Power Rangers Dino Fury [A Dino Thunder Fanfiction]

Goodbye Red Beauty: Part 3

    "He really said that?" Andre said in a hushed tone. Nobody usually paid attention to us in the uncomfortably loud lunch room, but we could never be too careful. The school newspaper was always looking for ways to exploit even the quietest kids at Reefside High.

    I spun my fork in my noodles, not really feeling like eating the cafeteria food. "I should have seen this coming. I can't morph, I can't fight, I can barely walk." I looked up from the bowl of inedible food, passing glances between the enraged Andre and disappointed Lisa. Maybe I should have kept this to myself.

    "They're taking the easy way out, that's all. Don't listen to them." Andre said as he ran a comforting hand up and down Lisa's back.

    Lisa took a deep breath, looking up from her hands. She gave him the smallest smile before looking at me. "There has to be another way, please don't give up Aubrey."

    Watching these two interact with each other, I finally saw how much they had changed. How much I had missed. Andre was no longer the sloppy, cocky, lazy punk that I had met so many months ago. He came to school, showed up on time, worked on his grades and actually gave people the time of day. He had friends that he hadn't before, and he found something special in Lisa, and Lisa found something special in him.

    Lisa was just as different. She wore her hair down, came to school every day, and her circle of friends had grown as well. Her face wasn't buried in a book every second of every day and the frown and judgmental glare she had given Andre the first day had changed to a calm smile with happy eyes. They glowed together, and I finally realized something so important, that it seemed to help me make up my mind.

    If we had never become rangers, these two would still be isolated and I never would have been able to watch two very amazing people grow into what they are now. Turning evil gave these two the time they needed to grow up and together. I feel like I had done everything I could for them.

    A bump from behind awoke me from my train of thought, and I saw a face that had seemed to disappear from my life for so long.

    Nathan Scott.

    I expected him to grin and laugh when he saw me like he usually did, grabbing me up and dragging me off to terrorize me in the hallway. But he didn't. He turned his head, and his eyes seemed to grow into orbs.

    "Oh, Jones. I mean, Aubrey. Sorry, didn't mean to bump into you." He pulled his bag higher up his shoulder.

    I debated just turning back around and ignoring him, but he seemed different somehow. His eyes looked lonely, and they seemed to be begging me to talk to him.

    I gave him a forced smile. "Hey, Nathan. It's fine."

    He looked around the cafeteria before taking a step closer to me. My body tensed but relaxed almost instantly when I realized he was still holding that gentle, lonely look in his gaze. "Is there any way that I could talk to you for a few minutes in the courtyard?"

    Was I really willing to let myself be alone with my former bully again? Well, if he killed me, at least I wouldn't have to give up my Dino Gem.

    I looked at Andre and Lisa as I stood up on my right leg, carefully grabbing up my crutch and book bag. They seemed to be standing up to join me, but I gave them a small shake of my head. "I'll see you guys in 7th period, okay?" I said quietly. They gave each other a worried glance before nodding, and I stepped out over the table bench.

    He seemed to match my pace as we walked, not rushing me as I hobbled along on one good foot and a crutch. He looked between me and the floor of the hallway as we walked, like he wanted to say something but didn't know how to. Taking a deep breath, Nathan cleared his throat and looked up at me. "H-how are you?"