Song of the chapter: Kiss With A Fist by Florence + The Machine
The next day is the same. School was boring, but I've actually been improving in the classes I had bad grades in. My dad still hasn't spoken more than four words to me since our last argument, and Jen is worried, but I've been trying not to let it bother me.
"Come on!" I yell as Zack gets punched in the face by one of the putties. One of them sticks their arm out, hitting Jason in the face and knocking him down. I slam my foot into the back of one's leg and pull it's arm behind it's back, but it grabs onto me and flings me across the room, knocking the wind out of me.
I spit out blood and catch my breath as Trini crawls between the legs of one and kicks it straight in the boulders.
"You guys all know you could be murdered, right?" Alpha asks, watching our poor defense skills. He tells us to wrap it up and Jason marks another day on the wall. I grab my jacket and head out of the pit, ready to take a shower and go to bed. I follow the others back out of the ship and through the water, getting in my car and heading home.
I enter the house and Jen smiles from the kitchen, then gives me a weird look when she sees how sweaty and beat up I am.
"What's going on?" She asks, rushing over and holding my face in her hands.
"I've been taking classes after school. It's a good use of my negative energy. We did a 1 v 1 today and my partner got in a few good hits. If you think this is bad, you should see him." I chuckle, thinking about Jason.
"Well, as long as you don't break anything. You didn't break anything, right?" She pulls at my nose, making sure it's not broken. I pull my face away and smile.
"I'm fine Jen, really." She nods and goes back to whatever she was doing while I run upstairs and hop into the shower. My body definitely isn't as bruised and torn up anymore, making me smile at my small improvements. I even see a few abs poking out from my abdomen. Sick. I sit down on my bed with my towel wrapped around my body, grabbing my phone as it buzzes.
Kim: Hey Ollie, Trini and I are going out and I wanted to know if you'd come with?
Ollie: Sure, just let me know when and where!
I take a note of the details and quickly change into a fresh pair of leggings, a Beatles t-shirt, my white sneakers, and of course the jacket. My coin drops neatly into the jacket pocket as I snatch my keys off of my night stand and race down stairs.
"Olivia? Are you gonna be in for dinner tonight?" Jen asks from the living room.
"Probably not, but I'll text you if I think I'll make it back," I yell as I head out the front door. I hop into my car and drive to the little cafe that Kim told me she and Trini were at, spotting them through the window. The bell above the door rings as I walk in and Kim smiles at me from their table. Trini sends a small wave and I sit down.
"Hey." I smile, glancing around the small shop. I actually don't think I've ever been here before.
"Okay, not that it's any of my business, but what's going on between you and Jason?" Kim asks, gesturing towards the jacket. I feel my face heat up slightly and I shrug.
"I don't know. I only have the jacket because he let me borrow it once and I haven't given it back. That's really all there is to it-"
"Nuh-uh. He is constantly holding your hand and looking at you when you're not paying attention. He likes you." Trini leans on the table.
"You think?" I ask, my nose scrunching slightly. They both nod as a waitress brings out a large cupcake with three forks. We silently thank her and she asks me if I want anything to drink. "A hot chocolate, please?" She nods, scurrying off towards the counter. I turn back as Trini digs her fork into the last chunk. Me and Kim both stab our forks at it as she moves it out of the way. "Oh, it is on." I mumble. All three of us fight over the fork with the cupcake on it, turning it into a game of 'which fork is the right fork?' and we fight for it above our heads.
The fork flies into the air and Kim catches it, causing us all to laugh as people start giving us looks. Kim bites the cupcake off of the fork, crushing practically all of my hopes and dreams. My mouth hangs open as me and Trini share a look of pure heartbreak.
***
"You must shed your masks to wear this armor." The Morphing Grid spins, its light brightening up the room.
"I don't feel anything!" Billy yells over the sound of the air moving through the room. Zordon groans in frustration as the Morphing Grid stops moving and glowing.
"Take them down to the pit!" He demands, causing us all to whine as we follow Alpha back down to the training area. He sets up the exercise again, a mini version of a putty building itself up from the smaller rocks scattered on the ground.
"Now, watch me." Alpha says. "Slip, grab, lift!" He demonstrates the proper technique, swiftly knocking the putty down. "Yeah!" He points. The large putties stand waiting and once again, Jason goes first. Alpha stands up on the ledge, ready to instruct him. Jason goes right in, wrapping his arms around the putty. "Slip, grab, lift!" Alpha yells from the ledge. The putty hits the ground and I cheer out in excitement. Kim nudges me and I shove her playfully.
