Disclaimer: I don't own them.
*Italic indicates thought
Chapter Forty: Trying to Make Things Right
A/N: Hey guys! I'm going to try and focus on getting this story worked on becasue it needs some TLC. Enjoy!
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on." -Robert Frost
Lauren sighed as she stood in the doorway of Jungle Karma Pizza. She hovered just outside the restaurant, trying to decide whether or not to go in. She took a deep breath and walked inside. She looked around the colorful space. It was filled with people sitting and chatting while they ate pizza.
"Table for one?" A teenage boy in a uniform asked.
"Um...yes please."
"Follow me." He grabbed a menu and lead her over to a table in a back corner. She sat down and accepted the menu form him.
"Thank you." He nodded and walked away. Lauren opened the menu idly, wondering how long she could keep up her courage. She glanced around and spotted Jayden clearing dishes off of tables. Lauren looked away quickly, afraid he would see her. She hid her face in the menu. I'm being stupid, she thought. He's not going to be angry with me. It was Ji he had the fight with. He shouldn't be mad at me. She looked around again and saw that that he'd made it to another table. His sister watched him as he worked. She noticed how worn his shoes were, probably from being on his feet all day. She noticed how tired he looked, but it was a different kind of tired. Not as stressed as she'd always seen him.
Jayden finished with his work and went back into the kitchen. Lauren sighed again and stared idly at the menu. She wasn't really hungry. She was too nervous to eat. The numerous different pizza options, some of which sounded like the creator had been on some kind of drug when they invented them. She kept rehearsing the words in head. She hadn't spoken to Jayden in nearly three months. The hours they'd spent in the hospital for Emily's car accident didn't exactly count in her mind. She wished Tiara had taken her up on her offer to come. It felt so lonely and exposed to be here without someone. And Ji was a definite no.
"Please Tiara," Lauren begged. "Please, please, please!"
"You know begging is really unbecoming of you," the youngest Shiba remarked. She glanced up from the book she was reading. She'd taken to reading a lot to try and alleviate the loneliness she felt.
"We need Jayden back. I can't do all of this without him. I need him. I miss him."
Tiara sighed and closed her book. "Then why don't you tell him that?"
"Because...because I don't think he wants to talk to me."
Tiara nodded. "Did you ever think that having to do all this work is why Jayden left in the first place? He obviously doesn't want his title anymore."
"He can't just walk away from it!" Lauren snapped. "He doesn't get to chose to be a samurai!"
"Exactly! He never got to choose! He always had everyone choosing for him! I can't blame Jayden for walking away like he did. If I were in his position I'd probably do the same thing. You can't make him come back. He probably never will. But I do know he still loves you. So if you want him in your life again, try to get to know him as a person."
"As a person..."
Now here she sat, idly holding up a menu to hide her face like the coward she was. She heard footsteps coming up to her.
"Hello, my name Jayden, and I'll be your server today." Lauren closed her eyes briefly and took her face out of the menu. Jayden's pencil froze from where he'd been tapping it.
"Hey Jay," Lauren said.
"Lauren." Jayden sighed a little.
"What's up?"
"Working."
"You have a minute?"
"Uh..." He looked around, like he was trying to think of something he could do that didn't involve talking to her. For a minute Lauren was afraid he'd say no. "Yeah. I guess." He sat down across from her and smiled. It was the most self-assured smile Lauren was pretty sure she'd ever seen him give.
"How've you been?"
"Busy. You?"
"Same. How's Lorrie?"
Jayden looked surprised. "She's fine. We-uh...we live together now?"
"Really?" Now it was Lauren's turn to be surprised.
"Yeah."
"How's that working out?"
"Great." He couldn't begin to describe how wonderful it was to wake up next to her in the morning or fall asleep next to her at night. She sing even mind his nightmares, and would calm him down in the middle of them.
"So things are going well between you two?"
"Fantastic."
"I'm glad. So I have a question for you."
"Oh?"
"Would you and Lorrie like to come over for dinner sometime?"
"Why?" Lauren could see him going on the defensive and knew she had to pick her next words carefully. If he thought they were going to do nothing but criticize him being with Lorrie and his life choices, he wouldn't come. She cleared her throat.
"Tiara really misses you being around and so do I. We're still your sisters and we want you to come over for dinner. That's all."
Jayden looked away. At least he seemed like he was considering it. "I don't know."
"Well you at least think it over?"
He sighed and nodded. "I'll think about it. I'm not getting pulled into all of that again."
"It's just dinner."
Jayden nodded like he wasn't convinced and stood up. "I should get back to work. If I don't work they don't pay me."
"I can see how that would work."
Jayden smiled. "So are you going to order anything?"
"That depends, is anything good here?"
"Super Ultimate Vegetarian isn't bad."
"Sound a little over the top but I'll have that I guess."
"Alright." Jayden took her menu and walked off. Lauren watched him go with a sad heart. She felt guilty for wanting him to come home. She needed his help, but he was so happy in his new life. It didn't seem like he really wanted to come back ever. Despite how much he'd changed for the better, she still couldn't help but feel that at home was where he belonged.
-Samurai Ranger Life-
Mike sighed in annoyance as he crumpled up another piece of paper. He thew it behind him, not caring if it actually made it to the recycling bin or not. He tapped his pen irritably against his pad of paper.
"You know you didn't strike me as the kind of person with a vendetta against trees," Tommy remarked, coming into the office.
Mike spun around in his chair. "I'm trying to write a letter."
"To who?"
"Emily."
Tommy frowned as he sat down. "Emily? Wasn't she your guys' yellow?"
Mike nodded glumly. "And my ex-girlfriend."
"Oh I see. Does this have anything to do with why you took off suddenly a couple months ago?"
"I thought I was over her man. I really did. That is moved on. But as soon as she needed me I dropped everything and ran to her. Now...now I don't know what to think."
"You think you still have feelings for her?"
Mike nodded. "It's stupid, isn't it?"
"No. I remember what it was like look good my first love. That kind of pain is hard. It's
like falling apart."
"I shouldn't miss her like this. She's moved on. She has a boyfriend and they live together! She loves him."
"You want some advice?" Mike nodded. "From one ranger to another, you'll always go running when one of your teammates needs help. That's just the way it is. As for Emily, I think you two need to talk about what happened. You need to tell her how you feel. Even if she doesn't love you back."
"You really think so?"
"Trust me, honesty is your best policy in these situations. The truth hurts, but sometimes it's for the best. And clearing the air between you will help you reestablish a friendship you both need. And take it from me, these are not conversations that should happen in a letter."
Mike sighed. "Yeah. I guess you're right. But what if she doesn't love me?"
"Do you really love her?"
"I-I don't know."
"Trust me Mike, when it's true love you'll know. You'll feel it in your heart and soul. With every atom in your body."
"I'm holding you to that."
"You do that. Now, you wanted to show me the possible places for your dojo right?"
Mike perked up. "Yeah!" He spun around as Tommy wheeled himself over to the samurai's desk. "So I like these ones and I think I'll be able to do a lot with the spaces-"
