time, I'm dragging you out into some fresh air." Ethan started to protest, but Conner ran right over him. "There's a surfing exhibition this weekend – we're going to the beach."
"Since when do you surf?" asked Kira, "You can't even swim."
Conner grimaced; they were just never going to let that go. "I don't surf, but do you know who does? Hot chicks in small bathing suits." Kira rolled her eyes, but Ethan was definitely looking more enthusiastic.
"I'll let you guys work out the details." said Tommy. He walked away as Conner and Ethan got into a heated debate on which part of the beach would have the best view. He was glad the team was bonding outside of "work". He was pleased he was able to give them some time to themselves. It was so important that they stay connected to the things in "real" life. Being a Ranger took so much out of you, it would be easy to lose it all and become disconnected. But with the three of them looking out for each other, and keeping one another grounded, that was less likely to happen.
Fond memories of another team kept Dr. Oliver company on the way back to his classroom.
Conner looked as cool and confident as ever. He was wearing his favorite red soccer jersey over black jeans. Cassidy loved those jeans. Kira was doing her grunge musician look – twin pigtails cascaded over her yellow tank top worn over a long sleeved black shirt. Her jeans were ripped and there was some crazy black and yellow pattern on the piping. Cassidy's nose crinkled in distaste. That girl's got no fashion sense. And Ethan, he was a completely lost cause. Blue shirt, blue pants, blue cap – the boy was a monotone blueberry. What did Conner see in those two?
Cassidy looked up as Devin arrived with her lunch, then turned her attention back to the trio at the other table. She gave a determined sniff. She was going to get to the unravel this mystery. Mystery...yes, that's what it was. And what sort of investigative reporter would she be if she couldn't get to the bottom of it?
~
"She's watching us again."
Kira kicked Ethan under the table as he swiveled around to look. "Don't let her know we know!"
"What's the big deal?" Ethan groused. "She watches everybody. And she always gets everything wrong. Nobody listens to her."
"Well," Conner injected, "I about had a heart attack when she came out with that "special report" about a superhero at Reefside."
Kira nodded her agreement. "Me too."
"But that was wrong too," Ethan argued. "I mean seriously...Principal Randell? A superhero?"
Ethan, focused on getting exactly the right amount of ketchup on his fries, did not catch the warning glances Conner and Kira were trying to give him. He continued. "Now if she was doing a report on a love connection..."
A strong hand clamped down on Ethan's shoulder. He yelped in surprise. Kira and Conner both pretended to look elsewhere. "I thought we'd finished with that topic of conversation."
Ethan laughed weakly. "Oh you know Dr. O. Just speculating on what ridiculous, crazy story Cassidy might come up with next.
"Ridiculous." Kira repeated.
"Crazy." Conner added seriously.
Tommy smiled as he looked at his team. "I just wanted to let you guys know that Haley's doing some upgrades this weekend, so aside from some light training, I'm giving you the weekend off." He was thrilled by the enthusiastic response of his young friends. "That is of course, barring any unforeseen circumstances." They all nodded in understanding.
"That's great, Dr. O.! There's a new game I've been dying to get my hands on."
"No way," Conner interrupted. "If we've got some free time, I'm dragging you out into some fresh air." Ethan started to protest, but Conner ran right over him. "There's a surfing exhibition this weekend – we're going to the beach."
"Since when do you surf?" asked Kira, "You can't even swim."
Conner grimaced; they were just never going to let that go. "I don't surf, but do you know who does? Hot chicks in small bathing suits." Kira rolled her eyes, but Ethan was definitely looking more enthusiastic.
"I'll let you guys work out the details." said Tommy. He walked away as Conner and Ethan got into a heated debate on which part of the beach would have the best view. He was glad the team was bonding outside of "work". He was pleased he was able to give them some time to themselves. It was so important that they stay connected to the things in "real" life. Being a Ranger took so much out of you, it would be easy to lose it all and become disconnected. But with the three of them looking out for each other, and keeping one another grounded, that was less likely to happen.
Fond memories of another team kept Dr. Oliver company on the way back to his classroom.