We each get a turn, all of us doing pretty well with Alpha's technique. It feels pretty good to finally beat those creatures, I must say. It was very satisfying to watch them crumble. Kim and Trini go up against two of them, using what they've learned and taking out the enemy pretty quickly.
Zack and I team up against two of them. We press our backs together and loop our arms. I shove off the ground and kick the first one right in the head, watching stones fly out behind it. Then, I flip over Zack's back and knock the second one down completely. I smile at him and we high-five, heading back over to the ledge.
We do some more 1 v 1 stuff, and I end up getting a lot of time with Alpha today. During our lesson, he teaches me a lot of attacks involving surprise and stealth.
"You learn very quickly, Olivia." I smile, bowing my head to end our lesson.
"Well, I am learning from one of the best."
***
"I mean it, don't take a nap or goof off, get some work done this time." My dad grumbles as I climb out of the car. I totally forgot I had detention again today with everything that has happened this week. I close the car door and sling my bag over my shoulder, heading into the building.
"Hey." Jason shoves himself up off of the wall and walks beside me, making me smile. I frown when I notice the bruise decorating his chin, but I know where it came from so I'm not too concerned.
"Awe, were you waiting for me?" I ask, placing my hand over my heart dramatically.
"Always." He grins, opening the door for me. The classroom is loud as usual, and Kimberly smiles when she sees us walking down the stairs. I glance at Billy, the bandage above his eyebrow bringing back fond memories of the day he earned that injury. I flop down at the same table I sat at last time, pulling my chemistry homework out and tapping my pencil lightly on the desk. The teacher hurries into the room, papers scattered in his hands and his coffee looking like it's going to fall out of his grip. He says something about doing homework and being productive, then sits down at his desk and stares at the computer screen.
My hand begins to cramp up as I scribble notes down onto the paper about moles and molar mass. I had Billy explain this stuff to me the other day and it's actually starting to make sense.
I smile as my hand flies up and catches a small folded piece of paper. My eyes glance to Kim, who gestures for me to open it. I roll my eyes and pull the paper open, flattening it out of my desk. My eyes widen as I find a heart with a J and an O in the center. I crumple it up and whip it at her, watching as she barely misses it and it smacks her right in the forehead. I slap my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing and she glares at me. She points to the balled up paper and nods.
"It will happen..." She mouths, tucking the paper into her bag. I shake my head and go back to my chemistry homework. I stare down at the words on the paper, but all I can focus on is what Kim has been saying. Does Jason really like me? Do I like him?
Another paper whizzes past my head and Jason snatches it out of the air, flicking it towards me. I smile down at it, pinching it in between my index and middle finger before sending it Billy's way. He flattens it down on his desk, reads it, and smiles before balling it up and chucking it at the bully from last Saturday. He jumps, screaming like a girl and toppling out of his chair. The teacher glances up and sighs, shaking his head and returning to his computer as I about piss myself laughing. At one point a wheeze comes out of my throat and Jason scoots over, thinking I'm dying.
***
"I got it!" Billy yells as he stabs a pin into the map on the ceiling. "I found the crystal!" I glance up from my trigonometry homework, resisting the urge to rip up the paper and accept a failing grade.
"Where is it?" I ask curiously. He climbs down from the ceiling and grabs his map, putting on his coat.
"Come with me and I'll show you!" I quickly get up from the counter, eager to get away from my homework for a little while. Billy tells his mom that we're going out for a little while and says goodbye. He hops into my car and stares at his map, reading off directions to me while he trails the most efficient way to the crystal with his shaking finger.
I listen to the soft music playing through the radio and follow Billy's directions, driving through town and looking around as if there's going to be a sign that says "GIANT CRYSTAL IN THE GROUND: THIS WAY." Spoiler alert, there's no sign.
"Stop!" I almost shit myself as Billy yells at me to pull over. Before the car is fully stopped, he hops out and runs into the street. I quickly climb out of the driver's seat and follow him towards the Krispy Kreme across the street.
"Billy, I swear to god if all you wanted was donuts you could've just as-"
"No, no the crystal is here. I'm positive," He says, glancing back down at the map.
"So, what are you gonna do now? It's not like we can start digging a hole in the bathroom floor." He doesn't reply, so I run up to the counter and buy two glazed donuts. I mean since we're already here, why not?
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Whaaaattt? Double update? Who knew? It might even be a triple update if I can edit chapter 7 in time before I go to bed, cause, y'know, humans need sleep and all that. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and be prepared for more emotions in the near future!! Sorry this one was so short but I still hope it's okay!